VizieR Online Data Catalog: Full spectroscopic data release of the SPT-GMOS (Bayliss+, 2016)

Science.gov (United States)

Bayliss, M. B.; Ruel, J.; Stubbs, C. W.; Allen, S. W.; Applegate, D. E.; Ashby, M. L. N.; Bautz, M.; Benson, B. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Bocquet, S.; Brodwin, M.; Capasso, R.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Chiu, I.; Cho, H.-M.; Clocchiatti, A.; Crawford, T. M.; Crites, A. T.; de Haan, T.; Desai, S.; Dietrich, J. P.; Dobbs, M. A.; Doucouliagos, A. N.; Foley, R. J.; Forman, W. R.; Garmire, G. P.; George, E. M.; Gladders, M. D.; Gonzalez, A. H.; Gupta, N.; Halverson, N. W.; Hlavacek-Larrondo, J.; Hoekstra, H.; Holder, G. P.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Hou, Z.; Hrubes, J. D.; Huang, N.; Jones, C.; Keisler, R.; Knox, L.; Lee, A. T.; Leitch, E. M.; von der Linden, A.; Luong-van, D.; Mantz, A.; Marrone, D. P.; McDonald, M.; McMahon, J. J.; Meyer, S. S.; Mocanu, L. M.; Mohr, J. J.; Murray, S. S.; Padin, S.; Pryke, C.; Rapetti, D.; Reichardt, C. L.; Rest, A.; Ruhl, J. E.; Saliwanchik, B. R.; Saro, A.; Sayre, J. T.; Schaffer, K. K.; Schrabback, T.; Shirokoff, E.; Song, J.; Spieler, H. G.; Stalder, B.; Stanford, S. A.; Staniszewski, Z.; Stark, A. A.; Story, K. T.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Vikhlinin, A.; Williamson, R.; Zenteno, A.

2016-11-01

The data presented in this paper follow the same observational design described by Ruel et al. (2014ApJ...792...45R). The final Gemini-S observing allocation for SPT-GMOS concluded at the end of the 2015B semester. Over the course of the entire survey we observed 121 individual spectroscopic masks targeting 62 SPT-SZ galaxy clusters (see table 1). All final data products from SPT-GMOS are publicly released via the Harvard Dataverse Network (http://dataverse.harvard.edu/dataverse/SPT_Clusters). The galaxy clusters observed in the SPT-GMOS are all drawn from the SPT-SZ survey, completed in 2011 November. The full SPT-SZ survey covered approximately 2500deg2 of the southern sky at 95, 150, and 220GHz with an angular resolution of ~1'. (4 data files).

Maps of the Southern Millimeter-wave Sky from Combined 2500 deg$^2$ SPT-SZ and Planck Temperature Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chown, R.; et al.

2018-03-28

We present three maps of the millimeter-wave sky created by combining data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and the Planck satellite. We use data from the SPT-SZ survey, a survey of 2540 deg$^2$ of the the sky with arcminute resolution in three bands centered at 95, 150, and 220 GHz, and the full-mission Planck temperature data in the 100, 143, and 217 GHz bands. A linear combination of the SPT-SZ and Planck data is computed in spherical harmonic space, with weights derived from the noise of both instruments. This weighting scheme results in Planck data providing most of the large-angular-scale information in the combined maps, with the smaller-scale information coming from SPT-SZ data. A number of tests have been done on the maps. We find their angular power spectra to agree very well with theoretically predicted spectra and previously published results.

Psychometric Properties of Raw and Scale Scores on Mixed-Format Tests

Science.gov (United States)

Kolen, Michael J.; Lee, Won-Chan

2011-01-01

This paper illustrates that the psychometric properties of scores and scales that are used with mixed-format educational tests can impact the use and interpretation of the scores that are reported to examinees. Psychometric properties that include reliability and conditional standard errors of measurement are considered in this paper. The focus is…

A Psychometric Review of Norm-Referenced Tests Used to Assess Phonological Error Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Kirk, Celia; Vigeland, Laura

2014-01-01

Purpose: The authors provide a review of the psychometric properties of 6 norm-referenced tests designed to measure children's phonological error patterns. Three aspects of the tests' psychometric adequacy were evaluated: the normative sample, reliability, and validity. Method: The specific criteria used for determining the psychometric…

Assessment of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (with emphasis on computerized psychometric tests).

Science.gov (United States)

Kappus, Matthew R; Bajaj, Jasmohan S

2012-02-01

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is associated with a high risk of development of overt hepatic encephalopathy, impaired quality of life, and driving accidents. The detection of MHE requires specialized testing because it cannot, by definition, be diagnosed on standard clinical examination. Psychometric and neurophysiologic techniques are often used to test for MHE. Paper-pencil psychometric batteries and computerized tests have proved useful in diagnosing MHE and predicting its outcomes. Neurophysiologic tests also provide useful information. The diagnosis of MHE is an important issue for clinicians and patients alike. Testing strategies depend on the normative data available, patient comfort, and local expertise. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of Spt5 target genes in zebrafish development reveals its dual activity in vivo.

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Keerthi Krishnan

Full Text Available Spt5 is a conserved essential protein that represses or stimulates transcription elongation in vitro. Immunolocalization studies on Drosophila polytene chromosomes suggest that Spt5 is associated with many loci throughout the genome. However, little is known about the prevalence and identity of Spt5 target genes in vivo during development. Here, we identify direct target genes of Spt5 using fog(sk8 zebrafish mutant, which disrupts the foggy/spt5 gene. We identified that fog(sk8 and their wildtype siblings differentially express less than 5% of genes examined. These genes participate in diverse biological processes from stress response to cell fate specification. Up-regulated genes exhibit shorter overall gene length compared to all genes examined. Through chromatin immunoprecipitation in zebrafish embryos, we identified a subset of developmentally critical genes that are bound by both Spt5 and RNA polymerase II. The protein occupancy patterns on these genes are characteristic of both repressive and stimulatory elongation regulation. Together our findings establish Spt5 as a dual regulator of transcription elongation in vivo and identify a small but diverse set of target genes critically dependent on Spt5 during development.

Applying modern psychometric techniques to melodic discrimination testing: Item response theory, computerised adaptive testing, and automatic item generation.

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Harrison, Peter M C; Collins, Tom; Müllensiefen, Daniel

2017-06-15

Modern psychometric theory provides many useful tools for ability testing, such as item response theory, computerised adaptive testing, and automatic item generation. However, these techniques have yet to be integrated into mainstream psychological practice. This is unfortunate, because modern psychometric techniques can bring many benefits, including sophisticated reliability measures, improved construct validity, avoidance of exposure effects, and improved efficiency. In the present research we therefore use these techniques to develop a new test of a well-studied psychological capacity: melodic discrimination, the ability to detect differences between melodies. We calibrate and validate this test in a series of studies. Studies 1 and 2 respectively calibrate and validate an initial test version, while Studies 3 and 4 calibrate and validate an updated test version incorporating additional easy items. The results support the new test's viability, with evidence for strong reliability and construct validity. We discuss how these modern psychometric techniques may also be profitably applied to other areas of music psychology and psychological science in general.

Psychometrics behind Computerized Adaptive Testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Hua-Hua

2015-03-01

The paper provides a survey of 18 years' progress that my colleagues, students (both former and current) and I made in a prominent research area in Psychometrics-Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT). We start with a historical review of the establishment of a large sample foundation for CAT. It is worth noting that the asymptotic results were derived under the framework of Martingale Theory, a very theoretical perspective of Probability Theory, which may seem unrelated to educational and psychological testing. In addition, we address a number of issues that emerged from large scale implementation and show that how theoretical works can be helpful to solve the problems. Finally, we propose that CAT technology can be very useful to support individualized instruction on a mass scale. We show that even paper and pencil based tests can be made adaptive to support classroom teaching.

Fabrication of Detector Arrays for the SPT-3G Receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Posada, C. M.; Ade, P. A. R.; Ahmed, Z.; Anderson, A. J.; Austermann, J. E.; Avva, J. S.; Thakur, R. Basu; Bender, A. N.; Benson, B. A.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Carter, F. W.; Cecil, T.; Chang, C. L.; Cliche, J. F.; Cukierman, A.; Denison, E. V.; de Haan, T.; Ding, J.; Divan, R.; Dobbs, M. A.; Dutcher, D.; Everett, W.; Foster, A.; Gannon, R. N.; Gilbert, A.; Groh, J. C.; Halverson, N. W.; Harke-Hosemann, A. H.; Harrington, N. L.; Henning, J. W.; Hilton, G. C.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Huang, N.; Irwin, K. D.; Jeong, O. B.; Jonas, M.; Khaire, T.; Kofman, A. M.; Korman, M.; Kubik, D.; Kuhlmann, S.; Kuo, C. L.; Lee, A. T.; Lowitz, A. E.; Meyer, S. S.; Michalik, D.; Miller, C. S.; Montgomery, J.; Nadolski, A.; Natoli, T.; Nguyen, H.; Noble, G. I.; Novosad, V.; Padin, S.; Pan, Z.; Pearson, J.; Rahlin, A.; Ruhl, J. E.; Saunders, L. J.; Sayre, J. T.; Shirley, I.; Shirokoff, E.; Smecher, G.; Sobrin, J. A.; Stan, L.; Stark, A. A.; Story, K. T.; Suzuki, A.; Tang, Q. Y.; Thompson, K. L.; Tucker, C.; Vale, L. R.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Wang, G.; Whitehorn, N.; Yefremenko, V.; Yoon, K. W.; Young, M. R.

2018-05-01

The South Pole Telescope third-generation (SPT-3G) receiver was installed during the austral summer of 2016-2017. It is designed to measure the cosmic microwave background across three frequency bands centered at 95, 150, and 220 GHz. The SPT-3G receiver has ten focal plane modules, each with 269 pixels. Each pixel features a broadband sinuous antenna coupled to a niobium microstrip transmission line. In-line filters define the desired band-passes before the signal is coupled to six bolometers with Ti/Au/Ti/Au transition edge sensors (three bands × two polarizations). In total, the SPT-3G receiver is composed of 16,000 detectors, which are read out using a 68× frequency-domain multiplexing scheme. In this paper, we present the process employed in fabricating the detector arrays.

Supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) for maintaining the dentition in adults treated for periodontitis.

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Manresa, Carolina; Sanz-Miralles, Elena C; Twigg, Joshua; Bravo, Manuel

2018-01-01

Periodontitis is a bacterially-induced, chronic inflammatory disease that destroys the connective tissues and bone that support teeth. Active periodontal treatment aims to reduce the inflammatory response, primarily through eradication of bacterial deposits. Following completion of treatment and arrest of inflammation, supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) is employed to reduce the probability of re-infection and progression of the disease; to maintain teeth without pain, excessive mobility or persistent infection in the long term, and to prevent related oral diseases.According to the American Academy of Periodontology, SPT should include all components of a typical dental recall examination, and importantly should also include periodontal re-evaluation and risk assessment, supragingival and subgingival removal of bacterial plaque and calculus, and re-treatment of any sites showing recurrent or persistent disease. While the first four points might be expected to form part of the routine examination appointment for periodontally healthy patients, the inclusion of thorough periodontal evaluation, risk assessment and subsequent treatment - normally including mechanical debridement of any plaque or calculus deposits - differentiates SPT from routine care.Success of SPT has been reported in a number of long-term, retrospective studies. This review aimed to assess the evidence available from randomised controlled trials (RCTs). To determine the effects of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) in the maintenance of the dentition of adults treated for periodontitis. Cochrane Oral Health's Information Specialist searched the following databases: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register (to 8 May 2017), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the Cochrane Library, 2017, Issue 5), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to 8 May 2017), and Embase Ovid (1980 to 8 May 2017). The US National Institutes of Health Trials Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov) and the World Health Organization

Sensitivity and validity of psychometric tests for assessing driving impairment: effects of sleep deprivation.

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Jongen, Stefan; Perrier, Joy; Vuurman, Eric F; Ramaekers, Johannes G; Vermeeren, Annemiek

2015-01-01

To assess drug induced driving impairment, initial screening is needed. However, no consensus has been reached about which initial screening tools have to be used. The present study aims to determine the ability of a battery of psychometric tests to detect performance impairing effects of clinically relevant levels of drowsiness as induced by one night of sleep deprivation. Twenty four healthy volunteers participated in a 2-period crossover study in which the highway driving test was conducted twice: once after normal sleep and once after one night of sleep deprivation. The psychometric tests were conducted on 4 occasions: once after normal sleep (at 11 am) and three times during a single night of sleep deprivation (at 1 am, 5 am, and 11 am). On-the-road driving performance was significantly impaired after sleep deprivation, as measured by an increase in Standard Deviation of Lateral Position (SDLP) of 3.1 cm compared to performance after a normal night of sleep. At 5 am, performance in most psychometric tests showed significant impairment. As expected, largest effect sizes were found on performance in the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). Large effects sizes were also found in the Divided Attention Test (DAT), the Attention Network Test (ANT), and the test for Useful Field of View (UFOV) at 5 and 11 am during sleep deprivation. Effects of sleep deprivation on SDLP correlated significantly with performance changes in the PVT and the DAT, but not with performance changes in the UFOV. From the psychometric tests used in this study, the PVT and DAT seem most promising for initial evaluation of drug impairment based on sensitivity and correlations with driving impairment. Further studies are needed to assess the sensitivity and validity of these psychometric tests after benchmark sedative drug use.

Sensitivity and validity of psychometric tests for assessing driving impairment: effects of sleep deprivation.

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Stefan Jongen

Full Text Available To assess drug induced driving impairment, initial screening is needed. However, no consensus has been reached about which initial screening tools have to be used. The present study aims to determine the ability of a battery of psychometric tests to detect performance impairing effects of clinically relevant levels of drowsiness as induced by one night of sleep deprivation.Twenty four healthy volunteers participated in a 2-period crossover study in which the highway driving test was conducted twice: once after normal sleep and once after one night of sleep deprivation. The psychometric tests were conducted on 4 occasions: once after normal sleep (at 11 am and three times during a single night of sleep deprivation (at 1 am, 5 am, and 11 am.On-the-road driving performance was significantly impaired after sleep deprivation, as measured by an increase in Standard Deviation of Lateral Position (SDLP of 3.1 cm compared to performance after a normal night of sleep. At 5 am, performance in most psychometric tests showed significant impairment. As expected, largest effect sizes were found on performance in the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT. Large effects sizes were also found in the Divided Attention Test (DAT, the Attention Network Test (ANT, and the test for Useful Field of View (UFOV at 5 and 11 am during sleep deprivation. Effects of sleep deprivation on SDLP correlated significantly with performance changes in the PVT and the DAT, but not with performance changes in the UFOV.From the psychometric tests used in this study, the PVT and DAT seem most promising for initial evaluation of drug impairment based on sensitivity and correlations with driving impairment. Further studies are needed to assess the sensitivity and validity of these psychometric tests after benchmark sedative drug use.

Future of Psychometrics: Ask What Psychometrics Can Do for Psychology

Science.gov (United States)

Sijtsma, Klaas

2012-01-01

I address two issues that were inspired by my work on the Dutch Committee on Tests and Testing (COTAN). The first issue is the understanding of problems test constructors and researchers using tests have of psychometric knowledge. I argue that this understanding is important for a field, like psychometrics, for which the dissemination of…

[The methodological assessment and qualitative evaluation of psychometric performance tests based on the example of modern tests that assess reading and spelling skills].

Science.gov (United States)

Galuschka, Katharina; Rothe, Josefine; Schulte-Körne, Gerd

2015-09-01

This article looks at a means of objectively evaluating the quality of psychometric tests. This approach enables users to evaluate psychometric tests based on their methodological characteristics, in order to decide which instrument should be used. Reading and spelling assessment tools serve as examples. The paper also provides a review of German psychometric tests for the assessment of reading and spelling skills. This method facilitates the identification of psychometric tests.of high methodological quality which can be used for the assessment of reading and spelling skills. Reading performance should ideally be assessed with the following instruments: ELFE 1-6, LGVT 6-12, LESEN 6-7, LESEN 8-9, or WLLP-R. The tests to be used for the evaluation of spelling skills are DERET 1-2+, DERET 3-4+, WRT 1+, WRT 2+, WRT 3+, WRT 4+ or HSP 1-10.

Evaluation of SPT energy for Donut and Safety hammers using CPT measurements in Egypt

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Rami M. El-Sherbiny

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Standard Penetration Test (SPT blow counts require correction prior to utilization in soil characterization and determination of properties and behavior. Among the most important corrections is the energy correction required to adjust the blow counts to 60% energy efficiency. However, there are no published data supporting commonly used value in Egypt. This paper presents an evaluation of the energy efficiency of the Donut and Safety hammers commonly used in Egypt and the associated energy correction factor. The energy efficiency is estimated by comparing N-values from the SPT to back-calculated N60 values from the Cone Penetration Test (CPT using well established correlations. Results indicate that the energy efficiency of the Donut hammer based on current practice in Egypt is approximately 50%. Thus, the back-calculated energy correction factor is approximately 0.82. For the Safety hammer, results indicate that the energy efficiency is approximately 60%, and the energy correction factor is approximately 1.0.

Development and psychometric validation of the verbal affective memory test

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Christian Gaden; Hjordt, Liv V; Stenbæk, Dea S

2015-01-01

. Furthermore, larger seasonal decreases in positive recall significantly predicted larger increases in depressive symptoms. Retest reliability was satisfactory, rs ≥ .77. In conclusion, VAMT-24 is more thoroughly developed and validated than existing verbal affective memory tests and showed satisfactory...... psychometric properties. VAMT-24 seems especially sensitive to measuring positive verbal recall bias, perhaps due to the application of common, non-taboo words. Based on the psychometric and clinical results, we recommend VAMT-24 for international translations and studies of affective memory.......We here present the development and validation of the Verbal Affective Memory Test-24 (VAMT-24). First, we ensured face validity by selecting 24 words reliably perceived as positive, negative or neutral, respectively, according to healthy Danish adults' valence ratings of 210 common and non...

Integrated performance of a frequency domain multiplexing readout in the SPT-3G receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Bender, A. N.; Ade, P. A. R.; Anderson, A. J.; Avva, J.; Ahmed, Z.; Arnold, K.; Austermann, J. E.; Basu Thakur, R.; Benson, B. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Byrum, K.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Carter, F. W.; Chang, C. L.; Cho, H. M.; Cliche, J. F.; Crawford, T. M.; Cukierman, A.; Czaplewski, D. A.; Ding, J.; Divan, R.; de Haan, T.; Dobbs, M. A.; Dutcher, D.; Everett, W.; Gilbert, A.; Groh, J. C.; Guyser, R.; Halverson, N. W.; Harke-Hosemann, A.; Harrington, N. L.; Hattori, K.; Henning, J. W.; Hilton, G. C.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Huang, N.; Irwin, K. D.; Jeong, O.; Khaire, T.; Korman, M.; Kubik, D.; Kuo, C. L.; Lee, A. T.; Leitch, E. M.; Lendinez, S.; Meyer, S. S.; Miller, C. S.; Montgomery, J.; Nadolski, A.; Natoli, T.; Nguyen, H.; Novosad, V.; Padin, S.; Pan, Z.; Pearson, J.; Posada, C. M.; Rahlin, A.; Reichardt, C. L.; Ruhl, J. E.; Saliwanchik, B. R.; Sayre, J. T.; Shariff, J. A.; Shirley, Ian; Shirokoff, E.; Smecher, G.; Sobrin, J.; Stan, L.; Stark, A. A.; Story, K.; Suzuki, A.; Tang, Q. Y.; Thompson, K. L.; Tucker, C.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Wang, G.; Whitehorn, N.; Yefremenko, V.; Yoon, K. W.

2016-07-01

The third generation receiver for the South Pole Telescope, SPT-3G, will make extremely deep, arcminuteresolution maps of the temperature and polarization of the cosmic microwave background. The SPT-3G maps will enable studies of the B-mode polarization signature, constraining primordial gravitational waves as well as the effect of massive neutrinos on structure formation in the late universe. The SPT-3G receiver will achieve exceptional sensitivity through a focal plane of 16,000 transition-edge sensor bolometers, an order of magnitude more than the current SPTpol receiver. SPT-3G uses a frequency domain multiplexing (fMux) scheme to read out the focal plane, combining the signals from 64 bolometers onto a single pair of wires. The fMux readout facilitates the large number of detectors in the SPT-3G focal plane by limiting the thermal load due to readout wiring on the 250 millikelvin cryogenic stage. A second advantage of the fMux system is that the operation of each bolometer can be optimized. In addition to these benefits, the fMux readout introduces new challenges into the design and operation of the receiver. The bolometers are operated at a range of frequencies up to 5 MHz, requiring control of stray reactances over a large bandwidth. Additionally, crosstalk between multiplexed detectors will inject large false signals into the data if not adequately mitigated. SPT-3G is scheduled to deploy to the South Pole Telescope in late 2016. Here, we present the pre-deployment performance of the fMux readout system with the SPT-3G focal plane.

Mengapa Perlu Menghapus SPT Tahunan 1721?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yenni Mangoting

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Employers as a withholders calculate employment income tax with two ways, there are 1 calculate employment income tax in the case of periodical tax return and 2 re-count for employment income tax and combine all the income that incurred in tax year and report them in to annual income tax return form 1721. Under payment of tax liability must be paid at the latest on the 25th day of the third month after a fiscal year ended. Because of that employers actually not calculate employment income tax base on real income. This system actually make difficulties and in addition withholders have an opportunity by rule for re-count employment income tax as base for fill up annual income tax return form 1721- A1 or 1721 A2 . Employment income tax calculation in year ended was final result. Abstract in Bahasa Indonesia: Pemberi kerja yang dalam hal ini bertindak sebagai pemotong pajak, menghitung PPh pasal 21 dalam dua tahap, yaitu 1 menghitung PPh pasal 21 masa yang dilaporkan dan disetorkan setiap bulan dan 2 Perhitungan ulang PPh Pasal 21 dengan menjumlahkan semua penghasilan yang diterima dalam satu tahun pajak dan dilaporkan dalam SPT Tahunan dengan form 1721. Kekurangan pembayaran harus dilunasi sebelum tanggal 25 Maret tahun pajak berikutnya. Oleh karena itu pemberi kerja biasanya tidak mengitung PPh pasal 21 masa berdasarkan penghasilan yang sebenarnya. Selain karena secara administrasi merepotkan, pemberi kerja juga di beri kesempatan menghitung kembali PPh Pasal 21 sebagai dasar pengisian Form 1721 - A1 atau 1721 A2. Penghitungan kembali PPh Pasal 21 pada akhir tahun menjadi perhitungan final hasil revisi perhitungan PPh 21 masa. Kata kunci: pemberi kerja, SPT Tahunan PPh Pasal 21, SPT Masa PPh Pasal 21, Wajib Pajak

The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test: evidence of psychometric adequacy

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KATJA OCEPEK-WELIKSON

2009-09-01

Full Text Available These analyses examine the psychometric properties of the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test with Immediate Recall (FCSRT-IR. FCSRT-IR is a measure of memory under conditions that control attention and cognitive processing in order to obtain an assessment of memory unconfounded by normal agerelated changes in cognition. FCSRT-IR performance has been associated with preclinical and early dementia in several longitudinal epidemiological studies. Factor and item response theory analyses were applied to FCSRT-IR data from patients at a geriatric primary care center who had independently established clinical diagnoses. The results provide supporting evidence for the psychometric adequacy of the FCSR-IR in terms of reliability, essential (sufficient unidimensionality, information across the continuum of memory disability/ability, and classification accuracy. The psychometric adequacy of the FCSRT-IR adds further validity to its use as a case finding strategy for dementia.

Effects of common chronic medical conditions on psychometric tests used to diagnose minimal hepatic encephalopathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauridsen, M M; Poulsen, L; Rasmussen, C K

2016-01-01

Many chronic medical conditions are accompanied by cognitive disturbances but these have only to a very limited extent been psychometrically quantified. An exception is liver cirrhosis where hepatic encephalopathy is an inherent risk and mild forms are diagnosed by psychometric tests. The preferred...... diagnostic test battery in cirrhosis is often the Continuous Reaction Time (CRT) and the Portosystemic Encephalopathy (PSE) tests but the effect on these of other medical conditions is not known. We aimed to examine the effects of common chronic (non-cirrhosis) medical conditions on the CRT and PSE tests. We...

Ubiquitin fusion constructs allow the expression and purification of multi-KOW domain complexes of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcription elongation factor Spt4/5.

Science.gov (United States)

Blythe, Amanda; Gunasekara, Sanjika; Walshe, James; Mackay, Joel P; Hartzog, Grant A; Vrielink, Alice

2014-08-01

Spt4/5 is a hetero-dimeric transcription elongation factor that can both inhibit and promote transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). However, Spt4/5's mechanism of action remains elusive. Spt5 is an essential protein and the only universally-conserved RNAP-associated transcription elongation factor. The protein contains multiple Kyrpides, Ouzounis and Woese (KOW) domains. These domains, in other proteins, are thought to bind RNA although there is little direct evidence in the literature to support such a function in Spt5. This could be due, at least in part, to difficulties in expressing and purifying recombinant Spt5. When expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli), Spt5 is innately insoluble. Here we report a new approach for the successful expression and purification of milligram quantities of three different multi-KOW domain complexes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Spt4/5 for use in future functional studies. Using the E. coli strain Rosetta2 (DE3) we have developed strategies for co-expression of Spt4 and multi-KOW domain Spt5 complexes from the bi-cistronic pET-Duet vector. In a second strategy, Spt4/5 was expressed via co-transformation of Spt4 in the vector pET-M11 with Spt5 ubiquitin fusion constructs in the vector pHUE. We characterized the multi-KOW domain Spt4/5 complexes by Western blot, limited proteolysis, circular dichroism, SDS-PAGE and size exclusion chromatography-multiangle light scattering and found that the proteins are folded with a Spt4:Spt5 hetero-dimeric stoichiometry of 1:1. These expression constructs encompass a larger region of Spt5 than has previously been reported, and will provide the opportunity to elucidate the biological function of the multi-KOW containing Spt5. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preventative effect of OMZ-SPT on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury and inflammation via nuclear factor-kappa B signaling in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Ting; Hou, Wanru; Fu, Zhou

2017-01-01

Acute lung injury (ALI) is an early pathophysiologic change in acute respiratory distress syndrome and its management can be challenging. Omalizumab (Xolair™) is a recombinant DNA-derived, humanized antibody. OMZ-SPT is a polypeptide on the heavy chain of omalizumab monoclonal antibody. Here, we found that intramuscular administration of OMZ-SPT significantly improved survival and attenuated lung inflammation in female C57BL/6 mice suffering from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI. We also demonstrated that OMZ-SPT can inhibit expression of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 by ELISA in mice suffering from LPS-induced ALI and a mouse macrophage line (RAW264.7 cells). In addition, we showed that OMZ-SPT inhibited LPS-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling and total expression of NF-κB by western blotting. These data suggest that OMZ-SPT could be a novel therapeutic choice for ALI. - Highlights: • OMZ-SPT is a polypeptide on the heavy chain of omalizumab monoclonal antibody. • Omalizumab (Xolair™) have anti-inflammatory effects. • OMZ-SPT can inhibit inflammatory responses and lung injury in LPS-induced ALI mice. • Protective effect of OMZ-SPT on ALI is due to inhibition of NF-κB signaling. • OMZ-SPT could be a novel therapeutic choice for ALI.

Psychometric properties of the Plutchik's EPI test (Emotions Profile Index

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Ana Trebovc

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Authors report a study on psychometric properties of Plutchik's test, called Emotions Profile Index (EPI. A new Slovene translation and adaptation of English version of the test, consisting of combinations (pairs of 12 words reflecting eight different emotional conditions, was prepared and compared to the old one. Both versions as well as the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ were administered on the sample of 239 participants. Different statistical analyses were performed examining psychometric features of both versions of EPI. Discriminative power was tested by cluster analysis and analysis of frequency distributions, reliability was studied via internal consistency index and correlation between the two versions, and validity was examined by correlating PIE dimensions with BFQ dimensions and subdimensions, by comparing profiles of groups on both versions of EPI and BFQ and by fitting the theoretical model proposed by Plutchik to the data. Discriminative power of EPI seems to be affected by avoiding (not choosing the socially desirable expressions in the test, parallel reliability seems to be susceptible to the use of different words (expressions in the new version of EPI having the same meaning as words in the old version. Dimensions expected to reflect similar constructs in BFQ and EPI do not correlate satisfactory. Data gathered with EPI cannot be fully explained with the model proposed by Plutchik's theory.

A call for policy guidance on psychometric testing in doping control in sport.

Science.gov (United States)

Petróczi, Andrea; Backhouse, Susan H; Barkoukis, Vassilis; Brand, Ralf; Elbe, Anne-Marie; Lazuras, Lambros; Lucidi, Fabio

2015-11-01

One of the fundamental challenges in anti-doping is identifying athletes who use, or are at risk of using, prohibited performance enhancing substances. The growing trend to employ a forensic approach to doping control aims to integrate information from social sciences (e.g., psychology of doping) into organised intelligence to protect clean sport. Beyond the foreseeable consequences of a positive identification as a doping user, this task is further complicated by the discrepancy between what constitutes a doping offence in the World Anti-Doping Code and operationalized in doping research. Whilst psychology plays an important role in developing our understanding of doping behaviour in order to inform intervention and prevention, its contribution to the array of doping diagnostic tools is still in its infancy. In both research and forensic settings, we must acknowledge that (1) socially desirable responding confounds self-reported psychometric test results and (2) that the cognitive complexity surrounding test performance means that the response-time based measures and the lie detector tests for revealing concealed life-events (e.g., doping use) are prone to produce false or non-interpretable outcomes in field settings. Differences in social-cognitive characteristics of doping behaviour that are tested at group level (doping users vs. non-users) cannot be extrapolated to individuals; nor these psychometric measures used for individual diagnostics. In this paper, we present a position statement calling for policy guidance on appropriate use of psychometric assessments in the pursuit of clean sport. We argue that, to date, both self-reported and response-time based psychometric tests for doping have been designed, tested and validated to explore how athletes feel and think about doping in order to develop a better understanding of doping behaviour, not to establish evidence for doping. A false 'positive' psychological profile for doping affects not only the individual

Propriedades psicométricas apresentadas em manuais de testes de inteligência Psychometric parameters in intelligence test directions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Paula Porto Noronha

2003-06-01

Full Text Available A pesquisa teve como objetivo verificar quais os parâmetros psicométricos apresentados nos manuais de 19 instrumentos de avaliação da inteligência. Os elementos avaliados nos instrumentos foram: análise de itens, padronização, validade e precisão. Os resultados encontrados mostraram que, dos 19 testes avaliados, 89,5% apresentaram estudos de padronização, sendo que o procedimento mais utilizado na escolha dos sujeitos foi o não aleatório (62,2% dos testes. No que se refere à validade, a de construto foi a mais freqüente dentre os testes (94,7%. Observou-se que todos os instrumentos apresentaram verifica��ão da precisão, sendo o método de consistência interna o mais aplicado (78,9%. Conclui-se que, embora os autores concordem que todos os testes devam realizar estudos de verificação dos parâmetros psicométricos e devam possuir normas regionais, tal prática ainda não se encontra totalmente difundida na avaliação psicológica brasileira,This research aimed to verify the psychometric parameters presented in manuals of 19 intelligence tests. The psychometric properties included in the analysis were: item analysis, validity, reliability, and norms studies. The results indicated that 89.5% of the 19 tests presented norming studies. The procedure of sample selection was mostly non-random (62.2% of the tests. Construct validity was the most frequent method used among the studies (94.7%. All tests presented reliability studies, most of them using internal consistency coefficient (78.9%. It is concluded that although the authors agree that all tests need studies to verify psychometric parameters and studies to obtain regional norms this action isn’t divulged totally yet in the Brazilian psychological assessment.

Predicting psychopharmacological drug effects on actual driving performance (SDLP) from psychometric tests measuring driving-related skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Verster, Joris C; Roth, Thomas

2012-03-01

There are various methods to examine driving ability. Comparisons between these methods and their relationship with actual on-road driving is often not determined. The objective of this study was to determine whether laboratory tests measuring driving-related skills could adequately predict on-the-road driving performance during normal traffic. Ninety-six healthy volunteers performed a standardized on-the-road driving test. Subjects were instructed to drive with a constant speed and steady lateral position within the right traffic lane. Standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP), i.e., the weaving of the car, was determined. The subjects also performed a psychometric test battery including the DSST, Sternberg memory scanning test, a tracking test, and a divided attention test. Difference scores from placebo for parameters of the psychometric tests and SDLP were computed and correlated with each other. A stepwise linear regression analysis determined the predictive validity of the laboratory test battery to SDLP. Stepwise regression analyses revealed that the combination of five parameters, hard tracking, tracking and reaction time of the divided attention test, and reaction time and percentage of errors of the Sternberg memory scanning test, together had a predictive validity of 33.4%. The psychometric tests in this test battery showed insufficient predictive validity to replace the on-the-road driving test during normal traffic.

The Development and Psychometric Properties of the Immigration Law Concerns Scale (ILCS) for HIV Testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Lechuga, Julia; Galletly, Carol L; Broaddus, Michelle R; Dickson-Gomez, Julia B; Glasman, Laura R; McAuliffe, Timothy L; Vega, Miriam Y; LeGrand, Sarah; Mena, Carla A; Barlow, Morgan L; Valera, Erik; Montenegro, Judith I

2017-11-08

To develop, pilot test, and conduct psychometric analyses of an innovative scale measuring the influence of perceived immigration laws on Latino migrants' HIV-testing behavior. The Immigration Law Concerns Scale (ILCS) was developed in three phases: Phase 1 involved a review of law and literature, generation of scale items, consultation with project advisors, and subsequent revision of the scale. Phase 2 involved systematic translation- back translation and consensus-based editorial processes conducted by members of a bilingual and multi-national study team. In Phase 3, 339 sexually active, HIV-negative Spanish-speaking, non-citizen Latino migrant adults (both documented and undocumented) completed the scale via audio computer-assisted self-interview. The psychometric properties of the scale were tested with exploratory factor analysis and estimates of reliability coefficients were generated. Bivariate correlations were conducted to test the discriminant and predictive validity of identified factors. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor, 17-item scale. subscale reliability ranged from 0.72 to 0.79. There were significant associations between the ILCS and the HIV-testing behaviors of participants. Results of the pilot test and psychometric analysis of the ILCS are promising. The scale is reliable and significantly associated with the HIV-testing behaviors of participants. Subscales related to unwanted government attention and concerns about meeting moral character requirements should be refined.

Long-term repeatability of the skin prick test is high when supported by history or allergen-sensitivity tests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bødtger, Uffe; Jacobsen, C R; Poulsen, L K

2003-01-01

subjects. An SPT was positive when > or =3 mm, and repeatable if either persistently positive or negative. Clinical sensitivity to birch pollen was used as model for inhalation allergy, and was investigated at inclusion and at study termination by challenge tests, intradermal test, titrated SPT and Ig......E measurements. Birch pollen symptoms were confirmed in diaries. RESULTS: The repeatability of a positive SPT was 67%, increasing significantly to 100% when supported by the history. When not supported by history, the presence of specific IgE was significantly associated with a repeatable SPT. Allergen....... CONCLUSION: SPT changes are clinically relevant. Further studies using other allergens are needed. Long-term repeatability of SPT is high in the presence of a supportive history....

Evaluation of SPT energy for Donut and Safety hammers using CPT measurements in Egypt

OpenAIRE

Rami M. El-Sherbiny; Manal A. Salem

2013-01-01

Standard Penetration Test (SPT) blow counts require correction prior to utilization in soil characterization and determination of properties and behavior. Among the most important corrections is the energy correction required to adjust the blow counts to 60% energy efficiency. However, there are no published data supporting commonly used value in Egypt. This paper presents an evaluation of the energy efficiency of the Donut and Safety hammers commonly used in Egypt and the associated energy c...

Psychometric properties of the NOMO 1.0 tested among adult powered-mobility users

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sund, Terje; Brandt, Åse; Anttila, Heidi

2017-01-01

(Participation Repertoire). PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate a range of psychometric properties of the NOMO 1.0 in a sample of adult powered mobility device (PMD) users. METHOD: Data collected from PMD users ( N = 248) in Denmark, Finland, and Norway as part of a larger study were analyzed using state...... scale and six components of the Frequency scale. IMPLICATIONS: The NOMO 1.0 should be used for research purposes and not for clinical practice. Better reliability should be established for the Need for Assistance and Ease/Difficulty scales prior to further psychometric testing to establish the validity...

Evaluation of a new computerized psychometric test battery: Effects of zolpidem and caffeine

OpenAIRE

Raveendranadh Pilli; MUR Naidu; Usharani Pingali; J C Shobha

2013-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the effects of centrally active drugs using a new indigenously developed automated psychometric test system and compare the results with that obtained using pencil- and paper-based techniques. Materials and Methods: The tests were standardized in 24 healthy participants. Reproducibility of the test procedure was evaluated by performing the tests by a single experimenter on two occasions (interday reproducibility). To evaluate the sensitivity of the tests, the effects of...

Evaluation of a new computerized psychometric test battery: Effects of zolpidem and caffeine.

Science.gov (United States)

Pilli, Raveendranadh; Naidu, Mur; Pingali, Usharani; Shobha, Jc

2013-10-01

To evaluate the effects of centrally active drugs using a new indigenously developed automated psychometric test system and compare the results with that obtained using pencil- and paper-based techniques. The tests were standardized in 24 healthy participants. Reproducibility of the test procedure was evaluated by performing the tests by a single experimenter on two occasions (interday reproducibility). To evaluate the sensitivity of the tests, the effects of zolpidem (5 mg) and caffeine (500 mg) versus placebo were studied in 24 healthy participants in a randomized, double-blind three-way crossover design. Psychometric tests were performed at baseline and at 1, 2, and 3 h after administration of study medication. The effects of zolpidem and caffeine on the psychomotor performance were most pronounced 1 h after administration. At this time, a significant impairment of performance in the simple reaction test (SRT), choice discrimination test (CDT), digit symbol substitution test (DSST), digit vigilance test (DVT), and card sorting test (CST) was observed with zolpidem. In contrast, caffeine showed a significant improvement in performance in CDT and DVT only. The results suggest that the tests of the computerized system are more sensitive and reliable then the pencil and paper tests in detecting the effects of central acting agents and are suitable for use in clinical areas to conduct studies with patients.

[Clinical investigation of basophil activation test as a complementary test for house dust mite allergen].

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, H L; Li, J D; Miao, Y H; Xu, T

2018-03-01

Objective: To investigate the clinical application of glass micro fiber basophil activation test (BAT) used as a complementary test for house dust mite allergen. Method: Forty patients with clinical diagnosed allergic rhinitis was test by three methods for house dust mite allergen, skin prick test(SPT),Immuno CAP sIgE, and BAT in vitro. The sensitivity and specificity of glass micro fiber were accessed, and the consistency between BAT, SPT, and Immuno sIgE was analyzed. As in vivo provocation was not performed, gold standard is regarded as the combination of medical history and positive reports of SPT and/or ImmunoCAP sIgE test. Result: Twentythree patients are diagnosed as house dust mite allergic rhinitis by gold standard. The sensitivity and specificity of glass micro fiber BAT were 60.9% and 88.2%, the sensitivity of SPT and sIgE was 87.0% and sIgE 73.9%. The correlation rates between BAT with SPT is 0.67( P house dust mite allergic rhinitis, BAT have a good consistency with SPT and sIgE, while as it has only moderate consistency with "gold standard", further studies are needed to prove its clinical significance. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Li-Chun; Hsieh, Pei-Lin; Liu, Chieh-Hsing

2012-09-01

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. Assessing health literacy is vital to design health education programme; however, there are no measurement tools exist for use specifically in Chinese adolescents. A non-experimental design was used to test the psychometric properties of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. The short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents was translated and back translated into a Chinese language version. Thirty high school students were recruited to validate the scenario of Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. Based on the multiple-stage stratified random sampling method, 300 high school students from four counties in Taiwan were invited to participate in this study to evaluate the psychometric properties of Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. The Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents had good internal consistency reliability and excellent test-retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a one-factor solution. Contrary to the original version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents, the findings revealed that the 36-item, one-factor model for the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents is the best-fit model. This is a suitable instrument to assess health literacy levels in Chinese adolescents before health education programmes can be appropriately planned, implemented and evaluated. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Development and Psychometric Testing of the Dogs and WalkinG Survey (DAWGS)

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Elizabeth A.; McDonough, Meghan H.; Edwards, Nancy E.; Lyle, Roseann M.; Troped, Philip J.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Dog owners represent 40% of the population, a promising audience to increase population levels of physical activity. The purpose of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of a new instrument to assess social-cognitive theory constructs related to dog walking. Method: Dog owners ("N" = 431) completed the…

Improvement of Lead Tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Random Mutagenesis of Transcription Regulator SPT3.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Liying; Gao, Shan; Zhang, Hongman; Huang, He; Jiang, Ling

2018-01-01

Bioremediation of heavy metal pollution with biomaterials such as bacteria and fungi usually suffer from limitations because of microbial sensitivity to high concentration of heavy metals. Herein, we adopted a novel random mutagenesis technique called RAISE to manipulate the transcription regulator SPT3 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to improve cell lead tolerance. The best strain Mutant VI was selected from the random mutagenesis libraries on account of the growth performance, with higher specific growth rate than the control strain (0.068 vs. 0.040 h -1 ) at lead concentration as high as 1.8 g/L. Combined with the transcriptome analysis of S. cerevisiae, expressing the SPT3 protein was performed to make better sense of the global regulatory effects of SPT3. The data analysis revealed that 57 of S. cerevisiae genes were induced and 113 genes were suppressed, ranging from those for trehalose synthesis, carbon metabolism, and nucleotide synthesis to lead resistance. Especially, the accumulation of intracellular trehalose in S. cerevisiae under certain conditions of stress is considered important to lead resistance. The above results represented that SPT3 was acted as global transcription regulator in the exponential phase of strain and accordingly improved heavy metal tolerance in the heterologous host S. cerevisiae. The present study provides a route to complex phenotypes that are not readily accessible by traditional methods.

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test Version 2.0

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, B.R.; Gignac, G.; Manocha, R.; Stough, C.

2005-01-01

and discussed.There has been some debate recently over the scoring, reliability and factor structure of ability measures of emotional intelligence (EI). This study examined these three psychometric properties with the most recent ability test of EI, the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT V2.0; Mayer, Salovey, & Caruso,…

[Standardization of the Test Your Memory and evaluation of their concordance with the outcome of the psychometric examination].

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrero-Arias, J; Turrión-Rojo, M A

2016-05-01

To explore the relationship between scores on the Test Your Memory (TYM) battery and findings from a more exhaustive neurocognitive assessment. The TYM and fourteen psychometric tests were administered to 84 subjects aged 50 or older who attended an outpatient neurology clinic due to cognitive symptoms. Each patient's cognitive state was determined independently from his/her score on the TYM (CDR 0, n=25; CDR 0.5, n=45; CDR 1, n=14). We analysed concurrent validity of TYM scores and results from the psychometric tests, as well as the degree of concordance between the two types of measurement, by contrasting normalised data from each instrument. Although the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.67 (confidence interval 95%, 0.53-0.77), analysis of the Bland-Altman plot and the curve on the survival-agreement plot (Luiz et al. method) demonstrates that the individual distances between the two methods exhibit excessive dispersion from a clinical viewpoint. TYM-based predictions of the mean z-score on psychometric tests differed substantially from real results in 30% of the subjects. Concordance of 95% can only be achieved by accepting absolute inter-instrument differences of up to 0.87 as identical values. Furthermore, the TYM underestimates cognitive performance for low values and overestimates it for high values. The TYM is a cognitive screening test which should not be used to predict results on psychometric tests or to detect cognitive changes in clinical trials. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[Protective activity of S-PT84, a heat-killed preparation of Lactobacillus pentosus, against oral and gastric candidiasis in an experimental murine model].

Science.gov (United States)

Hayama, Kazumi; Ishijima, Sanae; Ono, Yoshiko; Izumo, Takayuki; Ida, Masayuki; Shibata, Hiroshi; Abe, Shigeru

2014-01-01

The effect of S-PT84, a heat-killed preparation of Lactobacillus pentosus on growth of Candida albicans was examined in vitro and in vivo. The mycelial growth was effectively inhibited by S-PT84 and seemed to bind to the hyphae. We assessed the potential of S-PT84 for treatment of oral and gastric candidiasis using a murine model. When 2 mg of S-PT84 was administered three times into the oral cavity of orally Candida infected mice, the score of lesions on the tongue was improved on day 2. When 50 μl and 200 μl of S-PT84 (10 mg/ml) were administered three times into the oral cavity (0.5 mg × 3) and the stomach (2 mg × 3) of the same mouse model, the number of viable Candida cells in the stomach was reduced significantly on day 2. These findings suggest the possibility that S-PT84 has potential as a food ingredient supporting anti-Candida treatment, especially for Candida infection in the gastrointestinal tract.

Fast SPT-Term Allocation and Efficient FPGA Implementation of FIR Filters for Software Defined Radio Applications

OpenAIRE

Bae, Choonghoon; Moteki, Takayuki; Kim, Minseok; Ichige, Koichi; Arai, Hiroyuki

2009-01-01

This paper presents a fast SPT-term allocation scheme and an efficient FPGA implementation of FIR filters for Software Defined Radio (SDR) applications. Direct conversion method based on RF direct sampling is nowadays widely used in SDR applications. Fast and accurate digital filters are required for RF direct sampling and processing in direct conversion, however such filters often require large digital circuit area. Signed-Power-of-Two (SPT) terms will be suitable for fast processing and eff...

The Spt-Ada-Gcn5 Acetyltransferase (SAGA complex in Aspergillus nidulans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paraskevi Georgakopoulos

Full Text Available A mutation screen in Aspergillus nidulans uncovered mutations in the acdX gene that led to altered repression by acetate, but not by glucose. AcdX of A. nidulans is highly conserved with Spt8p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and since Spt8p is a component of the Spt-Ada-Gcn5 Acetyltransferase (SAGA complex, the SAGA complex may have a role in acetate repression in A. nidulans. We used a bioinformatic approach to identify genes encoding most members of the SAGA complex in A. nidulans, and a proteomic analysis to confirm that most protein components identified indeed exist as a complex in A. nidulans. No apparent compositional differences were detected in mycelia cultured in acetate compared to glucose medium. The methods used revealed apparent differences between Yeast and A. nidulans in the deubiquitination (DUB module of the complex, which in S. cerevisiae consists of Sgf11p, Sus1p, and Ubp8p. Although a convincing homologue of S. cerevisiae Ubp8p was identified in the A. nidulans genome, there were no apparent homologues for Sus1p and Sgf11p. In addition, when the SAGA complex was purified from A. nidulans, members of the DUB module were not co-purified with the complex, indicating that functional homologues of Sus1p and Sgf11p were not part of the complex. Thus, deubiquitination of H2B-Ub in stress conditions is likely to be regulated differently in A. nidulans compared to S. cerevisiae.

[Allergens used in skin tests in Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Larenas Linnemann, Désirée; Arias Cruz, Alfredo; Guidos Fogelbach, Guillermo Arturo; Cid del Prado, Mari Lou

2009-01-01

Immunotherapy is the only recognized causal treatment for allergies. It is prepared on an individual basis, based on the patient's clinical history and the result of the skin prick test (SPT). An adequate composition of the allergens with which to test the patient is crucial for an optimal diagnosis. To know allergens used in tests in allergy practices in Mexico. A national survey among all members of the Colegio Mexicano de Inmunología Clínica y Alergia (CMICA) and of the Colegio Mexicano de Pediatras Especialistas en Inmunología Clínica y Alergia (COMPEDIA) was carried out. In a second phase respondents were asked to send in the composition of a routine SPT in their clinic. The results are presented descriptively and the frequency is calculated by which certain allergen is tested in the interviewed practices. A survey response rate of 61 (17%) was obtained and 54% showed their SPT content. Weeds' representation in the SPT seems adequate; Atriplex is tested in all allergy practices. Some trees that show cross-reactivity might be eliminated from the SPT, but 20% doesn't test for Cynodon nor Holcus, and 25% doesn't for important allergens as cat, dog and cockroach. House dust and tobacco are still tested with certain frequency. The selection of which allergens to test in a SPT is based on multiple data, that change continuously with new investigations and discoveries. Our specialty is the most indicated--and obligated--to adjust constantly to these changes to have the best diagnostic tool to detect specific allergies.

A New Clinical Pain Knowledge Test for Nurses: Development and Psychometric Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernhofer, Esther I; St Marie, Barbara; Bena, James F

2017-08-01

All nurses care for patients with pain, and pain management knowledge and attitude surveys for nurses have been around since 1987. However, no validated knowledge test exists to measure postlicensure clinicians' knowledge of the core competencies of pain management in current complex patient populations. To develop and test the psychometric properties of an instrument designed to measure pain management knowledge of postlicensure nurses. Psychometric instrument validation. Four large Midwestern U.S. hospitals. Registered nurses employed full time and part time August 2015 to April 2016, aged M = 43.25 years; time as RN, M = 16.13 years. Prospective survey design using e-mail to invite nurses to take an electronic multiple choice pain knowledge test. Content validity of initial 36-item test "very good" (95.1% agreement). Completed tests that met analysis criteria, N = 747. Mean initial test score, 69.4% correct (range 27.8-97.2). After revision/removal of 13 unacceptable questions, mean test score was 50.4% correct (range 8.7-82.6). Initial test item percent difficulty range was 15.2%-98.1%; discrimination values range, 0.03-0.50; final test item percent difficulty range, 17.6%-91.1%, discrimination values range, -0.04 to 1.04. Split-half reliability final test was 0.66. A high decision consistency reliability was identified, with test cut-score of 75%. The final 23-item Clinical Pain Knowledge Test has acceptable discrimination, difficulty, decision consistency, reliability, and validity in the general clinical inpatient nurse population. This instrument will be useful in assessing pain management knowledge of clinical nurses to determine gaps in education, evaluate knowledge after pain management education, and measure research outcomes. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Space power technology for the twenty-first century (SPT21)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borger, W.U.; Massie, L.D.

1988-01-01

During the spring and summer months of 1987, the Aero Propulsion Laboratory of the Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio in cooperation with the Air Force Space Technology Center at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, undertook an initiative to develop a Strategic Plan for Space Power Technology Development. The initiative was called SPT21, Space Power Technology for the Twenty-First Century. The planning process involved the participation of other Government organizations (U.S. Army, Navy, DOE and NASA) along with major aerospace companies and universities. Following an SPT21 kickoff meeting on 28 May 1987, detailed strategic planning was accomplished through seven (7) Space Power Technology Discipline Workshops commencing in June 1987 and concluding in August 1987. Technology Discipline Workshops were conducted in the following areas: (1) Solar Thermal Dynamic Power Systems (2) Solar Photovoltaic Cells and Arrays (3) Thermal Management Technology (4) Energy Storage Technology (5) Nuclear Power Systems Technology (6) Power Conditioning, Distribution and Control and (7) Systems Technology/Advanced Concepts. This technical paper summarizes the planning process and describes the salient findings and conclusions of the workshops

The "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test: Investigation of Psychometric Properties and Test-Retest Reliability of the Persian Version

Science.gov (United States)

Khorashad, Behzad S.; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Roshan, Ghasem M.; Kazemian, Mojtaba; Khazai, Ladan; Aghili, Zahra; Talaei, Ali; Afkhamizadeh, Mozhgan

2015-01-01

The psychometric properties of the Persian "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" test were investigated, so were the predictions from the Empathizing-Systemizing theory of psychological sex differences. Adults aged 16-69 years old (N = 545, female = 51.7%) completed the test online. The analysis of items showed them to be generally acceptable.…

Large arrays of dual-polarized multichroic TES detectors for CMB measurements with the SPT-3G receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Posada, Chrystian M.; Ade, Peter A. R.; Anderson, Adam J.; Avva, Jessica; Ahmed, Zeeshan; Arnold, Kam S.; Austermann, Jason; Bender, Amy N.; Benson, Bradford A.; Bleem, Lindsey; Byrum, Karen; Carlstrom, John E.; Carter, Faustin W.; Chang, Clarence; Cho, Hsiao-Mei; Cukierman, Ari; Czaplewski, David A.; Ding, Junjia; Divan, Ralu N. S.; de Haan, Tijmen; Dobbs, Matt; Dutcher, Daniel; Everett, Wenderline; Gannon, Renae N.; Guyser, Robert J.; Halverson, Nils W.; Harrington, Nicholas L.; Hattori, Kaori; Henning, Jason W.; Hilton, Gene C.; Holzapfel, William L.; Huang, Nicholas; Irwin, Kent D.; Jeong, Oliver; Khaire, Trupti; Korman, Milo; Kubik, Donna L.; Kuo, Chao-Lin; Lee, Adrian T.; Leitch, Erik M.; Lendinez Escudero, Sergi; Meyer, Stephan S.; Miller, Christina S.; Montgomery, Joshua; Nadolski, Andrew; Natoli, Tyler J.; Nguyen, Hogan; Novosad, Valentyn; Padin, Stephen; Pan, Zhaodi; Pearson, John E.; Rahlin, Alexandra; Reichardt, Christian L.; Ruhl, John E.; Saliwanchik, Benjamin; Shirley, Ian; Sayre, James T.; Shariff, Jamil A.; Shirokoff, Erik D.; Stan, Liliana; Stark, Antony A.; Sobrin, Joshua; Story, Kyle; Suzuki, Aritoki; Tang, Qing Yang; Thakur, Ritoban B.; Thompson, Keith L.; Tucker, Carole E.; Vanderlinde, Keith; Vieira, Joaquin D.; Wang, Gensheng; Whitehorn, Nathan; Yefremenko, Volodymyr; Yoon, Ki Won

2016-07-01

Detectors for cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments are now essentially background limited, so a straightforward alternative to improve sensitivity is to increase the number of detectors. Large arrays of multichroic pixels constitute an economical approach to increasing the number of detectors within a given focal plane area. Here, we present the fabrication of large arrays of dual-polarized multichroic transition-edge-sensor (TES) bolometers for the South Pole Telescope third-generation CMB receiver (SPT-3G). The complete SPT-3G receiver will have 2690 pixels, each with six detectors, allowing for individual measurement of three spectral bands (centered at 95 GHz, 150 GHz and 220 GHz) in two orthogonal polarizations. In total, the SPT-3G focal plane will have 16140 detectors. Each pixel is comprised of a broad-band sinuous antenna coupled to a niobium microstrip transmission line. In-line filters are used to define the different band-passes before the millimeter-wavelength signal is fed to the respective Ti/Au TES sensors. Detectors are read out using a 64x frequency domain multiplexing (fMux) scheme. The microfabrication of the SPT-3G detector arrays involves a total of 18 processes, including 13 lithography steps. Together with the fabrication process, the effect of processing on the Ti/Au TES's Tc is discussed. In addition, detectors fabricated with Ti/Au TES films with Tc between 400 mK 560 mK are presented and their thermal characteristics are evaluated. Optical characterization of the arrays is presented as well, indicating that the response of the detectors is in good agreement with the design values for all three spectral bands (95 GHz, 150 GHz, and 220 GHz). The measured optical efficiency of the detectors is between 0.3 and 0.8. Results discussed here are extracted from a batch of research of development wafers used to develop the baseline process for the fabrication of the arrays of detectors to be deployed with the SPT-3G receiver. Results from

Construction and psychometric testing of the EMPATHIC questionnaire measuring parent satisfaction in the pediatric intensive care unit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Latour, Jos M.; van Goudoever, Johannes B.; Duivenvoorden, Hugo J.; Albers, Marcel J. I. J.; van Dam, Nicolette A. M.; Dullaart, Eugenie; van Heerde, Marc; de Neef, Marjorie; Verlaat, Carin W. M.; van Vught, Elise M.; Hazelzet, Jan A.

To construct and test the reliability and validity of the EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care (EMPATHIC) questionnaire measuring parent satisfaction in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Structured development and psychometric testing of a parent satisfaction-with-care instrument

Construction and psychometric testing of the EMPATHIC questionnaire measuring parent satisfaction in the pediatric intensive care unit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Latour, J.M.; van Goudoever, J.B.; Duivenvoorden, H.J.; Albers, M.J.I.J.; van Dam, N.A.M.; Dullaart, E.; van Heerde, M.; de Neef, M.; Verlaat, C.W.M.; van Vught, E.M.; Hazelzet, J.A.

2011-01-01

To construct and test the reliability and validity of the EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care (EMPATHIC) questionnaire measuring parent satisfaction in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Structured development and psychometric testing of a parent satisfaction-with-care instrument

Psychometric Evaluation of the Italian Adaptation of the Test of Inferential and Creative Thinking

Science.gov (United States)

Faraci, Palmira; Hell, Benedikt; Schuler, Heinz

2016-01-01

This article describes the psychometric properties of the Italian adaptation of the "Analyse des Schlussfolgernden und Kreativen Denkens" (ASK; Test of Inferential and Creative Thinking) for measuring inferential and creative thinking. The study aimed to (a) supply evidence for the factorial structure of the instrument, (b) describe its…

Psychometric characteristics of single-word tests of children's speech sound production.

Science.gov (United States)

Flipsen, Peter; Ogiela, Diane A

2015-04-01

Our understanding of test construction has improved since the now-classic review by McCauley and Swisher (1984). The current review article examines the psychometric characteristics of current single-word tests of speech sound production in an attempt to determine whether our tests have improved since then. It also provides a resource that clinicians may use to help them make test selection decisions for their particular client populations. Ten tests published since 1990 were reviewed to determine whether they met the 10 criteria set out by McCauley and Swisher (1984), as well as 7 additional criteria. All of the tests reviewed met at least 3 of McCauley and Swisher's (1984) original criteria, and 9 of 10 tests met at least 5 of them. Most of the tests met some of the additional criteria as well. The state of the art for single-word tests of speech sound production in children appears to have improved in the last 30 years. There remains, however, room for improvement.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2010-01-01

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

Questionnaire for measuring organisational attributes in dental-care practices: psychometric properties and test-retest reliability.

Science.gov (United States)

Goetz, Katja; Hasse, Philipp; Szecsenyi, Joachim; Campbell, Stephen M

2016-04-01

The consideration of organisational aspects, such as shared goals and clear communication, within the health care team is important to ensure good quality care. In primary health care, the instrument Survey of Organizational Attributes for Primary Care (SOAPC) is available to measure organisational attributes of care. However, there is no instrument available for dental care. The aim of the present study was to investigate psychometric properties and test-retest reliability of the version of SOAPC adapted for dental care, namely the Survey of Organizational Attributes in Dental Care (SOADC). The SOADC consists of 21 items in the following four subscales: communication; decision making; stress/chaos; and history of change. Convergent construct validity was measured using the job satisfaction scale. A total of 287 dental-care practices were asked to participate in the validation study. Psychometric properties and test-retest reliability were observed. A total of 43 dental-care practices responded to the survey. At baseline, 178 dental-care staff completed the questionnaire, and 4 weeks later 138 did so. Internal consistency, measured by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.718 or higher in the subscales. The test-retest reliability for each subscale and the overall SOADC score demonstrated good correlations over the 4-week test-retest interval, except for 'history of change'. A strong correlation with the aggregated job-satisfaction scale showed high convergent construct validity of SOADC. The consideration of organisational aspects from the perspective of dental-care teams is important for providing good quality of care. The SOADC is a reliable instrument with good psychometric properties and is suitable for the evaluation of organisational attributes in dental-care practices. © 2015 FDI World Dental Federation.

MASS CALIBRATION AND COSMOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SPT-SZ GALAXY CLUSTER SAMPLE USING VELOCITY DISPERSION σ v AND X-RAY Y X MEASUREMENTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bocquet, S.; Saro, A.; Mohr, J. J.; Bazin, G.; Chiu, I.; Desai, S.; Aird, K. A.; Ashby, M. L. N.; Bayliss, M.; Bautz, M.; Benson, B. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Crawford, T. M.; Crites, A. T.; Brodwin, M.; Cho, H. M.; Clocchiatti, A.; De Haan, T.

2015-01-01

We present a velocity-dispersion-based mass calibration of the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect survey (SPT-SZ) galaxy cluster sample. Using a homogeneously selected sample of 100 cluster candidates from 720 deg 2 of the survey along with 63 velocity dispersion (σ v ) and 16 X-ray Y X measurements of sample clusters, we simultaneously calibrate the mass-observable relation and constrain cosmological parameters. Our method accounts for cluster selection, cosmological sensitivity, and uncertainties in the mass calibrators. The calibrations using σ v and Y X are consistent at the 0.6σ level, with the σ v calibration preferring ∼16% higher masses. We use the full SPT CL data set (SZ clusters+σ v +Y X ) to measure σ 8 (Ω m /0.27) 0.3 = 0.809 ± 0.036 within a flat ΛCDM model. The SPT cluster abundance is lower than preferred by either the WMAP9 or Planck+WMAP9 polarization (WP) data, but assuming that the sum of the neutrino masses is ∑m ν = 0.06 eV, we find the data sets to be consistent at the 1.0σ level for WMAP9 and 1.5σ for Planck+WP. Allowing for larger ∑m ν further reconciles the results. When we combine the SPT CL and Planck+WP data sets with information from baryon acoustic oscillations and Type Ia supernovae, the preferred cluster masses are 1.9σ higher than the Y X calibration and 0.8σ higher than the σ v calibration. Given the scale of these shifts (∼44% and ∼23% in mass, respectively), we execute a goodness-of-fit test; it reveals no tension, indicating that the best-fit model provides an adequate description of the data. Using the multi-probe data set, we measure Ω m = 0.299 ± 0.009 and σ 8 = 0.829 ± 0.011. Within a νCDM model we find ∑m ν = 0.148 ± 0.081 eV. We present a consistency test of the cosmic growth rate using SPT clusters. Allowing both the growth index γ and the dark energy equation-of-state parameter w to vary, we find γ = 0.73 ± 0.28 and w = –1.007 ± 0.065, demonstrating that the

The development and psychometric testing of a Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale among undergraduate nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hong-Yan; Bi, Rui-Xue; Zhong, Qing-Ling

2017-12-01

Disaster nurse education has received increasing importance in China. Knowing the abilities of disaster response in undergraduate nursing students is beneficial to promote teaching and learning. However, there are few valid and reliable tools that measure the abilities of disaster response in undergraduate nursing students. To develop a self-report scale of self-efficacy in disaster response for Chinese undergraduate nursing students and test its psychometric properties. Nursing students (N=318) from two medical colleges were chosen by purposive sampling. The Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale (DRSES) was developed and psychometrically tested. Reliability and content validity were studied. Construct validity was tested by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was tested by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The DRSES consisted of 3 factors and 19 items with a 5-point rating. The content validity was 0.91, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.912, and the intraclass correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was 0.953. The construct validity was good (χ 2 /df=2.440, RMSEA=0.068, NFI=0.907, CFI=0.942, IFI=0.430, pself-efficacy in disaster response for Chinese undergraduate nursing students. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Psychometric properties of the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence As propriedades psicométricas do Teste de Fagerström para Dependência de Nicotina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izilda Carolina de Meneses-Gaya

2009-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND is a screening instrument for physical nicotine dependence and is extensively used in various countries. The objective of the present report was to review articles related to the psychometric properties of the FTND. METHODS: A systematic search for articles published up through December of 2007 was carried out in various electronic databases. The following search terms were used: "Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence"; "FTND"; "psychometric"; "validity"; "reliability"; "feasibility"; and "factors". We included articles published in English, Spanish or Portuguese and in which the psychometric properties of the FTND were evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies related to the psychometric properties of the FTND were identified in the indexed literature. Analysis of the studies confirmed the reliability of the FTND for the assessment of nicotine dependence in different settings and populations. CONCLUSIONS: Further validation studies using previously validated instruments as a comparative measure are needed before the extensive use of the FTND can be justified on the basis of its psychometric qualities.OBJETIVO: O Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND, Teste de Fagerström para Dependência de Nicotina é um instrumento de rastreamento para dependência física de tabaco, amplamente utilizado em diversos países. Objetivou-se realizar uma revisão de artigos relacionados às propriedades psicométricas do FTND. MÉTODOS: Uma busca sistemática foi realizada usando-se vários indexadores eletrônicos até dezembro de 2007, com os seguintes descritores: "Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence"; "FTND"; "psychometric"; "validity"; "reliability"; "feasibility"; e "factors". Foram incluídos os artigos relacionados à avaliação das propriedades psicométricas do FTND publicados em inglês, espanhol e português. RESULTADOS: Vinte e seis estudos relativos às propriedades psicom

Bayesian psychometric scaling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fox, Gerardus J.A.; van den Berg, Stéphanie Martine; Veldkamp, Bernard P.; Irwing, P.; Booth, T.; Hughes, D.

2015-01-01

In educational and psychological studies, psychometric methods are involved in the measurement of constructs, and in constructing and validating measurement instruments. Assessment results are typically used to measure student proficiency levels and test characteristics. Recently, Bayesian item

Psychometric properties of the Danish MCMI-I translation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, E L; Simonsen, E

1990-01-01

A translation of the MCMI-I has been in use in Denmark for some years. An untested assumption in the interpretation of the pattern of test results is that the psychometric characteristics of the Danish and American versions are similar. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric...... properties of the questionnaire by using traditional psychometric analysis techniques on the results of a sample consisting of 423 patients and 179 normal controls. Coefficient alpha was calculated for the 20 clinical subscales of the test and the Danish results were strikingly similar to the original...... coefficients reported by Millon. Furthermore, factor analysis of the subscales showed a factor structure very similar to American findings, and it is concluded that the psychometric properties of the Danish MCMI are not significantly different from the original....

The new Intragroup Conflict Scale: testing and psychometric properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Kathleen B

2014-01-01

The importance of healthy work environments has received attention. Health care organizations are plagued with conflict which is detrimental to work environments. Thus, conflict must be studied. The purpose of this article is to describe the testing of a measure of conflict. A survey was used to evaluate the psychometric properties. The sample consisted of 430 nurses at an academic medical center. Using principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation, a six-factor solution (30 items) that explained 74.3% of variance emerged. Coefficient alpha ranged from .95 to .81. Correlations with existing scales supported construct validity (r = -.32(-)-.58). The results are encouraging. Use of the scale may provide insight into the impact of conflict on patient, staff, and organizational outcomes.

Development and psychometric testing of a new geriatric spiritual well-being scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Karen S

2008-09-01

Aims and objectives.  Assess the psychometric properties of a new geriatric spiritual well-being scale (GSWS), specifically designed for older adults. Background.  Religiosity and spiritual wellness must be measured as two distinct concepts to prevent confounding them as synonymous among atheist and agnostic population. Design.  A test-retest survey design was used to estimate the psychometric properties. Methods.  A convenience sample of 138 community-dwelling older adults was drawn from the inner city of Detroit. Data were collected using telephone survey interviews. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, structural equation modelling, reliability analyses, and point-biserial correlations. Results.  The factorial validity of the proposed model was not supported by the data. Fit indices were χ(2)  = 185.98, d.f. = 98, P atheists have spiritual needs that do not include religious beliefs or practices. Thus, assessing patients' religious beliefs and practices prior to assessing spiritual well-being is essential to prevent bias. © 2008 The Author. Journal compilation © 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Development of patient-reported outcome scale for myasthenia gravis: a psychometric test].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xin-lin; Liu, Feng-bin; Guo, Li; Liu, Xiao-bin

2010-02-01

To investigate the scientificity of patient-reported outcome (PRO) scale for myasthenia gravis (MG), which was used to evaluate the clinical effects of traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment on MG patients. Psychometric performance of the MG-PRO scale was also expected to be evaluated in this study. A total of 100 MG patients and 100 healthy people were face-to-face interviewed by well-trained investigators, and the data of MG-PRO scale were collected. The classical theory test (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) methods were used to analyze the psychometric performance such as validity, reliability, person separation index (PSI) and differential item functioning (DIF) in the MG-PRO scale. The results of CTT analysis showed that the split-half reliabilities of the MG-PRO scale and each dimension were greater than 0.7. In the analysis of internal consistency of each dimension, the Cronbach's alpha was greater than 0.8. Each facet had greater correlation with its dimension than the other dimensions. Four principal components were extracted by exploratory factor analysis, which represented all dimensions of the scale, and the cumulative variance was 55.54%. The scores of each of the 8 facets between MG patients and healthy people were different (Pdefinition and connotation of quality of life and contains special issues of MG patients as well, and shows good reliability (split-half reliability, Cronbach's alpha), validity (content validity, construct validity, discriminate validity) from the results of CTT, and good psychometric performance from the results of IRT.

SPT0346-52: NEGLIGIBLE AGN ACTIVITY IN A COMPACT, HYPER-STARBURST GALAXY AT z = 5.7

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Jingzhe; Gonzalez, Anthony H. [Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Vieira, J. D.; Sreevani, J. [Department of Astronomy and Department of Physics, University of Illinois, 1002 West Green St., Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Aravena, M. [Núcleo de Astronomía, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejército 441, Santiago (Chile); Ashby, M. L. N. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Béthermin, M.; Breuck, C. de; Gullberg, B. [European Southern Observatory, Karl Schwarzschild Straße 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Bothwell, M. S. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thompson Ave, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Brandt, W. N. [Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Carlstrom, J. E. [Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Chapman, S. C. [Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada); Hezaveh, Y. [Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Litke, K.; Marrone, D. P.; Spilker, J. S. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Malkan, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547 (United States); McDonald, M. [Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 37-582C, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Murphy, E. J., E-mail: jingzhema@ufl.edu [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States); and others

2016-12-01

We present Chandra ACIS-S and Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) radio continuum observations of the strongly lensed dusty, star-forming galaxy SPT-S J034640-5204.9 (hereafter SPT0346-52) at z = 5.656. This galaxy has also been observed with ALMA, HST , Spitzer , Herschel , Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment, and the Very Large Telescope. Previous observations indicate that if the infrared (IR) emission is driven by star formation, then the inferred lensing-corrected star formation rate (SFR) (∼4500 M {sub ☉} yr{sup −1}) and SFR surface density Σ{sub SFR} (∼2000 M {sub ☉} yr{sup −1} kpc{sup −2}) are both exceptionally high. It remained unclear from the previous data, however, whether a central active galactic nucleus (AGN) contributes appreciably to the IR luminosity. The Chandra upper limit shows that SPT0346-52 is consistent with being star formation dominated in the X-ray, and any AGN contribution to the IR emission is negligible. The ATCA radio continuum upper limits are also consistent with the FIR-to-radio correlation for star-forming galaxies with no indication of an additional AGN contribution. The observed prodigious intrinsic IR luminosity of (3.6 ± 0.3) × 10{sup 13} L {sub ☉} originates almost solely from vigorous star formation activity. With an intrinsic source size of 0.61 ± 0.03 kpc, SPT0346-52 is confirmed to have one of the highest Σ{sub SFR} of any known galaxy. This high Σ{sub SFR}, which approaches the Eddington limit for a radiation pressure supported starburst, may be explained by a combination of very high star formation efficiency and gas fraction.

SPT0346-52: NEGLIGIBLE AGN ACTIVITY IN A COMPACT, HYPER-STARBURST GALAXY AT z = 5.7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Jingzhe; Gonzalez, Anthony H.; Vieira, J. D.; Sreevani, J.; Aravena, M.; Ashby, M. L. N.; Béthermin, M.; Breuck, C. de; Gullberg, B.; Bothwell, M. S.; Brandt, W. N.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chapman, S. C.; Hezaveh, Y.; Litke, K.; Marrone, D. P.; Spilker, J. S.; Malkan, M.; McDonald, M.; Murphy, E. J.

2016-01-01

We present Chandra ACIS-S and Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) radio continuum observations of the strongly lensed dusty, star-forming galaxy SPT-S J034640-5204.9 (hereafter SPT0346-52) at z = 5.656. This galaxy has also been observed with ALMA, HST , Spitzer , Herschel , Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment, and the Very Large Telescope. Previous observations indicate that if the infrared (IR) emission is driven by star formation, then the inferred lensing-corrected star formation rate (SFR) (∼4500 M ☉ yr −1 ) and SFR surface density Σ SFR (∼2000 M ☉ yr −1 kpc −2 ) are both exceptionally high. It remained unclear from the previous data, however, whether a central active galactic nucleus (AGN) contributes appreciably to the IR luminosity. The Chandra upper limit shows that SPT0346-52 is consistent with being star formation dominated in the X-ray, and any AGN contribution to the IR emission is negligible. The ATCA radio continuum upper limits are also consistent with the FIR-to-radio correlation for star-forming galaxies with no indication of an additional AGN contribution. The observed prodigious intrinsic IR luminosity of (3.6 ± 0.3) × 10 13 L ☉ originates almost solely from vigorous star formation activity. With an intrinsic source size of 0.61 ± 0.03 kpc, SPT0346-52 is confirmed to have one of the highest Σ SFR of any known galaxy. This high Σ SFR , which approaches the Eddington limit for a radiation pressure supported starburst, may be explained by a combination of very high star formation efficiency and gas fraction.

Development and psychometric testing of a new instrument to measure the caring behaviour of nurses in Italian acute care settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Piredda, Michela; Ghezzi, Valerio; Fenizia, Elisa; Marchetti, Anna; Petitti, Tommasangelo; De Marinis, Maria Grazia; Sili, Alessandro

2017-12-01

To develop and psychometrically test the Italian-language Nurse Caring Behaviours Scale, a short measure of nurse caring behaviour as perceived by inpatients. Patient perceptions of nurses' caring behaviours are a predictor of care quality. Caring behaviours are culture-specific, but no measure of patient perceptions has previously been developed in Italy. Moreover, existing tools show unclear psychometric properties, are burdensome for respondents, or are not widely applicable. Instrument development and psychometric testing. Item generation included identifying and adapting items from existing measures of caring behaviours as perceived by patients. A pool of 28 items was evaluated for face validity. Content validity indexes were calculated for the resulting 15-item scale; acceptability and clarity were pilot tested with 50 patients. To assess construct validity, a sample of 2,001 consecutive adult patients admitted to a hospital in 2014 completed the scale and was split into two groups. Reliability was evaluated using nonlinear structural equation modelling coefficients. Measurement invariance was tested across subsamples. Item 15 loaded poorly in the exploratory factor analysis (n = 983) and was excluded from the final solution, positing a single latent variable with 14 indicators. This model fitted the data moderately. The confirmatory factor analysis (n = 1018) returned similar results. Internal consistency was excellent in both subsamples. Full scalar invariance was reached, and no significant latent mean differences were detected across subsamples. The new instrument shows reasonable psychometric properties and is a promising short and widely applicable measure of inpatient perceptions of nurse caring behaviours. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[The psychometric properties of the Proverb-Metaphor Test].

Science.gov (United States)

Szajer, Katarzyna; Karakuła, Hanna; Grzywa, Anna; Parnas, Josef; Perzyńska, Aneta; Zaborska, Anna; Pawezka, Justyna; Sekunda, Agnieszka; Piszczek, Rafał; Skórska, Małgorzata

2007-01-01

Abstract thinking belongs to intellectual abilities of the highest level of the evolutionary development, thanks to which operations such a classification, systematisation and comparison are possible. An analysis of the psychometric properties of the Proverb-Metaphor Test (TPM) which has been used in the German speaking countries since 2001. The TPM was subject to the process of translation--retranslation--travesty in order to be adapted to clinical conditions in Poland. 60 patients of the Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Lublin with diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia (according to ICD-10 criteria). PANSS and TPM was carried out amongst 15 patients at the beginning of the hospitalisation (the first stage of the research) and among all persons during the remission of syndromes (the second stage). The WAIS-R (PL) was used in the second stage. 1. The TPM is a reliable instrument, of high criteria propriety. 2. The evaluated test is a relatively homogeneous research tool. 3. The TPM is, thanks to its simple construction and the short carrying out time, a practical method of abstract thinking evaluation. 4. The TPM may be a useful instrument enabling long term prognosis.

D-Catch instrument : development and psychometric testing of a measurement instrument for nursing documentation in hospitals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Paans, Wolter; Sermeus, Walter; Nieweg, Roos; van der Schans, Cees P.

AIM: This paper is a report of the development and testing of the psychometric properties of an instrument to measure the accuracy of nursing documentation in general hospitals. BACKGROUND: Little information is available about the accuracy of nursing documentation. None of the existing instruments

Joint measurement of lensing–galaxy correlations using SPT and DES SV data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baxter, E.; Clampitt, J.; Giannantonio, T.; Dodelson, S.; Jain, B.; Huterer, D.; Bleem, L.; Crawford, T.; Efstathiou, G.; Fosalba, P.; Kirk, D.; Kwan, J.; Sánchez, C.; Story, K.; Troxel, M. A.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Abdalla, F. B.; Armstrong, R.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Benson, B.; Bernstein, G. M.; Bernstein, R. A.; Bertin, E.; Brooks, D.; Carlstrom, J.; Rosell, A. Carnero; Carrasco Kind, M.; Carretero, J.; Chown, R.; Crocce, M.; Cunha, C. E.; da Costa, L. N.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Dietrich, J. P.; Doel, P.; Evrard, A. E.; Fausti Neto, A.; Flaugher, B.; Frieman, J.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gutierrez, G.; de Haan, T.; Holder, G.; Honscheid, K.; Hou, Z.; James, D. J.; Kuehn, K.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lima, M.; March, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Martini, P.; Melchior, P.; Miller, C. J.; Miquel, R.; Mohr, J. J.; Nord, B.; Omori, Y.; Plazas, A. A.; Reichardt, C.; Romer, A. K.; Rykoff, E. S.; Sanchez, E.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Sheldon, E.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Stark, A.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Walker, A. R.; Wechsler, R. H.

2016-07-04

We measure the correlation of galaxy lensing and cosmic microwave background lensing with a set of galaxies expected to trace the matter density field. The measurements are performed using pre-survey Dark Energy Survey (DES) Science Verification optical imaging data and millimetre-wave data from the 2500 sq. deg. South Pole Telescope Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (SPT-SZ) survey. The two lensing–galaxy correlations are jointly fit to extract constraints on cosmological parameters, constraints on the redshift distribution of the lens galaxies, and constraints on the absolute shear calibration of DES galaxy-lensing measurements. We show that an attractive feature of these fits is that they are fairly insensitive to the clustering bias of the galaxies used as matter tracers. The measurement presented in this work confirms that DES and SPT data are consistent with each other and with the currently favoured Λ cold dark matter cosmological model. It also demonstrates that joint lensing–galaxy correlation measurement considered here contains a wealth of information that can be extracted using current and future surveys.

Development, Testing, and Psychometric Qualities of the Nash Duty to Care Scale for Disaster Response.

Science.gov (United States)

Nash, Tracy Jeanne

2017-08-01

Although nurses struggle with the decision to report for work during disaster events, there are no instruments to measure nurses' duty to care for disaster situations. The purpose of this study was to describe the development, testing, and psychometric qualities of the Nash Duty to Care Scale. A convenience sample of 409 registered nurses were recruited from 3 universities in the United States. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 19-item, 4-factor model explaining 67.34% of the variance. Internal consistency reliability was supported by Cronbach's alpha ranging from .81 to .91 for the 4-factor subscales and .92 for the total scale. The psychometrically sound instrument for measuring nurses' perceived duty to care for disasters is applicable to contemporary nursing practice, institutional disaster management plans, and patient health outcomes worldwide.

The incidence and features of systemic reactions to skin prick tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Sellaturay, Priya; Nasser, Shuaib; Ewan, Pamela

2015-09-01

Skin prick testing (SPT) has been regarded as a safe procedure with few systemic reactions. To evaluate the rate of systemic reactions and their associations after SPT in the largest population to date. In this study reactions were recorded prospectively in a specialist UK allergy clinic for 6 years (2007-2013). An estimated 31,000 patients underwent SPT. Twenty-four patients (age range 7 months to 56 years, mean 23.5 years, 17 female patients, 12 with asthma) had systemic reactions. The rate of systemic reactions to SPT was 0.077%. The likely allergens causing the reaction were foods (18; peanut, 7; walnut, 1; Brazil nut, 2; pistachio, 1; lupin, 1; cow's milk, 2; shrimp, 1; spinach, 1; legume, 1; soy, 1), aeroallergens (4; rabbit, 1; rat, 1; ragwort, 1; grass pollen, 1), wasp venom (1), and Tazocin (1). The causative SPT wheal was larger than 8 mm in 75%. The reaction to Tazocin was severe, with anaphylaxis occurring minutes after SPT. Reactions were treated immediately in the clinic and did not require further medical care. In this largest single-center study, the rate of systemic reactions after SPT was 77 per 100,000 patients. It is the first study to identify foods as a common and important cause (75%), with nuts posing the highest risk. This study reports the first systemic reaction to venom SPT and the first anaphylactic reaction after drug SPT. There was an association with a history of severe reactions and large skin test reaction. There are risks, albeit small, when undertaking SPT. Copyright © 2015 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Raven's Test Performance of Sub-Saharan Africans: Average Performance, Psychometric Properties, and the Flynn Effect

Science.gov (United States)

Wicherts, Jelte M.; Dolan, Conor V.; Carlson, Jerry S.; van der Maas, Han L. J.

2010-01-01

This paper presents a systematic review of published data on the performance of sub-Saharan Africans on Raven's Progressive Matrices. The specific goals were to estimate the average level of performance, to study the Flynn Effect in African samples, and to examine the psychometric meaning of Raven's test scores as measures of general intelligence.…

A MEASUREMENT OF SECONDARY COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND ANISOTROPIES FROM THE 2500 SQUARE-DEGREE SPT-SZ SURVEY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

George, E. M.; Reichardt, C. L.; Aird, K. A.; Benson, B. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Cho, H-M.; Crawford, T. M.; Crites, A. T.; de Haan, T.; Dobbs, M. A.; Dudley, J.; Halverson, N. W.; Harrington, N. L.; Holder, G. P.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Hou, Z.; Hrubes, J. D.; Keisler, R.; Knox, L.; Lee, A. T.; Leitch, E. M.; Lueker, M.; Luong-Van, D.; McMahon, J. J.; Mehl, J.; Meyer, S. S.; Millea, M.; Mocanu, L. M.; Mohr, J. J.; Montroy, T. E.; Padin, S.; Plagge, T.; Pryke, C.; Ruhl, J. E.; Schaffer, K. K.; Shaw, L.; Shirokoff, E.; Spieler, H. G.; Staniszewski, Z.; Stark, A. A.; Story, K. T.; van Engelen, A.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Williamson, R.; Zahn, O.

2015-01-28

We present measurements of secondary cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies and cosmic infrared background (CIB) fluctuations using data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) covering the complete 2540 deg(2) SPT-SZ survey area. Data in the three SPT-SZ frequency bands centered at 95, 150, and 220 GHz, are used to produce six angular power spectra (three single-frequency auto-spectra and three cross-spectra) covering the multipole range 2000 < ℓ < 11, 000 (angular scales 5' gsim θ gsim 1'). These are the most precise measurements of the angular power spectra at ℓ > 2500 at these frequencies. The main contributors to the power spectra at these angular scales and frequencies are the primary CMB, CIB, thermal and kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects (tSZ and kSZ), and radio galaxies. We include a constraint on the tSZ power from a measurement of the tSZ bispectrum from 800 deg(2) of the SPT-SZ survey. We measure the tSZ power at 143  GHz to be $D^{\\rm tSZ}_{3000} = 4.08^{+0.58}_{-0.67}\\,\\mu {\\rm K}^2{}$ and the kSZ power to be $D^{\\rm kSZ}_{3000} = 2.9 \\pm 1.3\\, \\mu {\\rm K}^2{}$. The data prefer positive kSZ power at 98.1% CL. We measure a correlation coefficient of $\\xi = 0.113^{+0.057}_{-0.054}$ between sources of tSZ and CIB power, with ξ < 0 disfavored at a confidence level of 99.0%. The constraint on kSZ power can be interpreted as an upper limit on the duration of reionization. When the post-reionization homogeneous kSZ signal is accounted for, we find an upper limit on the duration Δz < 5.4  at 95% CL.

Modeling the Test-Taking Motivation Construct through Investigation of Psychometric Properties of an Expectancy-Value-Based Questionnaire

Science.gov (United States)

Knekta, Eva; Eklöf, Hanna

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of an expectancy-value-based questionnaire measuring five aspects of test-taking motivation (effort, expectancies, importance, interest, and test anxiety). The questionnaire was distributed to a sample of Swedish Grade 9 students taking a low-stakes (n = 1,047) or a high-stakes (n =…

Performance Evaluation of the SPT-140

Science.gov (United States)

Manzella, David; Sarmiento, Charles; Sankovic, John; Haag, Tom

1997-01-01

As part of an on-going cooperative program with industry, an engineering model SPT-140 Hall thruster, which may be suitable for orbit insertion and station-keeping of geosynchronous communication satellites, was evaluated with respect to thrust and radiated electromagnetic interference at the NASA Lewis Research Center. Performance measurements were made using a laboratory model propellant feed system and commercial power supplies. The engine was operated in a space simulation chamber capable of providing background pressures of 4 x 10(exp -6) Torr or less during thruster operation. Thrust was measured at input powers ranging from 1.5 to 5 kilowatts with two different output filter configurations. The broadband electromagnetic emission spectra generated by the engine was also measured for a range of frequencies from 0.01 to 18,000 Mhz. These results are compared to the noise threshold of the measurement system and MIL-STD-461C where appropriate.

Development and Psychometric Testing of a Sexual Concerns Questionnaire for Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Muehrer, Rebecca J; Lanuza, Dorothy M; Brown, Roger L; Djamali, Arjang

2015-01-01

This study describes the development and psychometric testing of the Sexual Concerns Questionnaire (SCQ) in kidney transplant (KTx) recipients. Construct validity was assessed using the Kroonenberg and Lewis exploratory/confirmatory procedure and testing hypothesized relationships with established questionnaires. Configural and weak invariance were examined across gender, dialysis history, relationship status, and transplant type. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and test-retest reliability. Factor analysis resulted in a 7-factor solution and suggests good model fit. Construct validity was also supported by the tests of hypothesized relationships. Configural and weak invariance were supported for all subgroups. Reliability of the SCQ was also supported. Findings indicate the SCQ is a valid and reliable measure of KTx recipients' sexual concerns.

Analisis Penerapan E-spt Dan E-filing Dalam Upaya Peningkatan Kepatuhan Wajib Pajak (Studi Kasus Di Kantor Pelayanan Pajak Pratama Manado)

OpenAIRE

Tumuli, Apriliani Kasandra; Sondakh, Jullie J; Wokas, Heince R.N

2016-01-01

Direktorat Jenderal Pajak melakukan berbagai inovasi baru dalam bidang perpajakan yaitu dengan pemanfaatan teknologi dan informasi sehingga terciptalah aplikasi komputer dalam sistem administrasi perpajakan seperti e-SPT dan e-Filing untuk memudahklan para wajib pajak sehingga dapat meningkatkan kepatuhan wajib pajak dalam melaporkan kewajiban perpajakannya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui tingkat penggunaan e-SPT dan e-Filing, tingkat kepatuhan wajib pajak yaitu ketepatan waktu mel...

Psychometric testing of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale-Mandarin version in Taiwanese cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Woung-Ru; Kao, Chen-Yi

2017-06-01

The spiritual well-being of terminally ill cancer patients is an important indicator of the quality of their lives and of the quality of hospice care, but no validated tools are available for assessing this indicator in Taiwan. The present cross-sectional study validated the Spiritual Well-Being Scale-Mandarin version (SWBS-M) by testing its psychometric properties in 243 cancer patients from five teaching hospitals throughout Taiwan. Construct validity was tested by factor analysis and hypothesis testing. Patients' spiritual well-being and quality of life were assessed using the SWBS-M and the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQoL), respectively. Overall, the SWBS-M had an internal consistency/reliability of 0.89. Exploratory factor analysis showed that the SWBS-M had an underlying two-factor structure, explaining 46.94% of the variance. SWBS-M scores correlated moderately with MQoL scores (r = 0.48, p spiritual well-being was inversely related to their average pain level during the previous 24 hours (r = -0.183, p = 0.006). Cancer patients' spiritual well-being also differed significantly with their experience of pain (t = -3.67, p spiritual well-being than those without pain. Our findings support a two-factor model for the SWBS-M in terminally ill Taiwanese cancer patients. We recommend testing the psychometric properties of the SWBS-M in different patient populations to verify its factorial structure in other Asian countries.

Plant Outage Time Savings Provided by Subcritical Physics Testing at Vogtle Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cupp, Philip; Heibel, M.D.

2006-01-01

The most recent core reload design verification physics testing done at Southern Nuclear Company's (SNC) Vogtle Unit 2, performed prior to initial power operations in operating cycle 12, was successfully completed while the reactor was at least 1% ΔK/K subcritical. The testing program used was the first application of the Subcritical Physics Testing (SPT) program developed by the Westinghouse Electric Company LLC. The SPT program centers on the application of the Westinghouse Subcritical Rod Worth Measurement (SRWM) methodology that was developed in cooperation with the Vogtle Reactor Engineering staff. The SRWM methodology received U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval in August of 2005. The first application of the SPT program occurred at Vogtle Unit 2 in October of 2005. The results of the core design verification measurements obtained during the SPT program demonstrated excellent agreement with prediction, demonstrating that the predicted core characteristics were in excellent agreement with the actual operating characteristics of the core. This paper presents an overview of the SPT Program used at Vogtle Unit 2 during operating cycle 12, and a discussion of the critical path outage time savings the SPT program is capable of providing. (authors)

Psychometric properties and convergent and predictive validity of an executive function test battery for two-year-olds

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Hanna eMulder

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Executive function (EF is an important predictor of numerous developmental outcomes, such as academic achievement and behavioral adjustment. Although a plethora of measurement instruments exists to assess executive function in children, only few of these are suitable for toddlers, and even fewer have undergone psychometric evaluation. The present study evaluates the psychometric properties and validity of an assessment battery for measuring EF in two-year-olds. A sample of 2437 children were administered the assessment battery at a mean age of 2;4 years (SD = 0;3 years in a large-scale field study. Measures of both hot EF (snack and gift delay tasks and cool EF (six boxes, memory for location, and visual search task were included. Confirmatory Factor Analyses showed that a two-factor hot and cool EF model fitted the data better than a one-factor model. Measurement invariance was supported across groups differing in age, gender, socioeconomic status (SES, home language, and test setting. Criterion and convergent validity were evaluated by examining relationships between EF and age, gender, SES, home language, and parent and teacher reports of children’s attention and inhibitory control. Predictive validity of the test battery was investigated by regressing children’s pre-academic skills and behavioral problems at age three on the latent hot and cool EF factors at age two years. The test battery showed satisfactory psychometric quality and criterion, convergent, and predictive validity. Whereas cool EF predicted both pre-academic skills and behavior problems one year later, hot EF predicted behavior problems only. These results show that EF can be assessed with psychometrically sound instruments in children as young as two years, and that EF tasks can be reliably applied in large scale field research. The current instruments offer new opportunities for investigating EF in early childhood, and for evaluating interventions targeted at improving

Fundamentos e métodos de medidas de energia dinâmica no SPT

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Antonio Belincanta

2000-05-01

Full Text Available Discutem-se neste trabalho os métodos disponíveis no Brasil e no exterior para a medida da energia transferida às hastes no SPT, apresentando-se inclusive registros típicos dos eventos dinâmicos correspondentes

The prevalence of skin-test-positive allergic rhinitis in Danish adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linneberg, A; Jørgensen, T; Nielsen, N H

2000-01-01

BACKGROUND: It is disputed whether increases in self-reported respiratory allergy represent a true increase or merely increased recognition. We aimed to investigate whether the prevalence of skin-prick-test (SPT)-positive allergic rhinitis had increased in an adult general population in Copenhagen...... (participation rate 74.6%) and 482 (participation rate 53.4%) subjects were examined in 1990 and 1998, respectively. Diagnoses of SPT-positive allergic rhinitis were based on a history of nasal symptoms on exposure to allergens and SPT positivity to allergens. RESULTS: The prevalence of a diagnosis of SPT...

Evaluation of autologous serum skin test and skin prick test reactivity to house dust mite in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria.

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Zhiqiang Song

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU is a common skin disorder with etiology that is not well understood. METHODS: In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of autologous serum skin test (ASST and skin prick testing (SPT to house dust mite (HDM in 862 CSU cases in China. Clinical features, courses and treatment responses were also recorded. RESULTS: The prevalence of positive ASST was 46.3%, and patients aged 30-39 years had the highest positive rate (52.1%. Positive SPT to HDM was seen in 153 patients (17.7% with the highest positive rate (34.2% in patients aged 20 or less. Patients with positive ASST had higher urticaria activity scores (UAS (4.18±0.65 vs. 3.67±0.53 but lower positive rates of HDM (24.6% vs. 37.6%, as compared with those with negative ASST (odds ratio (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.38-2.47. Patients could be categorized into four groups based on the results of ASST and SPT to HDM and patients with positive ASST and positive SPT to HDM had the highest disease activity scores, experienced higher frequencies of angioedema, diseases duration, and required higher dosage of loratadine every month, compared with other subgroups (P<0.0001. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CSU showed varied responses of positive ASST and varied sensitivity to HDM, Patients with positive ASST and/or positive SPT had more disease activity compared with patients with negative ASST and/or negative SPT. Further classification can be made based on the result of SPT and ASST.

Herth hope index: psychometric testing of the Chinese version.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Keung Sum; Li, Ho Cheung William; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi; Lopez, Violeta

2012-09-01

This article is a report on psychometric testing of the Chinese version of the herth hope index. The availability of a valid and reliable instrument that accurately measures the level of hope in patients with heart failure is crucial before any hope-enhancing interventions can be appropriately planned and evaluated. There is no such instrument for Chinese people. A test-retest, within-subjects design was used. A purposive sample of 120 Hong Kong Chinese patients with heart failure between the ages of 60 and 80 years admitted to two medical wards was recruited during an 8-month period in 2009. Participants were asked to respond to the Chinese version of the herth hope index, Hamilton depression rating scale and Rosenberg's self-esteem scale. The internal consistency, content validity and construct validity and test-retest reliability of the Chinese version of the herth hope index were assessed. The newly translated scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency, good content validity and appropriate convergent and discriminant validity. Confirmatory factor analysis added further evidence of the construct validity of the scale. Results suggest that the newly translated scale can be used as a self-report assessment tool in assessing the level of hope in Hong Kong Chinese patients with heart failure. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

MASS CALIBRATION AND COSMOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SPT-SZ GALAXY CLUSTER SAMPLE USING VELOCITY DISPERSION σ {sub v} AND X-RAY Y {sub X} MEASUREMENTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bocquet, S.; Saro, A.; Mohr, J. J.; Bazin, G.; Chiu, I.; Desai, S. [Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Scheinerstr. 1, D-81679 München (Germany); Aird, K. A. [University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Ashby, M. L. N.; Bayliss, M. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Bautz, M. [Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Benson, B. A. [Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, IL 60510-0500 (United States); Bleem, L. E.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Crawford, T. M.; Crites, A. T. [Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Brodwin, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri, 5110 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110 (United States); Cho, H. M. [NIST Quantum Devices Group, 325 Broadway Mailcode 817.03, Boulder, CO 80305 (United States); Clocchiatti, A. [Departamento de Astronomia y Astrosifica, Pontificia Universidad Catolica (Chile); De Haan, T., E-mail: bocquet@usm.lmu.de [Department of Physics, McGill University, 3600 Rue University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2T8 (Canada); and others

2015-02-01

We present a velocity-dispersion-based mass calibration of the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect survey (SPT-SZ) galaxy cluster sample. Using a homogeneously selected sample of 100 cluster candidates from 720 deg{sup 2} of the survey along with 63 velocity dispersion (σ {sub v}) and 16 X-ray Y {sub X} measurements of sample clusters, we simultaneously calibrate the mass-observable relation and constrain cosmological parameters. Our method accounts for cluster selection, cosmological sensitivity, and uncertainties in the mass calibrators. The calibrations using σ {sub v} and Y {sub X} are consistent at the 0.6σ level, with the σ {sub v} calibration preferring ∼16% higher masses. We use the full SPT{sub CL} data set (SZ clusters+σ {sub v}+Y {sub X}) to measure σ{sub 8}(Ω{sub m}/0.27){sup 0.3} = 0.809 ± 0.036 within a flat ΛCDM model. The SPT cluster abundance is lower than preferred by either the WMAP9 or Planck+WMAP9 polarization (WP) data, but assuming that the sum of the neutrino masses is ∑m {sub ν} = 0.06 eV, we find the data sets to be consistent at the 1.0σ level for WMAP9 and 1.5σ for Planck+WP. Allowing for larger ∑m {sub ν} further reconciles the results. When we combine the SPT{sub CL} and Planck+WP data sets with information from baryon acoustic oscillations and Type Ia supernovae, the preferred cluster masses are 1.9σ higher than the Y {sub X} calibration and 0.8σ higher than the σ {sub v} calibration. Given the scale of these shifts (∼44% and ∼23% in mass, respectively), we execute a goodness-of-fit test; it reveals no tension, indicating that the best-fit model provides an adequate description of the data. Using the multi-probe data set, we measure Ω{sub m} = 0.299 ± 0.009 and σ{sub 8} = 0.829 ± 0.011. Within a νCDM model we find ∑m {sub ν} = 0.148 ± 0.081 eV. We present a consistency test of the cosmic growth rate using SPT clusters. Allowing both the growth index γ and the dark energy equation

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Development and psychometric testing of the Nursing Workplace Relational Environment Scale (NWRES).

Science.gov (United States)

Duddle, Maree; Boughton, Maureen

2009-03-01

The aim of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of the Nursing Workplace Relational Environment Scale (NWRES). A positive relational environment in the workplace is characterised by a sense of connectedness and belonging, support and cooperation among colleagues, open communication and effectively managed conflict. A poor relational environment in the workplace may contribute to job dissatisfaction and early turnover of staff. Quantitative survey. A three-stage process was used to design and test the NWRES. In Stage 1, an extensive literature review was conducted on professional working relationships and the nursing work environment. Three key concepts; collegiality, workplace conflict and job satisfaction were identified and defined. In Stage 2, a pool of items was developed from the dimensions of each concept and formulated into a 35-item scale which was piloted on a convenience sample of 31 nurses. In Stage 3, the newly refined 28-item scale was administered randomly to a convenience sample of 150 nurses. Psychometric testing was conducted to establish the construct validity and reliability of the scale. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 22-item scale. The factor analysis indicated a four-factor structure: collegial behaviours, relational atmosphere, outcomes of conflict and job satisfaction which explained 68.12% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the NWRES was 0.872 and the subscales ranged from 0.781-0.927. The results of the study confirm the reliability and validity of the NWRES. Replication of this study with a larger sample is indicated to determine relationships among the subscales. The results of this study have implications for health managers in terms of understanding the impact of the relational environment of the workplace on job satisfaction and retention.

78th Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society

CERN Document Server

Bolt, Daniel; Ark, L; Wang, Wen-Chung

2015-01-01

The 78th Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society (IMPS) builds on the Psychometric Society's mission to share quantitative methods relevant to psychology. The chapters of this volume present cutting-edge work in the field. Topics include studies of item response theory, computerized adaptive testing, cognitive diagnostic modeling, and psychological scaling. Additional psychometric topics relate to structural equation modeling, factor analysis, causal modeling, mediation, missing data methods, and longitudinal data analysis, among others. The papers in this volume will be especially useful for researchers in the social sciences who use quantitative methods. Prior knowledge of statistical methods is recommended. The 78th annual meeting took place in Arnhem, The Netherlands between July 22nd and 26th, 2013. The previous volume to showcase work from the Psychometric Society’s Meeting is New Developments in Quantitative Psychology: Presentations from the 77th Annual Psychometric Society Meeting (Springer, 201...

Yeast screens identify the RNA polymerase II CTD and SPT5 as relevant targets of BRCA1 interaction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Craig B Bennett

2008-01-01

Full Text Available BRCA1 has been implicated in numerous DNA repair pathways that maintain genome integrity, however the function responsible for its tumor suppressor activity in breast cancer remains obscure. To identify the most highly conserved of the many BRCA1 functions, we screened the evolutionarily distant eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae for mutants that suppressed the G1 checkpoint arrest and lethality induced following heterologous BRCA1 expression. A genome-wide screen in the diploid deletion collection combined with a screen of ionizing radiation sensitive gene deletions identified mutants that permit growth in the presence of BRCA1. These genes delineate a metabolic mRNA pathway that temporally links transcription elongation (SPT4, SPT5, CTK1, DEF1 to nucleopore-mediated mRNA export (ASM4, MLP1, MLP2, NUP2, NUP53, NUP120, NUP133, NUP170, NUP188, POM34 and cytoplasmic mRNA decay at P-bodies (CCR4, DHH1. Strikingly, BRCA1 interacted with the phosphorylated RNA polymerase II (RNAPII carboxy terminal domain (P-CTD, phosphorylated in the pattern specified by the CTDK-I kinase, to induce DEF1-dependent cleavage and accumulation of a RNAPII fragment containing the P-CTD. Significantly, breast cancer associated BRCT domain defects in BRCA1 that suppressed P-CTD cleavage and lethality in yeast also suppressed the physical interaction of BRCA1 with human SPT5 in breast epithelial cells, thus confirming SPT5 as a relevant target of BRCA1 interaction. Furthermore, enhanced P-CTD cleavage was observed in both yeast and human breast cells following UV-irradiation indicating a conserved eukaryotic damage response. Moreover, P-CTD cleavage in breast epithelial cells was BRCA1-dependent since damage-induced P-CTD cleavage was only observed in the mutant BRCA1 cell line HCC1937 following ectopic expression of wild type BRCA1. Finally, BRCA1, SPT5 and hyperphosphorylated RPB1 form a complex that was rapidly degraded following MMS treatment in wild type but not BRCA1

Investigation of Psychometric Properties of the Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production: Evidence from Study in Latvia

Science.gov (United States)

Kalis, Emils; Roke, Liga; Krumina, Indra

2016-01-01

The Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production (TCT-DP) is designed as an effective drawing-based instrument for measuring creative potential. Many studies report adaptation efforts in other cultures pointing out good psychometric properties of the instrument nonetheless revealing also some trouble spots. The present study includes adaptation…

Evaluation of basophil activation test in suspected food hypersensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Pignatti, Patrizia; Yacoub, Mona-Rita; Testoni, Claudia; Pala, Gianni; Corsetti, Maura; Colombo, Giselda; Meriggi, Antonio; Moscato, Gianna

2017-07-01

Food hypersensitivity is characterized by a wide range of symptoms. The relationship between symptoms and food is more frequently suspected than objectively proven. Basophil activation test (BAT) is based on the evaluation of activation markers on blood basophils in vitro stimulated with drugs or allergens. The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of BAT when introduced in the routine work-up of suspected food hypersensitivity. BAT was requested in subjects with food adverse reactions when a discrepancy existed among history and skin prick test (SPT) and/or specific IgE. Data from 150 subjects were analysed using CD63 as basophil activation marker. Thirty controls were evaluated for cut-offs. Immunoblots was performed with the sera of representative subjects positive for BAT and negative for SPT and sIgE. 1,024 BAT were carried out, the agreement (positive/positive and negative/negative) was 78.5% for BAT vs. SPT and 78.3% for BAT vs. IgE. Atopic patients, but not atopic controls, more frequently had a positive BAT than non-atopic patients (P tested food) and both negative sIgE and SPT. Immunoblots revealed the presence of sIgE for the tested foods in representative patients with positive BAT, negative SPT and sIgE. Introduction of BAT in routine of food hypersensitivity, limited to subjects with a discrepancy between history and traditional tests, might be useful particularly when total IgE are low. © 2015 International Clinical Cytometry Society. © 2015 International Clinical Cytometry Society.

Small punch test evaluation methods for material characterisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janča, Adam, E-mail: adam.janca@fjfi.cvut.cz; Siegl, Jan, E-mail: jan.siegl@fjfi.cvut.cz; Haušild, Petr, E-mail: petr.hausild@fjfi.cvut.cz

2016-12-01

The Small Punch Test (SPT) is one of the most widespread mechanical testing methods using miniaturized specimens. The paper presented deals with the time independent SPT, in which a flat specimen is bent by means of a (hemi)spherical punch moving at a constant velocity. The main goal is to relate the measured data to deformation processes taking place during specimen loading. Understanding of such relations is crucial for characterizing a material using any non-standardized experimental procedure. Using enhanced instrumentation, not only traditional load-displacement or load-deflection curves could be obtained, but also specimen thinning could be continuously measured and evaluated. Five alloys having a broad range of mechanical properties were tested. The results obtained were evaluated using both traditional and newly proposed methods and they were correlated with results of the conventional tensile test. The methods proposed seem to lead to a universal correlation between SPT results and tensile characteristics. - Highlights: • The newly proposed methodology significantly improved results of SPT. • Plastic deformation starts inside the specimen from the very beginning of loading. • Specimen thinning = punch displacement−specimen deflection. • Material response to loading is well illustrated by the novel load-thinning curve.

Skin prick test in patients with chronic allergic skin disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pooja Bains

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Chronic allergic skin disorders are the inflammatory and proliferative conditions in which both genetic and environmental factors play important roles. Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU and atopic dermatitis (AD are among the most common chronic allergic skin disorders. These can be provoked by various food and aeroallergens. Skin prick tests (SPTs represent the cheapest and most effective method to diagnose type I hypersensitivity. Positive skin tests with a history suggestive of clinical sensitivity strongly incriminate the allergen as a contributor to the disease process. Aim s and Objectives: To determine the incidence of positive SPT in patients with chronic allergic skin disorders and to identify the various allergens implicated in positive SPT. Methods: Fifty patients of chronic allergic disorders were recruited in this study. They were evaluated by SPT with both food and aeroallergens. Results: In our study, SPT positivity in patients of CIU was 63.41% and in AD was 77.78%. Out of the 41 patients of CIU, the most common allergen groups showing SPT positivity were dust and pollen, each comprising 26.83% patients. SPT reaction was positive with food items (21.6%, insects (17.07%, fungus (12.20%, and Dermatophagoides farinae, that is, house dust mite (HDM (7.32%. The allergen which showed maximum positivity was grain dust wheat (19.51%. Among nine patients of AD, maximum SPT positivity was seen with Dermatophagoides farinae, pollen Amaranthus spinosus, grain dust wheat, and cotton mill dust; each comprising 22.22% of patients. Conclusion: Our study showed that a significant number of patients of CIU and AD showed sensitivity to dust, pollen, insects, Dermatophagoides farinae, and fungi on SPT. Thus, it is an important tool in the diagnosis of CIU and AD.

The augmentation of heat transfer in a pipe flow using a swirling perforated twisted (SPT) tape insert

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Shahrokh; Oishe, Sadia Noon; Rahman, Md. Lutfor

2017-12-01

The purpose of this research work is to increase the heat transfer coefficient by operating the heat exchangers at smaller revolution per minute. This signifies an achievement of reduction of pressure drop corresponding to less operating cost. This study has used two types of SPT tape insert to observe the various heat transfer coefficient, heat transfer rate and heat transfer augmentation efficiency. One tape was fully twisted and another tape was partially twisted. The shape of the SPT tape creates turbulence effect. The turbulence flow (swirl flow) generated by SPT tape promotes greater mixing and high heat transfer coefficients. An arrangement scheme has been developed for the experimental investigation. For remarking the rate of change of heat transfer, temperature has been measured numerically through the temperature sensors with various flow rates and RPM. The volume flow rate was varied from 10.3448276 LPM to 21.045574 LPM and the rotation of the perforated twisted tape was varied from 50 RPM to 400 RPM. Finally the research study demonstrates the effectiveness of the results of the proposed approaches. It is observed that the suggested method of heat transfer augmentations is much more effective than existing methods, since it results in an increase in heat transfer area and also an increase in the heat transfer coefficient and reduction of cost in the industrial sectors.

The 1-min Screening Test for Reading Problems in College Students: Psychometric Properties of the 1-min TIL.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Tânia; Araújo, Susana; Sucena, Ana; Reis, Alexandra; Castro, São Luís

2017-02-01

Reading is a central cognitive domain, but little research has been devoted to standardized tests for adults. We, thus, examined the psychometric properties of the 1-min version of Teste de Idade de Leitura (Reading Age Test; 1-min TIL), the Portuguese version of Lobrot L3 test, in three experiments with college students: typical readers in Experiment 1A and B, dyslexic readers and chronological age controls in Experiment 2. In Experiment 1A, test-retest reliability and convergent validity were evaluated in 185 students. Reliability was >.70, and phonological decoding underpinned 1-min TIL. In Experiment 1B, internal consistency was assessed by presenting two 45-s versions of the test to 19 students, and performance in these versions was significantly associated (r = .78). In Experiment 2, construct validity, criterion validity and clinical utility of 1-min TIL were investigated. A multiple regression analysis corroborated construct validity; both phonological decoding and listening comprehension were reliable predictors of 1-min TIL scores. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristics analyses revealed the high accuracy of this test in distinguishing dyslexic from typical readers. Therefore, the 1-min TIL, which assesses reading comprehension and potential reading difficulties in college students, has the necessary psychometric properties to become a useful screening instrument in neuropsychological assessment and research. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psychometric testing of an instrument to measure the experience of home.

Science.gov (United States)

Molony, Sheila L; McDonald, Deborah Dillon; Palmisano-Mills, Christine

2007-10-01

Research related to quality of life in long-term care has been hampered by a paucity of measurement tools sensitive to environmental interventions. The primary aim of this study was to test the psychometric properties of a new instrument, the Experience of Home (EOH) Scale, designed to measure the strength of the experience of meaningful person-environment transaction. The instrument was administered to 200 older adults in diverse dwelling types. Principal components analysis provided support for construct validity, eliciting a three-factor solution accounting for 63.18% of variance in scores. Internal consistency reliability was supported with Cronbach's alpha of .96 for the entire scale. The EOH Scale is a unique research tool to evaluate interventions to improve quality of living in residential environments.

A (Small) complexity performance contest: SPT versus LBFS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Erland Hejn

2002-01-01

When discussing the nature of loading rules relevant to continuous dynamic job/flow shop systems, the general understanding is that results obtained in simpler structures of 2 to 4 machines are invariant to scaling and can be generalised without problems to more complex structures. The SPT...... results on pure re-entrant flow shop structures emerges. It now seems that alternative loading rules as for instance the LBFS (Last Buffer First Served) due to its strong long run stabilising property attracts quite some interest. To be more precise about the complexity aspect, complexity in job...... are not entirely only of theoretical interest, as well as results from a standard serial job/flow shop set-up, but with resource limitations that prevent the independent operations of the individual stations in the system....

A (Small) Complexity Performance Contest: SPT versus LBFS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Erland Hejn

2002-01-01

When discussing the nature of loading rules relevant to continuous dynamic job/flow shop systems, the general understanding is that results obtained in simpler structures of 2 to 4 machines are invariant to scaling and can be generalised without problems to more complex structures. The SPT...... results on pure re-entrant flow shop structures emerges. It now seems that alternative loading rules as for instance the LBFS (Last Buffer First Served) due to its strong long run stabilising property attracts quite some interest. To be more precise about the complexity aspect, complexity in job...... are not entirely only of theoretical interest, as well as results from a standard serial job/flow shop set-up, but with resource limitations that prevent the independent operations of the individual stations in the system....

Cross-correlation of gravitational lensing from DES Science Verification data with SPT and Planck lensing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirk, D.; Omori, Y.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Cawthon, R.; Chang, C.; Larsen, P.; Amara, A.; Bacon, D.; Crawford, T. M.; Dodelson, S.; Fosalba, P.; Giannantonio, T.; Holder, G.; Jain, B.; Kacprzak, T.; Lahav, O.; MacCrann, N.; Nicola, A.; Refregier, A.; Sheldon, E.; Story, K. T.; Troxel, M. A.; Vieira, J. D.; Vikram, V.; Zuntz, J.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Abdalla, F. B.; Becker, M. R.; Benson, B. A.; Bernstein, G. M.; Bernstein, R. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Bonnett, C.; Bridle, S. L.; Brooks, D.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Burke, D. L.; Capozzi, D.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Rosell, A. Carnero; Kind, M. Carrasco; Carretero, J.; Crocce, M.; Cunha, C. E.; D' Andrea, C. B.; da Costa, L. N.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Dietrich, J. P.; Doel, P.; Eifler, T. F.; Evrard, A. E.; Flaugher, B.; Frieman, J.; Gerdes, D. W.; Goldstein, D. A.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Honscheid, K.; James, D. J.; Jarvis, M.; Kent, S.; Kuehn, K.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lima, M.; March, M.; Martini, P.; Melchior, P.; Miller, C. J.; Miquel, R.; Nichol, R. C.; Ogando, R.; Plazas, A. A.; Reichardt, C. L.; Roodman, A.; Rozo, E.; Rykoff, E. S.; Sako, M.; Sanchez, E.; Scarpine, V.; Schubnell, M.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Simard, G.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Wechsler, R. H.; Weller, J.

2016-03-10

We measure the cross-correlation between weak lensing of galaxy images and of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The effects of gravitational lensing on different sources will be correlated if the lensing is caused by the same mass fluctuations. We use galaxy shape measurements from 139 deg$^{2}$ of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Science Verification data and overlapping CMB lensing from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and Planck. The DES source galaxies have a median redshift of $z_{\\rm med} {\\sim} 0.7$, while the CMB lensing kernel is broad and peaks at $z{\\sim}2$. The resulting cross-correlation is maximally sensitive to mass fluctuations at $z{\\sim}0.44$. Assuming the Planck 2015 best-fit cosmology, the amplitude of the DES$\\times$SPT cross-power is found to be $A = 0.88 \\pm 0.30$ and that from DES$\\times$Planck to be $A = 0.86 \\pm 0.39$, where $A=1$ corresponds to the theoretical prediction. These are consistent with the expected signal and correspond to significances of $2.9 \\sigma$ and $2.2 \\sigma$ respectively. We demonstrate that our results are robust to a number of important systematic effects including the shear measurement method, estimator choice, photometric redshift uncertainty and CMB lensing systematics. Significant intrinsic alignment of galaxy shapes would increase the cross-correlation signal inferred from the data; we calculate a value of $A = 1.08 \\pm 0.36$ for DES$\\times$SPT when we correct the observations with a simple IA model. With three measurements of this cross-correlation now existing in the literature, there is not yet reliable evidence for any deviation from the expected LCDM level of cross-correlation, given the size of the statistical uncertainties and the significant impact of systematic errors, particularly IAs. We provide forecasts for the expected signal-to-noise of the combination of the five-year DES survey and SPT-3G.

[The role of the basophil activation test (BAT) in qualification for specific immunotherapy with inhalant allergens].

Science.gov (United States)

Bulanda, Małgorzata; Dyga, Wojciech; Rusinek, Barbara; Czarnobilska, Ewa

Qualification for specific immunotherapy (SIT) according to the guidelines of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) includes medical history, skin prik tests (SPT) and/or measuring the concentration of sIgE. It is necessary to perform additional diagnostic tests in case of discrepancies between the history and the results of SPT/sIgE or differences between SPT and sIgE. Basophil activation test (BAT) assesses the expression of activation markers of these cells, eg. CD63 and CD203c after stimulation. The aim of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of BAT in the qualification for the SIT in comparison to the SPT and sIgE and in case of discrepancies between the results of SPT and sIgE. The study included 30 patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) caused by allergy to house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dp) or birch pollen qualified for SIT. All patients had SPT, sIgE and BAT determination. The group of patients with allergy to birch was a control group for Dp allergic and vice versa. BAT with CD63 antigen expression was performed using a Flow2CAST test. Basophils were stimulated with allergen preparation (50, 500, and 5000 SBU/ml concentrations). BAT results were expressed as a stimulation index (SI). For optimal concentrations of 50 and 500 SBU/ml parameters comparing BAT to SPT and sIgE as the gold standards were consecutively: sensitivity 82-100% and 93-100%, specificity 50-94% and 47-89%, positive predictive value 65- 94% and 61-87%, negative predictive value 86-100% and 93-100%. Correlation BAT - SPT and BAT - sIgE ranged within 0.59 to 0.84 and 0.51 to 0.72. BAT was helpful in 2 of 30 patients with incompatible results of SPT and sIgE. Optimal concentrations for basophil stimulation are 50 and 500 SBU/ ml. BAT may be useful diagnostic tool in the qualification for the SIT in case of discrepancies between the results of SPT and sIgE.

79th Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society

CERN Document Server

Bolt, Daniel; Wang, Wen-Chung; Douglas, Jeffrey; Chow, Sy-Miin

2015-01-01

These research articles from the 79th Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society (IMPS) cover timely quantitative psychology topics, including new methods in item response theory, computerized adaptive testing, cognitive diagnostic modeling, and psychological scaling. Topics within general quantitative methodology include structural equation modeling, factor analysis, causal modeling, mediation, missing data methods, and longitudinal data analysis. These methods will appeal, in particular, to researchers in the social sciences. The 79th annual meeting took place in Madison, WI between July 21nd and 25th, 2014. Previous volumes to showcase work from the Psychometric Society’s Meeting are New Developments in Quantitative Psychology: Presentations from the 77th Annual Psychometric Society Meeting (Springer, 2013) and Quantitative Psychology Research: The 78th Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society  (Springer, 2015).

80th Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society

CERN Document Server

Bolt, Daniel; Wang, Wen-Chung; Douglas, Jeffrey; Wiberg, Marie

2016-01-01

The research articles in this volume cover timely quantitative psychology topics, including new methods in item response theory, computerized adaptive testing, cognitive diagnostic modeling, and psychological scaling. Topics within general quantitative methodology include structural equation modeling, factor analysis, causal modeling, mediation, missing data methods, and longitudinal data analysis. These methods will appeal, in particular, to researchers in the social sciences. The 80th annual meeting took place in Beijing, China, between the 12th and 16th of July, 2014. Previous volumes to showcase work from the Psychometric Society’s Meeting are New Developments in Quantitative Psychology: Presentations from the 77th Annual Psychometric Society Meeting (Springer, 2013), Quantitative Psychology Research: The 78th Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society (Springer, 2015), and Quantitative Psychology Research: The 79th Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society, Wisconsin, USA, 2014 (Springer, 2015).

Enhancing rigour in the validation of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs: bridging linguistic and psychometric testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberts Gwerfyl

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A strong consensus exists for a systematic approach to linguistic validation of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs and discrete methods for assessing their psychometric properties. Despite the need for robust evidence of the appropriateness of measures, transition from linguistic to psychometric validation is poorly documented or evidenced. This paper demonstrates the importance of linking linguistic and psychometric testing through a purposeful stage which bridges the gap between translation and large-scale validation. Findings Evidence is drawn from a study to develop a Welsh language version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II and investigate its psychometric properties. The BDI-II was translated into Welsh then administered to Welsh-speaking university students (n = 115 and patients with depression (n = 37 concurrent with the English BDI-II, and alongside other established depression and quality of life measures. A Welsh version of the BDI-II was produced that, on administration, showed conceptual equivalence with the original measure; high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.90; 0.96; item homogeneity; adequate correlation with the English BDI-II (r = 0.96; 0.94 and additional measures; and a two-factor structure with one overriding dimension. Nevertheless, in the student sample, the Welsh version showed a significantly lower overall mean than the English (p = 0.002; and significant differences in six mean item scores. This prompted a review and refinement of the translated measure. Conclusions Exploring potential sources of bias in translated measures represents a critical step in the translation-validation process, which until now has been largely underutilised. This paper offers important findings that inform advanced methods of cross-cultural validation of PROMs.

Health Belief Model Scale for Human Papilloma Virus and its Vaccination: Adaptation and Psychometric Testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Guvenc, Gulten; Seven, Memnun; Akyuz, Aygul

2016-06-01

To adapt and psychometrically test the Health Belief Model Scale for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Its Vaccination (HBMS-HPVV) for use in a Turkish population and to assess the Human Papilloma Virus Knowledge score (HPV-KS) among female college students. Instrument adaptation and psychometric testing study. The sample consisted of 302 nursing students at a nursing school in Turkey between April and May 2013. Questionnaire-based data were collected from the participants. Information regarding HBMS-HPVV and HPV knowledge and descriptive characteristic of participants was collected using translated HBMS-HPVV and HPV-KS. Test-retest reliability was evaluated and Cronbach α was used to assess internal consistency reliability, and exploratory factor analysis was used to assess construct validity of the HBMS-HPVV. The scale consists of 4 subscales that measure 4 constructs of the Health Belief Model covering the perceived susceptibility and severity of HPV and the benefits and barriers. The final 14-item scale had satisfactory validity and internal consistency. Cronbach α values for the 4 subscales ranged from 0.71 to 0.78. Total HPV-KS ranged from 0 to 8 (scale range, 0-10; 3.80 ± 2.12). The HBMS-HPVV is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring young Turkish women's beliefs and attitudes about HPV and its vaccination. Copyright © 2015 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Revision and psychometric testing of the Incivility in Nursing Education (INE) survey: introducing the INE-R.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Cynthia M; Barbosa-Leiker, Celestina; Gill, Larecia Money; Nguyen, Danh

2015-06-01

Academic incivility is a serious challenge for nursing education, which needs to be empirically measured and fully addressed. A convenience sample of nursing faculty and students from 20 schools of nursing in the United States participated in a mixed-methods study to test the psychometric properties of the Incivility in Nursing Education-Revised (INE-R) Survey. A factor analysis and other reliability analyses support the use of the INE-R as a valid and reliable measurement of student and faculty perceptions of incivility in nursing education. The INE-R is a psychometrically sound instrument to measure faculty and student perceptions of incivility; to examine differences regarding levels of nursing education, program type, gender, age, and ethnicity; to compare perceptions of incivility between and among adjunct, clinical, teaching, and research faculty; and to conduct pre- and postassessments of the perceived levels of faculty and student incivility in nursing programs to inform evidence-based interventions. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

A newly identified frontal path from fornix in septum pellucidum with 7.0T MRI track density imaging (TDI – The septum pellucidum tract (SPT

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Zang-Hee eCho

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The high anatomical contrast achieved with the newly emerging MRI tractographic technique of super-resolution track density imaging (TDI encouraged us to search for a new fiber tract in the septum pellucidum. Although this septum pellucidum tract (SPT has been observed previously, its connections were unclear due to ambiguity and limited resolution of conventional MRI images. It is now possible to identify detailed parts of SPT with the increased resolution of TDI, which involves diffusion MRI imaging, whole-brain tractography, and voxel subdivision using the track-count information. Four healthy male subjects were included in the study. The experiment was performed with 7.0T MRI, following the guidelines of the institute’s institutional review board. Data were processed with the super-resolution TDI technique to generate a tractographic map with 0.18 mm isotropic resolution. The SPT was identified in all subjects. Based on additional seed tracking method with inter-axis correlation search, we have succeeded in identifying a new frontal lobe pathway in the SPT. We hypothesize that the tract is connected as a superior dorsal branch of the fornix that leads to the prefrontal cortex.

Diagnostic value of scratch-chamber test, skin prick test, histamine release and specific IgE in birch-allergic patients with oral allergy syndrome to apple

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Osterballe, M; Scheller, R; Stahl Skov, P

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to examine the diagnostic value of skin prick test (SPT), scratch-chamber test (SCT), histamine release (HR) and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) in birch-allergic patients with oral allergy syndrome to apple. METHODS: Ten birch-allergic patients with oral...... a detailed case history about symptoms of oral allergy syndrome combined with a SPT with fresh apple peel or A72 will be useful....

Psychometric Evaluation of the Revised Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test (V.2016) in Arabic: Translation and Validation

OpenAIRE

Alhaiti, Ali Hassan; Alotaibi, Alanod Raffa; Jones, Linda Katherine; DaCosta, Cliff; Lenon, George Binh

2016-01-01

Objective. To translate the revised Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test into the Arabic language and examine its psychometric properties. Setting. Of the 139 participants recruited through King Fahad Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 34 agreed to the second-round sample for retesting purposes. Methods. The translation process followed the World Health Organization’s guidelines for the translation and adaptation of instruments. All translations were examined for their validity and reliability...

Achievement Testing with the Wechsler Quicktest: An Examination of Its Psychometric Properties and Applied Utility with a Greek-Cypriot Sample

Science.gov (United States)

Vrachimi-Souroulla, Andry; Panayiotou, Georgia; Kokkinos, Constantinos M.; Lamprianou, Iasonas

2011-01-01

The study aimed to field-test a Greek version of the Wechsler Quicktest and to examine its psychometric properties. The Quicktest was individually administered to 208 students, aged 5-14 years, along with a reading test. Based on the Rasch analysis, data for the Quicktest subtests showed acceptable fit to the model. Also, correlations were found…

Psychometric validation of the Persian Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale using classic test theory and Rasch models.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chung-Ying; Broström, Anders; Nilsen, Per; Griffiths, Mark D; Pakpour, Amir H

2017-12-01

Background and aims The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), a six-item self-report scale that is a brief and effective psychometric instrument for assessing at-risk social media addiction on the Internet. However, its psychometric properties in Persian have never been examined and no studies have applied Rasch analysis for the psychometric testing. This study aimed to verify the construct validity of the Persian BSMAS using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Rasch models among 2,676 Iranian adolescents. Methods In addition to construct validity, measurement invariance in CFA and differential item functioning (DIF) in Rasch analysis across gender were tested for in the Persian BSMAS. Results Both CFA [comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.993; Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.989; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.057; standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.039] and Rasch (infit MnSq = 0.88-1.28; outfit MnSq = 0.86-1.22) confirmed the unidimensionality of the BSMAS. Moreover, measurement invariance was supported in multigroup CFA including metric invariance (ΔCFI = -0.001; ΔSRMR = 0.003; ΔRMSEA = -0.005) and scalar invariance (ΔCFI = -0.002; ΔSRMR = 0.005; ΔRMSEA = 0.001) across gender. No item displayed DIF (DIF contrast = -0.48 to 0.24) in Rasch across gender. Conclusions Given the Persian BSMAS was unidimensional, it is concluded that the instrument can be used to assess how an adolescent is addicted to social media on the Internet. Moreover, users of the instrument may comfortably compare the sum scores of the BSMAS across gender.

Testing the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the level of expressed emotion scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Chien, Wai Tong; Chan, Zenobia Chung-Yee; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi

2014-01-01

This study tested the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the level of expressed emotion scale in Hong Kong Chinese patients with severe mental illness and their family caregivers. First, the semantic equivalence with the original English version and test-retest reliability at 2-week interval of the Chinese version was examined. After that, the reproducibility, construct validity, and internal consistency of the Chinese version were tested. The Chinese version indicated good semantic equivalence with the English version (kappa values = 0.76-0.95 and ICC = 0.81-0.92), test-retest reliability (r = 0.89-0.95, P Chinese version had substantial loadings on one of the four factors identified (intrusiveness/hostility, attitude towards patient, tolerance, and emotional involvement), accounting for 71.8% of the total variance of expressed emotion. In confirmatory factor analysis, the identified four-factor model showed the best fit based on all fit indices (χ (2)/df = 1.93, P = 0.75; AGFI = 0.96; TLI = 1.02; RMSEA = 0.031; WRMR = 0.78) to the collected data. The four-factor Chinese version also indicated a good concurrent validity with significant correlations with family functioning (r = -0.54) and family burden (r = 0.49) and a satisfactory reproducibility over six months (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.90). The mean scores of the overall and subscale of the Chinese version in patients with unipolar disorder were higher than in other illness groups (schizophrenia, psychotic disorders, and bipolar disorder; P Chinese version demonstrates sound psychometric properties to measure families' expressed emotion in Chinese patients with severe mental illness, which are found varied across countries.

Impaired Uptake and/or Utilization of Leucine by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Is Suppressed by the SPT15-300 Allele of the TATA-Binding Protein Gene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baerends, RJ; Qiu, Jin-Long; Rasmussen, Simon

2009-01-01

Successful fermentations to produce ethanol require microbial strains that have a high tolerance to glucose and ethanol. Enhanced glucose/ethanol tolerance of the laboratory yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain BY4741 under certain growth conditions as a consequence of the expression of a dominant...... us to examine the effect of expression of the SPT15-300 allele in various yeast species of industrial importance. Expression of SPT15-300 in leucine-prototrophic strains of S. cerevisiae, Saccharomyces bayanus, or Saccharomyces pastorianus (lager brewing yeast), however, did not improve tolerance...... to ethanol on complex rich medium (yeast extract-peptone-dextrose). The enhanced growth of the laboratory yeast strain BY4741 expressing the SPT15-300 mutant allele was seen only on defined media with low concentrations of leucine, indicating that the apparent improved growth in the presence of ethanol...

A Psychometric Analysis of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test: Towards a Brief Form for Research and Applied Settings

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Sally eOlderbak

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test is a popular measure of individual differences in Theory of Mind that is often applied in the assessment of particular clinical populations (primarily, individuals on the autism spectrum. However, little is known about the test’s psychometric properties, including factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent validity evidence. We present a psychometric analysis of the test followed by an evaluation of other empirically proposed and statistically identified structures. We identified, and cross-validated in a second sample, an adequate short-form solution that is homogeneous with adequate internal consistency, and is moderately related to Cognitive Empathy, Emotion Perception, and strongly related to Vocabulary. We recommend the use of this short-form solution in normal adults as a more precise measure over the original version. Future revisions of the test should seek to reduce the test’s reliance on one’s vocabulary and evaluate the short-form structure in clinical populations.

Development and psychometric pilot-testing of a questionnaire for the evaluation of satisfaction with continuing education in infection control nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Michael; Peter, Daniel; Mattner, Frauke; Igel, Christoph; Kugler, Christiane

2018-05-16

Satisfaction with continuing education can be defined as positive attitudes towards educational programs, which has potential to strengthen learning outcomes. A multi-dimensional construct may enhance continuing education program evaluation processes. The objective is to describe the development and psychometric testing of the 'affective - behavioral - cognitive - satisfaction questionnaire' (ABC-SAT) for assessing participants' satisfaction with a continuing education program for nurses in infection control. The multi-staged development of a satisfaction questionnaire comprised of three subscales. The pilot tool was administered to a nationwide sample of 126 infection control nurses to assess satisfaction after participating in a continuing education program. Satisfaction scores were calculated and psychometric testing was performed to determine reliability, using Cronbach's alpha, face validity, objectivity, and economy. A principle component analysis using varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization was performed. The analysis led to a three-factor solution of the questionnaire with 11 items, explaining 61.4% of the variance. Internal consistency of three scales using Cronbach's alpha was 0.83, 0.60, and 0.66, respectively. Selectivity coefficients varied between 0.39 and 0.70. Participants needed approximately three minutes to complete the questionnaire. Initial findings refer to a satisfying scale structure and internal consistency of the 3-dimensional ABC-SAT questionnaire. Further research is required to confirm the questionnaires' psychometric properties. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Small-scale Specimen Testing of Monolithic U-Mo Fuel Foils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramprashad Prabhakaran; Douglas E. Burkes; James I. Cole; Indrajit Charit; Daniel M. Wachs

2008-10-01

The objective of this investigation is to develop a shear punch testing (SPT) procedure and standardize it to evaluate the mechanical properties of irradiated fuels in a hot-cell so that the tensile behavior can be predicted using small volumes of material and at greatly reduced irradiation costs. This is highly important in the development of low-enriched uranium fuels for nuclear research and test reactors. The load-displacement data obtained using SPT can be interpreted in terms of and correlated with uniaxial mechanical properties. In order to establish a correlation between SPT and tensile data, sub-size tensile and microhardness testing were performed on U-Mo alloys. In addition, efforts are ongoing to understand the effect of test parameters (such as specimen thickness, surface finish, punch-die clearance, crosshead velocity and carbon content) on the measured mechanical properties, in order to rationalize the technique, prior to employing it on a material of unknown strength.

Small-scale Specimen Testing of Monolithic U-Mo Fuel Foils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramprashad Prabhakaran; Douglas E. Burkes; James I. Cole; Indrajit Charit; Daniel M. Wachs

2008-01-01

The objective of this investigation is to develop a shear punch testing (SPT) procedure and standardize it to evaluate the mechanical properties of irradiated fuels in a hot-cell so that the tensile behavior can be predicted using small volumes of material and at greatly reduced irradiation costs. This is highly important in the development of low-enriched uranium fuels for nuclear research and test reactors. The load-displacement data obtained using SPT can be interpreted in terms of and correlated with uniaxial mechanical properties. In order to establish a correlation between SPT and tensile data, sub-size tensile and microhardness testing were performed on U-Mo alloys. In addition, efforts are ongoing to understand the effect of test parameters (such as specimen thickness, surface finish, punch-die clearance, crosshead velocity and carbon content) on the measured mechanical properties, in order to rationalize the technique, prior to employing it on a material of unknown strength

Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect and X-ray Scaling Relations from Weak-Lensing Mass Calibration of 32 SPT Selected Galaxy Clusters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dietrich, J.P.; et al.

2017-11-14

Uncertainty in the mass-observable scaling relations is currently the limiting factor for galaxy cluster based cosmology. Weak gravitational lensing can provide a direct mass calibration and reduce the mass uncertainty. We present new ground-based weak lensing observations of 19 South Pole Telescope (SPT) selected clusters and combine them with previously reported space-based observations of 13 galaxy clusters to constrain the cluster mass scaling relations with the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE), the cluster gas mass $M_\\mathrm{gas}$, and $Y_\\mathrm{X}$, the product of $M_\\mathrm{gas}$ and X-ray temperature. We extend a previously used framework for the analysis of scaling relations and cosmological constraints obtained from SPT-selected clusters to make use of weak lensing information. We introduce a new approach to estimate the effective average redshift distribution of background galaxies and quantify a number of systematic errors affecting the weak lensing modelling. These errors include a calibration of the bias incurred by fitting a Navarro-Frenk-White profile to the reduced shear using $N$-body simulations. We blind the analysis to avoid confirmation bias. We are able to limit the systematic uncertainties to 6.4% in cluster mass (68% confidence). Our constraints on the mass-X-ray observable scaling relations parameters are consistent with those obtained by earlier studies, and our constraints for the mass-SZE scaling relation are consistent with the the simulation-based prior used in the most recent SPT-SZ cosmology analysis. We can now replace the external mass calibration priors used in previous SPT-SZ cosmology studies with a direct, internal calibration obtained on the same clusters.

R in Psychometrics and Psychometrics in R

OpenAIRE

Leeuw, Jan de

2006-01-01

In psychometrics, and in the closely related fields of quantititative methods for the social and educational sciences, R is not yet used very often. Traditional mainframe packages such as SAS and SPSS are still dominant at the user-level, Stata has made inroads at the teaching level, and Matlab is quite prominent at the research level. In this paper we define the most visible techniques in the psychometrics area, we give an overview of what is available in R, and we discuss what is m...

A note on contemporary psychometrics.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitoratou, Silia; Pickles, Andrew

2017-12-01

Psychometrics provide the mathematical underpinnings for psychological assessment. From the late 19th century, a plethora of methodological research achievements equipped researchers and clinicians with efficient tools whose practical value becomes more evident in the era of the internet and big data. Nowadays, powerful probabilistic models exist for most types of data and research questions. As the usability of the psychometric scales is better comprehended, there is an increased interest in applied research outcomes. Paradoxically, while the interest in applications for psychometric scales increases, publishing research on the development and/or evaluation of those scales per se, is not welcomed by many relevant journals. This special issue in psychometrics is therefore a great opportunity to briefly review the main ideas and methods used in psychometrics, and to discuss the challenges in contemporary applied psychometrics.

Testing the Psychometric Properties of a Chinese Version of the Level of Expressed Emotion Scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wai Tong Chien

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study tested the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the level of expressed emotion scale in Hong Kong Chinese patients with severe mental illness and their family caregivers. First, the semantic equivalence with the original English version and test-retest reliability at 2-week interval of the Chinese version was examined. After that, the reproducibility, construct validity, and internal consistency of the Chinese version were tested. The Chinese version indicated good semantic equivalence with the English version (kappa values = 0.76–0.95 and ICC = 0.81–0.92, test-retest reliability (r = 0.89–0.95, P<0.01, and internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.86–0.92. Among 262 patients with severe mental illness and their caregivers, the 50-item Chinese version had substantial loadings on one of the four factors identified (intrusiveness/hostility, attitude towards patient, tolerance, and emotional involvement, accounting for 71.8% of the total variance of expressed emotion. In confirmatory factor analysis, the identified four-factor model showed the best fit based on all fit indices (χ2/df = 1.93, P=0.75; AGFI = 0.96; TLI = 1.02; RMSEA = 0.031; WRMR = 0.78 to the collected data. The four-factor Chinese version also indicated a good concurrent validity with significant correlations with family functioning (r = −0.54 and family burden (r = 0.49 and a satisfactory reproducibility over six months (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.90. The mean scores of the overall and subscale of the Chinese version in patients with unipolar disorder were higher than in other illness groups (schizophrenia, psychotic disorders, and bipolar disorder; P<0.01. The Chinese version demonstrates sound psychometric properties to measure families’ expressed emotion in Chinese patients with severe mental illness, which are found varied across countries.

Psychometric evaluation of the Danish version of Satisfaction with Daily Occupations (SDO)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eklund, Mona; Morville, Anne-Le

2014-01-01

AIMS: The Satisfaction with Daily Occupations (SDO) scale assesses satisfaction within the domains of work, leisure, domestic tasks, and self-care. The aim was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Danish version of the SDO when used with asylum seekers. METHODS: The participants were...... and criterion and concurrent validity. The findings regarding discriminant validity were somewhat inconclusive. The Danish SDO may be regarded as psychometrically sound but further psychometric testing is needed....

Psychometric testing of the Chinese version of the medical outcomes study social support survey (MOS-SSS-C).

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Doris S F; Lee, Diana T F; Woo, Jean

2004-04-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS-C) in a sample of 110 patients. Criterion-related and construct validities of the MOS-SSS-C were evaluated by correlations with the Chinese version of the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Survey (r =.82) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (r = -.58). Confirmatory factor analysis affirmed the four-factor structure of the MOS-SSS-C in measuring the functional aspects of perceived social support. Cronbach's alphas for the subscales ranged from.93 to.96, whereas the alpha for the overall scale was.98. The 2-week test-retest reliability of the MOS-SSS-C as measured by the intraclass correlation coefficient was.84. The MOS-SSS-C is a psychometrically sound multidimensional measure for the evaluation of functional aspects of perceived social support by Chinese patients with chronic disease. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The End-Stage Renal Disease Adherence Questionnaire (ESRD-AQ): testing the psychometric properties in patients receiving in-center hemodialysis.

OpenAIRE

Kim, Y; Evangelista, LS; Phillips, LR; Pavlish, C; Kopple, JD

2010-01-01

Reported treatment adherence rates of patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) have been extremely varied due to lack of reliable and valid measurement tools. This study was conducted to develop and test an instrument to measure treatment adherence to hemodialysis (HD) attendance, medications, fluid restrictions, and diet prescription among patients with ESRD. This article describes the methodological approach used to develop and test the psychometric properties (such as reliability and v...

ANÁLISE DE PERFIS DE SONDAGEM SPT E CARACTERIZAÇÃO GEOTÉCNICA DE SOLOS DO MUNICÍPIO DE NATAL

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Kadson Ranniere da Rocha Câmara

2007-12-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho tem como objetivo a caracterização geotécnica de solos do município de Natal para fins de obtenção de parâmetros de resistência ao cisalhamento e de deformabilidade do material. Quatro zonas foram definidas para a compilação de resultados de relatórios de sondagens tipo SPT (Standard Penetration Test, buscando-se destacar aspectos que diferenciem geotecnicamente as zonas consideradas. Campanhas de ensaios de laboratório foram relizadas para a idendificação de características geotécnicas (perfil de umidades e granulometria, densidade das partículas e deformabilidade de solo definido como referência para as análises. Parâmetros de resistência ao cisalhamento e de deformabilidade dos solos encontrados foram determinados mediante emprego de equações empíricas. Os resultados encontrados indicam haver importante variabilidade nas propriedades geotécnicas dos solos analisados, tanto para solos pertencentes a uma mesma zona como para solos de zonas distintas. O posicionamento das unidades geotécnicas e o estado de compacidade das mesmas consistem em variáveis destacadas no estudo realizado. Palavras-chaves: Mecânica dos Solos; Ensaios In Situ; Perfis SPT; Caracterização Geotécnica.

Quantitative Psychology : the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society

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Culpepper, Steven; Janssen, Rianne; González, Jorge; Molenaar, Dylan

2018-01-01

This proceedings book highlights the latest research and developments in psychometrics and statistics. Featuring contributions presented at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society (IMPS), organized by the University of Zurich and held in Zurich, Switzerland from July 17 to 21, 2017, its 34 chapters address a diverse range of psychometric topics including item response theory, factor analysis, causal inference, Bayesian statistics, test equating, cognitive diagnostic models and multistage adaptive testing. The IMPS is one of the largest international meetings on quantitative measurement in psychology, education and the social sciences, attracting over 500 participants and 250 paper presentations from around the world every year. This book gathers the contributions of selected presenters, which were subsequently expanded and peer-reviewed.

An evaluation of the diagnostic value of different skin tests with egg in clinically egg-allergic children having atopic dermatitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Tine K; Høst, Arne; Bindslev-Jensen, Carsten

2004-01-01

Skin testing is a common diagnostic procedure in food allergy, but the final diagnosis of food allergy is based on the clinical response to food challenge. We studied the value of the skin prick-prick test (SPT), skin application food test (SAFT) and atopy patch test (APT) with fresh egg extract......-allergic children were positive in SPT and 40-60% in APT. In APT and in SPT false-positive reactions to egg were observed. In this study comprising a small number of patients including control subjects, neither SAFT nor APT with fresh whole egg extract were able to increase the diagnostic accuracy in detecting egg...

Psychometric evaluation of the Danish version of Satisfaction with Daily Occupations (SDO)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eklund, Mona; Morville, Anne-Le

2013-01-01

Aims: The Satisfaction with Daily Occupations (SDO) scale assesses satisfaction within the domains of work, leisure, domestic tasks, and self-care. The aim was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Danish version of the SDO when used with asylum seekers. Methods: The participants were...... and criterion and concurrent validity. The findings regarding discriminant validity were somewhat inconclusive. The Danish SDO may be regarded as psychometrically sound but further psychometric testing is needed. Key words: validity, reliability, health, Activity...

The development and psychometric testing of a theory-based instrument to evaluate nurses' perception of clinical reasoning competence.

Science.gov (United States)

Liou, Shwu-Ru; Liu, Hsiu-Chen; Tsai, Hsiu-Min; Tsai, Ying-Huang; Lin, Yu-Ching; Chang, Chia-Hao; Cheng, Ching-Yu

2016-03-01

The purpose of the study was to develop and psychometrically test the Nurses Clinical Reasoning Scale. Clinical reasoning is an essential skill for providing safe and quality patient care. Identifying pre-graduates' and nurses' needs and designing training courses to improve their clinical reasoning competence becomes a critical task. However, there is no instrument focusing on clinical reasoning in the nursing profession. Cross-sectional design was used. This study included the development of the scale, a pilot study that preliminary tested the readability and reliability of the developed scale and a main study that implemented and tested the psychometric properties of the developed scale. The Nurses Clinical Reasoning Scale was developed based on the Clinical Reasoning Model. The scale includes 15 items using a Likert five-point scale. Data were collected from 2013-2014. Two hundred and fifty-one participants comprising clinical nurses and nursing pre-graduates completed and returned the questionnaires in the main study. The instrument was tested for internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Its validity was tested with content, construct and known-groups validity. One factor emerged from the factor analysis. The known-groups validity was confirmed. The Cronbach's alpha for the entire instrument was 0·9. The reliability and validity of the Nurses Clinical Reasoning Scale were supported. The scale is a useful tool and can be easily administered for the self-assessment of clinical reasoning competence of clinical nurses and future baccalaureate nursing graduates. Study limitations and further recommendations are discussed. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Examination of Psychometric Properties of a Translated Social-Emotional Screening Test: The Taiwanese Version of The Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional

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Chen, Chieh-Yu

2017-01-01

Investigating the psychometric properties of a screening instrument for young children is necessary to ascertain its quality and accuracy. In light of the important role culture plays on human beliefs and parenting styles, a newly translated and adapted test needs to be studied. Evaluating outcomes on a translated version of a test may reveal…

Psychometrics of Multiple Choice Questions with Non-Functioning Distracters: Implications to Medical Education.

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Deepak, Kishore K; Al-Umran, Khalid Umran; AI-Sheikh, Mona H; Dkoli, B V; Al-Rubaish, Abdullah

2015-01-01

The functionality of distracters in a multiple choice question plays a very important role. We examined the frequency and impact of functioning and non-functioning distracters on psychometric properties of 5-option items in clinical disciplines. We analyzed item statistics of 1115 multiple choice questions from 15 summative assessments of undergraduate medical students and classified the items into five groups by their number of non-functioning distracters. We analyzed the effect of varying degree of non-functionality ranging from 0 to 4, on test reliability, difficulty index, discrimination index and point biserial correlation. The non-functionality of distracters inversely affected the test reliability and quality of items in a predictable manner. The non-functioning distracters made the items easier and lowered the discrimination index significantly. Three non-functional distracters in a 5-option MCQ significantly affected all psychometric properties (p psychometrically as effective as 5-option items. Our study reveals that a multiple choice question with 3 functional options provides lower most limit of item format that has adequate psychometric property. The test containing items with less number of functioning options have significantly lower reliability. The distracter function analysis and revision of nonfunctioning distracters can serve as important methods to improve the psychometrics and reliability of assessment.

Analysing model fit of psychometric process models: An overview, a new test and an application to the diffusion model.

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Ranger, Jochen; Kuhn, Jörg-Tobias; Szardenings, Carsten

2017-05-01

Cognitive psychometric models embed cognitive process models into a latent trait framework in order to allow for individual differences. Due to their close relationship to the response process the models allow for profound conclusions about the test takers. However, before such a model can be used its fit has to be checked carefully. In this manuscript we give an overview over existing tests of model fit and show their relation to the generalized moment test of Newey (Econometrica, 53, 1985, 1047) and Tauchen (J. Econometrics, 30, 1985, 415). We also present a new test, the Hausman test of misspecification (Hausman, Econometrica, 46, 1978, 1251). The Hausman test consists of a comparison of two estimates of the same item parameters which should be similar if the model holds. The performance of the Hausman test is evaluated in a simulation study. In this study we illustrate its application to two popular models in cognitive psychometrics, the Q-diffusion model and the D-diffusion model (van der Maas, Molenaar, Maris, Kievit, & Boorsboom, Psychol Rev., 118, 2011, 339; Molenaar, Tuerlinckx, & van der Maas, J. Stat. Softw., 66, 2015, 1). We also compare the performance of the test to four alternative tests of model fit, namely the M 2 test (Molenaar et al., J. Stat. Softw., 66, 2015, 1), the moment test (Ranger et al., Br. J. Math. Stat. Psychol., 2016) and the test for binned time (Ranger & Kuhn, Psychol. Test. Asess. , 56, 2014b, 370). The simulation study indicates that the Hausman test is superior to the latter tests. The test closely adheres to the nominal Type I error rate and has higher power in most simulation conditions. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Psychometric properties of patient-reported outcome measures for hip arthroscopic surgery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kemp, Joanne L; Collins, Natalie J; Roos, Ewa M.

2013-01-01

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are considered the gold standard when evaluating outcomes in a surgical population. While the psychometric properties of some PROs have been tested, the properties of newer PROs in patients undergoing hip arthroscopic surgery remain somewhat unknown.......Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are considered the gold standard when evaluating outcomes in a surgical population. While the psychometric properties of some PROs have been tested, the properties of newer PROs in patients undergoing hip arthroscopic surgery remain somewhat unknown....

Psychometric testing of the modified Care Dependency Scale (Neuro-CDS).

Science.gov (United States)

Piredda, Michela; Biagioli, Valentina; Gambale, Giulia; Porcelli, Elisa; Barbaranelli, Claudio; Palese, Alvisa; De Marinis, Maria Grazia

2016-01-01

Effective measures of nursing care dependency in neurorehabilitation are warranted to plan nursing interventions to help patients avoid increasing dependency. The Care Dependency Scale (CDS) is a theory-based, comprehensive tool to evaluate functional disability. This study aimed to modify the CDS for neurological and neurorehabilitation patients (Neuro-CDS) and to test its psychometric properties in adult neurorehabilitation inpatients. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed using a Maximum Likelihood robust (MLR) estimator. The Barthel Index (BI) was used to evaluate concurrent validity. Stability was measured using the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC). The sample included 124 patients (mean age = 69.7 years, 54% male). The EFA revealed a two-factor structure with good fit indexes, Factor 1 (Physical care dependence) loaded by 11 items and Factor 2 (Psycho-social care dependence) loaded by 4 items. The correlation between factors was 0.61. Correlations between Factor 1 and the BI and between Factor 2 and the BI were r = 0.843 and r = 0.677, respectively (p dependence in neurorehabilitation patients as a basis for individualized and holistic care.

Psychometrics in action, science as practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Pearce, Jacob

2017-07-27

Practitioners in health sciences education and assessment regularly use a range of psychometric techniques to analyse data, evaluate models, and make crucial progression decisions regarding student learning. However, a recent editorial entitled "Is Psychometrics Science?" highlighted some core epistemological and practical problems in psychometrics, and brought its legitimacy into question. This paper attempts to address these issues by applying some key ideas from history and philosophy of science (HPS) discourse. I present some of the conceptual developments in HPS that have bearing on the psychometrics debate. Next, by shifting the focus onto what constitutes the practice of science, I discuss psychometrics in action. Some incorrectly conceptualize science as an assemblage of truths, rather than an assemblage of tools and goals. Psychometrics, however, seems to be an assemblage of methods and techniques. Psychometrics in action represents a range of practices using specific tools in specific contexts. This does not render the practice of psychometrics meaningless or futile. Engaging in debates about whether or not we should regard psychometrics as 'scientific' is, however, a fruitless enterprise. The key question and focus should be whether, on what grounds, and in what contexts, the existing methods and techniques used by psychometricians can be justified or criticized.

Psychometric testing of the properties of the spiritual health scale short form.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsiao, Ya-Chu; Chiang, Yi-Chien; Lee, Hsiang-Chun; Han, Chin-Yen

2013-11-01

To further examine the psychometric properties of the spiritual health scale short form, including its reliability and validity. Spirituality is one of the main factors associated with good health outcomes. A reliable and valid instrument to measure spirituality is essential to identify the spiritual needs of an individual and to evaluate the effect of spiritual care. A cross-sectional study design was used. The study was conducted in six nursing schools in northern, central and southern Taiwan. The inclusion criterion for participants was nursing students with clinical practice experience. Initially, 1141 participants were recruited for the study, but 67 were absent and 48 did not complete the questionnaires. A total of 1026 participants were finally recruited, indicating a response rate of 89·9%. The psychometric testing of the spiritual health scale short form included construct validity with confirmatory factor analysis, known-group validity and internal consistency reliability. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the five-factor model as an acceptable model fit. In the known-group validity, the results indicated that people who are in the category of primary religious affiliation have better spiritual health than people in the category of secondary religious affiliation and atheism. The result also indicated that the 24-item spiritual health scale short form achieved an acceptable internal consistency coefficient. The findings suggest that the spiritual health scale short form is a valid and reliable instrument for the appraisal of individual spiritual health. The spiritual health scale short form could provide useful information to guide clinical practice in assessing and managing people's spiritual health in Taiwan. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Translation and Psychometric Testing of the Persian Version of the Spiritual Needs Questionnaire Among Elders With Chronic Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Moeini, Babak; Zamanian, Hadi; Taheri-Kharameh, Zahra; Ramezani, Tahereh; Saati-Asr, Mohamadhasan; Hajrahimian, Mohamadhasan; Amini-Tehrani, Mohammadali

2018-01-01

Spirituality plays an important role in coping with chronic diseases for patients and they often report unmet spiritual and existential needs, which should be considered for a holistic view of their health. Studying spiritual needs in this generation requires culturally appropriate and valid instruments. The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties, such as validity, reliability, and factor structure of the Persian version of Spiritual Needs Questionnaire (SpNQ). The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties, such as validity, reliability, and factor structure of the Persian version of Spiritual Needs Questionnaire (SpNQ). The "forward-backward" procedure was applied to translate the SpNQ from English into Persian. The SpNQ-Persian Version (SpNQ-PV) was checked in terms of validity and reliability with a convenience sample of 100 elders with chronic diseases who were recruited from the inpatient wards at two university hospitals in Qom, Iran. The validity was assessed using content, face, and construct validity. The Cronbach alpha and test-retest were used to assess the reliability of the questionnaire. The results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated a five-factor solution for the questionnaire, which included religious needs, existential needs, forgiveness/generativity needs, need for inner peace, and emotional needs. These accounted for 60.1% of the total observed variance. One item was removed (factor loading Spiritual Well-being Scale. Cronbach alpha of the subscales ranged from 0.56 to 0.78 and the test-retest reliability ranged from 0.72 to 0.91, which indicated an acceptable range of reliability. The SpNQ-PV showed a minor difference in structuring and indicated good psychometric properties, which can be used to assess the spiritual needs of Iranian elders suffering from chronic diseases. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attitudes toward Science: Measurement and Psychometric Properties of the Test of Science-Related Attitudes for Its Use in Spanish-Speaking Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, Marianela; Förster, Carla; González, Caterina; González-Pose, Paulina

2016-01-01

Understanding attitudes toward science and measuring them remain two major challenges for science teaching. This article reviews the concept of attitudes toward science and their measurement. It subsequently analyzes the psychometric properties of the "Test of Science-Related Attitudes" (TOSRA), such as its construct validity, its…

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Collaborative Computer-Intensive Projects in an Undergraduate Psychometrics Course

Science.gov (United States)

Barchard, Kimberly A.; Pace, Larry A.

2010-01-01

Undergraduate psychometrics classes often use computer-intensive active learning projects. However, little research has examined active learning or computer-intensive projects in psychometrics courses. We describe two computer-intensive collaborative learning projects used to teach the design and evaluation of psychological tests. Course…

Psychometric evaluation of the adolescent and parent versions of the Gaming Addiction Identification Test (GAIT).

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-12-01

The objective of the study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Gaming Addiction Identification Test (GAIT) and its parent version (GAIT-P), in a representative community sample of adolescents and parents in Västmanland, Sweden. Self-rated and parent-rated gaming addictive symptoms identified by GAIT and GAIT-P were analyzed for frequency of endorsement, internal consistency, concordance, factor structure, prevalence of Internet gaming disorder (IGD), concurrence with the Gaming Addiction Scale for Adolescents, 7-item version (GAS) and the parent version of GAS (GAS-P), and for sex differences. The 12-month prevalence of IGD was found to be 1.3% with GAIT and 2.4% with GAIT-P. Results also indicate promising psychometric results within this population, with high internal consistency, and high concurrent validity with GAS and GAS-P. Concordance between adolescents and parents ratings was high, although moderate in girls. Although exploratory factor analysis indicated poor model fit, it also indicated unidimensionality and high factor loadings in all analyses. GAIT and GAIT-P are suitable for continued use in measuring gaming addiction in adolescents, and, with the additional two items, they now cover all nine IGD criteria. © 2015 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The paced auditory serial addition test for working memory assessment: Psychometric properties

Science.gov (United States)

Nikravesh, Maryam; Jafari, Zahra; Mehrpour, Masoud; Kazemi, Roozbeh; Amiri Shavaki, Younes; Hossienifar, Shamim; Azizi, Mohamad Parsa

2017-01-01

Background: The paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT) was primarily developed to assess the effects of traumatic brain injury on cognitive functioning. Working memory (WM) is one of the most important aspects of cognitive function, and WM impairment is one of the clinically remarkable signs of aphasia. To develop the Persian version of PASAT, an initial version was used in individuals with aphasia (IWA). Methods: In this study, 25 individuals with aphasia (29-60 years) and 85 controls (18-60 years) were included. PASAT was presented in the form of recorded 61 single-digit numbers (1 to 9). The participants repeatedly added the 2 recent digits. The psychometric properties of PASAT including convergent validity (using the digit memory span tasks), divergent validity (using results in the control group and IWA group), and face validity were investigated. Test-retest reliability was considered as well. Results: The relationship between the PASAT and digit memory span tests was moderate to strong in the control group (forward digit memory span test: r= 0.52, p< 0.0001; backward digit memory span test: r = 0.48, p< 0.0001). A strong relationship was found in IWA (forward digit memory span test: r= 0.72, p< 0.0001; backward digit memory span test: r= 0.53, p= 0.006). Also, strong testretest reliability (intraclass correlation= 0.95, p< 0.0001) was observed. Conclusion: According to our results, the PASAT is a valid and reliable test to assess working memory, particularly in IWA. It could be used as a feasible tool for clinical and research applications. PMID:29445690

Psychometric evaluation of a motor control test battery of the craniofacial region.

Science.gov (United States)

von Piekartz, H; Stotz, E; Both, A; Bahn, G; Armijo-Olivo, S; Ballenberger, N

2017-12-01

The primary objective of this study was to determine the structural and known-group validity as well as the inter-rater reliability of a test battery to evaluate the motor control of the craniofacial region. Seventy volunteers without TMD and 25 subjects with TMD (Axes I) per the DC/TMD were asked to execute a test battery consisting of eight tests. The tests were video-taped in the same sequence in a standardised manner. Two experienced physical therapists participated in this study as blinded assessors. We used exploratory factor analysis to identify the underlying component structure of the eight tests. Internal consistency (Cronbach's α), inter-rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient) and construct validity (ie, hypothesis testing-known-group validity) (receiver operating curves) were also explored for the test battery. The structural validity showed the presence of one factor underlying the construct of the test battery. The internal consistency was excellent (0.90) as well as the inter-rater reliability. All values of reliability were close to 0.9 or above indicating very high inter-rater reliability. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.93 for rater 1 and 0.94 for rater two, respectively, indicating excellent discrimination between subjects with TMD and healthy controls. The results of the present study support the psychometric properties of test battery to measure motor control of the craniofacial region when evaluated through videotaping. This test battery could be used to differentiate between healthy subjects and subjects with musculoskeletal impairments in the cervical and oro-facial regions. In addition, this test battery could be used to assess the effectiveness of management strategies in the craniofacial region. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Opisthorchis felineus negatively associates with skin test reactivity in Russia-EuroPrevall-International Cooperation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fedorova, O S; Janse, J J; Ogorodova, L M; Fedotova, M M; Achterberg, R A; Verweij, J J; Fernández-Rivas, M; Versteeg, S A; Potts, J; Minelli, C; van Ree, R; Burney, P; Yazdanbakhsh, M

2017-07-01

Most studies on the relationship between helminth infections and atopic disorders have been conducted in (sub)tropical developing countries where exposure to multiple parasites and lifestyle can confound the relationship. We aimed to study the relationship between infection with the fish-borne helminth Opishorchis felineus and specific IgE, skin prick testing, and atopic symptoms in Western Siberia, with lifestyle and hygiene standards of a developed country. Schoolchildren aged 7-11 years were sampled from one urban and two rural regions. Skin prick tests (SPT) and specific IgE (sIgE) against food and aeroallergens were measured, and data on allergic symptoms and on demographic and socioeconomic factors were collected by questionnaire. Diagnosis of opisthorchiasis was based on PCR performed on stool samples. Of the 732 children included, 34.9% had opisthorchiasis. The sensitization to any allergen when estimated by positive SPT was 12.8%, while much higher, 24.0%, when measured by sIgE. Atopic symptoms in the past year (flexural eczema and/or rhinoconjunctivitis) were reported in 12.4% of the children. SPT was positively related to flexural eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis, but not to wheezing. Opisthorchiasis showed association with lower SPT response, as well as borderline association with low IgE reactivity to any allergen. However, the effect of opisthorchiasis on SPT response was not mediated by IgE, suggesting that opisthorchiasis influences SPT response through another mechanism. Opisthorchiasis also showed borderline association with lower atopic symptoms. There is a negative association between a chronic helminth infection and skin prick test reactivity even in a developed country. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

GALAXY CLUSTERS DISCOVERED VIA THE SUNYAEV-ZEL'DOVICH EFFECT IN THE 2500-SQUARE-DEGREE SPT-SZ SURVEY

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Bleem, L. E.; Stalder, B.; de Haan, T.; Aird, K. A.; Allen, S. W.; Applegate, D. E.; Ashby, M. L. N.; Bautz, M.; Bayliss, M.; Benson, B. A.; Bocquet, S.; Brodwin, M.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Chiu, I.; Cho, H. M.; Clocchiatti, A.; Crawford, T. M.; Crites, A. T.; Desai, S.; Dietrich, J. P.; Dobbs, M. A.; Foley, R. J.; Forman, W. R.; George, E. M.; Gladders, M. D.; Gonzalez, A. H.; Halverson, N. W.; Hennig, C.; Hoekstra, H.; Holder, G. P.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Hrubes, J. D.; Jones, C.; Keisler, R.; Knox, L.; Lee, A. T.; Leitch, E. M.; Liu, J.; Lueker, M.; Luong-Van, D.; Mantz, A.; Marrone, D. P.; McDonald, M.; McMahon, J. J.; Meyer, S. S.; Mocanu, L.; Mohr, J. J.; Murray, S. S.; Padin, S.; Pryke, C.; Reichardt, C. L.; Rest, A.; Ruel, J.; Ruhl, J. E.; Saliwanchik, B. R.; Saro, A.; Sayre, J. T.; Schaffer, K. K.; Schrabback, T.; Shirokoff, E.; Song, J.; Spieler, H. G.; Stanford, S. A.; Staniszewski, Z.; Stark, A. A.; Story, K. T.; Stubbs, C. W.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Vikhlinin, A.; Williamson, R.; Zahn, O.; Zenteno, A.

2015-01-29

We present a catalog of galaxy clusters selected via their Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect signature from 2500 deg(2) of South Pole Telescope (SPT) data. This work represents the complete sample of clusters detected at high significance in the 2500 deg(2) SPT-SZ survey, which was completed in 2011. A total of 677 (409) cluster candidates are identified above a signal-to-noise threshold of ξ = 4.5 (5.0). Ground- and space-based optical and near-infrared (NIR) imaging confirms overdensities of similarly colored galaxies in the direction of 516 (or 76%) of the ξ > 4.5 candidates and 387 (or 95%) of the ξ > 5 candidates, the measured purity is consistent with expectations from simulations. Of these confirmed clusters, 415 were first identified in SPT data, including 251 new discoveries reported in this work. We estimate photometric redshifts for all candidates with identified optical and/or NIR counterparts, we additionally report redshifts derived from spectroscopic observations for 141 of these systems. The mass threshold of the catalog is roughly independent of redshift above z ~ 0.25 leading to a sample of massive clusters that extends to high redshift. The median mass of the sample is M (500c)(ρ(crit)) $\\sim 3.5\\times 10^{14}\\,M_\\odot \\,h_{70}^{-1}$, the median redshift is z (med) = 0.55, and the highest-redshift systems are at z > 1.4. The combination of large redshift extent, clean selection, and high typical mass makes this cluster sample of particular interest for cosmological analyses and studies of cluster formation and evolution.

Psychometric evaluation of ADAS-Cog and NTB for measuring drug response.

Science.gov (United States)

Karin, A; Hannesdottir, K; Jaeger, J; Annas, P; Segerdahl, M; Karlsson, P; Sjögren, N; von Rosen, T; Miller, F

2014-02-01

To conduct a psychometric analysis to determine the adequacy of instruments that measure cognition in Alzheimer's disease trials. Both the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognition (ADAS-Cog) and the Neuropsychological Test Battery (NTB) are validated outcome measures for clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease and are approved also for regulatory purposes. However, it is not clear how comparable they are in measuring cognitive function. In fact, many recent trials in Alzheimer's disease patients have failed and it has been questioned if ADAS-Cog still is a sensitive measure. The present paper examines the psychometric properties of ADAS-Cog and NTB, based on a post hoc analysis of data from a clinical trial (NCT01024660), which was conducted by AstraZeneca, in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, with a Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) Total score 16-24. Acceptability, reliability, different types of validity and ability to detect change were assessed using relevant statistical methods. Total scores of both tests, as well as separate domains of both tests, including the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Verbal Fluency Condition, were analyzed. Overall, NTB performed well, with acceptable reliability and ability to detect change, while ADAS-Cog had insufficient psychometric properties, including ceiling effects in 8 out of a total of 11 ADAS-Cog items in mild AD patients, as well as low test-retest reliability in some of the items. Based on a direct comparison on the same patient sample, we see advantages of the NTB compared with the ADAS-Cog for the evaluation of cognitive function in the population of mild-to-moderate AD patients. The results suggest that not all of ADAS-Cog items are relevant for both mild and moderate AD population. This validation study demonstrates satisfactory psychometric properties of the NTB, while ADAS-Cog was found to be

Psychometric Properties of the MMPI-2-RF Somatic Complaints (RC1) Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Michael L.; Locke, Dona E. C.

2010-01-01

The MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Tellegen & Ben-Porath, 2008) was designed to be psychometrically superior to its MMPI-2 counterpart. However, the test has yet to be extensively evaluated in diverse clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the MMPI-2-RF Somatic Complaints (RC1) scale in…

Expression of a mutated SPT15 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae enhances both cell growth and ethanol production in microaerobic batch, fed-batch, and simultaneous saccharification and fermentations.

Science.gov (United States)

Seong, Yeong-Je; Park, Haeseong; Yang, Jungwoo; Kim, Soo-Jung; Choi, Wonja; Kim, Kyoung Heon; Park, Yong-Cheol

2017-05-01

The SPT15 gene encodes a Saccharomyces cerevisiae TATA-binding protein, which is able to globally control the transcription levels of various metabolic and regulatory genes. In this study, a SPT15 gene mutant (S42N, S78R, S163P, and I212N) was expressed in S. cerevisiae BY4741 (BSPT15-M3), of which effects on fermentative yeast properties were evaluated in a series of culture types. By applying different nitrogen sources and air supply conditions in batch culture, organic nitrogen sources and microaerobic condition were decided to be more favorable for both cell growth and ethanol production of the BSPT15-M3 strain than the control S. cerevisiae BY4741 strain expressing the SPT15 gene (BSPT15wt). Microaerobic fed-batch cultures of BSPT15-M3 with glucose shock in the presence of high ethanol content resulted in a 9.5-13.4% higher glucose consumption rate and ethanol productivity than those for the BSPT15wt strain. In addition, BSPT15-M3 showed 4.5 and 3.9% increases in ethanol productivity from cassava hydrolysates and corn starch in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation processes, respectively. It was concluded that overexpression of the mutated SPT15 gene would be a potent strategy to develop robust S. cerevisiae strains with enhanced cell growth and ethanol production abilities.

The Alliance Negotiation Scale: A psychometric investigation.

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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).

Effects of inhibition of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT and sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1 on palmitate induced insulin resistance in L6 myotubes.

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Agnieszka Mikłosz

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of short (2 h and prolonged (18 h inhibition of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT and sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1 on palmitate (PA induced insulin resistance in L6 myotubes. METHODS: L6 myotubes were treated simultaneously with either PA and myriocin (SPT inhibitor or PA and Ski II (SphK1inhibitor for different time periods (2 h and 18 h. Insulin stimulated glucose uptake was measured using radioactive isotope. Expression of insulin signaling proteins was determined using Western blot analyses. Intracellular sphingolipids content [sphinganine (SFA, ceramide (CER, sphingosine (SFO, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P] were estimated by HPLC. RESULTS: Our results revealed that both short and prolonged time of inhibition of SPT by myriocin was sufficient to prevent ceramide accumulation and simultaneously reverse palmitate induced inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose transport. In contrast, prolonged inhibition of SphK1 intensified the effect of PA on insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and attenuated further the activity of insulin signaling proteins (pGSK3β/GSK3β ratio in L6 myotubes. These effects were related to the accumulation of sphingosine in palmitate treated myotubes. CONCLUSION: Myriocin is more effective in restoration of palmitate induced insulin resistance in L6 myocytes, despite of the time of SPT inhibition, comparing to SKII (a specific SphK1 inhibitor. Observed changes in insulin signaling proteins were related to the content of specific sphingolipids, namely to the reduction of ceramide. Interestingly, inactivation of SphK1 augmented the effect of PA induced insulin resistance in L6 myotubes, which was associated with further inhibition of insulin stimulated PKB and GSK3β phosphorylation, glucose uptake and the accumulation of sphingosine.

The Pyridoxal 5′-Phosphate (PLP-Dependent Enzyme Serine Palmitoyltransferase (SPT: Effects of the Small Subunits and Insights from Bacterial Mimics of Human hLCB2a HSAN1 Mutations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashley E. Beattie

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP-dependent enzyme serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT catalyses the first step of de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis. The core human enzyme is a membrane-bound heterodimer composed of two subunits (hLCB1 and hLCB2a/b, and mutations in both hLCB1 (e.g., C133W and C133Y and hLCB2a (e.g., V359M, G382V, and I504F have been identified in patients with hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type I (HSAN1, an inherited disorder that affects sensory and autonomic neurons. These mutations result in substrate promiscuity, leading to formation of neurotoxic deoxysphingolipids found in affected individuals. Here we measure the activities of the hLCB2a mutants in the presence of ssSPTa and ssSPTb and find that all decrease enzyme activity. High resolution structural data of the homodimeric SPT enzyme from the bacterium Sphingomonas paucimobilis (Sp SPT provides a model to understand the impact of the hLCB2a mutations on the mechanism of SPT. The three human hLCB2a HSAN1 mutations map onto Sp SPT (V246M, G268V, and G385F, and these mutant mimics reveal that the amino acid changes have varying impacts; they perturb the PLP cofactor binding, reduce the affinity for both substrates, decrease the enzyme activity, and, in the most severe case, cause the protein to be expressed in an insoluble form.

Development and psychometric testing of the Supportive Supervisory Scale.

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McGilton, Katherine S

2010-06-01

To describe the development and psychometric testing of the Supportive Supervisory Scale (SSS). The development of the items of the scale was based on Winnicott's relationship theory and on focus groups with 26 healthcare aides (HCAs) and 30 supervisors from six long-term care (LTC) facilities in Ontario, Canada. Content validity of the 15-item instrument was established by a panel of experts. Based on a secondary analysis of data collected from 222 HCAs in 10 LTC facilities in Ontario, Canada, the SSS was subjected to principal components analysis with oblique rotation. A two-factor solution was accepted, which is consistent with the theoretical conceptualization of the instrument. Factor I was labeled Respects Uniqueness and Factor II was labeled Being Reliable. Internal consistency of Factor I was .95, and that of Factor II was .91. Discriminant validity was also established. The focus groups revealed that "being available to staff" while "recognizing the HCA as an individual, and taking a moment to get to know them" was essential to feeling supported by their supervisor. The SSS is a reliable and valid measure of supervisory support of supervisors working in LTC facilities. At the core of supportive supervision is the supervisor's ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with each HCA. It is through respecting the uniqueness of each HCA and being reliable that supervisor-HCA relationships can flourish. Supportive leadership in LTC settings is a major contributor to HCAs' job satisfaction and retention and to quality of patient care. Therefore, a tool developed and tested to measure supervisors' supportive capacities in LTC is primal to evaluate the effectiveness of supervisors in these environments.

Psychometric Investigation of the Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices Test in a Sample of Preschool Children.

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Lúcio, Patrícia Silva; Cogo-Moreira, Hugo; Puglisi, Marina; Polanczyk, Guilherme Vanoni; Little, Todd D

2017-11-01

The present study investigated the psychometric properties of the Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM) test in a sample of preschoolers from Brazil ( n = 582; age: mean = 57 months, SD = 7 months; 46% female). We investigated the plausibility of unidimensionality of the items (confirmatory factor analysis) and differential item functioning (DIF) for sex and age (multiple indicators multiple causes method). We tested four unidimensional models and the one with the best-fit index was a reduced form of the Raven's CPM. The DIF analysis was carried out with the reduced form of the test. A few items presented DIF (two for sex and one for age), confirming that the Raven's CPM items are mostly measurement invariant. There was no effect of sex on the general factor, but increasing age was associated with higher values of the g factor. Future research should indicate if the reduced form is suitable for evaluating the general ability of preschoolers.

Correlation of skin test results and specific immunoglobulin E blood levels with nasal provocation testing for house-dust mite allergies.

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Haxel, Boris R; Huppertz, Tilman; Boessert, Patrick; Bast, Florian; Fruth, Kai

2016-01-01

Allergen-specific immunotherapy for house-dust mite (HDM) allergies is associated with lower success rates when compared with similar treatments for other inhalant allergens, such as grass or birch. One reason might be the greater difficulty in diagnosing patients with assumed HDM allergies because symptoms occur perennially and may differ from those of a conventional allergic rhinitis. The aim of the study was to compare the different methods of diagnosis in patients with assumed HDM allergy. We performed a retrospective analysis of nasal provocation tests (NPT) from patients (n = 161) evaluated for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (n = 127) and Dermatophagoides farinae (n = 104) allergies, and compared the results with other allergen testing methods (skin-prick test [SPT], intracutaneous test, and allergen specific immunoglobulin E levels [sIgE] to detect sensitization). Receiver operating characteristic curves were used for the analyses and the areas under the curve were calculated. For D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae, 86 and 70 complete data files, respectively, were available. For both tested HDMs, the results of the receiver operating characteristic curves showed a significant correlation for SPT and sIgE, with the results of the NPT (area under the curve, 0.742 to 0.763) but not for the intracutaneous test. In patients with a positive SPT (≥3 mm), an allergy was confirmed by the NPT in 69% of cases for D. pteronyssinus and 71% for D. farinae. A positive sIgE result (ImmunoCAP class of ≥2) was verified by the NPT in 69% of cases (D. pteronyssinus) and 70% (D. farinae). The predictability value for a positive NPT result is best for SPT and sIgE. Nevertheless, even if the results of both test systems are combined, the positive predictive value that was achieved was only 0.77 for D. pteronyssinus and 0.69 for D. farinae. Therefore, in patients eligible for immunotherapy for HDM, an NPT should be performed before the start of the therapy to verify a clinically

Governing by Testing: Circulation, Psychometric Knowledge, Experts and the "Alliance for Progress" in Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s

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Alarcón, Cristina

2015-01-01

This paper analyzes the activities, members, and effects of an inter-American expert network for the diffusion of psychometric knowledge, specifically of standardized aptitude testing for university admission in Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s. Within the framework of educational transfer studies, the role of international,…

Psychometric Features of the General Aptitude Test-Verbal Part (GAT-V): A Large-Scale Assessment of High School Graduates in Saudi Arabia

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Dimitrov, Dimiter M.; Shamrani, Abdul Rahman

2015-01-01

This study examines the psychometric features of a General Aptitude Test-Verbal Part, which is used with assessments of high school graduates in Saudi Arabia. The data supported a bifactor model, with one general factor and three content domains (Analogy, Sentence Completion, and Reading Comprehension) as latent aspects of verbal aptitude.

Psychometrically equivalent bisyllabic words for speech recognition threshold testing in Vietnamese.

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Harris, Richard W; McPherson, David L; Hanson, Claire M; Eggett, Dennis L

2017-08-01

This study identified, digitally recorded, edited and evaluated 89 bisyllabic Vietnamese words with the goal of identifying homogeneous words that could be used to measure the speech recognition threshold (SRT) in native talkers of Vietnamese. Native male and female talker productions of 89 Vietnamese bisyllabic words were recorded, edited and then presented at intensities ranging from -10 to 20 dBHL. Logistic regression was used to identify the best words for measuring the SRT. Forty-eight words were selected and digitally edited to have 50% intelligibility at a level equal to the mean pure-tone average (PTA) for normally hearing participants (5.2 dBHL). Twenty normally hearing native Vietnamese participants listened to and repeated bisyllabic Vietnamese words at intensities ranging from -10 to 20 dBHL. A total of 48 male and female talker recordings of bisyllabic words with steep psychometric functions (>9.0%/dB) were chosen for the final bisyllabic SRT list. Only words homogeneous with respect to threshold audibility with steep psychometric function slopes were chosen for the final list. Digital recordings of bisyllabic Vietnamese words are now available for use in measuring the SRT for patients whose native language is Vietnamese.

Questionnaire-based assessment of executive functioning: Psychometrics.

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Castellanos, Irina; Kronenberger, William G; Pisoni, David B

2018-01-01

The psychometric properties of the Learning, Executive, and Attention Functioning (LEAF) scale were investigated in an outpatient clinical pediatric sample. As a part of clinical testing, the LEAF scale, which broadly measures neuropsychological abilities related to executive functioning and learning, was administered to parents of 118 children and adolescents referred for psychological testing at a pediatric psychology clinic; 85 teachers also completed LEAF scales to assess reliability across different raters and settings. Scores on neuropsychological tests of executive functioning and academic achievement were abstracted from charts. Psychometric analyses of the LEAF scale demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, parent-teacher inter-rater reliability in the small to large effect size range, and test-retest reliability in the large effect size range, similar to values for other executive functioning checklists. Correlations between corresponding subscales on the LEAF and other behavior checklists were large, while most correlations with neuropsychological tests of executive functioning and achievement were significant but in the small to medium range. Results support the utility of the LEAF as a reliable and valid questionnaire-based assessment of delays and disturbances in executive functioning and learning. Applications and advantages of the LEAF and other questionnaire measures of executive functioning in clinical neuropsychology settings are discussed.

Initial development and psychometric testing of an instrument to measure the quality of children's end-of-life care.

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Widger, Kimberley; Tourangeau, Ann E; Steele, Rose; Streiner, David L

2015-01-01

The field of pediatric palliative care is hindered by the lack of a well-defined, reliable, and valid method for measuring the quality of end-of-life care. The study purpose was to develop and test an instrument to measure mothers' perspectives on the quality of care received before, at the time of, and following a child's death. In Phase 1, key components of quality end-of-life care for children were synthesized through a comprehensive review of research literature. These key components were validated in Phase 2 and then extended through focus groups with bereaved parents. In Phase 3, items were developed to assess structures, processes, and outcomes of quality end-of-life care then tested for content and face validity with health professionals. Cognitive testing was conducted through interviews with bereaved parents. In Phase 4, bereaved mothers were recruited through 10 children's hospitals/hospices in Canada to complete the instrument, and psychometric testing was conducted. Following review of 67 manuscripts and 3 focus groups with 10 parents, 141 items were initially developed. The overall content validity index for these items was 0.84 as rated by 7 health professionals. Based on feedback from health professionals and cognitive testing with 6 parents, a 144-item instrument was finalized for further testing. In Phase 4, 128 mothers completed the instrument, 31 of whom completed it twice. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity were demonstrated for six subscales: Connect With Families, Involve Parents, Share Information With Parents, Share Information Among Health Professionals, Support Parents, and Provide Care at Death. Additional items with content validity were grouped in four domains: Support the Child, Support Siblings, Provide Bereavement Follow-up, and Structures of Care. Forty-eight items were deleted through psychometric testing, leaving a 95-item instrument. There is good initial evidence for the reliability and

Identification of low allergenic apple cultivars using skin prick tests and oral food challenge tests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlieg-Boerstra, B.J.; Weg, van de W.E.; Heide, van der S.; Arens, P.F.P.; Heijerman-Peppelman, G.; Dubois, A.E.J.

2011-01-01

Background: As oral allergy syndrome (OAS) symptoms to apple are frequent, we aimed to identify low allergenic apple cultivars and to validate the prick-to-prick skin prick test (SPT) as a suitable screening method. Methods: Sixty-eight apple cultivars were tested by SPTs in 33 Dutch adults with

The Psychometric Toolbox: An Excel Package for Use in Measurement and Psychometrics Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrando, Pere J.; Masip-Cabrera, Antoni; Navarro-González, David; Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano

2017-01-01

The Psychometric Toolbox (PT) is a user-friendly, non-commercial package mainly intended to be used for instructional purposes in introductory courses of educational and psychological measurement, psychometrics and statistics. The PT package is organized in six separate modules or sub-programs: Data preprocessor (descriptive analyses and data…

THE REDSHIFT DISTRIBUTION OF DUSTY STAR-FORMING GALAXIES FROM THE SPT SURVEY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strandet, M. L.; Weiss, A. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69 D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Vieira, J. D.; Furstenau, R. M. [European Southern Observatory, Karl Schwarzschild Straße 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); De Breuck, C.; Béthermin, M.; Gullberg, B. [Department of Astronomy and Department of Physics, University of Illinois, 1002 West Green St., Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Aguirre, J. E. [University of Pennsylvania, 209 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Aravena, M. [Núcleo de Astronomía, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejército 441, Santiago (Chile); Ashby, M. L. N. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Bradford, C. M. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Carlstrom, J. E.; Crawford, T. M. [Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Chapman, S. C. [Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada); Everett, W. [Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States); Fassnacht, C. D. [Department of Physics, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Gonzalez, A. H. [Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Greve, T. R. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Hezaveh, Y. [Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); and others

2016-05-10

We use the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Cycle 1 to determine spectroscopic redshifts of high-redshift dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) selected by their 1.4 mm continuum emission in the South Pole Telescope (SPT) survey. We present ALMA 3 mm spectral scans between 84 and 114 GHz for 15 galaxies and targeted ALMA 1 mm observations for an additional eight sources. Our observations yield 30 new line detections from CO, [C i], [N ii], H{sub 2}O and NH{sub 3}. We further present Atacama Pathfinder Experiment [C ii] and CO mid- J observations for seven sources for which only a single line was detected in spectral-scan data from ALMA Cycle 0 or Cycle 1. We combine the new observations with previously published and new millimeter/submillimeter line and photometric data of the SPT-selected DSFGs to study their redshift distribution. The combined data yield 39 spectroscopic redshifts from molecular lines, a success rate of >85%. Our sample represents the largest data set of its kind today and has the highest spectroscopic completeness among all redshift surveys of high- z DSFGs. The median of the redshift distribution is z = 3.9 ± 0.4, and the highest-redshift source in our sample is at z = 5.8. We discuss how the selection of our sources affects the redshift distribution, focusing on source brightness, selection wavelength, and strong gravitational lensing. We correct for the effect of gravitational lensing and find the redshift distribution for 1.4 mm selected sources with a median redshift of z = 3.1 ± 0.3. Comparing to redshift distributions selected at shorter wavelengths from the literature, we show that selection wavelength affects the shape of the redshift distribution.

Adapting tests of sign language assessment for other sign languages--a review of linguistic, cultural, and psychometric problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Haug, Tobias; Mann, Wolfgang

2008-01-01

Given the current lack of appropriate assessment tools for measuring deaf children's sign language skills, many test developers have used existing tests of other sign languages as templates to measure the sign language used by deaf people in their country. This article discusses factors that may influence the adaptation of assessment tests from one natural sign language to another. Two tests which have been adapted for several other sign languages are focused upon: the Test for American Sign Language and the British Sign Language Receptive Skills Test. A brief description is given of each test as well as insights from ongoing adaptations of these tests for other sign languages. The problems reported in these adaptations were found to be grounded in linguistic and cultural differences, which need to be considered for future test adaptations. Other reported shortcomings of test adaptation are related to the question of how well psychometric measures transfer from one instrument to another.

Frozen fruit skin prick test for the diagnosis of fruit allergy.

Science.gov (United States)

Garriga, Teresa; Guilarte, Mar; Luengo, Olga; Guillén, Mercé; Labrador-Horrillo, Moisés; Fadeeva, Tatiana; Sala, Anna; Cardona, Victória

2010-12-01

Diagnosis of fruit sensitisation by skin prick test (SPT) is fast and easy to perform. Nevertheless, some fruit is not available throughout the year. Freezing aliquots of these fresh fruits to be defrosted would be a good solution to perform SPT at any time. To compare the reproducibility of SPT with Rosaceae and Cucurbitaceae frozen fruit with fresh and commercial fruit extracts. SPT with the following fruit were performed: apricot, cherry, strawberry, nectarine, Japanese medlar, peach, (peel and pulp), yellow and red plum, melon and watermelon. We compared fresh fruit, commercial extract and fruit which had been frozen at -18 degrees C. Results were read by planimetry (Inmunotek prick-film) after 15 minutes. The study group comprised 48 patients (9 males, 39 females) with a mean age of 31, 6 +/- 2.0 years. Concordance of positive and negative results was extremely high and significant in all cases. Correlation between frozen fruit and commercial extract, frozen fruit and fresh and commercial extract and fresh fruit was statistically significant in all cases except for strawberry. The use of frozen fruit is a valid method, as the performance of the SPT is similar to that of fresh fruit. This enables diagnostic procedures with seasonal fruit at any time of the year.

Psychometric Testing of the Persian Version of the Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised.

Science.gov (United States)

Ajorpaz, Neda Mirbagher; Tafreshi, Mansoureh Zagheri; Mohtashami, Jamileh; Zayeri, Farid; Rahemi, Zahra

2017-12-01

The clinical competence of nursing students in operating room (OR) is an important issue in nursing education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised (PPCS-R) instrument. This cross-sectional study was conducted across 12 universities in Iran. The psychometric properties and factor structure of the PPCS-R for OR students was examined. Based on the results of factor analysis, seven items were removed from the original version of the scale. The fitness indices of the Persian scale include comparative fit index (CFI) = .90, goodness-of-fit-index (GFI) = .86, adjusted goodness-of-fit index (AGFI) = .90, normed fit index (NFI) = .84, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .04. High validity and reliability indicated the scale's value for measuring perceived perioperative competence of Iranian OR students.

A Psychometric Review of Measures Assessing Discrimination Against Sexual Minorities.

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

2016-08-01

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

Validity, Reliability, and the Questionable Role of Psychometrics in Plastic Surgery

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Summary: This report examines the meaning of validity and reliability and the role of psychometrics in plastic surgery. Study titles increasingly include the word “valid” to support the authors’ claims. Studies by other investigators may be labeled “not validated.” Validity simply refers to the ability of a device to measure what it intends to measure. Validity is not an intrinsic test property. It is a relative term most credibly assigned by the independent user. Similarly, the word “reliable” is subject to interpretation. In psychometrics, its meaning is synonymous with “reproducible.” The definitions of valid and reliable are analogous to accuracy and precision. Reliability (both the reliability of the data and the consistency of measurements) is a prerequisite for validity. Outcome measures in plastic surgery are intended to be surveys, not tests. The role of psychometric modeling in plastic surgery is unclear, and this discipline introduces difficult jargon that can discourage investigators. Standard statistical tests suffice. The unambiguous term “reproducible” is preferred when discussing data consistency. Study design and methodology are essential considerations when assessing a study’s validity. PMID:25289354

Validity, Reliability, and the Questionable Role of Psychometrics in Plastic Surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Swanson, MD

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Summary: This report examines the meaning of validity and reliability and the role of psychometrics in plastic surgery. Study titles increasingly include the word “valid” to support the authors’ claims. Studies by other investigators may be labeled “not validated.” Validity simply refers to the ability of a device to measure what it intends to measure. Validity is not an intrinsic test property. It is a relative term most credibly assigned by the independent user. Similarly, the word “reliable” is subject to interpretation. In psychometrics, its meaning is synonymous with “reproducible.” The definitions of valid and reliable are analogous to accuracy and precision. Reliability (both the reliability of the data and the consistency of measurements is a prerequisite for validity. Outcome measures in plastic surgery are intended to be surveys, not tests. The role of psychometric modeling in plastic surgery is unclear, and this discipline introduces difficult jargon that can discourage investigators. Standard statistical tests suffice. The unambiguous term “reproducible” is preferred when discussing data consistency. Study design and methodology are essential considerations when assessing a study’s validity.

Validation of online psychometric instruments for common mental health disorders: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

van Ballegooijen, Wouter; Riper, Heleen; Cuijpers, Pim; van Oppen, Patricia; Smit, Johannes H

2016-02-25

Online questionnaires for measuring common mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders are increasingly used. The psychometrics of several pen-and-paper questionnaires have been re-examined for online use and new online instruments have been developed and tested for validity as well. This study aims to review and synthesise the literature on this subject and provide a framework for future research. We searched Medline and PsycINFO for psychometric studies on online instruments for common mental health disorders and extracted the psychometric data. Studies were coded and assessed for quality by independent raters. We included 56 studies on 62 online instruments. For common instruments such as the CES-D, MADRS-S and HADS there is mounting evidence for adequate psychometric properties. Further results are scattered over different instruments and different psychometric characteristics. Few studies included patient populations. We found at least one online measure for each of the included mental health disorders and symptoms. A small number of online questionnaires have been studied thoroughly. This study provides an overview of online instruments to refer to when choosing an instrument for assessing common mental health disorders online, and can structure future psychometric research.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Lower Extremity Computerized Adaptive Test, the Modified Harris Hip Score, and the Hip Outcome Score.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Man; Hon, Shirley D; Cheng, Christine; Franklin, Jeremy D; Aoki, Stephen K; Anderson, Mike B; Kapron, Ashley L; Peters, Christopher L; Pelt, Christopher E

2014-12-01

The applicability and validity of many patient-reported outcome measures in the high-functioning population are not well understood. To compare the psychometric properties of the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), the Hip Outcome Score activities of daily living subscale (HOS-ADL) and sports (HOS-sports), and the Lower Extremity Computerized Adaptive Test (LE CAT). The hypotheses was that all instruments would perform well but that the LE CAT would show superiority psychometrically because a combination of CAT and a large item bank allows for a high degree of measurement precision. Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Data were collected from 472 advanced-age, active participants from the Huntsman World Senior Games in 2012. Validity evidences were examined through item fit, dimensionality, monotonicity, local independence, differential item functioning, person raw score to measure correlation, and instrument coverage (ie, ceiling and floor effects), and reliability evidences were examined through Cronbach alpha and person separation index. All instruments demonstrated good item fit, unidimensionality, monotonicity, local independence, and person raw score to measure correlations. The HOS-ADL had high ceiling effects of 36.02%, and the mHHS had ceiling effects of 27.54%. The LE CAT had ceiling effects of 8.47%, and the HOS-sports had no ceiling effects. None of the instruments had any floor effects. The mHHS had a very low Cronbach alpha of 0.41 and an extremely low person separation index of 0.08. Reliabilities for the LE CAT were excellent and for the HOS-ADL and HOS-sports were good. The LE CAT showed better psychometric properties overall than the HOS-ADL, HOS-sports, and mHHS for the senior population. The mHHS demonstrated pronounced ceiling effects and poor reliabilities that should be of concern. The high ceiling effects for the HOS-ADL were also of concern. The LE CAT was superior in all psychometric aspects examined in this study. Future

Analysis of the existing correlations of effective friction angle for eastern piedmont soils of Bogota from in situ tests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

July E. Carmona-Álvarez

2015-07-01

Full Text Available To estimate the effective friction angle of soil from in situ test is a complicated job, due to high rates of strain existing in this kind of tests, which tend to be too invasive and disturb the vicinities of test depth, even the sample that eventually is taken at the site. Likewise, the most of the correlations found in the current bibliography to obtain the effective friction angle using field tests, have been developed for soils from different regions. For that reason when are implemented on tropical soils present high scatter, to compare the field parameter values with real results obtained at the lab. This research aims to use in situ tests define through of analysis of different correlations, which fits adequately to the specific conditions of the piedmont soils of Bogota. For the present study will be utilized data from SPT (widely used in Colombia and SPT-T (never before conducted in the country, carried out considering the appropriated norms to each test, taking in account to SPT-T, doesn’t exist local standard governing such tests. The correlations for field procedures of the tests implemented were for effective confining and energy transference of the SPT hammer, since the state-of-the-art mentions it as the most affect the reliability of the final results. The final results show the tendency of the methodologies used to obtain the correlation, in relation with the real value of effective friction angle from of lab tests.

A Protocol for Advanced Psychometric Assessment of Surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, Janet E.; Hayduk, Leslie; Hutchinson, Alison M.; Cranley, Lisa A.; Gierl, Mark; Cummings, Greta G.; Norton, Peter G.; Estabrooks, Carole A.

2013-01-01

Background and Purpose. In this paper, we present a protocol for advanced psychometric assessments of surveys based on the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. We use the Alberta Context Tool (ACT) as an exemplar survey to which this protocol can be applied. Methods. Data mapping, acceptability, reliability, and validity are addressed. Acceptability is assessed with missing data frequencies and the time required to complete the survey. Reliability is assessed with internal consistency coefficients and information functions. A unitary approach to validity consisting of accumulating evidence based on instrument content, response processes, internal structure, and relations to other variables is taken. We also address assessing performance of survey data when aggregated to higher levels (e.g., nursing unit). Discussion. In this paper we present a protocol for advanced psychometric assessment of survey data using the Alberta Context Tool (ACT) as an exemplar survey; application of the protocol to the ACT survey is underway. Psychometric assessment of any survey is essential to obtaining reliable and valid research findings. This protocol can be adapted for use with any nursing survey. PMID:23401759

Psychometrics

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Borsboom, D.; Molenaar, D.; Wright, J.D.

2015-01-01

Psychometrics is a scientific discipline concerned with the construction of measurement models for psychological data. In these models, a theoretical construct (e.g., intelligence) is systematically coordinated with observables (e.g., IQ scores). This is often done through latent variable models,

Psychometrics of social cognitive measures for psychosis treatment research.

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Davidson, Charlie A; Lesser, Rebecca; Parente, Lori T; Fiszdon, Joanna M

2018-03-01

Social cognition represents an important treatment target, closely linked to everyday social function. While a number of social cognitive interventions have recently been developed, measures used to evaluate these treatments are only beginning to receive psychometric scrutiny. Study goals were to replicate recently-published psychometrics for several social cognitive measures, and to provide information for additional social cognitive measures not included in recent reports. Forty-eight outpatients with psychotic-spectrum disorders completed measures of emotion perception, theory of mind, and attributional bias on two occasions, one month apart. Measures were tested for distributional characteristics, test-retest reliability, utility as a repeated measure, and relationship to symptoms and functioning. For a subgroup of participants, information about sensitivity to social cognitive treatment was also available. We replicated aspects of prior work, including largely favorable psychometric characteristics for the Bell-Lysaker Emotion Recognition Task, and promising but weaker characteristics for The Awareness of Social Inferences Test subscales and Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task. The Hinting Task had adequate test-retest statistics but a more pronounced ceiling effect. Ambiguous Intentions and Hostility Questionnaire data showed evidence of validity but were limited by inconsistency over time. Our results strongly support the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale for future evaluation as a social cognitive treatment outcome measure. Its scores were adequately distributed, consistent over time, related to symptoms and functioning, and sensitive to treatment effects. Other relatively novel assessments of attributional bias and theory of mind showed some promise, although more work is needed. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Psychometric evaluation and validation of the Serbian version of “Reading the mind in the eyes” test

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Đorđević Jelena

2017-01-01

Full Text Available “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” test (RMET is one of the most popular and widely used measures of individual differences in Theory of Mind (ToM capabilities. Despite demonstrating good validity in differentiating various clinical groups exhibiting ToM deficits from unimpaired controls, previous studies raised the question of the RMET’s homogeneity, latent structure, and reliability. The aim of this study is to provide evidence on psychometric properties, latent structure, and validity of the newly adapted Serbian version of the RMET. In total, 260 participants (61.9% females took part in the study. The sample consisted of both unimpaired controls (76.5%, and a clinical group of participants that are believed to demonstrate ToM deficits (23.5%, namely, persons diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (54.1% females. RMET has demonstrated fair psychometric properties (KMO = .723; α = .747; H1 = .076; H5 = .465, successfully differentiating between clinical group and control [F (1,254 = 26.175, p <.001, η2 p = .093], while typical gender differences in performance were found only in control group. Tests of several models based on the previous literature revealed that the affect-specific factors underlying performance on RMET demonstrate poor fit. The best fitting model obtained included reduced scale with a single-factor underlying the test’s performance (TLI = .953, CFI = .958, RMSEA = .020. Based on the fit parameters we propose 18-item short-form of the Serbian version of RMET (KMO = .797; α = .728; H1 = .129; H5 = .677 for economic, reliable and valid measurement of ToM abilities.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of Scales: A Survey of Published Articles

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Foroozan Atashzadeh-Shoorideh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background and purpose: Using valid and reliable instruments is an important way for collecting data in qualitative researches. This paper is a report of a study conducted to examine the extent of psychometric properties of the scales in research papers published in Journal of Advanced Nursing.Methods: In this study, the Journal of Advanced Nursing was chosen for systematic review. All articles which were published during 2007-2009 in this journal were collected and articles related to instrument development were selected. Each article was completely reviewed to identify the methods of instrument validation and reliability.Results: From 980 articles published in Journal of Advanced Nursing during 2007-2009, 41 (4.18% articles were about research methodology. In these, 12 articles (29.27% were related to developing an instrument. In this study, review of 12 articles that published in Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2007-2009, showed that some of the articles did not measure psychometric properties properly, thus some of the developed scales need to measure other types of necessary validity. In addition, reliability testing needs to be performed on each instrument used in a study before other statistical analysis are performed. From 12 articles, all of the articles measured and reported Cronbach’s alpha, but four of them did not measure test-retest.Conclusions: Although researchers put a great emphasis on methodology and statistical analysis, they pay less attention to the psychometric properties of their new instruments. The authors of this article hope to draw the attention of researcher to the importance of measuring psychometric properties of new instruments.Keywords: PSYCHOMETRIC, SCALES, CRITICAL REVIEW

Decay of Iconic Memory Traces Is Related to Psychometric Intelligence: A Fixed-Links Modeling Approach

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Miller, Robert; Rammsayer, Thomas H.; Schweizer, Karl; Troche, Stefan J.

2010-01-01

Several memory processes have been examined regarding their relation to psychometric intelligence with the exception of sensory memory. This study examined the relation between decay of iconic memory traces, measured with a partial-report task, and psychometric intelligence, assessed with the Berlin Intelligence Structure test, in 111…

GALEN skin test study III: Minimum battery of test inhalent allergens needed in epidemiological studies in patients

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Bousquet, P.-J.; Burbach, G.; Heinzerling, L. M.; Edenharter, G.; Bachert, C.; Bindslev-Jensen, C.; Bonini, S.; Bousquet-Rouanet, L.; Demoly, P.; Bresciani, M.; Bruno, A.; Gjomarkaj, M.; Canonica, G. W.; Darsow, U.; Durham, S.; Fokkens, W. J.; Giavi, S.; Gramiccioni, C.; Papadopoulos, N. G.; Haahtela, T.; Kowalski, M. L.; Magyar, P.; Muraközi, G.; Orosz, M.; Röhnelt, C.; Stingl, G.; Todo-Bom, A.; von Mutius, E.; Wiesner, A.; Wöhrl, S.; Bousquet, J.; Zuberbier, T.

2009-01-01

Background: The number of allergens to be tested in order to identify sensitized patients is important in order to have the most cost-effective approach in epidemiological studies. Objective: To define the minimal number and the type of skin prick test (SPT) allergens required to identify a patient

Psychometric properties of the Turkish versions of the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) in the prison setting.

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Evren, Cuneyt; Ogel, Kultegin; Evren, Bilge; Bozkurt, Muge

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) in prisoners with (n = 124) or without (n = 78) drug use disorder. Participants were evaluated with the DUDIT, the DAST-10, and the Addiction Profile Index-Short (API-S). The DUDIT and the DAST-10 were found to be psychometrically sound drug abuse screening measures with high convergent validity when compared with each other (r = 0.86), and API-S (r = 0.88 and r = 0.84, respectively), and to have a Cronbach's α of 0.93 and 0.87, respectively. In addition, a single component accounted for 58.28% of total variance for DUDIT, whereas this was 47.10% for DAST-10. The DUDIT had sensitivity and specificity scores of 0.95 and 0.79, respectively, when using the optimal cut-off score of 10, whereas these scores were 0.88 and 0.74 for the DAST-10 when using the optimal cut-off score of 4. Additionally, both the DUDIT and the DAST-10 showed good discriminant validity as they differentiated prisoners with drug use disorder from those without. Findings support the Turkish versions of both the DUDIT and the DAST-10 as reliable and valid drug abuse screening instruments that measure unidimensional constructs.

GamTest: Psychometric Evaluation and the Role of Emotions in an Online Self-Test for Gambling Behavior.

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Jonsson, Jakob; Munck, Ingrid; Volberg, Rachel; Carlbring, Per

2017-06-01

Recent increases in the number of online gambling sites have made gambling more available, which may contribute to an increase in gambling problems. At the same time, online gambling provides opportunities to introduce measures intended to prevent problem gambling. GamTest is an online test of gambling behavior that provides information that can be used to give players individualized feedback and recommendations for action. The aim of this study is to explore the dimensionality of GamTest and validate it against the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and the gambler's own perceived problems. A recent psychometric approach, exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) is used. Well-defined constructs are identified in a two-step procedure fitting a traditional exploratory factor analysis model as well as a so-called bifactor model. Using data collected at four Nordic gambling sites in the autumn of 2009 (n = 10,402), the GamTest ESEM analyses indicate high correspondence with the players' own understanding of their problems and with the PGSI, a validated measure of problem gambling. We conclude that GamTest captures five dimensions of problematic gambling (i.e., overconsumption of money and time, and monetary, social and emotional negative consequences) with high reliability, and that the bifactor approach, composed of a general factor and specific residual factors, reproduces all these factors except one, the negative consequences emotional factor, which contributes to the dominant part of the general factor. The results underscore the importance of tailoring feedback and support to online gamblers with a particular focus on how to handle emotions in relation to their gambling behavior.

Normalization of the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aim: To construct normal values for the tests of the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) and evaluate the prevalence of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) among Turkish patients with liver cirrhosis. Materials and Methods: One hundred and eighty-five healthy subjects and sixty patients with liver ...

Standardization of food allergen extracts for skin prick test

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skamstrup Hansen, K; Bindslev-Jensen, C; Skov, P S

2001-01-01

The aim of the study was to standardize and evaluate technically optimized food allergen extracts for use in skin prick test (SPT). The standardization procedure comprised 36 allergic histories in 32 food allergic patients with 21 healthy, non-atopic individuals serving as controls. The patients...... had a history of allergic symptoms upon ingestion of either cow's milk (n=3), hen's egg (n=9), wheat (n=4), hazelnut (n=14) or cod (n=6). They also had specific IgE in serum to the food in question and a positive SPT with a fresh preparation of the food. The diagnosis had been confirmed by a double......-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge, except for the hazelnut-allergic patients. The controls were subjected to an open food challenge with all the foods to ensure tolerance. The standardization was performed by means of titrated SPT in accordance with the guidelines on biological standardization from...

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Eating Attitudes Test in Young Female Patients with Eating Disorders in Mainland China.

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Kang, Qing; Chan, Raymond C K; Li, Xiaoping; Arcelus, Jon; Yue, Ling; Huang, Jiabin; Gu, Lian; Fan, Qing; Zhang, Haiyin; Xiao, Zeping; Chen, Jue

2017-11-01

The study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the eating attitudes test (EAT-26) among female adolescents and young adults in Mainland China. This scale was administered to 396 female eating disorder patients and 406 noneating disorder healthy controls, in addition 35 healthy controls completed a retest after a 4-week intervals. Tests for reliability, convergent validity and receiver operating characteristic analysis were performed to detect the psychometric properties. The EAT-26 demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.822-0.922), test-retest reliability (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.817) and convergent validity(r = 0.450-0.750). The receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the cut-off 14 for anorexia nervosa and 15 for bulimia nervosa represented good compromises with approximate sensitivity (0.66-0.68) and specificity (0.85-0.86). Our findings provided evidence that the Chinese version of the EAT-26 was a psychometrically reliable and valid self-rating instrument for identifying people suffering from an eating disorder in Mainland China. A clinical cut-off range between 14 and 15 could be used, but caution should be exercised because of the low sensitivity of the tool. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Work environment impact scale: testing the psychometric properties of the Swedish version.

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Ekbladh, Elin; Fan, Chia-Wei; Sandqvist, Jan; Hemmingsson, Helena; Taylor, Renée

2014-01-01

The Work Environment Impact Scale (WEIS) is an assessment that focuses on the fit between a person and his or her work environment. It is based on Kielhofner's Model of Human Occupation and designed to gather information on how clients experience their work environment. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the WEIS assessment instrument. In total, 95 ratings on the 17-item WEIS were obtained from a sample of clients with experience of sick leave due to different medical conditions. Rasch analysis was used to analyze the data. Overall, the WEIS items together cohered to form a single construct of increasingly challenging work environmental factors. The hierarchical ordering of the items along the continuum followed a logical and expected pattern, and the participants were validly measured by the scale. The three occupational therapists serving as raters validly used the scale, but demonstrated a relatively high rater separation index, indicating differences in rater severity. The findings provide evidence that the Swedish version of the WEIS is a psychometrically sound assessment across diagnoses and occupations, which can provide valuable information about experiences of work environment challenges.

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Adaptation of Mini-Cog Test in Iranian Older Adults.

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Rezaei, Mohammad; Rashedi, Vahid; Lotfi, Gohar; Shirinbayan, Peymaneh; Foroughan, Mahshid

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Mini-Cog in Iranian older adults. It was a cross-sectional study; 50 older people with dementia and 50 without dementia who matched for age, gender, and education entered the study. The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders criteria for dementia were used as gold standard. A battery of scales included the abbreviated mental test score (AMTS), the Geriatric Depression Scale, and the Mini-Cog was performed. Validity and reliability of the Mini-Cog determined using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (Pearson's r), Cronbach's alpha, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The Persian version of Mini-Cog showed a good inter-rater reliability ( K = 0.76, p Mini-Cog have an acceptable sensitivity, specificity, and substantial overall agreement with the AMTS.

Attitudes toward science: measurement and psychometric properties of the Test of Science-Related Attitudes for its use in Spanish-speaking classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, Marianela; Förster, Carla; González, Caterina; González-Pose, Paulina

2016-06-01

Understanding attitudes toward science and measuring them remain two major challenges for science teaching. This article reviews the concept of attitudes toward science and their measurement. It subsequently analyzes the psychometric properties of the Test of Science-Related Attitudes (TOSRA), such as its construct validity, its discriminant and concurrent validity, and its reliability. The evidence presented suggests that TOSRA, in its Spanish-adapted version, has adequate construct validity regarding its theoretical referents, as well as good indexes of reliability. In addition, it determines the attitudes toward science of secondary school students in Santiago de Chile (n = 664) and analyzes the sex variable as a differentiating factor in such attitudes. The analysis by sex revealed low-relevance gender difference. The results are contrasted with those obtained in English-speaking countries. This TOSRA sample showed good psychometric parameters for measuring and evaluating attitudes toward science, which can be used in classrooms of Spanish-speaking countries or with immigrant populations with limited English proficiency.

Psychometric test of the Team Climate Inventory-short version investigated in Dutch quality improvement teams

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Nieboer Anna P

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although some studies have used the Team Climate Inventory within teams working in health care settings, none of these included quality improvement teams. The aim of our study is to investigate the psychometric properties of the 14-item version of the Team Climate Inventory in healthcare quality improvement teams participating in a Dutch quality collaborative. Methods This study included quality improvement teams participating in the Care for Better improvement program for home care, care for the handicapped and the elderly in the Netherlands between 2006 and 2008. As part of a larger evaluation study 270 written questionnaires from team members were collected at baseline and 139 questionnaires at end measurement. Confirmatory factor analyses, reliability, Pearson correlations and paired samples t-tests were conducted to investigate construct validity, reliability, predictive validity and temporal stability. Results Confirmatory factor analyses revealed the expected four-factor structure and good fit indices. For the four subscales – vision, participative safety, task orientation and support for innovation – acceptable Cronbach's alpha coefficients and high inter-item correlations were found. The four subscales all proved significant predictors of perceived team effectiveness, with participatory safety being the best predictor. As expected the four subscales were found to be stable over time; i.e. without significant changes between baseline and end measurement. Conclusion The psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the TCI-14 are satisfactory. Together these results show that the TCI-14 is a useful instrument to assess to what extent aspects of team climate influence perceived team effectiveness of quality improvement teams.

Psychometric test of the Team Climate Inventory-short version investigated in Dutch quality improvement teams.

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Strating, Mathilde M H; Nieboer, Anna P

2009-07-24

Although some studies have used the Team Climate Inventory within teams working in health care settings, none of these included quality improvement teams. The aim of our study is to investigate the psychometric properties of the 14-item version of the Team Climate Inventory in healthcare quality improvement teams participating in a Dutch quality collaborative. This study included quality improvement teams participating in the Care for Better improvement program for home care, care for the handicapped and the elderly in the Netherlands between 2006 and 2008. As part of a larger evaluation study 270 written questionnaires from team members were collected at baseline and 139 questionnaires at end measurement. Confirmatory factor analyses, reliability, Pearson correlations and paired samples t-tests were conducted to investigate construct validity, reliability, predictive validity and temporal stability. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed the expected four-factor structure and good fit indices. For the four subscales--vision, participative safety, task orientation and support for innovation--acceptable Cronbach's alpha coefficients and high inter-item correlations were found. The four subscales all proved significant predictors of perceived team effectiveness, with participatory safety being the best predictor. As expected the four subscales were found to be stable over time; i.e. without significant changes between baseline and end measurement. The psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the TCI-14 are satisfactory. Together these results show that the TCI-14 is a useful instrument to assess to what extent aspects of team climate influence perceived team effectiveness of quality improvement teams.

Psychometric function for NU-6 word recognition in noise: effects of first language and dominant language.

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Shi, Lu-Feng; Zaki, Nancy A

2014-01-01

The present study attempted to establish psychometric function in individuals whose first language is not English. Psychometric function was obtained for one of the most commonly used clinical tests, the Northwestern University Auditory Test No. 6 (Tillman & Carhart 1966), so that findings could be directly applied to everyday clinical practice. Five groups of 14 normal-hearing, adult listeners differing in their first language and dominant language (English monolinguals, English- and Arabic-dominant Arabic-English bilinguals, and English- and Russian-dominant Russian-English bilinguals) participated. Both forms of the Northwestern University Auditory Test No. 6 test (8 lists of 50 monosyllabic English words) were presented. The lists were randomly assigned to eight signal-to-noise ratios (-3 to 18 dB in 3 dB steps). Listeners responded verbally and in writing. Psychometric functions were derived via logistic regression and described by two parameters: the 50% correct performance level (θ) and the slope (k). Both English-dominant bilingual groups obtained psychometric functions comparable with monolinguals. The θ and k of the functions for these three groups of participants were consistent with the literature. Compared with these three groups, non-English-dominant bilinguals' functions grew significantly more gradually (i.e., a significantly higher θ and a significantly lower k). No differences in either θ or k were found between bilinguals with the same dominant language but different first languages. Bilinguals reporting themselves to be dominant in English generate monolingual-like psychometric functions. By contrast, a different set of psychometric properties describes the function of bilinguals dominant in their first language. Because first language did not appear to be a significant factor in determining bilinguals' functions, it is concluded that English learning history and English proficiency are more important variables than first language for

On the Psychometric Study of Human Life History Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, George B; Sanning, Blair K; Lai, Mark H C; Copping, Lee T; Hardesty, Patrick H; Kruger, Daniel J

2017-01-01

This article attends to recent discussions of validity in psychometric research on human life history strategy (LHS), provides a constructive critique of the extant literature, and describes strategies for improving construct validity. To place the psychometric study of human LHS on more solid ground, our review indicates that researchers should (a) use approaches to psychometric modeling that are consistent with their philosophies of measurement, (b) confirm the dimensionality of life history indicators, and (c) establish measurement invariance for at least a subset of indicators. Because we see confirming the dimensionality of life history indicators as the next step toward placing the psychometrics of human LHS on more solid ground, we use nationally representative data and structural equation modeling to test the structure of middle adult life history indicators. We found statistically independent mating competition and Super-K dimensions and the effects of parental harshness and childhood unpredictability on Super-K were consistent with past research. However, childhood socioeconomic status had a moderate positive effect on mating competition and no effect on Super-K, while unpredictability did not predict mating competition. We conclude that human LHS is more complex than previously suggested-there does not seem to be a single dimension of human LHS among Western adults and the effects of environmental components seem to vary between mating competition and Super-K.

On the Psychometric Study of Human Life History Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George B. Richardson

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This article attends to recent discussions of validity in psychometric research on human life history strategy (LHS, provides a constructive critique of the extant literature, and describes strategies for improving construct validity. To place the psychometric study of human LHS on more solid ground, our review indicates that researchers should (a use approaches to psychometric modeling that are consistent with their philosophies of measurement, (b confirm the dimensionality of life history indicators, and (c establish measurement invariance for at least a subset of indicators. Because we see confirming the dimensionality of life history indicators as the next step toward placing the psychometrics of human LHS on more solid ground, we use nationally representative data and structural equation modeling to test the structure of middle adult life history indicators. We found statistically independent mating competition and Super-K dimensions and the effects of parental harshness and childhood unpredictability on Super-K were consistent with past research. However, childhood socioeconomic status had a moderate positive effect on mating competition and no effect on Super-K, while unpredictability did not predict mating competition. We conclude that human LHS is more complex than previously suggested—there does not seem to be a single dimension of human LHS among Western adults and the effects of environmental components seem to vary between mating competition and Super-K.

Psychometric evaluation of an item bank for computerized adaptive testing of the EORTC QLQ-C30 cognitive functioning dimension in cancer patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dirven, Linda; Groenvold, Mogens; Taphoorn, Martin J. B.

2017-01-01

on the field-testing and psychometric evaluation of the item bank for cognitive functioning (CF). METHODS: In previous phases (I-III), 44 candidate items were developed measuring CF in cancer patients. In phase IV, these items were psychometrically evaluated in a large sample of international cancer patients...... model, showing an acceptable fit. Although several items showed DIF, these had a negligible impact on CF estimation. Measurement precision of the item bank was much higher than the two original QLQ-C30 CF items alone, across the whole continuum. Moreover, CAT measurement may on average reduce study...... sample sizes with about 35-40% compared to the original QLQ-C30 CF scale, without loss of power. CONCLUSION: A CF item bank for CAT measurement consisting of 34 items was established, applicable to various cancer patients across countries. This CAT measurement system will facilitate precise and efficient...

Tests for sensitisation in occupational medicine practice--the soy bean example.

Science.gov (United States)

Roodt, L; Rees, D

1995-06-01

To determine the prevalence of sensitisation to soy bean measured by specific IgE and skin prick tests (SPTs) and to examine the association between evidence of sensitisation to soy bean allergens and symptoms of allergic disease. Cross-sectional study. Questionnaire survey. A venous blood sample was taken for specific IgE testing, and SPTs for common allergens and soy bean dust were performed. Soy bean mill. A volunteer sample of 22 workers exposed to soy bean dust; the first 20 non-exposed workers presenting to the National Centre for Occupational Health clinic formed the control group. Immunological tests for sensitisation and symptoms of respiratory and allergic disease. Eight of the exposed workers had positive skin reactions to either full-fat or defatted soy bean. None of the controls was SPT-positive. Eight of the exposed workers had increased levels of soy-specific IgE of whom only 4 were SPT-positive and had an increased level of soy-specific IgE. One of the control workers had an increased level of soy-specific IgE. Workers with an increased specific IgE or SPT positive to soy bean did not have more symptoms than workers with negative tests. However, work-related breathlessness was significantly higher in the exposed group (P soy bean-related disease but that tests for sensitisation were linked to exposure.

Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children: psychometric testing of the Chinese version.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ho Cheung William; Chung, Oi Kwan Joyce; Ho, Ka Yan

2010-11-01

This paper is a report of psychometric testing of the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children. The availability of a valid and reliable instrument that accurately detects depressive symptoms in children is crucial before any psychological intervention can be appropriately planned and evaluated. There is no such an instrument for Chinese children. A test-retest, within-subjects design was used. A total of 313 primary school students between the ages of 8 and 12 years were invited to participate in the study in 2009. Participants were asked to respond to the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children, short form of the State Anxiety Scale for Children and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale. The internal consistency, content validity and construct validity and test-retest reliability of the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children were assessed. The newly-translated scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency, good content validity and appropriate convergent and discriminant validity. Confirmatory factor analysis added further evidence of the construct validity of the scale. Results suggest that the newly-translated scale can be used as a self-report assessment tool in detecting depressive symptoms of Chinese children aged between 8 and 12 years. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Body Appreciation Scale-2: item refinement and psychometric evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tylka, Tracy L; Wood-Barcalow, Nichole L

2015-01-01

Considered a positive body image measure, the 13-item Body Appreciation Scale (BAS; Avalos, Tylka, & Wood-Barcalow, 2005) assesses individuals' acceptance of, favorable opinions toward, and respect for their bodies. While the BAS has accrued psychometric support, we improved it by rewording certain BAS items (to eliminate sex-specific versions and body dissatisfaction-based language) and developing additional items based on positive body image research. In three studies, we examined the reworded, newly developed, and retained items to determine their psychometric properties among college and online community (Amazon Mechanical Turk) samples of 820 women and 767 men. After exploratory factor analysis, we retained 10 items (five original BAS items). Confirmatory factor analysis upheld the BAS-2's unidimensionality and invariance across sex and sample type. Its internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct (convergent, incremental, and discriminant) validity were supported. The BAS-2 is a psychometrically sound positive body image measure applicable for research and clinical settings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The reliability and validity of a soccer-specific nonmotorised treadmill simulation (intermittent soccer performance test).

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Aldous, Jeffrey W F; Akubat, Ibrahim; Chrismas, Bryna C R; Watkins, Samuel L; Mauger, Alexis R; Midgley, Adrian W; Abt, Grant; Taylor, Lee

2014-07-01

This study investigated the reliability and validity of a novel nonmotorised treadmill (NMT)-based soccer simulation using a novel activity category called a "variable run" to quantify fatigue during high-speed running. Twelve male University soccer players completed 3 familiarization sessions and 1 peak speed assessment before completing the intermittent soccer performance test (iSPT) twice. The 2 iSPTs were separated by 6-10 days. The total distance, sprint distance, and high-speed running distance (HSD) were 8,968 ± 430 m, 980 ± 75 m and 2,122 ± 140 m, respectively. No significant difference (p > 0.05) was found between repeated trials of the iSPT for all physiological and performance variables. Reliability measures between iSPT1 and iSPT2 showed good agreement (coefficient of variation: 0.80). Furthermore, the variable run phase showed HSD significantly decreased (p ≤ 0.05) in the last 15 minutes (89 ± 6 m) compared with the first 15 minutes (85 ± 7 m), quantifying decrements in high-speed exercise compared with the previous literature. This study validates the iSPT as a NMT-based soccer simulation compared with the previous match-play data and is a reliable tool for assessing and monitoring physiological and performance variables in soccer players. The iSPT could be used in a number of ways including player rehabilitation, understanding the efficacy of nutritional interventions, and also the quantification of environmentally mediated decrements on soccer-specific performance.

A systematic review protocol investigating tests for physical or physiological qualities and game-specific skills commonly used in rugby and related sports and their psychometric properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiwaridzo, Matthew; Ferguson, Gillian D; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M

2016-07-27

Scientific focus on rugby has increased over the recent years, providing evidence of the physical or physiological characteristics and game-specific skills needed in the sport. Identification of tests commonly used to measure these characteristics is important for the development of test batteries, which in turn may be used for talent identification and injury prevention programmes. Although there are a number of tests available in the literature to measure physical or physiological variables and game-specific skills, there is limited information available on the psychometric properties of the tests. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to systematically review the literature for tests commonly used in rugby to measure physical or physiological characteristics and rugby-specific skills, documenting evidence of reliability and validity of the identified tests. A systematic review will be conducted. Electronic databases such as Scopus, MEDLINE via EBSCOhost and PubMed, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL and Africa-Wide Information via EBSCOhost will be searched for original research articles published in English from January 1, 1995, to December 31, 2015, using a pre-defined search strategy. The principal investigator will select potentially relevant articles from titles and abstracts. To minimise bias, full text of titles and abstracts deemed potentially relevant will be retrieved and reviewed by two independent reviewers based on the inclusion criteria. Data extraction will be conducted by the principal investigator and verified by two independent reviewers. The Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist will be used to assess the methodological quality of the selected studies. Choosing an appropriate test to be included in the screening test battery should be based on sound psychometric properties of the test available. This systematic review will provide an overview of the tests commonly used in rugby union

Psychometric Evaluation of the Revised Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test (V.2016) in Arabic: Translation and Validation

Science.gov (United States)

Alhaiti, Ali Hassan; Alotaibi, Alanod Raffa; Jones, Linda Katherine; DaCosta, Cliff

2016-01-01

Objective. To translate the revised Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test into the Arabic language and examine its psychometric properties. Setting. Of the 139 participants recruited through King Fahad Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 34 agreed to the second-round sample for retesting purposes. Methods. The translation process followed the World Health Organization's guidelines for the translation and adaptation of instruments. All translations were examined for their validity and reliability. Results. The translation process revealed excellent results throughout all stages. The Arabic version received 0.75 for internal consistency via Cronbach's alpha test and excellent outcomes in terms of the test-retest reliability of the instrument with a mean of 0.90 infraclass correlation coefficient. It also received positive content validity index scores. The item-level content validity index for all instrument scales fell between 0.83 and 1 with a mean scale-level index of 0.96. Conclusion. The Arabic version is proven to be a reliable and valid measure of patient's knowledge that is ready to be used in clinical practices. PMID:27995149

Development and psychometric evaluation of an information literacy self-efficacy survey and an information literacy knowledge test.

Science.gov (United States)

Tepe, Rodger; Tepe, Chabha

2015-03-01

To develop and psychometrically evaluate an information literacy (IL) self-efficacy survey and an IL knowledge test. In this test-retest reliability study, a 25-item IL self-efficacy survey and a 50-item IL knowledge test were developed and administered to a convenience sample of 53 chiropractic students. Item analyses were performed on all questions. The IL self-efficacy survey demonstrated good reliability (test-retest correlation = 0.81) and good/very good internal consistency (mean κ = .56 and Cronbach's α = .92). A total of 25 questions with the best item analysis characteristics were chosen from the 50-item IL knowledge test, resulting in a 25-item IL knowledge test that demonstrated good reliability (test-retest correlation = 0.87), very good internal consistency (mean κ = .69, KR20 = 0.85), and good item discrimination (mean point-biserial = 0.48). This study resulted in the development of three instruments: a 25-item IL self-efficacy survey, a 50-item IL knowledge test, and a 25-item IL knowledge test. The information literacy self-efficacy survey and the 25-item version of the information literacy knowledge test have shown preliminary evidence of adequate reliability and validity to justify continuing study with these instruments.

Development and psychometric testing of a Clinical Reasoning Evaluation Simulation Tool (CREST) for assessing nursing students' abilities to recognize and respond to clinical deterioration.

Science.gov (United States)

Liaw, Sok Ying; Rashasegaran, Ahtherai; Wong, Lai Fun; Deneen, Christopher Charles; Cooper, Simon; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Goh, Hongli Sam; Ignacio, Jeanette

2018-03-01

The development of clinical reasoning skills in recognising and responding to clinical deterioration is essential in pre-registration nursing education. Simulation has been increasingly used by educators to develop this skill. To develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a Clinical Reasoning Evaluation Simulation Tool (CREST) for measuring clinical reasoning skills in recognising and responding to clinical deterioration in a simulated environment. A scale development with psychometric testing and mixed methods study. Nursing students and academic staff were recruited at a university. A three-phase prospective study was conducted. Phase 1 involved the development and content validation of the CREST; Phase 2 included the psychometric testing of the tool with 15 second-year and 15 third-year nursing students who undertook the simulation-based assessment; Phase 3 involved the usability testing of the tool with nine academic staff through a survey questionnaire and focus group discussion. A 10-item CREST was developed based on a model of clinical reasoning. A content validity of 0.93 was obtained from the validation of 15 international experts. The construct validity was supported as the third-year students demonstrated significantly higher (preasoning scores than the second-year students. The concurrent validity was also supported with significant positive correlations between global rating scores and almost all subscale scores, and the total scores. The predictive validity was supported with an existing tool. The internal consistency was high with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.92. A high inter-rater reliability was demonstrated with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.88. The usability of the tool was rated positively by the nurse educators but the need to ease the scoring process was highlighted. A valid and reliable tool was developed to measure the effectiveness of simulation in developing clinical reasoning skills for recognising and responding to

Development and psychometric testing of the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Organizational Climate Questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Poghosyan, Lusine; Nannini, Angela; Finkelstein, Stacey R; Mason, Emanuel; Shaffer, Jonathan A

2013-01-01

Policy makers and healthcare organizations are calling for expansion of the nurse practitioner (NP) workforce in primary care settings to assure timely access and high-quality care for the American public. However, many barriers, including those at the organizational level, exist that may undermine NP workforce expansion and their optimal utilization in primary care. This study developed a new NP-specific survey instrument, Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Organizational Climate Questionnaire (NP-PCOCQ), to measure organizational climate in primary care settings and conducted its psychometric testing. Using instrument development design, the organizational climate domain pertinent for primary care NPs was identified. Items were generated from the evidence and qualitative data. Face and content validity were established through two expert meetings. Content validity index was computed. The 86-item pool was reduced to 55 items, which was pilot tested with 81 NPs using mailed surveys and then field-tested with 278 NPs in New York State. SPSS 18 and Mplus software were used for item analysis, reliability testing, and maximum likelihood exploratory factor analysis. Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Organizational Climate Questionnaire had face and content validity. The content validity index was .90. Twenty-nine items loaded on four subscale factors: professional visibility, NP-administration relations, NP-physician relations, and independent practice and support. The subscales had high internal consistency reliability. Cronbach's alphas ranged from.87 to .95. Having a strong instrument is important to promote future research. Also, administrators can use it to assess organizational climate in their clinics and propose interventions to improve it, thus promoting NP practice and the expansion of NP workforce.

A Computer-Based Sustained Visual Attention Test for Pre-School Children: Design, Development and Psychometric Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roohollah Zahedian Nasb

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Sustained visual attention is a prerequisite for learning and memory. The early evaluation of attention in childhood is essential for their school and career success in the future. The aim of this study was to design, development and investigation of psychometric properties (content, face and convergent validity and test-retest and internal consistency reliability of the computer - based sustained visual attention test (SuVAT for healthy preschool children aged 4-6 with their special needs. Methods: This study was carried out in two stages: in the first stage computerbased SuVAT in two versions original and parallel were developed. Then the test-retest and internal consistency reliability using intra-class correlation and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients respectively were examined; Face validity was calculated through ideas gathering from 10 preschool children and content validity evaluated using CVI and CVR method and convergent validity of SuVAT with CPT was assessed using Pearson correlation. Results: The developed test showed a good content and faces validity, and also had excellent test-retest reliability. In addition, the assessment of internal consistency indicated the high internal consistency of the test (Cronbach’s alpha=0.869. SuVAT and CPT test demonstrated a positive correlation upon the convergent validity testing. Conclusion: SuVAT with good reliability and validity could be used as an acceptable sustained attention assessment in preschool children.

The Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale: Development and Psychometric Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, Brian D.; Balsis, Steve; Otilingam, Poorni G.; Hanson, Priya K.; Gatz, Margaret

2009-01-01

Purpose: This study provides preliminary evidence for the acceptability, reliability, and validity of the new Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS), a content and psychometric update to the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Test. Design and Methods: Traditional scale development methods were used to generate items and evaluate their psychometric…

The prevalence of positive reactions in the atopy patch test with aeroallergens and food allergens in subjects with atopic eczema: a European multicenter study.

Science.gov (United States)

Darsow, U; Laifaoui, J; Kerschenlohr, K; Wollenberg, A; Przybilla, B; Wüthrich, B; Borelli, S; Giusti, F; Seidenari, S; Drzimalla, K; Simon, D; Disch, R; Borelli, S; Devillers, A C A; Oranje, A P; De Raeve, L; Hachem, J-P; Dangoisse, C; Blondeel, A; Song, M; Breuer, K; Wulf, A; Werfel, T; Roul, S; Taieb, A; Bolhaar, S; Bruijnzeel-Koomen, C; Brönnimann, M; Braathen, L R; Didierlaurent, A; André, C; Ring, J

2004-12-01

The atopy patch test (APT) was proposed to evaluate IgE-mediated sensitizations in patients with atopic eczema (AE). The prevalence and agreement with clinical history and specific IgE (sIgE) of positive APT reactions was investigated in six European countries using a standardized method. A total of 314 patients with AE in remission were tested in 12 study centers on clinically uninvolved, non-abraded back skin with 200 index of reactivity (IR)/g of house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cat dander, grass, and birch pollen allergen extracts with defined major allergen contents in petrolatum. Extracts of egg white, celery and wheat flour with defined protein content were also patch tested. APT values were evaluated at 24, 48, and 72 h according to the European Task Force on Atopic Dermatitis (ETFAD) guidelines. In addition, skin-prick test (SPT) and sIgE and a detailed history on allergen-induced eczema flares were obtained. Previous eczema flares, after contact with specific allergens, were reported in 1% (celery) to 34% (D. pteronyssinus) of patients. The frequency of clear-cut positive APT reactions ranged from 39% with D. pteronyssinus to 9% with celery. All ETFAD intensities occured after 48 and 72 h. Positive SPT (16-57%) and elevated sIgE (19-59%) results were more frequent. Clear-cut positive APT with all SPT and sIgE testing negative was seen in 7% of the patients, whereas a positive APT without SPT or sIgE for the respective allergen was seen in 17% of the patients. APT, SPT and sIgE results showed significant agreement with history for grass pollen and egg white (two-sided Pr > /Z/ atopic controls, no positive APT reaction was seen. Aeroallergens and food allergens are able to elicit eczematous skin reactions after epicutaneous application. As no gold standard for aeroallergen provocation in AE exists, the relevance of aeroallergens for AE flares may be evaluated by APT in addition to SPT and sIgE. The data may contribute to the international

[Using projective tests in forensic psychiatry may lead to wrong conclusions. Only empirically tested tests should be used].

Science.gov (United States)

Trygg, L; Dåderman, A M; Wiklund, N; Meurling, A W; Lindgren, M; Lidberg, L; Levander, S

2001-06-27

The use of projective and psychometric psychological tests at the Department of Forensic Psychiatry in Stockholm (Huddinge), Sweden, was studied for a population of 60 men, including many patients with neuropsychological disabilities and multiple psychiatric disorders. The results showed that the use of projective tests like Rorschach, Object Relations Test, and House-Tree-Person was more frequent than the use of objective psychometric tests. Neuropsychological test batteries like the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery or Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery were not used. The majority of patients were, however, assessed by intelligence scales like the WAIS-R. The questionable reliability and validity of the projective tests, and the risk of subjective interpretations, raise a problem when used in a forensic setting, since the courts' decisions about a sentence to prison or psychiatric care is based on the forensic psychiatric assessment. The use of objective psychometric neuropsychological tests and personality tests is recommended.

The Psychometric Properties of English and Spanish Versions of the Life Orientation Test-Revised in Hispanic Americans.

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Pan, Tonya M; Mills, Sarah D; Fox, Rina S; Baik, Sharon H; Harry, Kadie M; Roesch, Scott C; Sadler, Georgia Robins; Malcarne, Vanessa L

2017-12-01

The Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) is a widely used measure of optimism and pessimism, with three positively worded and three negatively worded content items. This study examined the structural validity and invariance, internal consistency reliability, and convergent and divergent validity of the English and Spanish versions of the LOT-R among Hispanic Americans. A community sample of Hispanic Americans ( N = 422) completed self-report measures, including the LOT-R, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, in their preferred language of English or Spanish. Based on the literature, four structural models were tested: one-factor , oblique two-factor , orthogonal two-factor method effects with positive specific factor , and orthogonal two-factor method effects with negative specific factor . Baseline support for both of the English and Spanish versions was not achieved for any model; in all models, the negatively worded items in Spanish had non-significant factor loadings. Therefore, the positively worded three-item optimism subscale of the LOT-R was examined separately and fit the data, with factor loadings equivalent across language-preference groups. Coefficient alphas for the optimism subscale were consistent across both language-preference groups (αs = .61 [English] and .66 [Spanish]). In contrast, the six-item total score and three-item pessimism subscale demonstrated extremely low or inconsistent alphas. Convergent and divergent validity were established for the optimism subscale in both languages. In sum, the optimism subscale of the LOT-R demonstrated minimally acceptable to good psychometric properties across English and Spanish language-preference groups. However, neither the total score nor the pessimism subscale showed adequate psychometric properties for Spanish-speaking Hispanic Americans, likely due to translation and cultural adaptation issues, and thus are not supported for use with this population.

Psychometric Properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale among Turkish University Students, Correctional Officers, and Elderly Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Durak, Mithat; Senol-Durak, Emre; Gencoz, Tulin

2010-01-01

This study aims to extensively examine the psychometric properties of adapted version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in different Turkish samples. In order to test the psychometric properties of the SWLS three separate and independent samples are utilized in this study, namely university students (n = 547), correctional officers (n =…

Item-level psychometrics of the ADL instrument of the Korean National Survey on persons with physical disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Ickpyo; Lee, Mi Jung; Kim, Moon Young; Park, Hae Yean

2017-10-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the psychometrics of the 12 items of an instrument assessing activities of daily living (ADL) using an item response theory model. A total of 648 adults with physical disabilities and having difficulties in ADLs were retrieved from the 2014 Korean National Survey on People with Disabilities. The psychometric testing included factor analysis, internal consistency, precision, and differential item functioning (DIF) across categories including sex, older age, marital status, and physical impairment area. The sample had a mean age of 69.7 years old (SD = 13.7). The majority of the sample had lower extremity impairments (62.0%) and had at least 2.1 chronic conditions. The instrument demonstrated unidimensional construct and good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.95). The instrument precisely estimated person measures within a wide range of theta values (-2.22 logits  5.0%). Our findings indicate that the dressing item would need to be modified to improve its psychometrics. Overall, the ADL instrument demonstrates good psychometrics, and thus, it may be used as a standardized instrument for measuring disability in rehabilitation contexts. However, the findings are limited to adults with physical disabilities. Future studies should replicate psychometric testing for survey respondents with other disorders and for children.

Disruptive behavior scale for adolescents (DISBA): development and psychometric properties.

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Karimy, Mahmood; Fakhri, Ahmad; Vali, Esmaeel; Vali, Farzaneh; Veiga, Feliciano H; Stein, L A R; Araban, Marzieh

2018-01-01

Growing evidence indicates that if disruptive behavior is left unidentified and untreated, a significant proportion of these problems will persist and may develop into problems linked with delinquency, substance abuse, and violence. Research is needed to develop valid and reliable measures of disruptive behavior to assist recognition and impact of treatments on disruptive behavior. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a scale for disruptive behavior in adolescents. Six hundred high school students (50% girls), ages ranged 15-18 years old, selected through multi stage random sampling. Psychometrics of the disruptive behavior scale for adolescents (DISBA) (Persian version) was assessed through content validity, explanatory factor analysis (EFA) using Varimax rotation and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The reliability of this scale was assessed via internal consistency and test-retest reliability. EFA revealed four factors accounting for 59% of observed variance. The final 29-item scale contained four factors: (1) aggressive school behavior, (2) classroom defiant behavior, (3) unimportance of school, and (4) defiance to school authorities. Furthermore, CFA produced a sufficient Goodness of Fit Index > 0.90. Test-retest and internal consistency reliabilities were acceptable at 0.85 and 0.89, respectively. The findings from this study suggest that the Iranian version of DISBA questionnaire has content validity. Further studies are needed to evaluate stronger psychometric properties for DISBA.

Generalized Network Psychometrics : Combining Network and Latent Variable Models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Epskamp, S.; Rhemtulla, M.; Borsboom, D.

2017-01-01

We introduce the network model as a formal psychometric model, conceptualizing the covariance between psychometric indicators as resulting from pairwise interactions between observable variables in a network structure. This contrasts with standard psychometric models, in which the covariance between

Translation and psychometric testing of the Korean Versions of the Spiritual Perspective Scale and the Self-transcendence Scale in Korean elders.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Suk Sun; Reed, Pamela G; Kang, Youngmi; Oh, Jina

2012-12-01

The purpose of this study was to translate the Spiritual Perspective Scale (SPS) and Self-transcendence Scale (STS) into Korean and test the psychometric properties of the instruments with Korean elders. A cross-sectional survey design was used to implement the three stages of the study. Stage I consisted of translating and reviewing the scales by six experts. In Stage II, equivalence was tested by comparing the responses between the Korean and English versions among 71 bilingual adults. Stage III established the psychometric properties of the Korean versions SPS-K and STS-K among 154 Korean elders. Cronbach's alpha of the SPS-K and the STS-K .97, and .85 respectively with Korean elders. Factor analysis showed that the SPS-K had one factor; the STS-K had four factors with one factor clearly representing self-transcendence as theorized. Both scales showed good reliability and validity for the translated Korean versions. However, continued study of the construct validity of the STS-K is needed. Study findings indicate that the SPS-K and the STS-K could be useful for nurses and geriatric researchers to assess a broadly defined spirituality, and to conduct research on spirituality and health among Korean elders. Use of these scales within a theory-based study may contribute to further knowledge about the role of spirituality in the health and well-being of Korean people facing health crises.

Psychometric properties and clinical usefulness of the Oswestry Disability Index.

Science.gov (United States)

Vianin, Michael

2008-12-01

Outcome measures with good reliability, validity, responsiveness, and low burden of administration are clinically useful. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is one of the most commonly used outcome measures for individuals with low back pain. Psychometric properties of the ODI will determine the questionnaire's suitability as a useful clinical tool. A literature search of relevant databases on psychometric evaluation of the ODI was performed. The search was done using the key words disability evaluation, and low back pain, and questionnaires, and reproducibility of results, and the term Oswestry. Inclusion criterion was direct reference regarding psychometric property, interpretability, and burden being included in the abstract. Eight articles met the inclusion criterion. The ODI shows good construct validity; internal consistency is rated as acceptable; test-retest reliability and responsiveness have been shown to be high; and burden of administration is low. The ODI is a valid, reliable, and responsive condition-specific assessment tool that is suited for use in clinical practice. It is easy to administer and score, objectifies clients' complaints, and monitors effects of therapy.

Development of a novel iPad-based laparoscopic trainer and comparison with a standard laparoscopic trainer for basic laparoscopic skills testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Renai; Del Junco, Michael; Kaplan, Adam; Okhunov, Zhamshid; Bucur, Philip; Hofmann, Martin; Alipanah, Reza; McDougall, Elspeth M; Landman, Jaime

2015-01-01

We developed the iTrainer (iT) as a portable laparoscopic trainer, which incorporates the iPad tablet. We then compared the iT with a standard pelvic trainer (SPT) to assess surgical skills as well as its image quality, resolution, brightness, comfort, and overall performance. We designed and constructed the iT to be compatible with the Apple iPad 3 and standard laparoscopic instruments. Participants were assigned to perform the thread-the-loops task on both trainers and were prospectively randomized to start on either the iT or the SPT. Each participant was allowed a 2-minute warm-up before the 2-minute testing period. We scored participants using the product of skill quality (0-4 scale) and quantity of loops threaded (0-10 scale). Participants then rated each trainer on image quality, resolution, brightness, comfort, and overall performance on a 5-point Likert scale. A total of 45 subjects including 10 undergraduates, 10 medical students, 10 general surgery and urology residents, and 15 experts (fellows and attending surgeons) participated in this study. There was no significant difference between thread-the-loops task scores completed on the iT when compared with the SPT for all groups tested (p > 0.05) with the exception of the medical student group, who performed better on the SPT (p < 0.05). On evaluation of each trainer, participants rated the iT as having superior image quality and resolution when compared with the SPT (p < 0.05) but rated the SPT higher in overall performance (p < 0.05). Brightness and comfort were rated similarly for both trainers. We have demonstrated face validity and criterion validity for the thread-the-loops task on the iT. The iT rated superior in image quality and resolution but inferior in overall performance compared with the SPT. The iT provides trainees a unique advantage over SPT as an additional resource to laparoscopic training as it is inexpensive, portable, and can be readily available for training. Copyright © 2014

Loosening Psychometric Constraints on Educational Assessments

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, Michael T.

2017-01-01

In response to an argument by Baird, Andrich, Hopfenbeck and Stobart (2017), Michael Kane states that there needs to be a better fit between educational assessment and learning theory. In line with this goal, Kane will examine how psychometric constraints might be loosened by relaxing some psychometric "rules" in some assessment…

Clinical relevance is associated with allergen-specific wheal size in skin prick testing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haahtela, T.; Burbach, G. J.; Bachert, C.

2014-01-01

, asthma, atopic dermatitis, food allergy). The effects of age, gender, and geographical area on SPT results were assessed. For each allergen, the wheal size in mm with an 80% positive predictive value (PPV) for being clinically relevant was calculated. ResultsDepending on the allergen, from 40% (blatella...... by providing quantitative decision points. MethodsThe GA(2)LEN SPT study with 3068 valid data sets was used to investigate the relationship between SPT results and patient-reported clinical relevance for each of the 18 inhalant allergens as well as SPT wheal size and physician-diagnosed allergy (rhinitis...... SPT reactions had a smaller risk of sensitizations being clinically relevant compared with adults. The 80% PPV varied from 3 to 10mm depending on the allergen. ConclusionThese reading keys' for 18 inhalant allergens can help interpret SPT results with respect to their clinical significance. A SPT form...

CRISP-Psychometric Assessment of Postdivorce Stress/Adjustment in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Aronson, David M.; Baum, Steven K.

A new psychometric instrument for measuring the impact of divorce on elementary school age children was developed: the Child's Report of the Impact of Separation by Parents (CRISP). This structured projective test was specifically designed to assess children's postdivorce stress/adjustment. An initial version of the CRISP was administered to 99…

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST-C) for patients with alcoholism.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsueh, Yu-Jung; Chu, Hsin; Huang, Chang-Chih; Ou, Keng-Liang; Chen, Chiung-Hua; Chou, Kuei-Ru

2014-04-01

The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST-C). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for the MAST-C were examined in this study. The MAST-C had an internal consistency of 0.83 and a test-retest reliability of 0.89. It had a good content validity index of 0.92. Factor analysis identified four factors and the optimal cutoff point for the MAST-C was a score of 6/7, which yielded a sensitivity of 0.92, a specificity of 0.83, a positive predictive value of 0.92, and a negative predictive value of 0.83. The MAST-C provides a fast, accurate, and sensitive method for clinically diagnosing alcoholism and clinical management. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Constraints on Cosmological Parameters from the Angular Power Spectrum of a Combined 2500 deg$^2$ SPT-SZ and Planck Gravitational Lensing Map

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simard, G.; et al.

2017-12-20

We report constraints on cosmological parameters from the angular power spectrum of a cosmic microwave background (CMB) gravitational lensing potential map created using temperature data from 2500 deg$^2$ of South Pole Telescope (SPT) data supplemented with data from Planck in the same sky region, with the statistical power in the combined map primarily from the SPT data. We fit the corresponding lensing angular power spectrum to a model including cold dark matter and a cosmological constant ($\\Lambda$CDM), and to models with single-parameter extensions to $\\Lambda$CDM. We find constraints that are comparable to and consistent with constraints found using the full-sky Planck CMB lensing data. Specifically, we find $\\sigma_8 \\Omega_{\\rm m}^{0.25}=0.598 \\pm 0.024$ from the lensing data alone with relatively weak priors placed on the other $\\Lambda$CDM parameters. In combination with primary CMB data from Planck, we explore single-parameter extensions to the $\\Lambda$CDM model. We find $\\Omega_k = -0.012^{+0.021}_{-0.023}$ or $M_{\

A genetic screen for increasing metabolic flux in the isoprenoid pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Isolation of SPT15 mutants using the screen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Wadhwa

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A genetic screen to identify mutants that can increase flux in the isoprenoid pathway of yeast has been lacking. We describe a carotenoid-based visual screen built with the core carotenogenic enzymes from the red yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides. Enzymes from this yeast displayed the required, higher capacity in the carotenoid pathway. The development also included the identification of the metabolic bottlenecks, primarily phytoene dehydrogenase, that was subjected to a directed evolution strategy to yield more active mutants. To further limit phytoene pools, a less efficient version of GGPP synthase was employed. The screen was validated with a known flux increasing gene, tHMG1. New mutants in the TATA binding protein SPT15 were isolated using this screen that increased the yield of carotenoids, and an alternate isoprenoid, α-Farnesene confirming increase in overall flux. The findings indicate the presence of previously unknown links to the isoprenoid pathway that can be uncovered using this screen. Keywords: Metabolic engineering, Carotenoids, Isoprenoids, α-Farnesene, Rhodosporidium toruloides, SPT15

Revision and psychometric testing of the City of Hope Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Marcia; Ferrell, Betty; Dean, Grace; Uman, Gwen; Chu, David; Krouse, Robert

2004-10-01

Ostomies may be performed for bowel or urinary diversion, and occur in both cancer and non-cancer patients. Impact on physical, psychological, social and spiritual well-being is not unexpected, but has been minimally described in the literature. The City of Hope Quality of Life (COH-QOL)-Ostomy Questionnaire is an adult patient self-report instrument designed to assess quality of life. This report focuses on the revision and psychometric testing of this questionnaire. The revised COH-QOL-Ostomy Questionnaire involved in-depth patient interviews and expert panel review. The format consisted of a 13-item disease and demographic section, a 34-item forced-choice section, and a 41-item linear analogue scaled section. A mailed survey to California members of the United Ostomy Association resulted in a 62% response rate (n = 1513). Factor analysis was conducted to refine the instrument. Construct validity involved testing a number of hypotheses identifying contrasting groups. Factor analysis confirmed the conceptual framework. Reliability of subscales ranged from 0.77 to 0.90. The questionnaire discriminated between subpopulations with specific concerns. Overall, the analyses provide evidence for the validity and reliability of the COH-QOL-Ostomy Questionnaire as a comprehensive, multidimensional self-report questionnaire for measuring quality of life in patients with intestinal ostomies.

Measuring patient engagement: development and psychometric properties of the Patient Health Engagement (PHE) Scale.

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Graffigna, Guendalina; Barello, Serena; Bonanomi, Andrea; Lozza, Edoardo

2015-01-01

Beyond the rhetorical call for increasing patients' engagement, policy makers recognize the urgency to have an evidence-based measure of patients' engagement and capture its effect when planning and implementing initiatives aimed at sustaining the engagement of consumers in their health. In this paper, authors describe the Patient Health Engagement Scale (PHE-scale), a measure of patient engagement that is grounded in rigorous conceptualization and appropriate psychometric methods. The scale was developed based on our previous conceptualization of patient engagement (the PHE-model). In particular, the items of the PHE-scale were developed based on the findings from the literature review and from interviews with chronic patients. Initial psychometric analysis was performed to pilot test a preliminary version of the items. The items were then refined and administered to a national sample of chronic patients (N = 382) to assess the measure's psychometric performance. A final phase of test-retest reliability was performed. The analysis showed that the PHE Scale has good psychometric properties with good correlation with concurrent measures and solid reliability. Having a valid and reliable measure to assess patient engagement is the first step in understanding patient engagement and its role in health care quality, outcomes, and cost containment. The PHE Scale shows a promising clinical relevance, indicating that it can be used to tailor intervention and assess changes after patient engagement interventions.

Measuring use of positive thinking skills: psychometric testing of a new scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekhet, Abir K; Zauszniewski, Jaclene A

2013-09-01

Positive thinking interventions improve adaptive functioning and quality of life in many populations. However, no direct measure of positive thinking skills taught during intervention exists. This psychometric study of a convenience sample of 109 autism spectrum disorder (ASD) caregivers examined a new eight-item Positive Thinking Skills Scale (PTSS), which measures the frequency of use of positive thinking skills. The PTSS was found to be internally consistent (α = .90). Construct validity was supported by significant correlations (p thinking skills could provide direction for future intervention.

An instrument assessing satisfaction with iron chelation therapy: Psychometric testing from an open-label clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Rofail, Diana; Viala, Muriel; Gater, Adam; Abetz-Webb, Linda; Baladi, Jean-Francois; Cappellini, Maria Domenica

2010-08-01

The Satisfaction with Iron Chelation Therapy (SICT) instrument was developed based on a literature review, in-depth patient and clinician interviews, and cognitive debriefing interviews. An, open-label, single arm, multicenter trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of deferasirox in patients diagnosed with transfusion-dependent iron overload, provided an opportunity to assess the psychometric measurement properties of the instrument. Psychometric analyses were performed using data at baseline from 273 patients with a range of transfusion-dependent iron overload conditions who were participating in a multinational study. Responsiveness was further evaluated for all patients who also had subsequent satisfaction domain scores collected at week 4. Baseline SICT domain scores had acceptable floor and ceiling effects and internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha: 0.75-0.85). Item discriminant and item convergent validity were both excellent although one item in each analysis did not meet the specified criterion. Small to moderate correlations were observed between SICT and Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) domain scores. Patients with the highest levels of serum ferritin at baseline (>3100 ng/mL) were the least satisfied about the Perceived Effectiveness of ICT and vice versa. Satisfaction improved in all patients, although there were no clear differences observed between groups of patients defined according to changes in serum ferritin levels from baseline to week 4 (stable, improved, or worsened). The SICT domains are reliable and valid. Further testing using a more specific criterion (such as assessing patient global ratings of change in satisfaction domains that correspond to the SICT domains) could help to establish with greater confidence the responsiveness of the instrument.

Psychometric test of the Team Climate Inventory-short version investigated in Dutch quality improvement teams

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.M.H. Strating (Mathilde); A.P. Nieboer (Anna)

2009-01-01

textabstractAbstract BACKGROUND: Although some studies have used the Team Climate Inventory within teams working in health care settings, none of these included quality improvement teams. The aim of our study is to investigate the psychometric properties of the 14-item version of the Team Climate

Psychometric Properties of the Revised Teachers' Attitude toward Inclusion Scale

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Monsen, Jeremy J.; Ewing, Donna L.; Boyle, James

2015-01-01

This paper presents the psychometric properties of a questionnaire measure that updates and extends Larrivee and Cook's (1979) Opinions Relative to Mainstreaming Scale in terms of structure, terminology, and language. The revised scale was tested using a sample of 106 teachers based in inclusive mainstream schools. Using Principal Component…

An Examination of Psychometric Properties of Positive Functional Attitudes Scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saide Umut ZEYBEK

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to investigate the applicability of Coping Attitudes Scale: Measure of Positive Attitudes in Depression (CAS among Turkish young adult community sample and determine the psychometric properties (validity and reliability of this scale. This study was conducted with 419 students attending different departments in Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Faculty of Education in the spring semester of academic year of 2015-2016. Positive Functional Attitudes Scale, Beck Depression Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Automatic Thoughts Scale, Positivity Scale and Developed Automatic Thoughts Scale.were used as data collection tools. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA were used for investigation of the psychometric properties of the PFAS. Also, criterion-related validity, test-retest validity, and internal consistency were used calculated. The CFA results showed that standardized item estimates of the CAS ranged between 0.45 and 0.47. Also the CFA results showed that the original factor structure of the PFAS confirmed on the Turkish sample. internal consistency was calculated using the total community sample’s PFAS score. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ort he total scale (.93 was high. Test-retest results of the subscales were 0.76. The findings showed that factor structures of the PFAS’ life perspective, personal accomplishment, positive future, self-worth, coping with problems had psychometric quality in Turkish version. As a result of the study, the Turkish version of PFAS has good validity and reliability for young adult community sample. [JCBPR 2017; 6(2.000: 59-66

Development and psychometric testing of the active aging scale for Thai adults.

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Thanakwang, Kattika; Isaramalai, Sang-Arun; Hatthakit, Urai

2014-01-01

Active aging is central to enhancing the quality of life for older adults, but its conceptualization is not often made explicit for Asian elderly people. Little is known about active aging in older Thai adults, and there has been no development of scales to measure the expression of active aging attributes. The aim of this study was to develop a culturally relevant composite scale of active aging for Thai adults (AAS-Thai) and to evaluate its reliability and validity. EIGHT STEPS OF SCALE DEVELOPMENT WERE FOLLOWED: 1) using focus groups and in-depth interviews, 2) gathering input from existing studies, 3) developing preliminary quantitative measures, 4) reviewing for content validity by an expert panel, 5) conducting cognitive interviews, 6) pilot testing, 7) performing a nationwide survey, and 8) testing psychometric properties. In a nationwide survey, 500 subjects were randomly recruited using a stratified sampling technique. Statistical analyses included exploratory factor analysis, item analysis, and measures of internal consistency, concurrent validity, and test-retest reliability. Principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation resulted in a final 36-item scale consisting of seven factors of active aging: 1) being self-reliant, 2) being actively engaged with society, 3) developing spiritual wisdom, 4) building up financial security, 5) maintaining a healthy lifestyle, 6) engaging in active learning, and 7) strengthening family ties to ensure care in later life. These factors explained 69% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the overall AAS-Thai was 0.95 and varied between 0.81 and 0.91 for the seven subscales. Concurrent validity and test-retest reliability were confirmed. The AAS-Thai demonstrated acceptable overall validity and reliability for measuring the multidimensional attributes of active aging in a Thai context. This newly developed instrument is ready for use as a screening tool to assess active aging levels among older

Perceived Breastfeeding Support Assessment Tool (PBSAT): development and testing of psychometric properties with Pakistani urban working mothers.

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Hirani, Shela Akbar Ali; Karmaliani, Rozina; Christie, Thomas; Parpio, Yasmin; Rafique, Ghazala

2013-06-01

breast feeding is an essential source of nutrition among young babies; however, in Pakistan a gradual decline in prevalence of breast feeding, especially among urban working mothers, has been reported. Previous studies among Pakistani urban working mothers have revealed that ensuring exclusivity and continuation of breast feeding is challenging if social and/or workplace environmental support is minimal or absent. This problem indicated a crucial need to assess availability of breast-feeding support for Pakistani urban working mothers by using a comprehensive, reliable, and validated tool in their national language (Urdu). to develop and test the psychometric properties of the 'Perceived Breastfeeding Support Assessment Tool' (PBSAT) that can gauge Pakistani urban working mothers' perceptions about breast-feeding support. this methodological research was undertaken in five phases. During phase I, a preliminary draft of the PBSAT was developed by using the Socio-ecological model, reviewing literature, and referring to two United States based tools. In Phase II, the instrument was evaluated by seven different experts, and, in Phase III, the instrument was revised, translated, and back translated. In Phase IV, the tool was pilot tested among 20 participants and then modified on the basis of statistical analysis. In Phase V, the refined instrument was tested on 200 breast-feeding working mothers recruited through purposive sampling from the government and private health-care settings in Karachi, Pakistan. Approvals were received from the Ethical Review Committees of the identified settings. the 29-item based PBSAT revealed an acceptable inter-rater reliability of 0.95, and an internal consistency reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of 0.85. A construct validity assessment through Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed that the PBSAT has two dimensions, 'workplace environmental support' (12 items; α=0.86) and 'social environmental support' (17 items; α=0.77). the

Psychometric evaluation of self-report outcome measures for prosthetic applications

OpenAIRE

Hafner, Brian J.; Morgan, Sara J.; Askew, Robert L.; Salem, Rana

2016-01-01

Documentation of clinical outcomes is increasingly expected in delivery of prosthetic services and devices. However, many outcome measures suitable for use in clinical care and research have not been psychometrically tested with prosthesis users. The aim of this study was to determine test-retest reliability, mode-of-administration (MoA) equivalence, standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC) of standardized, self-report instruments that assess constructs of impo...

Pollen food allergy syndrome in Turkey: Clinical characteristics and evaluation of its association with skin test reactivity to pollens.

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Özdemir, Seςil Kepil; Özgüςlü, Selcan

2017-09-17

There is limited data regarding pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS) in Turkey. To investigate the clinical characteristics and possible risk factors of PFAS in Turkey, and to evaluate if there was an association between skin test reactivity to pollens and presence of PFAS. A total of 254 consecutive adult patients with pollen sensitivity were prospectively recruited. Patients were interviewed with a questionnaire including a list of pollen-associated foods. Patients were classified as having PFAS if they reported clear allergic symptoms compatible with PFAS. All participants underwent skin prick tests (SPT) to a panel of common aeroallergens, prick-to-prick tests with culprit fresh foods were performed in patients who gave consent. Self-reported PFAS was observed in 49 patients (19.3%). The most common culprit foods were kiwi, peach, tomato, melon and watermelon. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that potential risk factors for PFAS were having asthma (OR=2.392, P=0.044) and tree pollen sensitization (OR=2.904, P=0.004). There were no significant differences in the SPT wheal sizes to individual pollen extracts between patients with and without PFAS with a positive SPT result for that pollen extract (P> 0.05). PFAS is frequent in pollen sensitized adults in Turkey. The most commonly implicated foods are kiwi, peach,tomato, melon and watermelon, in our geographical region. SPT wheal sizes to pollen extracts seems to be similar in patients with and without PFAS.

In vitro and in vivo characterization of hazelnut skin prick test extracts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Akkerdaas, Jaap H.; Wensing, Marjolein; Knulst, André C.; Aalberse, Rob C.; Hefle, Susan L.; van Ree, Ronald

2003-01-01

RATIONALE: Hazelnut allergy ranks among the most frequently observed food allergies. Clinical symptoms range from the oral allergy syndrome to life threatening anaphylaxis. Diagnosis of hazelnut allergy partially relies on in vivo testing by means of skin prick testing (SPT). The aim of this study

Twelve tips for assessment psychometrics.

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Coombes, Lee; Roberts, Martin; Zahra, Daniel; Burr, Steven

2016-01-01

It is incumbent on medical schools to show, both to regulatory bodies and to the public at large, that their graduating students are "fit for purpose" as tomorrow's doctors. Since students graduate by virtue of passing assessments, it is vital that schools quality assure their assessment procedures, standards, and outcomes. An important part of this quality assurance process is the appropriate use of psychometric analyses. This begins with development of an empowering, evidence-based culture in which assessment validity can be demonstrated. Preparation prior to an assessment requires the establishment of appropriate rules, test blueprinting and standard setting. When an assessment has been completed, the reporting of test results should consider reliability, assessor, demographic, and long-term analyses across multiple levels, in an integrated way to ensure the information conveyed to all stakeholders is meaningful.

Psychometric properties of carer-reported outcome measures in palliative care: A systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

Michels, Charlotte TJ; Boulton, Mary; Adams, Astrid; Wee, Bee; Peters, Michele

2016-01-01

Background: Informal carers face many challenges in caring for patients with palliative care needs. Selecting suitable valid and reliable outcome measures to determine the impact of caring and carers’ outcomes is a common problem. Aim: To identify outcome measures used for informal carers looking after patients with palliative care needs, and to evaluate the measures’ psychometric properties. Design: A systematic review was conducted. The studies identified were evaluated by independent reviewers (C.T.J.M., M.B., M.P.). Data regarding study characteristics and psychometric properties of the measures were extracted and evaluated. Good psychometric properties indicate a high-quality measure. Data sources: The search was conducted, unrestricted to publication year, in the following electronic databases: Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Social Sciences Citation Index and Sociological Abstracts. Results: Our systematic search revealed 4505 potential relevant studies, of which 112 studies met the inclusion criteria using 38 carer measures for informal carers of patients with palliative care needs. Psychometric properties were reported in only 46% (n = 52) of the studies, in relation to 24 measures. Where psychometric data were reported, the focus was mainly on internal consistency (n = 45, 87%), construct validity (n = 27, 52%) and/or reliability (n = 14, 27%). Of these, 24 measures, only four (17%) had been formally validated in informal carers in palliative care. Conclusion: A broad range of outcome measures have been used for informal carers of patients with palliative care needs. Little formal psychometric testing has been undertaken. Furthermore, development and refinement of measures in this field is required. PMID:26407683

A psychometric evaluation of the digital logic concept inventory

Science.gov (United States)

Herman, Geoffrey L.; Zilles, Craig; Loui, Michael C.

2014-10-01

Concept inventories hold tremendous promise for promoting the rigorous evaluation of teaching methods that might remedy common student misconceptions and promote deep learning. The measurements from concept inventories can be trusted only if the concept inventories are evaluated both by expert feedback and statistical scrutiny (psychometric evaluation). Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory provide two psychometric frameworks for evaluating the quality of assessment tools. We discuss how these theories can be applied to assessment tools generally and then apply them to the Digital Logic Concept Inventory (DLCI). We demonstrate that the DLCI is sufficiently reliable for research purposes when used in its entirety and as a post-course assessment of students' conceptual understanding of digital logic. The DLCI can also discriminate between students across a wide range of ability levels, providing the most information about weaker students' ability levels.

Development and psychometric properties of the Inner Strength Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundman, Berit; Viglund, Kerstin; Aléx, Lena; Jonsén, Elisabeth; Norberg, Astrid; Fischer, Regina Santamäki; Strandberg, Gunilla; Nygren, Björn

2011-10-01

Four dimensions of inner strength were previously identified in a meta-theoretical analysis: firmness, creativity, connectedness, and flexibility. The aim of this study was to develop an Inner Strength Scale (ISS) based on those four dimensions and to evaluate its psychometric properties. An initial version of ISS was distributed for validation purpose with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the resilience scale, and the sense of Coherence Scale. A convenience sample of 391 adults, aged 19-90 years participated. Principal component analysis (PCA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used in the process of exploring, evaluating, and reducing the 63-item ISS to the 20-item ISS. Cronbach's alpha and test-retest were used to measure reliability. CFA showed satisfactory goodness-of-fit for the 20-item ISS. The analysis supported a fourfactor solution explaining 51% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha on the 20-item ISS was 0.86, and the test-retest showed stability over time (r=0.79). The ISS was found to be a valid and reliable instrument for capturing a multifaceted understanding of inner strength. Further tests of psychometric properties of the ISS will be performed in forthcoming studies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability of two social cognition tests: The combined stories test and the social knowledge test.

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Thibaudeau, Élisabeth; Cellard, Caroline; Legendre, Maxime; Villeneuve, Karèle; Achim, Amélie M

2018-04-01

Deficits in social cognition are common in psychiatric disorders. Validated social cognition measures with good psychometric properties are necessary to assess and target social cognitive deficits. Two recent social cognition tests, the Combined Stories Test (COST) and the Social Knowledge Test (SKT), respectively assess theory of mind and social knowledge. Previous studies have shown good psychometric properties for these tests, but the test-retest reliability has never been documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability and the inter-rater reliability of the COST and the SKT. The COST and the SKT were administered twice to a group of forty-two healthy adults, with a delay of approximately four weeks between the assessments. Excellent test-retest reliability was observed for the COST, and a good test-retest reliability was observed for the SKT. There was no evidence of practice effect. Furthermore, an excellent inter-rater reliability was observed for both tests. This study shows a good reliability of the COST and the SKT that adds to the good validity previously reported for these two tests. These good psychometrics properties thus support that the COST and the SKT are adequate measures for the assessment of social cognition. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the Eating Disorder Inventory-3

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lehmann, V.; Ouwens, M.A.; Braeken, J.; Danner, U.N.; van Elburg, A.A.; Bekker, M.H.J.; Breurkens, A.; van Strien, T.

2013-01-01

The psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the Eating Disorder Inventory–3 (EDI-3) were tested in eating disordered patients (N = 514) using confirmatory factor analyses, variance decomposition, reliabilities, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. Factorial validity

Methods for Examining the Psychometric Quality of Subscores: A Review and Application

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Wedman, Jonathan; Lyrén, Per-Erik

2015-01-01

When subscores on a test are reported to the test taker, the appropriateness of reporting them depends on whether they provide useful information above what is provided by the total score. Subscores that fail to do so lack adequate psychometric quality and should not be reported. There are several methods for examining the quality of subscores,…

Weight Bias: A Systematic Review of Characteristics and Psychometric Properties of Self-Report Questionnaires.

Science.gov (United States)

Lacroix, Emilie; Alberga, Angela; Russell-Mathew, Shelly; McLaren, Lindsay; von Ranson, Kristin

2017-01-01

People living with overweight and obesity often experience weight-based stigmatization. Investigations of the prevalence and correlates of weight bias and evaluation of weight bias reduction interventions depend upon psychometrically-sound measurement. Our paper is the first to comprehensively evaluate the psychometric properties, use of people-first language within items, and suitability for use with various populations of available self-report measures of weight bias. We searched five electronic databases to identify English-language self-report questionnaires of weight bias. We rated each questionnaire's psychometric properties based on initial validation reports and subsequent use, and examined item language. Our systematic review identified 40 original self-report questionnaires. Most questionnaires were brief, demonstrated adequate internal consistency, and tapped key cognitive and affective dimensions of weight bias such as stereotypes and blaming. Current psychometric evidence is incomplete for many questionnaires, particularly with regard to the properties of test-retest reliability, sensitivity to change as well as discriminant and structural validity. Most questionnaires were developed prior to debate surrounding terminology preferences, and do not employ people-first language in the items administered to participants. We provide information and recommendations for clinicians and researchers in selecting psychometrically sound measures of weight bias for various purposes and populations, and discuss future directions to improve measurement of this construct. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Analysis of the Psychometric Properties of a Parental Alienation Scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paula Inez Cunha Gomide

Full Text Available Abstract The development of forensic evaluation scales is fundamental. This study's purpose was to explore the psychometric properties of a parental alienation scale. Forensic technicians completed 193 scales concerning parents involved in a lawsuit: 48 families with at least one parent indicated as the alienator (group A and 48 families with no parental alienation claim (group B. The scale consisted of five categories and 69 items: denying access to the child; derogatory comparisons; emotional manipulation; behavior of parent and child during assessment. The results show Cronbach's alpha = .965 and split-half = .745; KMO = .884 and Bartlett's sphericity test ( p < .001. Concurrent criterion validity applied to data showed that the scale is able to distinguish between the alienator and target parent. The results showed significant and consistent standards in the instrument's psychometric characteristics.

Developing a model of competence in the operating theatre: psychometric validation of the perceived perioperative competence scale-revised.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillespie, Brigid M; Polit, Denise F; Hamlin, Lois; Chaboyer, Wendy

2012-01-01

This paper describes the development and validation of the Revised Perioperative Competence Scale (PPCS-R). There is a lack of a psychometrically tested sound self-assessment tools to measure nurses' perceived competence in the operating room. Content validity was established by a panel of international experts and the original 98-item scale was pilot tested with 345 nurses in Queensland, Australia. Following the removal of several items, a national sample that included all 3209 nurses who were members of the Australian College of Operating Room Nurses was surveyed using the 94-item version. Psychometric testing assessed content validity using exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha, and construct validity using the "known groups" technique. During item reduction, several preliminary factor analyses were performed on two random halves of the sample (n=550). Usable data for psychometric assessment were obtained from 1122 nurses. The original 94-item scale was reduced to 40 items. The final factor analysis using the entire sample resulted in a 40 item six-factor solution. Cronbach's alpha for the 40-item scale was .96. Construct validation demonstrated significant differences (pperceived competence scores relative to years of operating room experience and receipt of specialty education. On the basis of these results, the psychometric properties of the PPCS-R were considered encouraging. Further testing of the tool in different samples of operating room nurses is necessary to enable cross-cultural comparisons. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Psychometric Approach to Theory-Based Behavior Change Intervention Development: Example From the Colorado Meaning-Activity Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Masters, Kevin S; Ross, Kaile M; Hooker, Stephanie A; Wooldridge, Jennalee L

2018-05-18

There has been a notable disconnect between theories of behavior change and behavior change interventions. Because few interventions are both explicitly and adequately theory-based, investigators cannot assess the impact of theory on intervention effectiveness. Theory-based interventions, designed to deliberately engage the theory's proposed mechanisms of change, are needed to adequately test theories. Thus, systematic approaches to theory-based intervention development are needed. This article will introduce and discuss the psychometric method of developing theory-based interventions. The psychometric approach to intervention development utilizes basic psychometric principles at each step of the intervention development process in order to build a theoretically driven intervention to, subsequently, be tested in process (mechanism) and outcome studies. Five stages of intervention development are presented as follows: (i) Choice of theory; (ii) Identification and characterization of key concepts and expected relations; (iii) Intervention construction; (iv) Initial testing and revision; and (v) Empirical testing of the intervention. Examples of this approach from the Colorado Meaning-Activity Project (COMAP) are presented. Based on self-determination theory integrated with meaning or purpose, and utilizing a motivational interviewing approach, the COMAP intervention is individually based with an initial interview followed by smart phone-delivered interventions for increasing daily activity. The psychometric approach to intervention development is one method to ensure careful consideration of theory in all steps of intervention development. This structured approach supports developing a research culture that endorses deliberate and systematic operationalization of theory into behavior change intervention from the outset of intervention development.

The Metacognitions about Gambling Questionnaire: Development and psychometric properties.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

[Quality of advanced practice nurse counseling in home care settings (APN-BQ): psychometric testing of the instrument].

Science.gov (United States)

Petry, Heidi; Suter-Riederer, Susanne; Kerker-Specker, Carmen; Imhof, Lorenz

2014-12-01

Patient centred and individually-tailored counselling of older people with a chronic condition who live at home is a useful intervention to support their independence. The paper presents the development and psychometric testing of the APN-BQ Instrument, to measure patient-centeredness. To measure the quality of an in-home counselling intervention, a 23-item questionnaire was developed and tested with 206 people 80 years and older. Principal component analysis with Varimax Rotation was conducted (n = 206). Analysis revealed a four factor (fs = 0.91) model scoring in 19 items. All factors loaded > 0.45. Cronbach's alpha was 0.86. The utility and acceptance of the instrument was confirmed by the high response rate (100 %) and the fact that participants answered 98.8 % of all questions. The APN-BQ has shown to be a reliable Instrument with good content and construct validity. It is a tool for APNs to measure structure, process, and outcome quality of a patient-centred and individually-tailored counselling program, including the degree of patient participation, and patient empowerment.

Psychometric Testing of the Self-Efficacy for Interdisciplinary Plans of Care Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Molle, Elizabeth; Froman, Robin

2017-01-01

Computerized interdisciplinary plans of care have revitalized nurse-centric care plans into dynamic and meaningful electronic documents. To maximize the benefits of these documents, it is important to understand healthcare professionals' attitudes, specifically their confidence, for making computerized interdisciplinary care plans useful and meaningful documents. The purpose of the study was to test the psychometric properties of the Self-Efficacy for Interdisciplinary Plans of Care instrument intended to measure healthcare professionals' self-efficacy for using such documents. Content validity was assessed by an expert review panel. Content validity indices ranged from 0.75 to 1.00, with a scale CVI of 0.94. A sample of 389 healthcare providers completed the 14-item instrument. Principal axis factoring was used to assess factor structure. The exploratory factor analysis yielded a single-factor structure accounting for 71.76% of covariance. Cronbach internal consistency coefficient for the single factor solution was .97. The corrected item-total correlations ranged from 0.71 to 0.90. The coefficient of stability, during a 2-week period, with a subset of the sample (n = 38), was estimated at 0.82. The results of this study suggest that the Self-Efficacy for Interdisciplinary Plans of Care has sturdy reliability and validity for measuring the self-efficacy of healthcare providers to make computerized interdisciplinary plans of care meaningful and useful documents.

Essential elements of the nursing practice environment in nursing homes: Psychometric evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, B.J.M. de; Kaljouw, M.J.; Schoonhoven, L.; Achterberg, T. van

2017-01-01

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To develop and psychometrically test the Essentials of Magnetism II in nursing homes. BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers and complex needs of older people in nursing homes strain the nursing workforce. Fewer adequately trained staff and increased care complexity raise concerns about

Psychometric evaluation of an item bank for computerized adaptive testing of the EORTC QLQ-C30 cognitive functioning dimension in cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Dirven, Linda; Groenvold, Mogens; Taphoorn, Martin J B; Conroy, Thierry; Tomaszewski, Krzysztof A; Young, Teresa; Petersen, Morten Aa

2017-11-01

The European Organisation of Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group is developing computerized adaptive testing (CAT) versions of all EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) scales with the aim to enhance measurement precision. Here we present the results on the field-testing and psychometric evaluation of the item bank for cognitive functioning (CF). In previous phases (I-III), 44 candidate items were developed measuring CF in cancer patients. In phase IV, these items were psychometrically evaluated in a large sample of international cancer patients. This evaluation included an assessment of dimensionality, fit to the item response theory (IRT) model, differential item functioning (DIF), and measurement properties. A total of 1030 cancer patients completed the 44 candidate items on CF. Of these, 34 items could be included in a unidimensional IRT model, showing an acceptable fit. Although several items showed DIF, these had a negligible impact on CF estimation. Measurement precision of the item bank was much higher than the two original QLQ-C30 CF items alone, across the whole continuum. Moreover, CAT measurement may on average reduce study sample sizes with about 35-40% compared to the original QLQ-C30 CF scale, without loss of power. A CF item bank for CAT measurement consisting of 34 items was established, applicable to various cancer patients across countries. This CAT measurement system will facilitate precise and efficient assessment of HRQOL of cancer patients, without loss of comparability of results.

Validity and reliability of skill-related fitness tests for wheelchair-using youth with Spina Bifida.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bloemen, M.A.; Takken, T.; Backx, F.J.; Vos, M.; Kruitwagen, C.L.; Groot, J.F. de

2017-01-01

Objectives: To determine content validity of the Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST), and construct validity and reliability of the MPST, 10x5 Meter Sprint Test (10x5MST), slalom test, and One Stroke Push Test (1SPT) in wheelchair-using youth with spina bifida (SB). Design: Clinimetric study. Setting:

Validity and Reliability of Skill-Related Fitness Tests for Wheelchair-Using Youth With Spina Bifida

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bloemen, Manon A.; Takken, Tim; Backx, Frank J.; Vos, Marleen; Kruitwagen, Cas L.; de Groot, Janke F.

OBJECTIVE: To determine content validity of the Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST) and construct validity and reliability of the MPST, 10x5 Meter Sprint Test (10x5MST), slalom test and one stroke push test (1SPT) in wheelchair-using youth with spina bifida (SB). DESIGN: Clinimetric study SETTING:

Validity and Reliability of Skill-Related Fitness Tests for Wheelchair-Using Youth with Spina Bifida

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cas L.J.J. Kruitwagen; Frank J.G. Backx; Tim Takken; Janke de Groot; Marleen Vos; Manon A.T. Bloemen

2016-01-01

Objective: To determine content validity of the Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST) and construct validity and reliability of the MPST, 10x5 Meter Sprint Test (10x5MST), slalom test and one stroke push test (1SPT) in wheelchair-using youth with spina bifida (SB). Design: Clinimetric study Setting:

A Psychometric Properties Evaluation of the Italian Version of the Geriatric Depression Scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Galeoto

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS is an evaluation tool to diagnose older adult’s depression. This questionnaire was defined by Yesavage and Brink in 1982; it was designed expressly for the older person and defines his/her degree of satisfaction, quality of life, and feelings. The objective of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-IT. Methods. The Italian version of the Geriatric Depression Scale was administered to 119 people (79 people with a depression diagnosis and 40 healthy ones. We examined the following psychometric characteristics: internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and construct validity (factor structure. Results. Cronbach’s Alpha for the GDS-IT administered to the depressed sample was 0.84. Test-retest reliability was 0.91 and the concurrent validity was 0.83. The factorial analysis showed a structure of 5 factors, and the scale cut-off is between 10 and 11. Conclusion. The GDS-IT proved to be a reliable and valid questionnaire for the evaluation of depression in an Italian population. In the present study, the GDS-IT showed good psychometric properties. Health professionals now have an assessment tool for the evaluation of depression symptoms in the Italian population.

Rasch analysis suggested three unidimensional domains for Affiliate Stigma Scale: additional psychometric evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chih-Cheng; Su, Jian-An; Tsai, Ching-Shu; Yen, Cheng-Fang; Liu, Jiun-Horng; Lin, Chung-Ying

2015-06-01

To examine the psychometrics of the Affiliate Stigma Scale using rigorous psychometric analysis: classical test theory (CTT) (traditional) and Rasch analysis (modern). Differential item functioning (DIF) items were also tested using Rasch analysis. Caregivers of relatives with mental illness (n = 453; mean age: 53.29 ± 13.50 years) were recruited from southern Taiwan. Each participant filled out four questionnaires: Affiliate Stigma Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and one background information sheet. CTT analyses showed that the Affiliate Stigma Scale had satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.85-0.94) and concurrent validity (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: r = -0.52 to -0.46; Beck Anxiety Inventory: r = 0.27-0.34). Rasch analyses supported the unidimensionality of three domains in the Affiliate Stigma Scale and indicated four DIF items (affect domain: 1; cognitive domain: 3) across gender. Our findings, based on rigorous statistical analysis, verified the psychometrics of the Affiliate Stigma Scale and reported its DIF items. We conclude that the three domains of the Affiliate Stigma Scale can be separately used and are suitable for measuring the affiliate stigma of caregivers of relatives with mental illness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

STELLAR MASSES AND STAR FORMATION RATES OF LENSED, DUSTY, STAR-FORMING GALAXIES FROM THE SPT SURVEY

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Ma, Jingzhe; Gonzalez, Anthony H. [Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Spilker, J. S.; Marrone, D. P. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Strandet, M. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69 D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Ashby, M. L. N. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Aravena, M. [Núcleo de Astronomía, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejército 441, Santiago (Chile); Béthermin, M.; Breuck, C. de; Gullberg, B. [European Southern Observatory, Karl Schwarzschild Straße 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Bothwell, M. S. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thompson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Brodwin, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri, 5110 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110 (United States); Chapman, S. C. [Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada); Fassnacht, C. D. [Department of Physics, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Greve, T. R. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Hezaveh, Y. [Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Malkan, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547 (United States); Saliwanchik, B. R., E-mail: jingzhema@ufl.edu [Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); and others

2015-10-10

To understand cosmic mass assembly in the universe at early epochs, we primarily rely on measurements of the stellar masses and star formation rates (SFRs) of distant galaxies. In this paper, we present stellar masses and SFRs of six high-redshift (2.8 ≤ z ≤ 5.7) dusty, star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) that are strongly gravitationally lensed by foreground galaxies. These sources were first discovered by the South Pole Telescope (SPT) at millimeter wavelengths and all have spectroscopic redshifts and robust lens models derived from Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations. We have conducted follow-up observations to obtain multi-wavelength imaging data using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Spitzer, Herschel, and the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment. We use the high-resolution HST/Wide Field Camera 3 images to disentangle the background source from the foreground lens in Spitzer/IRAC data. The detections and upper limits provide important constraints on the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for these DSFGs, yielding stellar masses, IR luminosities, and SFRs. The SED fits of six SPT sources show that the intrinsic stellar masses span a range more than one order of magnitude with a median value ∼5 ×10{sup 10} M{sub ⊙}. The intrinsic IR luminosities range from 4 × 10{sup 12} L{sub ⊙} to 4 × 10{sup 13} L{sub ⊙}. They all have prodigious intrinsic SFRs of 510–4800 M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}. Compared to the star-forming main sequence (MS), these six DSFGs have specific SFRs that all lie above the MS, including two galaxies that are a factor of 10 higher than the MS. Our results suggest that we are witnessing ongoing strong starburst events that may be driven by major mergers.

Psychometric Properties of the Fatigue Severity Scale in Polio Survivors

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, Helena; Franchignoni, Franco; Puzic, Natasa; Giordano, Andrea

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate by means of classical test theory and Rasch analysis the scaling characteristics and psychometric properties of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) in polio survivors. A questionnaire, consisting of five general questions (sex, age, age at time of acute polio, sequelae of polio, and new symptoms), the FSS,…

Psychometric Assessment and Reporting Practices: Incongruence between Theory and Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Slaney, Kathleen L.; Tkatchouk, Masha; Gabriel, Stephanie M.; Maraun, Michael D.

2009-01-01

The aim of the current study is twofold: (a) to investigate the rates at which researchers assess and report on the psychometric properties of the measures they use in their research and (b) to examine whether or not researchers appear to be generally employing sound/unsound rationales when it comes to how they conduct test evaluations. Based on a…

Raven’s test performance of sub-Saharan Africans: average performance, psychometric properties, and the Flynn Effect

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wicherts, J.M.; Dolan, C.V.; Carlson, J.S.; van der Maas, H.L.J.

2010-01-01

This paper presents a systematic review of published data on the performance of sub-Saharan Africans on Raven's Progressive Matrices. The specific goals were to estimate the average level of performance, to study the Flynn Effect in African samples, and to examine the psychometric meaning of Raven's

Medical clowns ease anxiety and pain perceived by children undergoing allergy prick skin tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, A; Stauber, T; Peleg, O; Hanuka, P; Eshayek, L; Confino-Cohen, R

2014-10-01

Intervention of medical clowns (MC) during various medical procedures performed in children has been used to relieve anxiety and pain. Their role in allergy skin testing has never been evaluated. To evaluate whether MC can diminish pain and anxiety perceived by children undergoing allergy skin prick tests (SPT). In a prospective, randomized, controlled, and blinded study, children undergoing SPT were or were not accompanied by MC. All parents and children ≥8 years completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before and after SPT. Videotapes recorded during the procedure were scored for anxiety (m-YPAS) for all children and for pain (FLACC) for children 2-7 years old by a psychologist who was unaware of the MC's presence. After SPT, children ≥8 years completed a visual analog score (VAS) for pain. Ninety-one children (mean age 8.2 years, M/F = 54/37) were recruited of whom 45 were accompanied by clowns. A significant reduction in state-STAI was found in the clowns group, in both parents and children, when compared with the regular group (26.9 ± 6.6 and 32.3 ± 10.0; P = 0.004, and 27.1 ± 4.2 and 34.3 ± 7.6; P = 0.002, respectively). Both m-YPAS and FLACC were reduced in the clowns group compared with the regular one. In the clowns group, m-YPAS positively correlated with both VAS and FLACC (P = 0.000 and 0.002, respectively). m-YPAS was positively correlated with FLACC in the regular group (P = 0.000). Medical clowns significantly decrease the level of anxiety perceived by both children undergoing allergy SPT and their parents, as well as the pain perceived by young children. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The End-Stage Renal Disease Adherence Questionnaire (ESRD-AQ): testing the psychometric properties in patients receiving in-center hemodialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Youngmee; Evangelista, Lorraine S; Phillips, Linda R; Pavlish, Carol; Kopple, Joel D

2010-01-01

Reported treatment adherence rates of patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) have been extremely varied due to lack of reliable and valid measurement tools. This study was conducted to develop and test an instrument to measure treatment adherence to hemodialysis (HD) attendance, medications, fluid restrictions, and diet prescription among patients with ESRD. This article describes the methodological approach used to develop and test the psychometric properties (such as reliability and validity) of the 46-item ESRD-Adherence Questionnaire (ESRD-AQ) in a cohort of patients receiving maintenance HD at dialysis centers in Los Angeles County. The ESRD-AQ is the first self-report instrument to address all components of adherence behaviors of patients with ESRD. The findings support that the instrument is reliable and valid and is easy to administer. Future studies are needed in a larger sample to determine whether additional modifications are needed.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Assessing leadership decision-making styles: psychometric properties of the Leadership Judgement Indicator

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Faraci P

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Palmira Faraci,1 Michael Lock,2 Robert Wheeler2 1Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University of Enna “Kore”, Enna, Italy; 2Formula 4 Leadership Limited, Nottingham, UK Abstract: This study aimed to validate the Italian version of the Leadership Judgement Indicator, an unconventional instrument devoted to measurement of leaders' judgments and preferred styles, ie, directive, consultative, consensual, or delegative, when dealing with a range of decision-making scenarios. After forward-translation and back-translation, its psychometric properties were estimated for 299 managers at various levels, who were asked to put themselves in the position of leader and to rate the appropriateness of certain ways of responding to challenge. Differences between several groups of managers, ranked in order of seniority, provided evidence for discriminant validity. Internal consistency was adequate. The findings show that the Italian adaptation of the Leadership Judgement Indicator has promising psychometric qualities, suggesting its suitability for use to improve outcomes in both organizational and selection settings. Keywords: Leadership Judgement Indicator, decision-making, situational test, scenarios, psychometric properties

Standardized testing with chlorhexidine in perioperative allergy – a large single-centre evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schjørring Opstrup, Morten; Malling, Hans-Jørgen; Krøigaard, Mogens

2014-01-01

the diameter of negative control. Chlorhexidine allergy was post hoc defined as a relevant clinical reaction to chlorhexidine combined with two or more positive tests. Based on this definition, sensitivity and specificity were estimated for each test. RESULTS: In total, 22 out of 228 patients (9.6%) met...... the definition of allergy to chlorhexidine. Estimated sensitivity and specificity: specific IgE (sensitivity 100% and specificity 97%), HR (sensitivity 55% and specificity 99%), SPT (sensitivity 95% and specificity 97%) and IDT (sensitivity 68% and specificity 100%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients investigated...... for suspected perioperative allergic reactions, 9.6% were diagnosed with allergy to chlorhexidine. Using our definition of chlorhexidine allergy, the highest combined estimated sensitivity and specificity was found for specific IgE and SPT. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved....

81st Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society

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Wiberg, Marie; Culpepper, Steven; Douglas, Jeffrey; Wang, Wen-Chung

2017-01-01

This proceedings volume compiles and expands on selected and peer reviewed presentations given at the 81st Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society (IMPS), organized by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and held in Asheville, North Carolina, July 11th to 17th, 2016. IMPS is one of the largest international meetings focusing on quantitative measurement in psychology, education, and the social sciences, both in terms of participants and number of presentations. The meeting built on the Psychometric Society's mission to share quantitative methods relevant to psychology, addressing a diverse set of psychometric topics including item response theory, factor analysis, structural equation modeling, time series analysis, mediation analysis, cognitive diagnostic models, and multi-level models. Selected presenters were invited to revise and expand their contributions and to have them peer reviewed and published in this proceedings volume. Previous volumes to showcase work from the Psychometric Society�...

Development and psychometric testing of a chinese version of the caregiver burden index for parents of children with allergies.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Pei-Ching; Gau, Bih-Shya; Hung, Chao-Chia

2015-01-01

BACKGROUNG: No specific instrument has thus far been developed for measuring the caregiver burden perceived by parents of children with allergies (CWA). To determine the psychometric properties of the Caregiver Burden Index (CBI). A mixed-methods design was adopted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale. The content validity index was 0.89, and the internal consistency was high with a coefficient alpha of 0.98. Three factors were extracted after exploratory factor analysis. The study findings suggest that the CBI has sufficient reliability and validity to evaluate the caregiver burden of parents of CWA. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A psychometric appraisal of the DREEM

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Hammond Sean M

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The quality of the Educational environment is a key determinant of a student centred curriculum. Evaluation of the educational environment is an important component of programme appraisal. In order to conduct such evaluation use of a comprehensive, valid and reliable instrument is essential. One of most widely used contemporary tools for evaluation of the learning environment is the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM. Apart from the initial psychometric evaluation of the DREEM, few published studies report its psychometric properties in detail. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric quality of the DREEM measure in the context of medical education in Ireland and to explore the construct validity of the device. Methods 239 final year medical students were asked to complete the DREEM inventory. Anonymised responses were entered into a database. Data analysis was performed using PASW 18 and confirmatory factor analysis performed. Results Whilst the total DREEM score had an acceptable level of internal consistency (alpha 0.89, subscale analysis shows that two subscales had sub-optimal internal consistency. Multiple group confirmatory factor analysis (using Fleming's indices shows an overall fit of 0.76, representing a weak but acceptable level of fit. 17 of the 50 items manifest fit indices less than 0.70. We sought the best fitting oblique solution to the 5-subscale structure, which showed large correlations, suggesting that the independence of the separate scales is open to question. Conclusions There has perhaps been an inadequate focus on establishing and maintaining the psychometric credentials of the DREEM. The present study highlights two concerns. Firstly, the internal consistency of the 5 scales is quite variable and, in our sample, appears rather low. Secondly, the construct validity is not well supported. We suggest that users of the DREEM will provide basic psychometric appraisal of the

A psychometric appraisal of the DREEM

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Hammond, Sean M

2012-01-12

Abstract Background The quality of the Educational environment is a key determinant of a student centred curriculum. Evaluation of the educational environment is an important component of programme appraisal. In order to conduct such evaluation use of a comprehensive, valid and reliable instrument is essential. One of most widely used contemporary tools for evaluation of the learning environment is the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). Apart from the initial psychometric evaluation of the DREEM, few published studies report its psychometric properties in detail. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric quality of the DREEM measure in the context of medical education in Ireland and to explore the construct validity of the device. Methods 239 final year medical students were asked to complete the DREEM inventory. Anonymised responses were entered into a database. Data analysis was performed using PASW 18 and confirmatory factor analysis performed. Results Whilst the total DREEM score had an acceptable level of internal consistency (alpha 0.89), subscale analysis shows that two subscales had sub-optimal internal consistency. Multiple group confirmatory factor analysis (using Fleming\\'s indices) shows an overall fit of 0.76, representing a weak but acceptable level of fit. 17 of the 50 items manifest fit indices less than 0.70. We sought the best fitting oblique solution to the 5-subscale structure, which showed large correlations, suggesting that the independence of the separate scales is open to question. Conclusions There has perhaps been an inadequate focus on establishing and maintaining the psychometric credentials of the DREEM. The present study highlights two concerns. Firstly, the internal consistency of the 5 scales is quite variable and, in our sample, appears rather low. Secondly, the construct validity is not well supported. We suggest that users of the DREEM will provide basic psychometric appraisal of the device in future

Applied psychometrics in clinical psychiatry: the pharmacopsychometric triangle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bech, P; Bech, P

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To consider applied psychometrics in psychiatry as a discipline focusing on pharmacopsychology rather than psychopharmacology as illustrated by the pharmacopsychometric triangle. METHOD: The pharmacopsychological dimensions of clinically valid effects of drugs (antianxiety, antidepress......OBJECTIVE: To consider applied psychometrics in psychiatry as a discipline focusing on pharmacopsychology rather than psychopharmacology as illustrated by the pharmacopsychometric triangle. METHOD: The pharmacopsychological dimensions of clinically valid effects of drugs (antianxiety...... psychometrics in psychiatry have been found to cover a pharmacopsychometric triangle illustrating the measurements of wanted and unwanted effects of pharmacotherapeutic drugs as well as health-related quality of life....

The Interpersonal Relationship Inventory: continued psychometric evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tilden, V P; Hirsch, A M; Nelson, C A

1994-01-01

For norm-referenced measures to be useful in social-behavioral research, investigators who develop measures face several psychometric challenges, including: (a) adequate domain specification; (b) adequate initial evidence of reliability and validity; and (c) ongoing evidence of psychometric quality. The Interpersonal Relationship Inventory (IPRI) was developed in response to gaps in measurement of social relationships, and contributed scales for reciprocity and conflict to a measure of social support. For the IPRI, the first two points were addressed during the period of instrument development. The measure now has been in use for 4 years. This article reports evidence addressing the third challenge: ongoing evidence of psychometric quality. Findings from 19 studies using the IPRI provide compelling evidence for internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the scales.

Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness: a study of psychometric properties in a Spanish sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos-Iglesias, Pablo; Sierra, Juan Carlos

2010-08-01

The study analyzed psychometric properties of a Spanish version of the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness in a Spanish sample of 400 men and 453 women who had had a partner for the last 6 mo. or longer at the time of the study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested a two-factor solution with the factors Initiation and No shyness/Refusal. Internal consistency values for total scores were .87 and .83 for the factors, respectively. Convergent validity tests were also satisfactory. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that the Spanish version of the scale has appropriate psychometric properties.

The Importance of the Assumption of Uncorrelated Errors in Psychometric Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Raykov, Tenko; Marcoulides, George A.; Patelis, Thanos

2015-01-01

A critical discussion of the assumption of uncorrelated errors in classical psychometric theory and its applications is provided. It is pointed out that this assumption is essential for a number of fundamental results and underlies the concept of parallel tests, the Spearman-Brown's prophecy and the correction for attenuation formulas as well as…

Data concerning the psychometric properties of the Behavioral Inhibition/Behavioral Activation Scales for the Portuguese population.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, Diana; Almeida, Fernando; Pinto, Marta; Segarra, Pilar; Barbosa, Fernando

2015-09-01

The behavioral inhibition/behavioral activation (BIS/BAS) scales (Carver & White, 1994), which allow rating the Gray's motivational systems, were translated and adapted into Portuguese. In this study, the authors present the procedure and the psychometric analyses of the Portuguese version of the scales, which included basic item and scales psychometric characteristics, as well as confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses. After the psychometric analyses provided evidence for the quality of the Portuguese version of the scales, the normative data was provided by age and school grade. The confirmatory factor analysis of the BIS/BAS scales that the authors performed did not demonstrate satisfactory fit for the 2- or 4-factor solution. The authors also tested the more recent 5-factor model, but the fit indices remained inadequate. As fit indices were not satisfactory they proceeded with an exploratory factor analysis to examine the structure of the Portuguese scales. These psychometric analyses provided evidence of a successful translation of the original scales. Therefore these scales can now be used in future research with Portuguese or Brazilian population. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Comparison of energy measurements in the standard penetration test using the cathead and rope method. Phases I and II. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovacs, W.D.; Salomone, L.A.; Yokel, F.Y.

1983-11-01

Studies conducted on the Standard Penetration Test (SPT) and its present use in engineering practice show that a wide variation in the use of different pieces of SPT equipment, procedures and personnel results in a range of energy measured in the drill rods from 30 to 85 percent of the standard SPT energy. The potential energy and kinetic energy of the hammer were measured prior to impact, and the energy passing through the drill rods was calculated from a force-time measurement in the rods. It was found that safety (type) hammers tend to allow more kinetic energy to pass through the hammer-anvil system than donut (type) hammers. The energy passing through the drill rods was calculated by using a digital processing oscilloscope and an SPT Calibrator. Lessons learned in evaluating the energy measurement by these two methods are discussed. The combined effect of the drill rig used, the operator and his procedures, and the SPT equipment should be considered when energy is to be evaluated. The variation of average energy ratio within various drill rig models was found to be about as large as that among drill rig models. It was therefore impossible to make a statistically significant estimate of the reference energy which is representative of the average energy delivered in the US practice. 29 references, 24 figures, 20 tables

Psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Self-Transcendence Scale among very old people.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundman, Berit; Årestedt, Kristofer; Norberg, Astrid; Norberg, Catharina; Fischer, Regina Santamäki; Lövheim, Hugo

2015-01-01

This study tested the psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the Self-Transcendence Scale (STS). Cohen's weighted kappa, agreement, absolute reliability, relative reliability, and internal consistency were calculated, and the underlying structure of the STS was established by exploratory factor analysis. There were 2 samples available: 1 including 194 people aged 85-103 years and a convenience sample of 60 people aged 21-69 years. Weighted kappa values ranged from .40 to .89. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the original STS was .763, and the least significant change between repeated tests was 6.25 points. The revised STS was found to have satisfactory psychometric properties, and 2 of the 4 underlying dimensions in Reed's self-transcendence theory were supported.

Psychometric properties of the School Fears Survey Scale for preadolescents (SFSS-II).

Science.gov (United States)

García-Fernández, José Manuel; Espada Sánchez, José Pedro; Orgilés Amorós, Mireia; Méndez Carrillo, Xavier

2010-08-01

This paper describes the psychometric properties of a new children's self-report measure. The School Fears Survey Scale, Form II (SFSS-II) assesses school fears in children from ages 8 to 11. The factor solution with a Spanish sample of 3,665 children isolated four factors: Fear of academic failure and punishment, fear of physical discomfort, fear of social and school assessment and anticipatory and separation anxiety. The questionnaire was tested by confirmatory factor analysis, which accounted for 55.80% of the total variance. Results indicated that the SFSS-II has a high internal consistency (alpha= .89). The results revealed high test-retest reliability and appropriate relationship with other scales. The age by gender interaction was significant. Two-way analysis of variance found that older children and girls had higher anxiety. The instrument shows adequate psychometric guarantees and can be used for the multidimensional assessment of anxiety in clinical and educational settings.

Validating internet research: a test of the psychometric equivalence of internet and in-person samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyerson, Paul; Tryon, Warren W

2003-11-01

This study evaluated the psychometric equivalency of Web-based research. The Sexual Boredom Scale was presented via the World-Wide Web along with five additional scales used to validate it. A subset of 533 participants that matched a previously published sample (Watt & Ewing, 1996) on age, gender, and race was identified. An 8 x 8 correlation matrix from the matched Internet sample was compared via structural equation modeling with a similar 8 x 8 correlation matrix from the previously published study. The Internet and previously published samples were psychometrically equivalent. Coefficient alpha values calculated on the matched Internet sample yielded reliability coefficients almost identical to those for the previously published sample. Factors such as computer administration and uncontrollable administration settings did not appear to affect the results. Demographic data indicated an overrepresentation of males by about 6% and Caucasians by about 13% relative to the U.S. Census (2000). A total of 2,230 participants were obtained in about 8 months without remuneration. These results suggest that data collection on the Web is (1) reliable, (2) valid, (3) reasonably representative, (4) cost effective, and (5) efficient.

A psychometric comparison of three scales and a single-item measure to assess sexual satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Mark, Kristen P; Herbenick, Debby; Fortenberry, J Dennis; Sanders, Stephanie; Reece, Michael

2014-01-01

This study was designed to systematically compare and contrast the psychometric properties of three scales developed to measure sexual satisfaction and a single-item measure of sexual satisfaction. The Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS), Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction (GMSEX), and the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale-Short (NSSS-S) were compared to one another and to a single-item measure of sexual satisfaction. Conceptualization of the constructs, distribution of scores, internal consistency, convergent validity, test-retest reliability, and factor structure were compared between the measures. A total of 211 men and 214 women completed the scales and a measure of relationship satisfaction, with 33% (n = 139) of the sample reassessed two months later. All scales demonstrated appropriate distribution of scores and adequate internal consistency. The GMSEX, NSSS-S, and the single-item measure demonstrated convergent validity. Test-retest reliability was demonstrated by the ISS, GMSEX, and NSSS-S, but not the single-item measure. Taken together, the GMSEX received the strongest psychometric support in this sample for a unidimensional measure of sexual satisfaction and the NSSS-S received the strongest psychometric support in this sample for a bidimensional measure of sexual satisfaction.

Evaluating the Psychometric Quality of Social Skills Measures: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cordier, Reinie; Speyer, Renée; Chen, Yu-Wei; Wilkes-Gillan, Sarah; Brown, Ted; Bourke-Taylor, Helen; Doma, Kenji; Leicht, Anthony

2015-01-01

Impairments in social functioning are associated with an array of adverse outcomes. Social skills measures are commonly used by health professionals to assess and plan the treatment of social skills difficulties. There is a need to comprehensively evaluate the quality of psychometric properties reported across these measures to guide assessment and treatment planning. To conduct a systematic review of the literature on the psychometric properties of social skills and behaviours measures for both children and adults. A systematic search was performed using four electronic databases: CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase and Pubmed; the Health and Psychosocial Instruments database; and grey literature using PsycExtra and Google Scholar. The psychometric properties of the social skills measures were evaluated against the COSMIN taxonomy of measurement properties using pre-set psychometric criteria. Thirty-Six studies and nine manuals were included to assess the psychometric properties of thirteen social skills measures that met the inclusion criteria. Most measures obtained excellent overall methodological quality scores for internal consistency and reliability. However, eight measures did not report measurement error, nine measures did not report cross-cultural validity and eleven measures did not report criterion validity. The overall quality of the psychometric properties of most measures was satisfactory. The SSBS-2, HCSBS and PKBS-2 were the three measures with the most robust evidence of sound psychometric quality in at least seven of the eight psychometric properties that were appraised. A universal working definition of social functioning as an overarching construct is recommended. There is a need for ongoing research in the area of the psychometric properties of social skills and behaviours instruments.

Evaluating the Psychometric Quality of Social Skills Measures: A Systematic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Ted; Bourke-Taylor, Helen; Doma, Kenji; Leicht, Anthony

2015-01-01

Introduction Impairments in social functioning are associated with an array of adverse outcomes. Social skills measures are commonly used by health professionals to assess and plan the treatment of social skills difficulties. There is a need to comprehensively evaluate the quality of psychometric properties reported across these measures to guide assessment and treatment planning. Objective To conduct a systematic review of the literature on the psychometric properties of social skills and behaviours measures for both children and adults. Methods A systematic search was performed using four electronic databases: CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase and Pubmed; the Health and Psychosocial Instruments database; and grey literature using PsycExtra and Google Scholar. The psychometric properties of the social skills measures were evaluated against the COSMIN taxonomy of measurement properties using pre-set psychometric criteria. Results Thirty-Six studies and nine manuals were included to assess the psychometric properties of thirteen social skills measures that met the inclusion criteria. Most measures obtained excellent overall methodological quality scores for internal consistency and reliability. However, eight measures did not report measurement error, nine measures did not report cross-cultural validity and eleven measures did not report criterion validity. Conclusions The overall quality of the psychometric properties of most measures was satisfactory. The SSBS-2, HCSBS and PKBS-2 were the three measures with the most robust evidence of sound psychometric quality in at least seven of the eight psychometric properties that were appraised. A universal working definition of social functioning as an overarching construct is recommended. There is a need for ongoing research in the area of the psychometric properties of social skills and behaviours instruments. PMID:26151362

Evaluating the Psychometric Quality of Social Skills Measures: A Systematic Review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reinie Cordier

Full Text Available Impairments in social functioning are associated with an array of adverse outcomes. Social skills measures are commonly used by health professionals to assess and plan the treatment of social skills difficulties. There is a need to comprehensively evaluate the quality of psychometric properties reported across these measures to guide assessment and treatment planning.To conduct a systematic review of the literature on the psychometric properties of social skills and behaviours measures for both children and adults.A systematic search was performed using four electronic databases: CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase and Pubmed; the Health and Psychosocial Instruments database; and grey literature using PsycExtra and Google Scholar. The psychometric properties of the social skills measures were evaluated against the COSMIN taxonomy of measurement properties using pre-set psychometric criteria.Thirty-Six studies and nine manuals were included to assess the psychometric properties of thirteen social skills measures that met the inclusion criteria. Most measures obtained excellent overall methodological quality scores for internal consistency and reliability. However, eight measures did not report measurement error, nine measures did not report cross-cultural validity and eleven measures did not report criterion validity.The overall quality of the psychometric properties of most measures was satisfactory. The SSBS-2, HCSBS and PKBS-2 were the three measures with the most robust evidence of sound psychometric quality in at least seven of the eight psychometric properties that were appraised. A universal working definition of social functioning as an overarching construct is recommended. There is a need for ongoing research in the area of the psychometric properties of social skills and behaviours instruments.

Psychometric properties of the Cumulated Ambulation Score

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ferriero, Giorgio; Kristensen, Morten T; Invernizzi, Marco

2018-01-01

INTRODUCTION: In the geriatric population, independent mobility is a key factor in determining readiness for discharge following acute hospitalization. The Cumulated Ambulation Score (CAS) is a potentially valuable score that allows day-to-day measurements of basic mobility. The CAS was developed...... and validated in older patients with hip fracture as an early postoperative predictor of short-term outcome, but it is also used to assess geriatric in-patients with acute medical illness. Despite the fast- accumulating literature on the CAS, to date no systematic review synthesizing its psychometric properties....... Of 49 studies identified, 17 examined the psychometric properties of the CAS. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Most papers dealt with patients after hip fracture surgery, and only 4 studies assessed the CAS psychometric characteristics also in geriatric in-patients with acute medical illness. Two versions of CAS...

Secondary Psychometric Examination of the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale: Classical Testing, Item Response Theory, and Differential Item Functioning.

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Thibodeau, Michel A; Leonard, Rachel C; Abramowitz, Jonathan S; Riemann, Bradley C

2015-12-01

The Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS) is a promising measure of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms but has received minimal psychometric attention. We evaluated the utility and reliability of DOCS scores. The study included 832 students and 300 patients with OCD. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the originally proposed four-factor structure. DOCS total and subscale scores exhibited good to excellent internal consistency in both samples (α = .82 to α = .96). Patient DOCS total scores reduced substantially during treatment (t = 16.01, d = 1.02). DOCS total scores discriminated between students and patients (sensitivity = 0.76, 1 - specificity = 0.23). The measure did not exhibit gender-based differential item functioning as tested by Mantel-Haenszel chi-square tests. Expected response options for each item were plotted as a function of item response theory and demonstrated that DOCS scores incrementally discriminate OCD symptoms ranging from low to extremely high severity. Incremental differences in DOCS scores appear to represent unbiased and reliable differences in true OCD symptom severity. © The Author(s) 2014.

The Metacognitions about Gambling Questionnaire: Development and psychometric properties.

OpenAIRE

Caselli, G; Fernie, B; Canfora, F; Mascolo, C; Ferrari, A; Antonioni, M; Giustina, L; Donato, G; Marcotriggiani, A; Bertani, A; Altieri, A; Pellegrini, E; Spada, MM

2018-01-01

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 sup...

Manifesto: towards a clinically-oriented psychometrics.

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Vickers, Andrew J; Chen, Ling Y

2017-04-26

New technologies to collect patient - reported outcomes have substantially solved the challenge of integrating a questionnaire in a busy clinical practice. At Memorial Sloan Kettering, we have been collecting patient reported outcomes electronically for many years. Our experience confirms the predicted benefits of obtaining patient reported outcomes but has also raised serious concerns about whether instruments developed for the research setting are appropriate for routine clinical use. We summarize four principles for a clinically - relevant psychometrics. First, minimize patient burden: the use of a large number of items for a single domain may be of interest for research but additional items have little clinical utility. Secondly, use simplified language: patients who do not have good language skills are typically excluded from research studies but will nonetheless present in clinical practice. Third, avoid dumb questions: many questionnaire items are inappropriate when applied to a more general population. Fourth, what works for the group may not work for the individual: group level statistics used to validate survey instruments can obscure problems when applied to a subgroup of patients. There is a need for a clinically-oriented psychometrics to help design, test, and evaluate questionnaires that would be used in routine practice. Developing statistical methods to optimize questionnaires will be highly challenging but needed to bring the potential of patient reported outcomes into widespread clinical use.

The development and psychometric testing of East Asian Acculturation Scale among Asian immigrant women in Taiwan.

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Kuo, Shu-Fen; Chang, Wen-Yin; Chang, Lu-I; Chou, Yu-Hua; Chen, Ching-Min

2013-01-01

This is a report of development and psychometric testing of the East Asian Acculturation Measure-Chinese version (EAAM-C) scale. An instrument validation design with a cross-sectional survey was conducted. The process was carried in two phases. In Phase 1, Barry's East Asian Acculturation Measure was translated and back translated to evaluate its content, face validity, and feasibility validity. In Phase 2, the 16-item EAAM-C was pilot-tested among 485 female immigrants for test-retest reliability, internal consistency, theoretically-supported construct validity and concurrent validity. The pilot work and the survey results indicated the tools possessed adequate content and face validity. The Cronbach's Alphas for the EAAM-C was 0.72, and 0.76-0.79 for its subscales, and the correlation of test-retest reliability (at 3 weeks) was 0.75. After dropping one item, four theoretically-supported factors which explained 61.82% of the variance were abstracted using exploratory factor analysis: assimilation, integration, separation, and marginalization. Based on the underlying four-factor theoretical structures of the EAAM, the confirmatory factor analysis of the EAAM-C was further examined. The analysis revealed that the four-factor model was an acceptable fit for the data which demonstrated adequate finding in its construct validity. These factors were inter-correlated, and showed statistically significant correlation with the Chinese Health Questionnaire, indicating adequate concurrent validity. The scale shows acceptable validity and consistency, and suggests that immigrant acculturation is a complex construct. This quick evaluation instrument can be applied to assess clients' acculturation and in further developing certain interventions to improve their health.

Sensitization to cereals and peanut evidenced by skin prick test and specific IgE in food-tolerant, grass pollen allergic patients

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Martens Maria

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The botanical relation between grass and cereal grains may be relevant when diagnosing food allergy to cereals. The aim was to investigate the diagnostic specificity of skin prick test (SPT and specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE tests to cereals and peanut in grass pollen allergic subjects without history of, and clinically reactions to foods botanically related to grass. Methods 70 subjects (41 females; mean age 32 years and 20 healthy controls (13 females; mean age 24 years were tested by open food challenge (OFC with cereals and peanut. SPT and sIgE both with Immulite® (Siemens and ImmunoCAP® (Phadia to grass and birch pollen, cereals, peanut and bromelain were performed. Results Of the 65 OFC-negative subjects 29-46% (SPT, depending on cut-off, 20% (Immulite and 38% (ImmunoCAP had positive results to one or more of the foods tested. Controls were negative in all tests. Cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCD as evidenced by reaction to bromelain could explain only a minority of the measured IgE-sensitizations. Conclusion Grass pollen allergic patients with documented food tolerance to cereals and peanut may express significant sensitization. False-positive cereal or peanut allergy diagnoses may be a quantitatively important problem both in routine clinical work and epidemiological studies.

Identification of low allergenic apple cultivars using skin prick tests and oral food challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlieg-Boerstra, B. J.; van de Weg, W. E.; van der Heide, S.; Kerkhof, M.; Arens, P.; Heijerman-Peppelman, G.; Dubois, A. E. J.

2011-01-01

As oral allergy syndrome (OAS) symptoms to apple are frequent, we aimed to identify low allergenic apple cultivars and to validate the prick-to-prick skin prick test (SPT) as a suitable screening method. Sixty-eight apple cultivars were tested by SPTs in 33 Dutch adults with OAS, before and during

Identification of low allergenic apple cultivars using skin prick tests and oral food challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlieg-Boerstra, B. J.; van de Weg, W. E.; van der Heide, S.; Kerkhof, M.; Arens, P.; Heijerman-Peppelman, G.; Dubois, A. E. J.

P>Background: As oral allergy syndrome (OAS) symptoms to apple are frequent, we aimed to identify low allergenic apple cultivars and to validate the prick-to-prick skin prick test (SPT) as a suitable screening method. Methods: Sixty-eight apple cultivars were tested by SPTs in 33 Dutch adults with

Psychometric Evaluation of the Persian Version of Barkley Adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Screening Tool among the Elderly

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Mostafa Sadeghi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. The Barkley Adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD Rating Scale-IV (BAARS-IV was developed, and it demonstrated good psychometric properties. The BAARS-IV includes 27 questions on the symptoms of adult ADHD. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the psychometric testing of the Persian version of BAARS-IV among the elderlies in Tabriz City. Method. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Tabriz City—in the west of Iran—in 2015 via enrolling of 121 old-aged people. We did the process of translation and adaptation of BAARS-IV and examined its concurrent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. Result. The BAARS-IV demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Correlations between the BAARS-IV and the CAARS-S: SV were high and evidence supporting concurrent validity was revealed. Cronbach’s alpha for the overall scale and subscales stood at 0.89, 0.81, 0.66, 0.56, and 0.82, respectively. Conclusion. The Persian BAARS-IV showed acceptable reliability and validity. BAARS-IV was determined to be composed of internally consistent and psychometrically sound items.

Quick screening tool for patients with severe negative emotional reactions to chronic illness: psychometric study of the negative emotions due to chronic illness screening test (NECIS).

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Huang, Yun-Hsin; Wu, Chih-Hsun; Chen, Hsiu-Jung; Cheng, Yih-Ru; Hung, Fu-Chien; Leung, Kai-Kuan; Lue, Bee-Horng; Chen, Ching-Yu; Chiu, Tai-Yuan; Wu, Yin-Chang

2018-01-16

Severe negative emotional reactions to chronic illness are maladaptive to patients and they need to be addressed in a primary care setting. The psychometric properties of a quick screening tool-the Negative Emotions due to Chronic Illness Screening Test (NECIS)-for general emotional problems among patients with chronic illness being treated in a primary care setting was investigated. Three studies including 375 of patients with chronic illness were used to assess and analyze internal consistency, test-retest reliability, criterion-related validity, a cut-off point for distinguishing maladaptive emotions and clinical application validity of NECIS. Self-report questionnaires were used. Internal consistency (Cronbach's α) ranged from 0.78 to 0.82, and the test-retest reliability was 0.71 (P analysis reference, the receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 0.81 and 0.82 (ps emotions, with a sensitivity and specificity of 83.3 and 69.0%, and 68.5 and 83.0%, respectively. The clinical application validity analysis revealed that low NECIS group showed significantly better adaptation to chronic illness on the scales of subjective health, general satisfaction with life, self-efficacy of self-care for disease, illness perception and stressors in everyday life. The NECIS has satisfactory psychometric properties for use in the primary care setting. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Stereotype Threat Vulnerability: A Psychometric Investigation of the Social Identities and Attitudes Scale

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Smith, Leann V.; Cokley, Kevin

2016-01-01

The authors investigated the psychometric properties of the Social Identities and Attitudes Scale developed by Picho and Brown, which captures an individual's vulnerability to Stereotype Threat effects. Confirmatory factor analyses and group invariance tests conducted on a diverse sample of 516 college students revealed adequate reliability and…

Development and psychometric testing of the 'Motivation and Self-Efficacy in Early Detection of Skin Lesions' index.

Science.gov (United States)

Dyson, Judith; Cowdell, Fiona

2014-12-01

To develop and psychometrically test the Motivation and Self-Efficacy in Early Detection of Skin Lesions Index. Skin cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide. The primary strategy used to prevent skin cancer is promotion of sun avoidance and the use of sun protection. However, despite costly and extensive campaigns, cases of skin cancer continue to increase. If found and treated early, skin cancer is curable. Early detection is, therefore, very important. The study was conducted in 2013. Instrument Development. A literature review and a survey identified barriers (factors that hinder) and levers (factors that help) to skin self-examination. These were categorized according to a the Theoretical Domains Framework and this formed the basis of an instrument, which was tested for validity and reliability using confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha respectively. A five-factor 20-item instrument was used that tested well for reliability and construct validity. Test-retest reliability was good for all items and domains. The five factors were: (i) Outcome expectancies; (ii) Intention; (iii) Self-efficacy; (iv) Social influences; (v) Memory. The Motivation and Self-Efficacy in Early Detection of Skin Lesions Index provides a reliable and valid method of assessing barriers and levers to skin self-examination. The next step is to design a theory-based intervention that can be tailored according to individual determinants to behaviour change identified by this instrument. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of Food Allergy in Children by Skin Prick Tests with Commercial Extracts and Fresh Foods, Specific IgE and, Open Oral Food Challenge-Our Five Years Experience in Food Allergy Work-up.

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Zivanovic, Mirjana; Atanasković-Marković, Marina; Medjo, Biljana; Gavrović-Jankulović, Marija; Smiljanić, Katarina; Tmušić, Vladimir; Djurić, Vojislav

2017-04-01

IgE- mediated food allergy affects 6-8% of children. Our study aimed to define the correlations between the results obtained with skin prick tests (SPTs) using commercial extracts and fresh foods, and the correlations between these result and those obtained with specific IgE (sIgE) and/ or challenge. Children aged from 2 months to 6 years were recruited prospectively. Overall 571 children were positive to one food. In all children we performed  SPT using commercial extracts of suspected food and fresh foods and sIgE. If SPT and sIgE test results did not correspond to the history, we performed open oral food challenge. Sensitivity of SPT with commercial extracts for all tested food was poor (3-35%), while  sensitivity of fresh food skin prick tests (FFSPT) was excellent (50-100%), and showed correlation with open oral food challenge (pfood extracts are more effective in detecting sensitization and with levels of sIgE greater than class 3 could predict clinical reactivity, without the need for potentially hazardous food challenges.

Psychometric properties of the Oswestry disability index: Rasch analysis of responses in a work-disabled population.

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Lochhead, Lois E; MacMillan, Peter D

2013-01-01

The Oswestry disability index (ODI) is the most widely used measure of perceived disability for low back conditions. It has been adopted without adaptation in functional capacity evaluation (FCE). Rigorous testing of the ODI with modern psychometric methods, in this setting, is warranted. To determine the psychometric properties of the ODI in FCE: unidimensionality; differential item functioning; item coverage and to identify poorly functioning items, allowing for improvement of these items and recalibration of the scale. Rasch analysis, specifically Masters' partial credit model, was conducted on data. 133 work-disabled individuals presenting for FCE in northern British Columbia, Canada. All items had one poorly functioning option. Items were rescaled from six categories to five, improving the psychometric properties of the ODI as a unidimensional (disability due to back pain) scale. Item difficulty range is sufficient for a population with mild to severe disability. Although two of the ten ODI items functioned marginally unsatisfactorily in the unrevised state, the 5-option revised ODI appears superior. Use in clinical settings across a broad spectrum of disability levels could help establish its psychometric properties. Health professionals should be aware that the ODI may perform differently depending on client population.

Numerical development of a new correlation between biaxial fracture strain and material fracture toughness for small punch test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Pradeep [Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094 (India); Dutta, B.K., E-mail: bijon.dutta@gmail.com [Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094 (India); Chattopadhyay, J. [Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094 (India); Reactor Safety Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)

2017-04-01

The miniaturized specimens are used to determine mechanical properties of the materials, such as yield stress, ultimate stress, fracture toughness etc. Use of such specimens is essential whenever limited quantity of material is available for testing, such as aged/irradiated materials. The miniaturized small punch test (SPT) is a technique which is widely used to determine change in mechanical properties of the materials. Various empirical correlations are proposed in the literature to determine the value of fracture toughness (J{sub IC}) using this technique. bi-axial fracture strain is determined using SPT tests. This parameter is then used to determine J{sub IC} using available empirical correlations. The correlations between J{sub IC} and biaxial fracture strain quoted in the literature are based on experimental data acquired for large number of materials. There are number of such correlations available in the literature, which are generally not in agreement with each other. In the present work, an attempt has been made to determine the correlation between biaxial fracture strain (ε{sub qf}) and crack initiation toughness (J{sub i}) numerically. About one hundred materials are digitally generated by varying yield stress, ultimate stress, hardening coefficient and Gurson parameters. Such set of each material is then used to analyze a SPT specimen and a standard TPB specimen. Analysis of SPT specimen generated biaxial fracture strain (ε{sub qf}) and analysis of TPB specimen generated value of J{sub i}. A graph is then plotted between these two parameters for all the digitally generated materials. The best fit straight line determines the correlation. It has been also observed that it is possible to have variation in J{sub i} for the same value of biaxial fracture strain (ε{sub qf}) within a limit. Such variation in the value of J{sub i} has been also ascertained using the graph. Experimental SPT data acquired earlier for three materials were then used to get J

The use of test scores from large-scale assessment surveys: psychometric and statistical considerations

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Henry Braun

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Economists are making increasing use of measures of student achievement obtained through large-scale survey assessments such as NAEP, TIMSS, and PISA. The construction of these measures, employing plausible value (PV methodology, is quite different from that of the more familiar test scores associated with assessments such as the SAT or ACT. These differences have important implications both for utilization and interpretation. Although much has been written about PVs, it appears that there are still misconceptions about whether and how to employ them in secondary analyses. Methods We address a range of technical issues, including those raised in a recent article that was written to inform economists using these databases. First, an extensive review of the relevant literature was conducted, with particular attention to key publications that describe the derivation and psychometric characteristics of such achievement measures. Second, a simulation study was carried out to compare the statistical properties of estimates based on the use of PVs with those based on other, commonly used methods. Results It is shown, through both theoretical analysis and simulation, that under fairly general conditions appropriate use of PV yields approximately unbiased estimates of model parameters in regression analyses of large scale survey data. The superiority of the PV methodology is particularly evident when measures of student achievement are employed as explanatory variables. Conclusions The PV methodology used to report student test performance in large scale surveys remains the state-of-the-art for secondary analyses of these databases.

[Can Psychometric Tests Predict Success in the Selection Interview for Medical School? A Cross-Sectional Study at One German Medical School].

Science.gov (United States)

Kötter, T; Obst, K U; Brüheim, L; Eisemann, N; Voltmer, E; Katalinic, A

2017-07-01

Background The final exam grade is the main selection criterion for medical school application in Germany. For academic success, it seems to be a reliable predictor. Its use as the only selection criterion is, however, criticised. At some universities, personal interviews are part of the selection process. However, these are very time consuming and are of doubtful validity. The (additional) use of appropriate psychometric instruments could reduce the cost and increase the validity. This study investigates the extent to which psychometric instruments can predict the outcome of a personal selection interview. Methods This is a cross-sectional study on the correlation of the results of psychometric instruments with those of the personal selection interview as part of the application process. As the outcome, the score of the selection interview was used. The NEO - Five Factor Inventory, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the questionnaire to identify work-related behaviour and experience patterns (AVEM) were used as psychometric interviews. Results There was a statistically significant correlation with the results of the personal selection interview for the sum score of the depression scale from the HADS and the sum score for the dimension of life satisfaction of the AVEM. In addition, those participants who did not previously complete an application training achieved a better result in the selection interview. Conclusion The instruments used measure different aspects than the interviews and cannot replace them. It remains to be seen whether the selected parameters are able to predict academic success. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Psychometric and Clinimetric Properties of the Melbourne Assessment 2 in Children With Cerebral Palsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tien-Ni; Liang, Kai-Jie; Liu, Yi-Chia; Shieh, Jeng-Yi; Chen, Hao-Ling

2017-09-01

To examine the psychometric and clinimetric properties of the Melbourne Assessment 2 (MA2), an outcome measurement that is increasingly used in clinical studies. Psychometric and clinimetric study. Community. Seventeen children with cerebral palsy (CP) from 5 to 12 years were recruited for the estimation of the test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC). Thirty-five children with CP were recruited to receive an 8-week intensive neurorehabilitation intervention to estimate the validity, responsiveness, and minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Thirty-five children with CP received upper limb neurorehabilitation programs for 8 weeks. The MA2 and the criterion measures, including the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 2nd edition (BOT-2), the Box and Blocks Test (BBT), and the Pediatric Motor Activity Log-Revised (PMAL-R), were evaluated at pretreatment and posttreatment. The MA2 has 4 subscales: range of motion, fluency, accuracy, and dexterity. The test-retest reliability of the MA2 is high (intraclass correlation coefficient, .92-.98). The significant relationships between the MA2 and BBT, BOT-2, and PMAL-R support its validity. The significance of paired t test results (PMA2. The MDC values of the 4 subscales of the MA2 are 2.85, 1.63, 1.97, and 1.84, respectively, and the suggested MCID values of these 4 subscales are 2.35, 3.20, 2.09, and 2.22, respectively, indicating the minimum scores of improvement to be interpreted as both statistically significant and clinically important. The study findings indicate that the MA2 has sound psychometric and clinimetric properties and is thus an adequate measurement for research and clinical applications. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychometric test of the Team Climate Inventory-short version investigated in Dutch quality improvement teams

OpenAIRE

Nieboer Anna P; Strating Mathilde MH

2009-01-01

Abstract Background Although some studies have used the Team Climate Inventory within teams working in health care settings, none of these included quality improvement teams. The aim of our study is to investigate the psychometric properties of the 14-item version of the Team Climate Inventory in healthcare quality improvement teams participating in a Dutch quality collaborative. Methods This study included quality improvement teams participating in the Care for Better improvement program for...

The Team Climate Inventory (TCI): A psychometric test on a Taiwanese sample of work groups

OpenAIRE

Tseng, Hsu-Min; Liu, F-C; West, Michael

2009-01-01

Understanding the feasibility of applying the Team Climate Inventory (TCI) in non-Western cultures is essential for researchers attempting to understand the influence of culture on workers' perceived climate. This study describes the application of the TCI in such a setting using data from 203 administrators employed in a Taiwanese medical center. Reliability and factor analyses were performed to establish the feasibility and psychometric properties of the TCI Taiwan version. Reliabilities of...

Psychometric properties evaluation of a new ergonomics-related job factors questionnaire developed for nursing workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Coluci, Marina Zambon Orpinelli; Alexandre, Neusa Maria Costa

2014-11-01

The objectives of this study were to develop a questionnaire that evaluates the perception of nursing workers to job factors that may contribute to musculoskeletal symptoms, and to evaluate its psychometric properties. Internationally recommended methodology was followed: construction of domains, items and the instrument as a whole, content validity, and pre-test. Psychometric properties were evaluated among 370 nursing workers. Construct validity was analyzed by the factorial analysis, known-groups technique, and convergent validity. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency and stability. Results indicated satisfactory fit indices during confirmatory factor analysis, significant difference (p office workers, and moderate correlations between the new questionnaire and Numeric Pain Scale, SF-36 and WRFQ. Cronbach's alpha was close to 0.90 and ICC values ranged from 0.64 to 0.76. Therefore, results indicated that the new questionnaire had good psychometric properties for use in studies involving nursing workers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Psychometric properties of Persian version of the Sustained Auditory Attention Capacity Test in children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Soltanparast, Sanaz; Jafari, Zahra; Sameni, Seyed Jalal; Salehi, Masoud

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of the Persian version of the Sustained Auditory Attention Capacity Test in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Persian version of the Sustained Auditory Attention Capacity Test was constructed to assess sustained auditory attention using the method provided by Feniman and colleagues (2007). In this test, comments were provided to assess the child's attentional deficit by determining inattention and impulsiveness error, the total scores of the sustained auditory attention capacity test and attention span reduction index. In the present study for determining the validity and reliability of in both Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test and the Persian version of the Sustained Auditory Attention Capacity Test (SAACT), 46 normal children and 41 children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity (ADHD), all right-handed and aged between 7 and 11 of both genders, were evaluated. In determining convergent validity, a negative significant correlation was found between the three parts of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test (first, fifth, and immediate recall) and all indicators of the SAACT except attention span reduction. By comparing the test scores between the normal and ADHD groups, discriminant validity analysis showed significant differences in all indicators of the test except for attention span reduction (pAttention Capacity test has good validity and reliability, that matches other reliable tests, and it can be used for the identification of children with attention deficits and if they suspected to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Review of the Psychometric Evidence of the Perceived Stress Scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eun-Hyun Lee, RN, PhD

2012-12-01

Conclusion: Overall, the PSS is an easy-to-use questionnaire with established acceptable psychometric properties. However, future studies should evaluate these psychometric properties in greater depth, and validate the scale using diverse populations.

Clinical and Psychometric Evaluations of the Cerebral Vision Screening Questionnaire in 461 Nonaphasic Individuals Poststroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, Guenter; Schaadt, Anna-Katharina; Reinhart, Stefan; Kerkhoff, Georg

2016-03-01

Cerebral vision disorders (CVDs) are frequent after brain damage and impair the patient's outcome. Yet clinically and psychometrically validated procedures for the anamnesis of CVD are lacking. To evaluate the clinical validity and psychometric qualities of the Cerebral Vision Screening Questionnaire (CVSQ) for the anamnesis of CVD in individuals poststroke. Analysis of the patients' subjective visual complaints in the 10-item CVSQ in relation to objective visual perimetry, tests of reading, visual scanning, visual acuity, spatial contrast sensitivity, light/dark adaptation, and visual depth judgments. Psychometric analyses of concurrent validity, specificity, sensitivity, positive/negative predictive value, and interrater reliability were also done. Four hundred sixty-one patients with unilateral (39.5% left, 47.5% right) or bilateral stroke (13.0%) were included. Most patients were assessed in the chronic stage, on average 36.7 (range = 1-620) weeks poststroke. The majority of all patients (96.4%) recognized their visual symptoms within 1 week poststroke when asked for specifically. Mean concurrent validity of the CVSQ with objective tests was 0.64 (0.54-0.79, P reliability was 0.76 for a 1-week interval between both assessments (all P guides the clinician in the selection of necessary assessments and appropriate neurovisual therapies for the patient. © The Author(s) 2015.

Teacher Test Accountability.

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Larry H. Ludlow

2001-02-01

Full Text Available Given the high stakes of teacher testing, there is no doubt that every teacher test should meet the industry guidelines set forth in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. Unfortunately, however, there is no public or private business or governmental agency that serves to certify or in any other formal way declare that any teacher test does, in fact, meet the psychometric recommendations stipulated in the Standards. Consequently, there are no legislated penalties for faulty products (tests nor are there opportunities for test takers simply to raise questions about a test and to have their questions taken seriously by an impartial panel. The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the psychometric results reported by National Evaluation Systems (NES in their 1999 Massachusetts Educator Certification Test (MECT Technical Report, and more specifically, to identify those technical characteristics of the MECT that are inconsistent with the Standards. A second purpose of this article is to call for the establishment of a standing test auditing organization with investigation and sanctioning power. The significance of the present analysis is twofold: a psychometric results for the MECT are similar in nature to psychometric results presented as evidence of test development flaws in an Alabama class-action lawsuit dealing with teacher certification (an NES-designed testing system; and b there was no impartial enforcement agency to whom complaints about the Alabama tests could be brought, other than the court, nor is there any such agency to whom complaints about the Massachusetts tests can be brought. I begin by reviewing NES's role in Allen v. Alabama State Board of Education, 81-697-N. Next I explain the purpose and interpretation of standard item analysis procedures and statistics. Finally, I present results taken directly from the 1999 MECT Technical Report and compare them to procedures, results, and consequences of

Psychometric properties of the Satisfaction With Life Scale in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosengren, L; Jonasson, S B; Brogårdh, C; Lexell, J

2015-09-01

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a global measure of life satisfaction (LS). The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties (data completeness, scaling assumptions, targeting and reliability) of the SWLS in a sample of people with Parkinson's disease (PD). A postal survey including a Swedish version of the SWLS and demographic information was administered to 174 persons with PD; 97 responded and received a second survey after 2 weeks. The mean (SD) age and PD duration of the 97 responders were 73 (8) and 7 (6) years, respectively. Data completeness was 92% to 97% for the five items in the SWLS and 92% for the total score (5-35 points). The mean score of the SWLS was 24.2 points (7.7), indicating that this group had an average LS. The items' means and SDs were roughly parallel and the score distribution was even. The internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.90. The test-retest reliability, assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient, was 0.78. The scale showed no systematic difference between the first and second response. The standard error of measurement was 3.6 points, and the smallest detectable difference was 10.0 points. This evaluation of the psychometric properties of the SWLS shows that the scale has good data completeness, scaling assumptions and targeting and that the internal consistency reliability and the test-retest reliability are acceptable. Thus, the SWLS is a psychometrically sound and suitable tool to asses LS in people with PD. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Essential elements of the nursing practice environment in nursing homes: Psychometric evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

de Brouwer, Brigitte Johanna Maria; Kaljouw, Marian J; Schoonhoven, Lisette; van Achterberg, Theo

2017-06-01

To develop and psychometrically test the Essentials of Magnetism II in nursing homes. Increasing numbers and complex needs of older people in nursing homes strain the nursing workforce. Fewer adequately trained staff and increased care complexity raise concerns about declining quality. Nurses' practice environment has been reported to affect quality of care and productivity. The Essentials of Magnetism II © measures processes and relationships of practice environments that contribute to productivity and quality of care and can therefore be useful in identifying processes requiring change to pursue excellent practice environments. However, this instrument was not explicitly evaluated for its use in nursing home settings so far. In a preparatory phase, a cross-sectional survey study focused on face validity of the essentials of magnetism in nursing homes. A second cross-sectional survey design was then used to further test the instrument's validity and reliability. Psychometric testing included evaluation of content and construct validity, and reliability. Nurses (N = 456) working at 44 units of three nursing homes were included. Respondent acceptance, relevance and clarity were adequate. Five of the eight subscales and 54 of the 58 items did meet preset psychometric criteria. All essentials of magnetism are considered relevant for nursing homes. The subscales Adequacy of Staffing, Clinically Competent Peers, Patient Centered Culture, Autonomy and Nurse Manager Support can be used in nursing homes without problems. The other subscales cannot be directly applied to this setting. The valid subscales of the Essentials of Magnetism II instrument can be used to design excellent nursing practice environments that support nurses' delivery of care. Before using the entire instrument, however, the other subscales have to be improved. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A new psychometric questionnaire for reporting of somatosensory percepts

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, L. H.; McLeod, R. S.; Kiss, Z. H. T.

2018-02-01

Objective. There have been remarkable advances over the past decade in neural prostheses to restore lost motor function. However, restoration of somatosensory feedback, which is essential for fine motor control and user acceptance, has lagged behind. With an increasing interest in using electrical stimulation to restore somatosensory sensations within the peripheral (PNS) and central nervous systems (CNS), it is critical to characterize the percepts evoked by electrical stimulation in a standardized manner with a validated psychometric questionnaire. This will allow comparison of results from applications at various nervous system levels in multiple settings. Approach. We compiled a summary of published reports of somatosensory percepts that were elicited by electrical stimulation in humans and used these to develop a new psychometric questionnaire. Results. This new questionnaire was able to characterize subjective evoked sensations with good test-retest reliability (Spearman’s correlation coefficients ranging 0.716  ⩽  ρ  ⩽  1.000, p  ⩽  0.005) in 13 subjects receiving stimulation through neural implants in both the CNS and PNS. Furthermore, the new questionnaire captured more descriptors (M  =  2.65, SD  =  0.91) that would have been missed by being categorized as ‘other sensations’, using a previous questionnaire (M  =  1.40, SD  =  0.77, t(12)  =  -10.24, p  psychometric questionnaire will aid in establishing consistency and standardization of reporting in future studies of somatosensory neural prostheses.

Psychometric Properties of an Arabic Version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS)

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Moussa, Miriam Taouk; Lovibond, Peter; Laube, Roy; Megahead, Hamido A.

2017-01-01

Objective: To translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of an Arabic-language version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS). Method: The items were translated, back translated, refined, and tested in an Australian immigrant sample (N = 220). Results: Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Arabic DASS discriminates between…

Stages of Change – Continuous Measure (URICA-E2): psychometrics of a Norwegian version

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Lerdal, Anners; Moe, Britt; Digre, Elin; Harding, Thomas; Kristensen, Frode; Grov, Ellen K; Bakken, Linda N; Eklund, Marthe L; Ruud, Ireen; Rossi, Joseph S

2009-01-01

Title Stages of Change – Continuous Measure (URICA-E2): psychometrics of a Norwegian version. Aim This paper is a report of research to translate the English version of the Stages of Change continuous measure questionnaire (URICA-E2) into Norwegian and to test the validity of the questionnaire and its usefulness in predicting behavioural change. Background While the psychometric properties of the Stages of Change categorical measure have been tested extensively, evaluation of the psychometric properties of the continuous questionnaire has not been described elsewhere in the literature. Method Cross-sectional data were collected with a convenience sample of 198 undergraduate nursing students in 2005 and 2006. The English version of URICA-E2 was translated into Norwegian according to standardized procedures. Findings Principal components analysis clearly confirmed five of the dimensions of readiness to change (Precontemplation Non-Believers, Precontemplation Believers, Contemplation, Preparation and Maintenance), while the sixth dimension, Action, showed the lowest Eigenvalue (0·93). Findings from the cluster analysis indicate distinct profiles among the respondents in terms of readiness to change their exercise behaviour. Conclusion The URICA-E2 was for the most part replicated from Reed’s original work. The result of the cluster analysis of the items associated with the factor ‘Action’ suggests that these do not adequately measure the factor. PMID:19032513

Psychometric Properties of Newly Translated Spanish Life Events Inventory and Daily Hassles Scale.

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Hannan, Jean; Youngblut, JoAnne M; Brooten, Dorothy; Bazzani, Dianne; Romero, Norma R; Chavez, Blanca; Picanes, Joann

2015-01-01

Measuring stress in Hispanic Americans, the fastest growing U.S. minority, is problematic. The Life Events Inventory (LEI) and the Daily Hassles Scale (DHS), widely used stress instruments, are not available in Spanish. To test the psychometric properties of the translated Spanish versions of the LEI and DHS. A convenience sample of 63 Hispanic women completed both instruments in Spanish and English 2 weeks apart. Internal consistency reliability and stability were strong for both instruments (.85-.97). Reliability and validity evidence for the translated Spanish versions were strong and similar to the English version. Psychometric findings suggest that the newly translated Spanish versions are good representations of the English versions and that these newly translated instruments are ready for use.

Using the Rasch Measurement Model in Psychometric Analysis of the Family Effectiveness Measure

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McCreary, Linda L.; Conrad, Karen M.; Conrad, Kendon J.; Scott, Christy K; Funk, Rodney R.; Dennis, Michael L.

2013-01-01

Background Valid assessment of family functioning can play a vital role in optimizing client outcomes. Because family functioning is influenced by family structure, socioeconomic context, and culture, existing measures of family functioning--primarily developed with nuclear, middle class European American families--may not be valid assessments of families in diverse populations. The Family Effectiveness Measure was developed to address this limitation. Objectives To test the Family Effectiveness Measure with data from a primarily low-income African American convenience sample, using the Rasch measurement model. Method A sample of 607 adult women completed the measure. Rasch analysis was used to assess unidimensionality, response category functioning, item fit, person reliability, differential item functioning by race and parental status, and item hierarchy. Criterion-related validity was tested using correlations with five other variables related to family functioning. Results The Family Effectiveness Measure measures two separate constructs: The effective family functioning construct was a psychometrically sound measure of the target construct that was more efficient due to the deletion of 22 items. The ineffective family functioning construct consisted of 16 of those deleted items but was not as strong psychometrically. Items in both constructs evidenced no differential item functioning by race. Criterion-related validity was supported for both. Discussion In contrast to the prevailing conceptualization that family functioning is a single construct, assessed by positively and negatively worded items, use of the Rasch analysis suggested the existence of two constructs. While the effective family functioning is a strong and efficient measure of family functioning, the ineffective family functioning will require additional item development and psychometric testing. PMID:23636342

Improving the psychometric properties of dot-probe attention measures using response-based computation.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Travis C; Britton, Jennifer C

2018-09-01

Abnormal threat-related attention in anxiety disorders is most commonly assessed and modified using the dot-probe paradigm; however, poor psychometric properties of reaction-time measures may contribute to inconsistencies across studies. Typically, standard attention measures are derived using average reaction-times obtained in experimentally-defined conditions. However, current approaches based on experimentally-defined conditions are limited. In this study, the psychometric properties of a novel response-based computation approach to analyze dot-probe data are compared to standard measures of attention. 148 adults (19.19 ± 1.42 years, 84 women) completed a standardized dot-probe task including threatening and neutral faces. We generated both standard and response-based measures of attention bias, attentional orientation, and attentional disengagement. We compared overall internal consistency, number of trials necessary to reach internal consistency, test-retest reliability (n = 72), and criterion validity obtained using each approach. Compared to standard attention measures, response-based measures demonstrated uniformly high levels of internal consistency with relatively few trials and varying improvements in test-retest reliability. Additionally, response-based measures demonstrated specific evidence of anxiety-related associations above and beyond both standard attention measures and other confounds. Future studies are necessary to validate this approach in clinical samples. Response-based attention measures demonstrate superior psychometric properties compared to standard attention measures, which may improve the detection of anxiety-related associations and treatment-related changes in clinical samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating Psychometric Isomorphism for Traditional and Performance-Based Assessment

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Fay, Derek M.; Levy, Roy; Mehta, Vandhana

2018-01-01

A common practice in educational assessment is to construct multiple forms of an assessment that consists of tasks with similar psychometric properties. This study utilizes a Bayesian multilevel item response model and descriptive graphical representations to evaluate the psychometric similarity of variations of the same task. These approaches for…

House dust bioactivities predict skin prick test reactivity for children with high risk of allergy.

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Kim, Haejin; Tse, Kevin; Levin, Linda; Bernstein, David; Reponen, Tiina; LeMasters, Grace; Lummus, Zana; Horner, Anthony A

2012-06-01

Although evidence suggests that ambient exposures to endotoxin and other immunostimulants during early life influence allergic risk, efforts to understand this host-environment relationship have been hampered by a paucity of relevant assays. These investigations determined whether parameters of house dust extract (HDE) bioactivity were predictive of allergen skin prick test (SPT) reactivity for infants at high risk of allergy participating in the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study (CCAAPS). We conducted a nested case-control study, selecting 99 CCAAPS children who had positive SPT results to at least 1 aeroallergen at age 3 years and 101 subjects with negative SPT results. HDEs were prepared from dust samples collected from the subjects' homes at age 1 year. Murine splenocytes and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells were incubated with HDEs, and supernatant cytokine concentrations were determined by means of ELISA. Alternatively, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells were preincubated with HDEs, and then LPS-induced IL-6 responses were assessed. HDE endotoxin levels were determined by using the limulus amebocyte lysate assay. HDEs derived from the homes of children with positive (cases) and negative (control subjects) SPT results had similar bioactivities. However, when cases were considered in isolation, HDEs with higher levels of bioactivity were significantly associated with children who had lower numbers of positive SPT results. Analogous statistical analyses did not identify any association between HDE endotoxin levels and the aeroallergen sensitization profiles of children included in this study. HDE immunostimulatory activities predicted the aeroallergen sensitization status of CCAAPS subjects better than HDE endotoxin levels. These results provide the first published evidence that HDE bioassays have clinical relevance in predicting atopic risk. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All

Non invasive blood flow measurement in cerebellum detects minimal hepatic encephalopathy earlier than psychometric tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Felipo, Vicente; Urios, Amparo; Giménez-Garzó, Carla; Cauli, Omar; Andrés-Costa, Maria-Jesús; González, Olga; Serra, Miguel A; Sánchez-González, Javier; Aliaga, Roberto; Giner-Durán, Remedios; Belloch, Vicente; Montoliu, Carmina

2014-09-07

To assess whether non invasive blood flow measurement by arterial spin labeling in several brain regions detects minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Blood flow (BF) was analyzed by arterial spin labeling (ASL) in different brain areas of 14 controls, 24 cirrhotic patients without and 16 cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). Images were collected using a 3 Tesla MR scanner (Achieva 3T-TX, Philips, Netherlands). Pulsed ASL was performed. Patients showing MHE were detected using the battery Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score (PHES) consisting of five tests. Different cognitive and motor functions were also assessed: alterations in selective attention were evaluated using the Stroop test. Patients and controls also performed visuo-motor and bimanual coordination tests. Several biochemical parameters were measured: serum pro-inflammatory interleukins (IL-6 and IL-18), 3-nitrotyrosine, cGMP and nitrates+nitrites in plasma, and blood ammonia. Bivariate correlations were evaluated. In patients with MHE, BF was increased in cerebellar hemisphere (P = 0.03) and vermis (P = 0.012) and reduced in occipital lobe (P = 0.017). BF in cerebellar hemisphere was also increased in patients without MHE (P = 0.02). Bimanual coordination was impaired in patients without MHE (P = 0.05) and much more in patients with MHE (P battery and with CFF. BF in cerebellar hemisphere correlates with plasma cGMP and nitric oxide (NO) metabolites. BF in vermis cerebellar also correlates with NO metabolites and with 3-nitrotyrosine. IL-18 in plasma correlates with BF in thalamus and occipital lobe. Non invasive BF determination in cerebellum using ASL may detect MHE earlier than the PHES. Altered NO-cGMP pathway seems to be associated to altered BF in cerebellum.

A test for the Assessment of Pragmatic Abilities and Cognitive Substrates (APACS: Normative data and psychometric properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giorgio eArcara

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The Assessment of Pragmatic Abilities and Cognitive Substrates (APACS test is a new tool to evaluate pragmatic abilities in patients with acquired communicative deficits, ranging from schizophrenia to neurodegenerative diseases. APACS focuses on two main domains, namely discourse and non-literal language, combining traditional tasks with refined linguistic materials in Italian, in a unified framework inspired by language pragmatics. The test includes six tasks (Interview, Description, Narratives, Figurative Language 1, Humor, Figurative Language 2 and three composite scores (Pragmatic Productions, Pragmatic Comprehension, APACS Total. Psychometric properties and normative data were computed on a sample of 119 healthy participants representative of the general population. The analysis revealed acceptable internal consistency and good test-retest reliability for almost every APACS task, suggesting that items are coherent and performance is consistent over time. Factor analysis supports the validity of the test, revealing two factors possibly related to different facets and substrates of the pragmatic competence. Finally, excellent match between APACS items and scores and the pragmatic constructs measured in the test was evidenced by experts’ evaluation of content validity. The performance on APACS showed a general effect of demographic variables, with a negative effect of age and a positive effect of education. The norms were calculated by means of state-of-the-art regression methods. Overall, APACS is a valuable tool for the assessment of pragmatic deficits in verbal communication. The short duration and easiness of administration make the test especially suitable to use in clinical settings. In presenting APACS, we also aim at promoting the inclusion of pragmatics in the assessment practice, as a relevant dimension in defining the patient’s cognitive profile, given its vital role for communication and social interaction in daily life. The

Psychometric Research in Reading.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Frederick B.

This review of psychometric research in reading analyzes the factors which seem related to reading comprehension skills. Experimental analysis of reading comprehension by L. E. Thorndike revealed two major components: knowledge of word meanings and verbal reasoning abilities. Subsequent analysis of experimental studies of reading comprehension…

Methodologically Sound: Evaluating the Psychometric Approach to the Assessment of Human Life History [Reply to Copping, Campbell, and Muncer, 2014

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Cabeza de Baca, Tomás; Black, Candace Jasmine; García, Rafael Antonio; Fernandes, Heitor Barcellos Ferreira; Wolf, Pedro Sofio Abril; Woodley of Menie, Michael Anthony

2016-01-01

Copping, Campbell, and Muncer (2014) have recently published an article critical of the psychometric approach to the assessment of life history (LH) strategy. Their purported goal was testing for the convergent validation and examining the psychometric structure of the High-K Strategy Scale (HKSS). As much of the literature on the psychometrics of human LH during the past decade or so has emanated from our research laboratory and those of close collaborators, we have prepared this detailed response. Our response is organized into four main sections: (1) A review of psychometric methods for the assessment of human LH strategy, expounding upon the essence of our approach; (2) our theoretical/conceptual concerns regarding the critique, addressing the broader issues raised by the critique regarding the latent and hierarchical structure of LH strategy; (3) our statistical/methodological concerns regarding the critique, examining the validity and persuasiveness of the empirical case made specifically against the HKSS; and (4) our recommendations for future research that we think might be helpful in closing the gap between the psychometric and biometric approaches to measurement in this area. Clearly stating our theoretical positions, describing our existing body of work, and acknowledgintheir limitations should assist future researchers in planning and implementing more informed and prudent empirical research that will synthesize the psychometric approach to the assessment of LH strategy with complementary methods. PMID:25844774

Methodologically Sound: Evaluating the Psychometric Approach to the Assessment of Human Life History [Reply to Copping, Campbell, and Muncer, 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurelio José Figueredo

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Copping, Campbell, and Muncer (2014 have recently published an article critical of the psychometric approach to the assessment of life history (LH strategy. Their purported goal was testing for the convergent validation and examining the psychometric structure of the High-K Strategy Scale (HKSS. As much of the literature on the psychometrics of human LH during the past decade or so has emanated from our research laboratory and those of close collaborators, we have prepared this detailed response. Our response is organized into four main sections: (1 A review of psychometric methods for the assessment of human LH strategy, expounding upon the essence of our approach; (2 our theoretical/conceptual concerns regarding the critique, addressing the broader issues raised by the critique regarding the latent and hierarchical structure of LH strategy; (3 our statistical/methodological concerns regarding the critique, examining the validity and persuasiveness of the empirical case made specifically against the HKSS; and (4 our recommendations for future research that we think might be helpful in closing the gap between the psychometric and biometric approaches to measurement in this area. Clearly stating our theoretical positions, describing our existing body of work, and acknowledging their limitations should assist future researchers in planning and implementing more informed and prudent empirical research that will synthesize the psychometric approach to the assessment of LH strategy with complementary methods.

Skin prick test reactivity to aeroallergens by filaggrin mutation status

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hougaard, M G; Johansen, J D; Linneberg, A

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that filaggrin gene (FLG) mutations are positively associated with sensitization to aero allergens. We hypothesized that FLG mutations would also have an effect on the mean size of positive skin prick test (SPT) reactions as well as the number of positive reactions....... OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of FLG mutations on the mean size and the number of positive SPT reactions, as well as the association with positive specific IgE. METHODS: A random sample of 3335 adults from the general population in Denmark was genotyped for the R501X and 2282del4 mutations in the FLG...... mutations alone are insufficient to cause secondary sensitization to allergens. The positive association seen in patients must be explained by a combination of further barrier abnormality caused by dermatitis as well as increased allergen exposure....

The Mini-SPT (Space Particle Telescope) for dual use: Precision flux measurement of low energy proton electron and heavy ion with tracking capability and A compact, low-cost realtime local radiation hazard/alarm detector to be used on board a satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Alpat, Behcet; Ergin, Tulun; Kalemci, Emrah

2016-07-01

The Mini-SPT project is the first, and most important, step towards the ambitious goal of creating a low-cost, compact, radiation hardened and high performance space particle telescope that can be mounted, in the near future, as standard particle detector on any satellite. Mini-SPT will be capable of providing high quality physics data on local space environment. In particular high precision flux measurement and tracking of low energy protons and electrons on different orbits with same instrumentation is of paramount importance for studies as geomagnetically trapped fluxes and space weather dynamics, dark matter search, low energy proton anisotropy and its effects on ICs as well as the solar protons studies. In addition, it will provide real-time "differentiable warnings" about the local space radiation hazard to other electronics systems on board the hosting satellite, including different criticality levels and alarm signals to activate mitigation techniques whenever this is strictly necessary to protect them from temporary/permanent failures. A real-time warning system will help satellite subsystems to save significant amount of power and memory with respect to other conventional techniques where the "mitigation" solutions are required to be active during entire mission life. The Mini-SPT will combine the use of technologies developed in cutting-edge high energy physics experiments (including technology from CMS experiments at CERN) and the development of new charged particle detecting systems for their use for the first time in space. The Mini-SPT essential objective is, by using for the first time in space SIPMs (Silicon Photomultipliers) technology for TOF and energy measurements, the production of high quality data with a good time, position and energy resolutions. The mini-SPT will consists of three main sub-units: a- A tracking and dE/dX measuring sub-detector which will be based on silicon pixel detectors (SPD) coupled to the rad-hard chip ROC-DIG (Read

Current psychometric and methodological issues in the measurement of overgeneral autobiographical memory.

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Griffith, James W; Sumner, Jennifer A; Raes, Filip; Barnhofer, Thorsten; Debeer, Elise; Hermans, Dirk

2012-12-01

Autobiographical memory is a multifaceted construct that is related to psychopathology and other difficulties in functioning. Across many studies, a variety of methods have been used to study autobiographical memory. The relationship between overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) and psychopathology has been of particular interest, and many studies of this cognitive phenomenon rely on the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) to assess it. In this paper, we examine several methodological approaches to studying autobiographical memory, and focus primarily on methodological and psychometric considerations in OGM research. We pay particular attention to what is known about the reliability, validity, and methodological variations of the AMT. The AMT has adequate psychometric properties, but there is great variability in methodology across studies that use it. Methodological recommendations and suggestions for future studies are presented. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychometric Properties of the Drive for Muscularity Attitudes Questionnaire Among Irish Men

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Travis A. Ryan

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The Drive for Muscularity Attitudes Questionnaire (DMAQ was developed to measure men’s desire to attain an idealized muscular body. To date, the cross-cultural suitability of this measure has received limited attention. The current study addressed this omission by testing the psychometric properties of the DMAQ using an online sample of Irish men (N = 327. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a unidimensional model adequately matched observed data (i.e., fit indices suggested acceptable model fit. Analyses also showed that the DMAQ yielded reliable and construct valid scores, suggesting that the scale holds promise as an indicant of the drive for muscularity among Irish men. Strengths and limitations associated with this study are discussed, such as advantages and disadvantages of Internet research. Directions for future research are given, including the need for more psychometric work.

The development and psychometric validation of the Ethical Awareness Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Milliken, Aimee; Ludlow, Larry; DeSanto-Madeya, Susan; Grace, Pamela

2018-04-19

To develop and psychometrically assess the Ethical Awareness Scale using Rasch measurement principles and a Rasch item response theory model. Critical care nurses must be equipped to provide good (ethical) patient care. This requires ethical awareness, which involves recognizing the ethical implications of all nursing actions. Ethical awareness is imperative in successfully addressing patient needs. Evidence suggests that the ethical import of everyday issues may often go unnoticed by nurses in practice. Assessing nurses' ethical awareness is a necessary first step in preparing nurses to identify and manage ethical issues in the highly dynamic critical care environment. A cross-sectional design was used in two phases of instrument development. Using Rasch principles, an item bank representing nursing actions was developed (33 items). Content validity testing was performed. Eighteen items were selected for face validity testing. Two rounds of operational testing were performed with critical care nurses in Boston between February-April 2017. A Rasch analysis suggests sufficient item invariance across samples and sufficient construct validity. The analysis further demonstrates a progression of items uniformly along a hierarchical continuum; items that match respondent ability levels; response categories that are sufficiently used; and adequate internal consistency. Mean ethical awareness scores were in the low/moderate range. The results suggest the Ethical Awareness Scale is a psychometrically sound, reliable and valid measure of ethical awareness in critical care nurses. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Psychometric properties and construct validity of the Muscle Appearance Satisfaction Scale among Hungarian men.

Science.gov (United States)

Babusa, Bernadett; Urbán, Róbert; Czeglédi, Edit; Túry, Ferenc

2012-01-01

Limited studies have evaluated the psychometric properties of the Muscle Appearance Satisfaction Scale (MASS), a measure of muscle dysmorphia, in different cultures and languages. The aims were to examine the psychometric properties of the Hungarian version of the MASS (MASS-HU), and to investigate its relationship with self-esteem and exercise-related variables. Two independent samples of male weight lifters (ns=289 and 43), and a sample of undergraduates (n=240) completed the MASS, Eating Disorder Inventory, and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. Exploratory factor analysis supported the original five-factor structure of the MASS only in the weight lifter sample. The MASS-HU had excellent scale score reliability and good test-retest reliability. The construct validity of the MASS-HU was tested with multivariate regression analyses which indicated an inverse relationship between self-esteem and muscle dysmorphia. The 18-item MASS-HU was found to be a useful measure for the assessment of muscle dysmorphia among male weight lifters. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smoking habit and psychometric scores: a community study.

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Waal-Manning, H J; de Hamel, F A

1978-09-13

During the Milton health survey subjects completed a psychometric inventory consisting of the 48 questions of the Middlesex Hospital questionnaire (MHQ) and 26 from the hostility and direction of hostility questionnaire (HDHQ) designed to examine nine psychological dimensions. The 1209 subjects were classified into smoking categories and the scores for each psychometric trait were calculated. Women scored higher than men and heavy smokers scored higher than "never smokers". The psychometric traits and the scores of the four smoking categories after correcting for age and Quetelet's index showed statistically significant differences by analysis of variance in respect of somatic anxiety and depression for both men and women; and free-floating anxiety, phobic anxiety, hysteria, acting out hostility, self criticism and guilt in women. For somatic anxiety the increase in score almost exactly paralleled the increasing quantity of tobacco consumed.

Cross-cultural validation and psychometric testing of the Norwegian version of the TeamSTEPPS® teamwork perceptions questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballangrud, Randi; Husebø, Sissel Eikeland; Hall-Lord, Marie Louise

2017-12-02

Teamwork is an integrated part of today's specialized and complex healthcare and essential to patient safety, and is considered as a core competency to improve twenty-first century healthcare. Teamwork measurements and evaluations show promising results to promote good team performance, and are recommended for identifying areas for improvement. The validated TeamSTEPPS® Teamwork Perception Questionnaire (T-TPQ) was found suitable for cross-cultural validation and testing in a Norwegian context. T-TPQ is a self-report survey that examines five dimensions of perception of teamwork within healthcare settings. The aim of the study was to translate and cross-validate the T-TPQ into Norwegian, and test the questionnaire for psychometric properties among healthcare personnel. The T-TPQ was translated and adapted to a Norwegian context according to a model of a back-translation process. A total of 247 healthcare personnel representing different professionals and hospital settings responded to the questionnaire. A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out to test the factor structure. Cronbach's alpha was used to establish internal consistency, and an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient was used to assess the test - retest reliability. A confirmatory factor analysis showed an acceptable fitting model (χ 2 (df) 969.46 (546), p teamwork dimension clearly represents that specific construct. The Cronbach's alpha demonstrated acceptable values on the five subscales (0.786-0.844), and test-retest showed a reliability parameter, with Intraclass Correlation Coefficient scores from 0.672 to 0.852. The Norwegian version of T-TPQ was considered to be acceptable regarding the validity and reliability for measuring Norwegian individual healthcare personnel's perception of group level teamwork within their unit. However, it needs to be further tested, preferably in a larger sample and in different clinical settings.

Psychometric testing on the NLN Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning, Simulation Design Scale, and Educational Practices Questionnaire using a sample of pre-licensure novice nurses.

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Franklin, Ashley E; Burns, Paulette; Lee, Christopher S

2014-10-01

In 2006, the National League for Nursing published three measures related to novice nurses' beliefs about self-confidence, scenario design, and educational practices associated with simulation. Despite the extensive use of these measures, little is known about their reliability and validity. The psychometric properties of the Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale, Simulation Design Scale, and Educational Practices Questionnaire were studied among a sample of 2200 surveys completed by novice nurses from a liberal arts university in the southern United States. Psychometric tests included item analysis, confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses in randomly-split subsamples, concordant and discordant validity, and internal consistency. All three measures have sufficient reliability and validity to be used in education research. There is room for improvement in content validity with the Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning and Simulation Design Scale. This work provides robust evidence to ensure that judgments made about self-confidence after simulation, simulation design and educational practices are valid and reliable. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Utrecht work engagement scale (UWES-9)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lovakov, Andrey V.; Agadullina, Elena R.; Schaufeli, Wilmar B.

2017-01-01

This article aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9) by using a sample of 1783 employees of a large Russian organization. We conducted a series of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) tests of the factorial structure and the

Psychometric properties of the Purpose-In-Life Test and age-related differences among women diagnosed with eating disorders.

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García-Alandete, Joaquín; Ros, Montserrat Cañabate; Salvador, José Heliodoro Marco; Rodríguez, Sandra Pérez

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Purpose-In-Life Test (PIL), as well as the age-related differences in meaning in life in women diagnosed with eating disorders. Participants were 250 Spanish women diagnosed with eating disorders who ranged from 12 to 60 years old. Confirmatory Factor Analysis, descriptive analyses, estimation of the internal consistency of the PIL, correlations between the PIL and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Overweight Preoccupation Scale (OPS), and Body Investment Scale (BIS), and age differences were calculated. A 19-item model that showed a good fit and internal consistency, a negative correlation between the PIL and both the BHS and OPS, and a positive correlation with the BIS, as well as significant differences between the adolescents and the mature adults, were found. It would be advisable to increase the inclusion of meaning in life in psychotherapeutic interventions with women diagnosed with eating disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and Psychometric Testing of a Scale for Evaluating Self-Management Needs of Knee Osteoarthritis (SMNKOA) in Taiwan.

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Kao, Mei-Hua; Tsai, Yun-Fang

2017-06-01

Self-management of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is important for treating this chronic disease. This study developed and psychometrically tested a new instrument for measuring adult patients' self-management needs of knee osteoarthritis (SMNKOA). The theoretical framework of self-care guided the development of the 35-item SMNKOA scale. Participants ( N = 372) were purposively sampled from orthopedic clinics at medical centers in Taiwan. The content validity index was 0.83. Principal components analysis identified a three-factor solution, accounting for 53.19% of the variance. The divergent validity was -0.67; convergent validity was -0.51. Cronbach's alpha was .95, Pearson's correlation coefficient was .88, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was .95. The scale's reliability and validity supports the SMNKOA, as a tool to measure self-management needs of adults with knee OA. Nurses and other health care providers can use this instrument to evaluate knee OA patients and identify strategies for improving health-related outcomes and patient education.

Psychometric Evaluation and Discussions of English Language Learners' Listening Comprehension

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Seo, Daeryong; Taherbhai, Husein; Frantz, Roger

2016-01-01

The importance of listening in the context of English language acquisition is gaining acceptance, but its unique attributes in language performance, while substantively and qualitatively justifiable, are generally not psychometrically defined. This article psychometrically supports listening as a distinct domain among the three other domains of…

Development and psychometric evaluation of the breast size satisfaction scale.

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Pahlevan Sharif, Saeed

2017-10-09

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop and evaluate psychometrically an instrument named the Breast Size Satisfaction Scale (BSSS) to assess breast size satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach The present scale was developed using a set of 16 computer-generated 3D images of breasts to overcome some of the limitations of existing instruments. The images were presented to participants and they were asked to select the figure that most accurately depicted their actual breast size and the figure that most closely represented their ideal breast size. Breast size satisfaction was computed by subtracting the absolute value of the difference between ideal and actual perceived size from 16, such that higher values indicate greater breast size satisfaction. Findings Study 1 ( n=65 female undergraduate students) showed good test-retest reliability and study 2 ( n=1,000 Iranian women, aged 18 years and above) provided support for convergent validity using a nomological network approach. Originality/value The BSSS demonstrated good psychometric properties and thus can be used in future studies to assess breast size satisfaction among women.

Psychometric assessment of the Brazilian version of the Male Body Dissatisfaction Scale

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Pedro Henrique Berbert de Carvalho

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background The study of male body image has increased substantially, but there are few assessment tools available for this population. The Male Body Dissatisfaction Scale (MBDS has been widely used among students to research body image disturbances and eating disorders. However, the psychometric properties of this instrument have not been tested in the Brazilian context.Objectives To explore the psychometric properties (convergent validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability and factor structure of the Brazilian version of the MBDS.Methods Two-hundred sixty-four undergraduate students were evaluated. Pearson’s correlation was used to test the convergent validity of the MBDS and the Drive for Muscularity Scale, the Swansea Muscularity Attitudes Questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Eating Attitudes Test-26, and the Commitment to Exercise Scale. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using t-tests for repeated measures and by calculating the coefficient of intraclass correlation. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and Cronbach’s α coefficients were determined. A significance level of 5% was adopted.Results The MBDS had an adequate factor structure, with two factors explaining 52.67% of the total variance. It showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α between 0.90 and 0.92, a high intraclass correlation coefficient (0.81, and convergent validity with the drive for muscularity, the psychological commitment to exercise, low self-esteem, and eating disorder risk behaviour measures.Discussion The MBDS appears to be a valid and reliable tool for evaluating Brazilian male body image dissatisfaction.

Small Punch Tests applied to the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno, M.; Gongora, P.; Bertolino, G; Yawny, A.

2012-01-01

The interest on miniaturized specimen techniques for the characterization of the mechanical behavior of materials was strongly motivated in the early eighties by the different programs associated with the development of fusion reactor technology. The importance of such developments is obvious in the case of the nuclear industry where the limited space available, the presence of fluence gradients in large specimens, the concern about gamma heating and dose to personnel in post-irradiation testing have all been motivations for reducing specimen size. Testing of miniature specimen includes a wide spectrum of techniques such as tensile, instrumented micro-hardness, small punch, bend, fracture, impact and fatigue. Small Punch Testing (SPT) techniques use a spherical penetrator which deforms to failure a miniature disc shaped flat specimen (typically, 3-10 mm in diameter and 0.25-0.50 mm in thickness) supported on its outer rim. Analysis of load-displacement data recorded along the test is performed for the determination of the property of interest. The present work focuses on the characterization of the elastoplastic response of pure Al, ADN 420 structural steel and AISI 304L using SPT and its correlation with the associated standard uniaxial testing behavior. In addition, the sensitivity of the technique to the specific material under study and to different experimental parameters, i.e. specimen diameter and thickness, clearance or clamping force and friction between disc and dies have been assessed both experimentally and by performing simulations using the finite element method (author)

Psychometric Properties of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire (CGSQ) among Caregivers of Children with Autism

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Khanna, Rahul; Madhavan, S. Suresh; Smith, Michael J.; Tworek, Cindy; Patrick, Julie H.; Becker-Cottrill, Barbara

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire (CGSQ) among caregivers of children with autism. The CGSQ was originally developed to assess burden experienced by parents of children and adolescents with serious emotional and behavioral disorders. Study data was collected from 304 primary…

Self-rating of daily time management in children: psychometric properties of the Time-S.

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Sköld, Annika; Janeslätt, Gunnel Kristina

2017-05-01

Impaired ability to manage time has been shown in several diagnoses common in childhood. Impaired ability involves activities and participation domain (daily time management, DTM) and body function and structure domain (time-processing ability, TPA). DTM needs to be evaluated from an individual's own perspective. To date, there has been a lack of self-rating instruments for children that focus on DTM. The aim of this study is to describe psychometric properties of Time-S when used in children aged 10-17 years with a diagnosis of ADHD, Autism, CP or mild ID. Further, to test whether TPA correlates with self-rated DTM. Eighty-three children aged 10-17 years participated in the study. Rasch analysis was used to assess psychometric properties. Correlation analysis was performed between Time-S and a measure of TPA. The 21 items of the Time-S questionnaire fit into a unitary construct measuring self-perceived daily management of an individual's time. A non-significant, small correlation was found between TPA and DTM. The results indicate good psychometric properties for the questionnaire. The questionnaire is potentially useful in intervention planning and evaluation.

Translation and Psychometric Validation of Women Health Questionnaire (WHQ in Persian Language

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Sevil Hakimi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Menopause is not a disease; however the somatic and psychological symptoms that accompany it affect the life of women. Women health questionnaire (WHQ is a self-administered questionnaire that measures the physical and mental health of women ages 40 to 65 years. The purpose of this study is to provide psychometric documentation details of the translation of WHQ into the Persian language. A total of 350 peri and postmenopausal women were recruited from urban health centers in the city of Tabriz, between March and October 2015. The validity of WHQ was assessed using construct and discriminate validity. The reliability of questionnaire was assessed by test retest reliability and measuring internal consistency. The KMO was 0.791, and the Bartlett’s test of Sphericity was significant. Principle component analysis (PCA resulted in 9 factors which explained up to 55.4% of the total variance. Cronbach's coefficient was 0.799 and the Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC of the Persian translation scale was 0.712. Evaluation of the psychometric properties showed that the Persian language translation of the 36-item version of the WHQ was appropriate when applied to middle aged women

The Cervical Dystonia Impact Profile (CDIP-58: Can a Rasch developed patient reported outcome measure satisfy traditional psychometric criteria?

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Bhatia Kailash P

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA are currently producing guidelines for the scientific adequacy of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs in clinical trials, which will have implications for the selection of scales used in future clinical trials. In this study, we examine how the Cervical Dystonia Impact Profile (CDIP-58, a rigorous Rasch measurement developed neurologic PROM, stands up to traditional psychometric criteria for three reasons: 1 provide traditional psychometric evidence for the CDIP-58 in line with proposed FDA guidelines; 2 enable researchers and clinicians to compare it with existing dystonia PROMs; and 3 help researchers and clinicians bridge the knowledge gap between old and new methods of reliability and validity testing. Methods We evaluated traditional psychometric properties of data quality, scaling assumptions, targeting, reliability and validity in a group of 391 people with CD. The main outcome measures used were the CDIP-58, Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36, the 28-item General Health Questionnaire, and Hospital and Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results A total of 391 people returned completed questionnaires (corrected response rate 87%. Analyses showed: 1 data quality was high (low missing data ≤ 4%, subscale scores could be computed for > 96% of the sample; 2 item groupings passed tests for scaling assumptions; 3 good targeting (except for the Sleep subscale, ceiling effect = 27%; 4 good reliability (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.92, test-retest intraclass correlations ≥ 0.83; and 5 validity was supported. Conclusion This study has shown that new psychometric methods can produce a PROM that stands up to traditional criteria and supports the clinical advantages of Rasch analysis.

Detection of a Double Relic in the Torpedo Cluster: SPT-CL J0245-5302

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Zheng, Q.; Johnston-Hollitt, M.; Duchesne, S. W.; Li, W. T.

2018-06-01

The Torpedo cluster, SPT-CL J0245-5302 (S0295) is a massive, merging cluster at a redshift of z = 0.300, which exhibits a strikingly similar morphology to the Bullet cluster 1E 0657-55.8 (z = 0.296), including a classic bow shock in the cluster's intra-cluster medium revealed by Chandra X-ray observations. We present Australia Telescope Compact Array data centred at 2.1 GHz and Murchison Widefield Array data at frequencies between 72 MHz and 231 MHz which we use to study the properties of the cluster. We characterise a number of discrete and diffuse radio sources in the cluster, including the detection of two previously unknown radio relics on the cluster periphery. The average spectral index of the diffuse emission between 70 MHz and 3.1 GHz is α =-1.63_{-0.10}^{+0.10} and a radio-derived Mach number for the shock in the west of the cluster is calculated as M = 2.04. The Torpedo cluster is thus a double relic system at moderate redshift.

Psychometric validation of patient-reported outcome measures assessing chronic constipation

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Nelson LM

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Lauren M Nelson,1 Valerie SL Williams,1 Sheri E Fehnel,1 Robyn T Carson,2 James MacDougall,3 Mollie J Baird,3 Stavros Tourkodimitris,2 Caroline B Kurtz,3 Jeffrey M Johnston31RTI Health Solutions, Durham, NC, USA; 2Forest Research Institute, Jersey City, NJ, USA; 3Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, USABackground: Measures assessing treatment outcomes in previous CC clinical trials have not met the requirements described in the US Food and Drug Administration's guidance on patient-reported outcomes.Aim: Psychometric analyses using data from one Phase IIb study and two Phase III trials of linaclotide for the treatment of chronic constipation (CC were conducted to document the measurement properties of patient-reported CC Symptom Severity Measures.Study methods: Each study had a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group design, comparing placebo to four doses of oral linaclotide taken once daily for 4 weeks in the Phase IIb dose-ranging study (n=307 and to two doses of linaclotide taken once daily for 12 weeks in the Phase III trials (n=1,272. The CC Symptom Severity Measures addressing bowel function (Bowel Movement Frequency, Stool Consistency, Straining and abdominal symptoms (Bloating, Abdominal Discomfort, Abdominal Pain were administered daily using interactive voice-response system technology. Intraclass correlations, Pearson correlations, factor analyses, F-tests, and effect sizes were computed.Results: The CC Symptom Severity Measures demonstrated satisfactory test–retest reliability and construct validity. Factor analyses indicated one factor for abdominal symptoms and another for bowel symptoms. Known-groups F-tests substantiated the discriminating ability of the CC Symptom Severity Measures. Responsiveness statistics were moderate to strong, indicating that these measures are capable of detecting change.Conclusion: In large studies of CC patients, linaclotide significantly improved abdominal and

A systematic review evaluating the psychometric properties of measures of social inclusion.

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Cordier, Reinie; Milbourn, Ben; Martin, Robyn; Buchanan, Angus; Chung, Donna; Speyer, Renée

2017-01-01

Improving social inclusion opportunities for population health has been identified as a priority area for international policy. There is a need to comprehensively examine and evaluate the quality of psychometric properties of measures of social inclusion that are used to guide social policy and outcomes. To conduct a systematic review of the literature on all current measures of social inclusion for any population group, to evaluate the quality of the psychometric properties of identified measures, and to evaluate if they capture the construct of social inclusion. A systematic search was performed using five electronic databases: CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, ERIC and Pubmed and grey literature were sourced to identify measures of social inclusion. The psychometric properties of the social inclusion measures were evaluated against the COSMIN taxonomy of measurement properties using pre-set psychometric criteria. Of the 109 measures identified, twenty-five measures, involving twenty-five studies and one manual met the inclusion criteria. The overall quality of the reviewed measures was variable, with the Social and Community Opportunities Profile-Short, Social Connectedness Scale and the Social Inclusion Scale demonstrating the strongest evidence for sound psychometric quality. The most common domain included in the measures was connectedness (21), followed by participation (19); the domain of citizenship was covered by the least number of measures (10). No single instrument measured all aspects within the three domains of social inclusion. Of the measures with sound psychometric evidence, the Social and Community Opportunities Profile-Short captured the construct of social inclusion best. The overall quality of the psychometric properties demonstrate that the current suite of available instruments for the measurement of social inclusion are promising but need further refinement. There is a need for a universal working definition of social inclusion as an overarching

The Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale: Development and psychometric properties.

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Spada, Marcantonio M; Caselli, Gabriele

2017-01-01

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 online gaming. We conducted two studies with samples of online gamers (n=225, n=348) to test the structure and psychometric properties of the Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale and examined its capacity to predict weekly online gaming hours and Internet addiction. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a three-factor solution: positive metacognitions about online gaming, negative metacognitions about the uncontrollability of online gaming, and negative metacognitions about the dangers of online gaming. Internal consistency, predictive and divergent validity were acceptable. All the factors of the Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale correlated positively with weekly online gaming hours and Internet addiction. Regression analyses showed that negative metacognitions about the uncontrollability of online gaming and levels of Internet addiction were the only significant predictors of weekly online gaming hours, and that positive metacognitions about online gaming and negative metacognitions about the uncontrollability of online gaming were the only significant predictors of Internet addiction. The Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale was shown to possess good psychometric properties, as well as predictive and divergent validity within the populations that were tested. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychometric evaluation of dietary habits questionnaire for type 2 diabetes mellitus

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Sami, W.; Ansari, T.; Butt, N. S.; Hamid, M. R. Ab

2017-09-01

This research evaluated the psychometric properties of English version of dietary habits questionnaires developed for type 2 diabetic patients. There is scarcity of literature about availability of standardized questionnaires for assessing dietary habits of type 2 diabetics in Saudi Arabia. As dietary habits vary from country to country, therefore, this was an attempt to develop questionnaires that can serve as a baseline. Through intensive literature review, four questionnaires were developed / modified and subsequently tested for psychometric properties. Prior to pilot study, a pre-test was conducted to evaluate the face validity and content validity. The pilot study was conducted from 23 October - 22 November, 2016 to evaluate the questionnaires’ reliability and validity. Systematic random sampling technique was used to collect the data from 132 patients by direct investigation method. Questionnaires assessing diabetes mellitus knowledge (0.891), dietary knowledge (0.869), dietary attitude (0.841) and dietary practices (0.874) had good internal consistency reliability. Factor analysis conducted on dietary attitude questionnaire showed a valid 5 factor solution. Directions of loadings were positive and free from factorial complexity. Relying on the data obtained from type 2 diabetics, these questionnaires can be considered as reliable and valid for the assessment of dietary habits in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Gulf countries population.

Psychometric analysis of subjective sedation scales used for critically ill paediatric patients.

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Ge, Xiaohua; Zhang, Tingting; Zhou, Lingling

2018-01-01

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of subjective sedation scales using one psychometric scoring system to identify the appropriate scale that is most suitable for clinical care practice. A number of published sedation assessment scales for paediatric patients are currently used to attempt to achieve a moderate depth of sedation to avoid the undesirable effects caused by over- or undersedation. However, there has been no systematic review of these scales. We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, etc., to obtain relevant articles. The quality of the selected studies was evaluated according to the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments checklist. Articles that had been published or were in press and discussed the psychometric properties of sedation scales were included. The population comprised critically ill infants and non-verbal children ranging in age from 0 to 18 years who underwent sedation in an intensive care unit. Data were independently extracted by two investigators using a standard data extraction checklist: 43 articles were included in this review, and 13 sedation scales were examined. The quality of the psychometric evidence for the Comfort Scale and Comfort Behaviour Scale was 'very good', with the Comfort Scale having a higher quality (total weighted scores, Comfort Scale = 17·3 and Comfort Behaviour Scale = 15·5). We suggest that the scales be systematically and comprehensively tested in terms of development method, reliability, validation, feasibility and correlation with clinical outcome. The Comfort Scale and Comfort Behaviour Scale are useful tools for measuring sedation in paediatric patients. Nursing staff should choose one subjective sedation scale that is suitable for assessing paediatric patients' depth of sedation. We recommend the Comfort Scale and Comfort Behaviour Scale as optimal choices if the clinical

Psychometrics and latent structure of the IDS and QIDS with young adult students.

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González, David Andrés; Boals, Adriel; Jenkins, Sharon Rae; Schuler, Eric R; Taylor, Daniel

2013-07-01

Students and young adults have high rates of suicide and depression, thus are a population of interest. To date, there is no normative psychometric information on the IDS and QIDS in these populations. Furthermore, there is equivocal evidence on the factor structure and subscales of the IDS. Two samples of young adult students (ns=475 and 1681) were given multiple measures to test the psychometrics and dimensionality of the IDS and QIDS. The IDS, its subscales, and QIDS had acceptable internal consistencies (αs=.79-90) and favorable convergent and divergent validity correlations. A three-factor structure and two Rasch-derived subscales best fit the IDS. The samples were collected from one university, which may influence generalizability. The IDS and QIDS are desirable measures of depressive symptoms when studying young adult students. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time perspective in hereditary cancer: psychometric properties of a short form of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory in a community and clinical sample.

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Wakefield, Claire E; Homewood, Judi; Taylor, Alan; Mahmut, Mehmet; Meiser, Bettina

2010-10-01

We aimed to assess the psychometric properties of a 25-item short form of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory in a community sample (N = 276) and in individuals with a strong family history of cancer, considering genetic testing for cancer risk (N = 338). In the community sample, individuals with high past-negative or present-fatalistic scores had higher levels of distress, as measured by depression, anxiety, and aggression. Similarly, in the patient sample, past-negative time perspective was positively correlated with distress, uncertainty, and postdecision regret when making a decision about genetic testing. Past-negative-oriented individuals were also more likely to be undecided about, or against, genetic testing. Hedonism was associated with being less likely to read the educational materials they received at their clinic, and fatalism was associated with having lower knowledge levels about genetic testing. The assessment of time perspective in individuals at increased risk of cancer can provide valuable clinical insights. However, further investigation of the psychometric properties of the short form of this scale is warranted, as it did not meet the currently accepted criteria for psychometric validation studies.

Psychometric properties of the Danish versions of headache-specific locus of control scale and headache management self-efficacy scale

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Jacob Sander; Bendtsen, Lars; Jensen, Rigmor

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study is to test the cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of a Danish version of the Headache-Specific Locus of Control Scale (HSLC) and the Headache Management Self-Efficacy Scale (HMSE) in a tertiary headache centre. HSLC and HMSE are headache-specific measures...... with other self-report measures concerning general distress, anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life. Internal stability of the HSLC subscales and the HMSE were analysed using Chronbach's alpha coefficient. The psychometric properties of the Danish version of the HSLC and the HMSE were...

Social capital at work: psychometric analysis of a short scale in Spanish among Mexican health workers.

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Idrovo, Alvaro J; Camacho-Avila, Anabel; García-Rivas, Javier; Juárez-García, Arturo

2012-09-01

Most studies on social capital and health are carried out with large home-based surveys, neglecting that many interactions among individuals occur in the workplace. The objective of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of a scale in Spanish used to measure social capital at work. The scale designed by Kouvonen et al was translated into Spanish and tested under classical test theory, item response theory, and confirmatory factorial analysis; 152 public health workers from different socio-cultural contexts participated in the survey. Internal consistency was high (Chronbach's alpha = 0.88). Social capital at work correlated properly with two Job Content Questionnaire dimensions. A ceiling effect was detected and item difficulty was quantified. The confirmatory factor analysis showed the expected theoretical components of social capital: bonding, bridging and trust. The scale has acceptable psychometric properties, thus it can be used in future studies.

The ADAS-cog in Alzheimer's disease clinical trials: psychometric evaluation of the sum and its parts.

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Cano, Stefan J; Posner, Holly B; Moline, Margaret L; Hurt, Stephen W; Swartz, Jina; Hsu, Tim; Hobart, Jeremy C

2010-12-01

The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale Cognitive Behavior Section (ADAS-cog), a measure of cognitive performance, has been used widely in Alzheimer's disease trials. Its key role in clinical trials should be supported by evidence that it is both clinically meaningful and scientifically sound. Its conceptual and neuropsychological underpinnings are well-considered, but its performance as an instrument of measurement has received less attention. Objective To examine the traditional psychometric properties of the ADAS-cog in a large sample of people with Alzheimer's disease. Data from three clinical trials of donepezil (Aricept) in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (n=1421; MMSE 10-26) were analysed at both the scale and component level. Five psychometric properties were examined using traditional psychometric methods. These methods of examination underpin upcoming Food and Drug Administration recommendations for patient rating scale evaluation. At the scale-level, criteria tested for data completeness, scaling assumptions (eg, component total correlations: 0.39-0.67), targeting (no floor or ceiling effects), reliability (eg, Cronbach's α: = 0.84; test-retest intraclass correlations: 0.93) and validity (correlation with MMSE: -0.63) were satisfied. At the component level, 7 of 11 ADAS-cog components had substantial ceiling effects (range 40-64%). Performance was satisfactory at the scale level, but most ADAS-cog components were too easy for many patients in this sample and did not reflect the expected depth and range of cognitive performance. The clinical implication of this finding is that the ADAS-cog's estimate of cognitive ability, and its potential ability to detect differences in cognitive performance under treatment, could be improved. However, because of the limitations of traditional psychometric methods, further evaluations would be desirable using additional rating scale analysis techniques to pinpoint specific improvements.

Development and psychometric testing of a breast cancer patient-profiling questionnaire

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Gorini A

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Alessandra Gorini,1,2 Ketti Mazzocco,1,2 Sara Gandini,2 Elisabetta Munzone,2 Gordon McVie,2 Gabriella Pravettoni1,2 1Department of Health Science, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; 2European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy Introduction: The advent of “personalized medicine” has been driven by technological advances in genomics. Concentration at the subcellular level of a patient's cancer cells has meant inevitably that the “person” has been overlooked. For this reason, we think there is an urgent need to develop a truly personalized approach focusing on each patient as an individual, assessing his/her unique mental dimensions and tailoring interventions to his/her individual needs and preferences. The aim of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of the ALGA-Breast Cancer (ALGA-BC, a new multidimensional questionnaire that assesses the breast cancer patient's physical and mental characteristics in order to provide physicians, prior to the consultation, with a patient's profile that is supposed to facilitate subsequent communication, interaction, and information delivery between the doctor and the patient. Methods: The specific validation processes used were: content and face validity, construct validity using factor analysis, reliability and internal consistency using test–retest reliability, and Cronbach's alpha correlation coefficient. The exploratory analysis included 100 primary breast cancer patients and 730 healthy subjects. Results: The exploratory factor analysis revealed eight key factors: global self-rated health, perceived physical health, anxiety, self-efficacy, cognitive closure, memory, body image, and sexual life. Test–retest reliability and internal consistency were good. Comparing patients with a sample of healthy subjects, we also observed a general ability of the ALGA-BC questionnaire to discriminate between the two. Conclusion: The ALGA-BC questionnaire with 29 items is a valid

Integrated Stirling Convertor and Hall Thruster Test Conducted

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Mason, Lee S.

2002-01-01

An important aspect of implementing Stirling Radioisotope Generators on future NASA missions is the integration of the generator and controller with potential spacecraft loads. Some recent studies have indicated that the combination of Stirling Radioisotope Generators and electric propulsion devices offer significant trip time and payload fraction benefits for deep space missions. A test was devised to begin to understand the interactions between Stirling generators and electric thrusters. An electrically heated RG- 350 (350-W output) Stirling convertor, designed and built by Stirling Technology Company of Kennewick, Washington, under a NASA Small Business Innovation Research agreement, was coupled to a 300-W SPT-50 Hall-effect thruster built for NASA by the Moscow Aviation Institute (RIAME). The RG-350 and the SPT-50 shown, were installed in adjacent vacuum chamber ports at NASA Glenn Research Center's Electric Propulsion Laboratory, Vacuum Facility 8. The Stirling electrical controller interfaced directly with the Hall thruster power-processing unit, both of which were located outside of the vacuum chamber. The power-processing unit accepted the 48 Vdc output from the Stirling controller and distributed the power to all the loads of the SPT-50, including the magnets, keeper, heater, and discharge. On February 28, 2001, the Glenn test team successfully operated the Hall-effect thruster with the Stirling convertor. This is the world's first known test of a dynamic power source with electric propulsion. The RG-350 successfully managed the transition from the purely resistive load bank within the Stirling controller to the highly capacitive power-processing unit load. At the time of the demonstration, the Stirling convertor was operating at a hot temperature of 530 C and a cold temperature of -6 C. The linear alternator was producing approximately 250 W at 109 Vac, while the power-processing unit was drawing 175 W at 48 Vdc. The majority of power was delivered to the

Psychometric Properties of a Scale Designed to Measure Perceived Social Support in Chilean Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

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Manuel Salvador Ortiz Parada

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The present study tested the psychometric properties of the Zimet et al.’ Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS, in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM (n = 76 from Temuco City, Chile. The total scale shown appropriate levels of internal consistency (0,849. An exploratory factorial analysis, with Varimax rotation, was performed over the MSPSS measures. In agreement with the original Scale, three factors were obtained explaining 66,8% of the variance. These results suggest that MSPSS is a psychometrically sound instrument that can be applied to patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Psychometric properties of Spanish-language adult dental fear measures

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Heaton Lisa J

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It would be useful to have psychometrically-sound measures of dental fear for Hispanics, who comprise the largest ethnic minority in the United States. We report on the psychometric properties of Spanish-language versions of two common adult measures of dental fear (Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, MDAS; Dental Fear Survey, DFS, as well as a measure of fear of dental injections (Needle Survey, NS. Methods Spanish versions of the measures were administered to 213 adults attending Hispanic cultural festivals, 31 students (who took the questionnaire twice, for test-retest reliability, and 100 patients at a dental clinic. We also administered the questionnaire to 136 English-speaking adults at the Hispanic festivals and 58 English-speaking students at the same college where we recruited the Spanish-speaking students, to compare the performance of the English and Spanish measures in the same populations. Results The internal reliabilities of the Spanish MDAS ranged from 0.80 to 0.85. Values for the DFS ranged from 0.92 to 0.96, and values for the NS ranged from 0.92 to 0.94. The test-retest reliabilities (intra-class correlations for the three measures were 0.69, 0.86, and 0.94 for the MDAS, DFS, and NS, respectively. The three measures showed moderate correlations with one another in all three samples, providing evidence for construct validity. Patients with higher scores on the measures were rated as being more anxious during dental procedures. Similar internal reliabilities and correlations were found in the English-version analyses. The test-retest values were also similar in the English students for the DFS and NS; however, the English test-retest value for the MDAS was better than that found in the Spanish students. Conclusion We found evidence for the internal reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity for the Spanish versions of the three measures, and evidence for the test-retest reliability of the Spanish

Development and Psychometric Validation of the Family Outcomes Survey-Revised

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Bailey, Donald B., Jr.; Raspa, Melissa; Olmsted, Murrey G.; Novak, Scott P.; Sam, Ann M.; Humphreys, Betsy P.; Nelson, Robin; Robinson, Nyle; Guillen, Chelsea

2011-01-01

Few psychometrically valid scales exist to assess family outcomes and the helpfulness of early intervention. This article describes the development and psychometric properties of the Family Outcomes Survey-Revised. The revision was prompted by the need to (a) create a new format that would be easier for parents to understand, (b) revise and expand…

Assessing reserve-building pursuits and person characteristics: psychometric validation of the Reserve-Building Measure.

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Schwartz, Carolyn E; Michael, Wesley; Zhang, Jie; Rapkin, Bruce D; Sprangers, Mirjam A G

2018-02-01

A growing body of research suggests that regularly engaging in stimulating activities across multiple domains-physical, cultural, intellectual, communal, and spiritual-builds resilience. This project investigated the psychometric characteristics of the DeltaQuest Reserve-Building Measure for use in prospective research. The study included Rare Patient Voice panel participants. The web-based survey included the Reserve-Building Measure with one-week re-test, measures of quality of life (QOL) and well-being (PROMIS General Health; NeuroQOL Cognitive Function and Positive Affect & Well-Being short-forms; Ryff Environmental Mastery subscale); and the Big Five Inventory-10 personality measure. Classical test theory and item response theory (IRT) analyses investigated psychometric characteristics of the Reserve-Building Measure. This North American sample (n = 592) included both patients and caregivers [mean age = 44, SD 19)]. Psychometric analyses revealed distinct subscales measuring current reserve-building activities (Active in the World, Games, Outdoors, Creative, Religious/Spiritual, Exercise, Inner Life, Shopping/Cooking, Passive Media Consumption,), past reserve-building activities (Childhood Activities, Achievement), and reserve-related person-factors (Perseverance, Current and Past Social Support, and Work Value). Test-retest stability (n = 101) was moderately high for 11 of 15 subscales (ICC range 0.78-0.99); four were below 0.59 indicating a need for further refinement. IRT analyses supported the item functioning of all subscales. Correlational analyses suggest the measure's subscales tap distinct constructs (range r = 0.11-0.46) which are not redundant with QOL, well-being, or personality (range r = 0.11-0.48). The Reserve-Building Measure provides a measure of activities and person-factors related to reserve that may potentially be useful in prospective research.

A Psychometric Analysis of the Child Behavior Checklist for Elementary School Children in Qatar

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Al-Hendawi, Maha; Keller, Clayton; Cloninger, Lea

2016-01-01

The Child Behavior Checklist for children 6 to 18 (CBCL/6-18) is a widely used, standardized parent rating scale. However, few studies have tested the psychometric properties of this instrument in the Arab world despite the great need for such instruments to support the identification and education of children with emotional, behavioral, and…

Dynamic Site Characterization and Correlation of Shear Wave Velocity with Standard Penetration Test ` N' Values for the City of Agartala, Tripura State, India

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Sil, Arjun; Sitharam, T. G.

2014-08-01

Seismic site characterization is the basic requirement for seismic microzonation and site response studies of an area. Site characterization helps to gauge the average dynamic properties of soil deposits and thus helps to evaluate the surface level response. This paper presents a seismic site characterization of Agartala city, the capital of Tripura state, in the northeast of India. Seismically, Agartala city is situated in the Bengal Basin zone which is classified as a highly active seismic zone, assigned by Indian seismic code BIS-1893, Indian Standard Criteria for Earthquake Resistant Design of Structures, Part-1 General Provisions and Buildings. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi (2002), it is the highest seismic level (zone-V) in the country. The city is very close to the Sylhet fault (Bangladesh) where two major earthquakes ( M w > 7) have occurred in the past and affected severely this city and the whole of northeast India. In order to perform site response evaluation, a series of geophysical tests at 27 locations were conducted using the multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) technique, which is an advanced method for obtaining shear wave velocity ( V s) profiles from in situ measurements. Similarly, standard penetration test (SPT-N) bore log data sets have been obtained from the Urban Development Department, Govt. of Tripura. In the collected data sets, out of 50 bore logs, 27 were selected which are close to the MASW test locations and used for further study. Both the data sets ( V s profiles with depth and SPT-N bore log profiles) have been used to calculate the average shear wave velocity ( V s30) and average SPT-N values for the upper 30 m depth of the subsurface soil profiles. These were used for site classification of the study area recommended by the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) manual. The average V s30 and SPT-N classified the study area as seismic site class D and E categories, indicating that

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Testing of the Brazilian Version of the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index Version 6.2

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Ávila, Christiane Wahast; Riegel, Barbara; Pokorski, Simoni Chiarelli; Camey, Suzi; Silveira, Luana Claudia Jacoby; Rabelo-Silva, Eneida Rejane

2013-01-01

Objective. To adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the SCHFI v 6.2. Methods. With the approval of the original author, we conducted a complete cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument (translation, synthesis, back translation, synthesis of back translation, expert committee review, and pretesting). The adapted version was named Brazilian version of the self-care of heart failure index v 6.2. The psychometric properties assessed were face validity and content validity (by expert committee review), construct validity (convergent validity and confirmatory factor analysis), and reliability. Results. Face validity and content validity were indicative of semantic, idiomatic, experimental, and conceptual equivalence. Convergent validity was demonstrated by a significant though moderate correlation (r = −0.51) on comparison with equivalent question scores of the previously validated Brazilian European heart failure self-care behavior scale. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original three-factor model as having the best fit, although similar results were obtained for inadequate fit indices. The reliability of the instrument, as expressed by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.40, 0.82, and 0.93 for the self-care maintenance, self-care management, and self-care confidence scales, respectively. Conclusion. The SCHFI v 6.2 was successfully adapted for use in Brazil. Nevertheless, further studies should be carried out to improve its psychometric properties. PMID:24163765

Non-Maxwellian electron energy probability functions in the plume of a SPT-100 Hall thruster

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Giono, G.; Gudmundsson, J. T.; Ivchenko, N.; Mazouffre, S.; Dannenmayer, K.; Loubère, D.; Popelier, L.; Merino, M.; Olentšenko, G.

2018-01-01

We present measurements of the electron density, the effective electron temperature, the plasma potential, and the electron energy probability function (EEPF) in the plume of a 1.5 kW-class SPT-100 Hall thruster, derived from cylindrical Langmuir probe measurements. The measurements were taken on the plume axis at distances between 550 and 1550 mm from the thruster exit plane, and at different angles from the plume axis at 550 mm for three operating points of the thruster, characterized by different discharge voltages and mass flow rates. The bulk of the electron population can be approximated as a Maxwellian distribution, but the measured distributions were seen to decline faster at higher energy. The measured EEPFs were best modelled with a general EEPF with an exponent α between 1.2 and 1.5, and their axial and angular characteristics were studied for the different operating points of the thruster. As a result, the exponent α from the fitted distribution was seen to be almost constant as a function of the axial distance along the plume, as well as across the angles. However, the exponent α was seen to be affected by the mass flow rate, suggesting a possible relationship with the collision rate, especially close to the thruster exit. The ratio of the specific heats, the γ factor, between the measured plasma parameters was found to be lower than the adiabatic value of 5/3 for each of the thruster settings, indicating the existence of non-trivial kinetic heat fluxes in the near collisionless plume. These results are intended to be used as input and/or testing properties for plume expansion models in further work.

Psychometric evaluation of a visual analog scale for the assessment of anxiety

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Morlock Robert J

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Fast-acting medications for the management of anxiety are important to patients and society. Measuring early onset, however, requires a sensitive and clinically responsive tool. This study evaluates the psychometric properties of a patient-reported Global Anxiety - Visual Analog Scale (GA-VAS. Methods Data from a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of lorazepam and paroxetine in patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder were analyzed to assess the reliability, validity, responsiveness, and utility of the GA-VAS. The GA-VAS was completed at clinic visits and at home during the first week of treatment. Targeted psychometric analyses—test-retest reliabilities, validity correlations, responsiveness statistics, and minimum important differences—were conducted. Results The GA-VAS correlates well with other anxiety measures, at Week 4, r = 0.60 (p r = 0.74 (p p p p Conclusions The GA-VAS is capable of validly and effectively capturing a reduction in anxiety as quickly as 24 hours post-dose.

Sensitization to cereals and peanut evidenced by skin prick test and specific IgE in food-tolerant, grass pollen allergic patients

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Martens, Maria; Schnoor, Heidi J; Malling, Hans-Jørgen

2011-01-01

The botanical relation between grass and cereal grains may be relevant when diagnosing food allergy to cereals. The aim was to investigate the diagnostic specificity of skin prick test (SPT) and specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) tests to cereals and peanut in grass pollen allergic subjects without...

Skin prick test results in patients with atopic symptoms in Yozgat district

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Emine Çölgeçen

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: Skin prick test (SPT is used widely and fastly to determine the allergens in atopic disease. We aimed in this study to analysis the relationship between total serum IgE (T.IgE and allergens that found by SPT and looking over the frequency of allergens. Methods: We evaluated clinical findings and SPT results and T.IgE levels of 190 patients who admitted to dermatology outpatient clinic, retrospectively. Rsults: 53 (27.9% patients had idiopathic generalized pruritus (IGP, 41 (21.6% had atopic dermatitis (AD, 40 (21.1% had chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU, 38 (20% had allergic rhinitis (AR, and 18 (9.5% had allergic asthma (AA. 123 (64.7% patients had positive reaction to at least one or more allergen on SPT. Of these patients 28 were IGP, 30 were AD, 20 were CIU, 28 were AR, and 17 were AA. The most common allergens were pine pollen (25.3%, wheat pollen (18.4%, and dog epithelium (15.8%. The mean levels of T.IgE was 382.61 ± 517.28 IU/ml (1-2500. T.IgE is higher 54.9% of patients. It was seen that DPT positivity was significantly more frequent in patients with increased T.IgE levels than those with normal total serum IgE level (p<0.05. Conclusion: We think that pine tree and wheat pollens are the most commonly encountered allergens at Yozgat area. Moreover, our findings indicated to the requirement and benefits of DPT in patients with AD, AR and AA in addition to the those KİU and İJP, particularly in patients with increased T.IgE levels, although further studies with larger sample size are needed. J Clin Exp Invest 2014; 5 (1: 64-68

The factor structure and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test.

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Sanchez-Garcia, Manuel; Extremera, Natalio; Fernandez-Berrocal, Pablo

2016-11-01

This research examined evidence regarding the reliability and validity of scores on the Spanish version of the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, Version 2.0 (MSCEIT; Mayer, Salovey, & Caruso, 2002). In Study 1, we found a close convergence of the Spanish consensus scores and the general and expert consensus scores determined with Mayer, Salovey, Caruso, and Sitarenios (2003) data. The MSCEIT also demonstrated adequate evidence of reliability of test scores as estimated by internal consistency and test-retest correlation after 12 weeks. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a 3-level higher factor model with 8 manifest variables (task scores), 4 first-level factors (corresponding to the 4-branch model of Mayer & Salovey [1997], with 2 tasks for each branch), 2 second-level factors (experiential and strategic areas, with 2 branches for each area), and 1 third-level factor (overall emotional intelligence [EI]), and multigroup analyses supported MSCEIT cross-gender invariance. Study 2 found evidence for the discriminant validity of scores on the MSCEIT subscales, which were differentially related to personality and self-reported EI. Study 3 provided evidence of the incremental validity of scores on the MSCEIT, which added significant variance to the prospective prediction of psychological well-being after controlling for personality traits. The psychometric properties of the Spanish MSCEIT are similar to those of the original English version, supporting its use for assessing emotional abilities in the Spanish population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

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

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

2016-11-01

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

The development and psychometric validation of the self-efficacy and performance in self-management support (SEPSS) Instrument

NARCIS (Netherlands)

V. Duprez (Veerle); S.M. van Hooft (Susanne); J. Dwarswaard (Jolanda); A.L. van Staa (AnneLoes); A. Van Hecke (Ann); M.M.H. Strating (Mathilde)

2016-01-01

markdownabstract__Aim:__ To develop and psychometrically test the self-efficacy and performance in self-management support (SEPSS) instrument. __Background:__ Facilitating persons with a chronic condition to take an active role in the management of their condition, implicates that nurses acquire

A systematic review evaluating the psychometric properties of measures of social inclusion

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Milbourn, Ben; Martin, Robyn; Buchanan, Angus; Chung, Donna; Speyer, Renée

2017-01-01

Introduction Improving social inclusion opportunities for population health has been identified as a priority area for international policy. There is a need to comprehensively examine and evaluate the quality of psychometric properties of measures of social inclusion that are used to guide social policy and outcomes. Objective To conduct a systematic review of the literature on all current measures of social inclusion for any population group, to evaluate the quality of the psychometric properties of identified measures, and to evaluate if they capture the construct of social inclusion. Methods A systematic search was performed using five electronic databases: CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, ERIC and Pubmed and grey literature were sourced to identify measures of social inclusion. The psychometric properties of the social inclusion measures were evaluated against the COSMIN taxonomy of measurement properties using pre-set psychometric criteria. Results Of the 109 measures identified, twenty-five measures, involving twenty-five studies and one manual met the inclusion criteria. The overall quality of the reviewed measures was variable, with the Social and Community Opportunities Profile-Short, Social Connectedness Scale and the Social Inclusion Scale demonstrating the strongest evidence for sound psychometric quality. The most common domain included in the measures was connectedness (21), followed by participation (19); the domain of citizenship was covered by the least number of measures (10). No single instrument measured all aspects within the three domains of social inclusion. Of the measures with sound psychometric evidence, the Social and Community Opportunities Profile-Short captured the construct of social inclusion best. Conclusions The overall quality of the psychometric properties demonstrate that the current suite of available instruments for the measurement of social inclusion are promising but need further refinement. There is a need for a universal working

Four theorems on the psychometric function.

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May, Keith A; Solomon, Joshua A

2013-01-01

In a 2-alternative forced-choice (2AFC) discrimination task, observers choose which of two stimuli has the higher value. The psychometric function for this task gives the probability of a correct response for a given stimulus difference, Δx. This paper proves four theorems about the psychometric function. Assuming the observer applies a transducer and adds noise, Theorem 1 derives a convenient general expression for the psychometric function. Discrimination data are often fitted with a Weibull function. Theorem 2 proves that the Weibull "slope" parameter, β, can be approximated by β(Noise) x β(Transducer), where β(Noise) is the β of the Weibull function that fits best to the cumulative noise distribution, and β(Transducer) depends on the transducer. We derive general expressions for β(Noise) and β(Transducer), from which we derive expressions for specific cases. One case that follows naturally from our general analysis is Pelli's finding that, when d' ∝ (Δx)(b), β ≈ β(Noise) x b. We also consider two limiting cases. Theorem 3 proves that, as sensitivity improves, 2AFC performance will usually approach that for a linear transducer, whatever the actual transducer; we show that this does not apply at signal levels where the transducer gradient is zero, which explains why it does not apply to contrast detection. Theorem 4 proves that, when the exponent of a power-function transducer approaches zero, 2AFC performance approaches that of a logarithmic transducer. We show that the power-function exponents of 0.4-0.5 fitted to suprathreshold contrast discrimination data are close enough to zero for the fitted psychometric function to be practically indistinguishable from that of a log transducer. Finally, Weibull β reflects the shape of the noise distribution, and we used our results to assess the recent claim that internal noise has higher kurtosis than a Gaussian. Our analysis of β for contrast discrimination suggests that, if internal noise is stimulus

Four theorems on the psychometric function.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keith A May

Full Text Available In a 2-alternative forced-choice (2AFC discrimination task, observers choose which of two stimuli has the higher value. The psychometric function for this task gives the probability of a correct response for a given stimulus difference, Δx. This paper proves four theorems about the psychometric function. Assuming the observer applies a transducer and adds noise, Theorem 1 derives a convenient general expression for the psychometric function. Discrimination data are often fitted with a Weibull function. Theorem 2 proves that the Weibull "slope" parameter, β, can be approximated by β(Noise x β(Transducer, where β(Noise is the β of the Weibull function that fits best to the cumulative noise distribution, and β(Transducer depends on the transducer. We derive general expressions for β(Noise and β(Transducer, from which we derive expressions for specific cases. One case that follows naturally from our general analysis is Pelli's finding that, when d' ∝ (Δx(b, β ≈ β(Noise x b. We also consider two limiting cases. Theorem 3 proves that, as sensitivity improves, 2AFC performance will usually approach that for a linear transducer, whatever the actual transducer; we show that this does not apply at signal levels where the transducer gradient is zero, which explains why it does not apply to contrast detection. Theorem 4 proves that, when the exponent of a power-function transducer approaches zero, 2AFC performance approaches that of a logarithmic transducer. We show that the power-function exponents of 0.4-0.5 fitted to suprathreshold contrast discrimination data are close enough to zero for the fitted psychometric function to be practically indistinguishable from that of a log transducer. Finally, Weibull β reflects the shape of the noise distribution, and we used our results to assess the recent claim that internal noise has higher kurtosis than a Gaussian. Our analysis of β for contrast discrimination suggests that, if internal noise is

Agreement between the Skin Prick Test and Specific Serum IgE for Egg White and Cow's Milk Allergens in Young Infant with Atopic Dermatitis

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Hyeon-Jong Yang

2014-01-01

Conclusions: The results of SPT agreed well with those of sIgE. This finding provides a rationale for using SPT, and suggests that SPT can be used along with sIgE to detect food sensitization in young infants with AD.

Conducting Simulation Studies in Psychometrics

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Feinberg, Richard A.; Rubright, Jonathan D.

2016-01-01

Simulation studies are fundamental to psychometric discourse and play a crucial role in operational and academic research. Yet, resources for psychometricians interested in conducting simulations are scarce. This Instructional Topics in Educational Measurement Series (ITEMS) module is meant to address this deficiency by providing a comprehensive…

Psychometric evaluation of the Dutch version of the Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS).

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Dijkstra, Boukje A G; Krabbe, Paul F M; Riezebos, Truus G M; van der Staak, Cees P F; De Jong, Cor A J

2007-01-01

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the 16-item Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS). The SOWS measures withdrawal symptoms at the time of assessment. The Dutch SOWS was repeatedly administered to a sample of 272 opioid-dependent inpatients of four addiction treatment centers during rapid detoxification with or without general anesthesia. Examination of the psychometric properties of the SOWS included exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and criterion validity. Exploratory factor analysis of the SOWS revealed a general pattern of four factors with three items not always clustered in the same factors at different points of measurement. After excluding these items from factor analysis four factors were identified during detoxification (temperature dysregulation, tractus locomotorius, tractus gastro-intestinalis and facial disinhibition). The 13-item SOWS shows high internal consistency and test-retest reliability and good validity at different stages of withdrawal. The 13-item SOWS is a reliable and valid instrument to assess opioid withdrawal during rapid detoxification. Three items were deleted because their content does not correspond directly with opioid withdrawal symptoms. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Psychometric properties of the Leisure Time Satisfaction Scale in family caregivers.

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Martínez-Rodríguez, Silvia; Iraurgi, Ioseba; Gómez-Marroquin, Ignacio; Carrasco, María; Ortiz-Marqués, Nuria; Stevens, Alan B

2016-05-01

Despite evidence of the numerous benefits of leisure to health and well-being appropriate tools to assess this construct are lacking. The purpose of this work was to analyse the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Leisure Time Satisfaction (LTS). The sample was made up of 1048 primary family caregivers of dependent people. Scale structure was subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent and convergent validity were assessed by correlation with validated questionnaires for measuring burden (Zarit Burden Inventory - ZBI) and health (SF-36 Health Survey). The results show a high level of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .938) suitable fit of the dimensional model tested via confirmatory factor analysis (GFI = .925, BBNNFI= .996; IFI= .998, RMSEA= .043), and appropriate convergent validity with similar constructs (r = -.44 with ZBI; and r-values between .226 and .440 with SF-36 dimensions). Psychometric results obtained from the LTS are promising and the results enable us to draw the conclusion that it is a suitable tool for assessing caregivers’ leisure time satisfaction.

Role of atopy patch test for diagnosis of food allergy-related gastrointestinal symptoms in children.

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Boonyaviwat, Onsuree; Pacharn, Punchama; Jirapongsananuruk, Orathai; Vichyanond, Pakit; Visitsunthorn, Nualanong

2015-12-01

Double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge is the gold standard for diagnosing food allergy. However, it is a time-consuming procedure and requires onsite medical supervision and resuscitating medicines and devices on hand. The objective of this study was to compare the atopy patch test (APT) with the oral food challenge test (OFC) in children with suspected food allergy-related gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. A prospective self-controlled study enrolled children with a history of suspected food allergy-related GI symptoms. Skin prick test (SPT) and APT using lyophilized and commercial allergen extracts for cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, and shrimp were evaluated, and OFC was performed. Thirty-nine patients (25 boys, median age 2.4 yrs) with 76 events of suspected food allergy-related GI symptoms were enrolled. SPT was positive in 11/76 events (14.5%). Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratio were calculated related to the food challenge outcome. Of 41 OFC, 30 (73.2%) were positive. APT using lyophilized allergen extracts yielded high sensitivity (80%) and high positive predictive value (85.7%). APT using commercial allergen extracts yielded low sensitivity (30%) but high specificity (90%). The negative predictive value of APT using lyophilized and commercial allergen extracts was 53.8% and 32.2%, respectively. All cases with positive APT using lyophilized allergen extracts together with positive SPT also had positive OFC. In contrast to commercial extracts, APT with lyophilized allergen extracts is reliable, safe, and maybe useful for the diagnosis of suspected food allergy-related GI symptoms in children. OFC is still needed in most of the cases. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

IQs Are Very Strong but Imperfect Indicators of Psychometric "g": Results from Joint Confirmatory Factor Analysis

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Farmer, Ryan L.; Floyd, Randy G.; Reynolds, Matthew R.; Kranzler, John H.

2014-01-01

The most global score yielded by intelligence tests, IQs, are supported by substantial validity evidence and have historically been central to the identification of intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and giftedness. This study examined the extent to which IQs measure the ability they target, psychometric "g." Data from…

The psychometrics of mental workload: multiple measures are sensitive but divergent.

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Matthews, Gerald; Reinerman-Jones, Lauren E; Barber, Daniel J; Abich, Julian

2015-02-01

A study was run to test the sensitivity of multiple workload indices to the differing cognitive demands of four military monitoring task scenarios and to investigate relationships between indices. Various psychophysiological indices of mental workload exhibit sensitivity to task factors. However, the psychometric properties of multiple indices, including the extent to which they intercorrelate, have not been adequately investigated. One hundred fifty participants performed in four task scenarios based on a simulation of unmanned ground vehicle operation. Scenarios required threat detection and/or change detection. Both single- and dual-task scenarios were used. Workload metrics for each scenario were derived from the electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram, transcranial Doppler sonography, functional near infrared, and eye tracking. Subjective workload was also assessed. Several metrics showed sensitivity to the differing demands of the four scenarios. Eye fixation duration and the Task Load Index metric derived from EEG were diagnostic of single-versus dual-task performance. Several other metrics differentiated the two single tasks but were less effective in differentiating single- from dual-task performance. Psychometric analyses confirmed the reliability of individual metrics but failed to identify any general workload factor. An analysis of difference scores between low- and high-workload conditions suggested an effort factor defined by heart rate variability and frontal cortex oxygenation. General workload is not well defined psychometrically, although various individual metrics may satisfy conventional criteria for workload assessment. Practitioners should exercise caution in using multiple metrics that may not correspond well, especially at the level of the individual operator.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Thirst Distress Scale for patients with heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Waldréus, Nana; Jaarsma, Tiny; van der Wal, Martje Hl; Kato, Naoko P

2018-03-01

Patients with heart failure can experience thirst distress. However, there is no instrument to measure this in patients with heart failure. The aim of the present study was to develop the Thirst Distress Scale for patients with Heart Failure (TDS-HF) and to evaluate psychometric properties of the scale. The TDS-HF was developed to measure thirst distress in patients with heart failure. Face and content validity was confirmed using expert panels including patients and healthcare professionals. Data on the TDS-HF was collected from patients with heart failure at outpatient heart failure clinics and hospitals in Sweden, the Netherlands and Japan. Psychometric properties were evaluated using data from 256 heart failure patients (age 72±11 years). Concurrent validity of the scale was assessed using a thirst intensity visual analogue scale. Patients did not have any difficulties answering the questions, and time taken to answer the questions was about five minutes. Factor analysis of the scale showed one factor. After psychometric testing, one item was deleted. For the eight item TDS-HF, a single factor explained 61% of the variance and Cronbach's alpha was 0.90. The eight item TDS-HF was significantly associated with the thirst intensity score ( r=0.55, pfailure.

A preliminary psychometric evaluation of Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS).

Science.gov (United States)

McDermott, Orii; Orgeta, Vasiliki; Ridder, Hanne Mette; Orrell, Martin

2014-06-01

Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS), an observational outcome measure for music therapy with people with moderate to severe dementia, was developed from qualitative data of focus groups and interviews. Expert and peer consultations were conducted at each stage of the scale development to maximize its content validity. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of MiDAS. Care home residents with dementia attended weekly group music therapy for up to ten sessions. Music therapists and care home staff were requested to complete weekly MiDAS ratings. The Quality of Life Scale (QoL-AD) was completed at three time-points. A total of 629 (staff = 306, therapist = 323) MiDAS forms were completed. The statistical analysis revealed that MiDAS has high therapist inter-rater reliability, low staff inter-rater reliability, adequate staff test-retest reliability, adequate concurrent validity, and good construct validity. High factor loadings between the five MiDAS Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) items, levels of Interest, Response, Initiation, Involvement, and Enjoyment, were found. This study indicates that MiDAS has good psychometric properties despite the small sample size. Future research with a larger sample size could provide a more in-depth psychometric evaluation, including further exploration of the underlying factors. MiDAS provides a measure of engagement with musical experience and offers insight into who is likely to benefit on other outcomes such as quality of life or reduction in psychiatric symptoms.

The Caregiver Contribution to Heart Failure Self-Care (CACHS): Further Psychometric Testing of a Novel Instrument.

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Buck, Harleah G; Harkness, Karen; Ali, Muhammad Usman; Carroll, Sandra L; Kryworuchko, Jennifer; McGillion, Michael

2017-04-01

Caregivers (CGs) contribute important assistance with heart failure (HF) self-care, including daily maintenance, symptom monitoring, and management. Until CGs' contributions to self-care can be quantified, it is impossible to characterize it, account for its impact on patient outcomes, or perform meaningful cost analyses. The purpose of this study was to conduct psychometric testing and item reduction on the recently developed 34-item Caregiver Contribution to Heart Failure Self-care (CACHS) instrument using classical and item response theory methods. Fifty CGs (mean age 63 years ±12.84; 70% female) recruited from a HF clinic completed the CACHS in 2014 and results evaluated using classical test theory and item response theory. Items would be deleted for low (.95) endorsement, low (.7) corrected item-total correlations, significant pairwise correlation coefficients, floor or ceiling effects, relatively low latent trait and item information function levels ( .5), and differential item functioning. After analysis, 14 items were excluded, resulting in a 20-item instrument (self-care maintenance eight items; monitoring seven items; and management five items). Most items demonstrated moderate to high discrimination (median 2.13, minimum .77, maximum 5.05), and appropriate item difficulty (-2.7 to 1.4). Internal consistency reliability was excellent (Cronbach α = .94, average inter-item correlation = .41) with no ceiling effects. The newly developed 20-item version of the CACHS is supported by rigorous instrument development and represents a novel instrument to measure CGs' contribution to HF self-care. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the nursing instructors' clinical teaching performance inventory.

Science.gov (United States)

A Farahani, Mansoureh; Emamzadeh Ghasemi, Hormat Sadat; Nikpaima, Nasrin; Fereidooni, Zhila; Rasoli, Maryam

2014-10-29

Evaluation of nursing instructors' clinical teaching performance is a prerequisite to the quality assurance of nursing education. One of the most common procedures for this purpose is using student evaluations. This study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of Nursing Instructors' Clinical Teaching Performance Inventory (NICTPI). The primary items of the inventory were generated by reviewing the published literature and the existing questionnaires as well as consulting with the members of the Faculties Evaluation Committee of the study setting. Psychometric properties were assessed by calculating its content validity ratio and index, and test-retest correlation coefficient as well as conducting an exploratory factor analysis and an internal consistency assessment. The content validity ratios and indices of the items were respectively higher than 0.85 and 0.79. The final version of the inventory consisted of 25 items, and in the exploratory factor analysis, items were loaded on three factors which jointly accounting for 72.85% of the total variance. The test-retest correlation coefficient and the Cronbach's alpha of the inventory were 0.93 and 0.973, respectively. The results revealed that the developed inventory is an appropriate, valid, and reliable instrument for evaluating nursing instructors' clinical teaching performance.

Turkish adaptation and psychometric characteristics of the Nursing Authority and Autonomy Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Basaran Acil, Seher; Dinç, Leyla

2018-04-14

To adapt the Nursing Authority and Autonomy Scale (NAAS) into Turkish the Nursing Authority and Autonomy Scale (NAAS) to Turkish and assess its psychometric properties for Turkish nurses and nurse managers. The NAAS is a tool that specifically measures nursing authority and autonomy from the perspectives of nurses and nurse managers. The study sample consisted of 160 nurse managers and 266 staff nurses. Content validity was assessed using expert approval. Construct validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's α, and the test-retest reliability was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficients. The model achieved a good fit. The internal reliability of the NAAS' authority and autonomy in nursing practice and importance of nursing practice subscales were .84. The Cronbach's α of the instrument was .88. The test-retest scores within an interval of 3 weeks were statistically not significant. The Turkish version of the NAAS has good psychometric properties and this scale can be employed to measure nurses' authority and autonomy. Nurse managers and educators should use an appropriate scale such as NAAS in order to assess nurses' clinical authority and autonomy to improve patient outcomes and develop nurses. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Optimization of the Dutch Matrix Test by Random Selection of Sentences From a Preselected Subset

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rolph Houben

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Matrix tests are available for speech recognition testing in many languages. For an accurate measurement, a steep psychometric function of the speech materials is required. For existing tests, it would be beneficial if it were possible to further optimize the available materials by increasing the function’s steepness. The objective is to show if the steepness of the psychometric function of an existing matrix test can be increased by selecting a homogeneous subset of recordings with the steepest sentence-based psychometric functions. We took data from a previous multicenter evaluation of the Dutch matrix test (45 normal-hearing listeners. Based on half of the data set, first the sentences (140 out of 311 with a similar speech reception threshold and with the steepest psychometric function (≥9.7%/dB were selected. Subsequently, the steepness of the psychometric function for this selection was calculated from the remaining (unused second half of the data set. The calculation showed that the slope increased from 10.2%/dB to 13.7%/dB. The resulting subset did not allow the construction of enough balanced test lists. Therefore, the measurement procedure was changed to randomly select the sentences during testing. Random selection may interfere with a representative occurrence of phonemes. However, in our material, the median phonemic occurrence remained close to that of the original test. This finding indicates that phonemic occurrence is not a critical factor. The work highlights the possibility that existing speech tests might be improved by selecting sentences with a steep psychometric function.

How mechanisms of perceptual decision-making affect the psychometric function.

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Gold, Joshua I; Ding, Long

2013-04-01

Psychometric functions are often interpreted in the context of Signal Detection Theory, which emphasizes a distinction between sensory processing and non-sensory decision rules in the brain. This framework has helped to relate perceptual sensitivity to the "neurometric" sensitivity of sensory-driven neural activity. However, perceptual sensitivity, as interpreted via Signal Detection Theory, is based on not just how the brain represents relevant sensory information, but also how that information is read out to form the decision variable to which the decision rule is applied. Here we discuss recent advances in our understanding of this readout process and describe its effects on the psychometric function. In particular, we show that particular aspects of the readout process can have specific, identifiable effects on the threshold, slope, upper asymptote, time dependence, and choice dependence of psychometric functions. To illustrate these points, we emphasize studies of perceptual learning that have identified changes in the readout process that can lead to changes in these aspects of the psychometric function. We also discuss methods that have been used to distinguish contributions of the sensory representation versus its readout to psychophysical performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Swedish version of the Acceptance of Chronic Health Conditions Scale for people with multiple sclerosis: Translation, cultural adaptation and psychometric properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Forslin, Mia; Kottorp, Anders; Kierkegaard, Marie; Johansson, Sverker

2016-11-11

To translate and culturally adapt the Acceptance of Chronic Health Conditions (ACHC) Scale for people with multiple sclerosis into Swedish, and to analyse the psychometric properties of the Swedish version. Ten people with multiple sclerosis participated in translation and cultural adaptation of the ACHC Scale; 148 people with multiple sclerosis were included in evaluation of the psychometric properties of the scale. Translation and cultural adaptation were carried out through translation and back-translation, by expert committee evaluation and pre-test with cognitive interviews in people with multiple sclerosis. The psychometric properties of the Swedish version were evaluated using Rasch analysis. The Swedish version of the ACHC Scale was an acceptable equivalent to the original version. Seven of the original 10 items fitted the Rasch model and demonstrated ability to separate between groups. A 5-item version, including 2 items and 3 super-items, demonstrated better psychometric properties, but lower ability to separate between groups. The Swedish version of the ACHC Scale with the original 10 items did not fit the Rasch model. Two solutions, either with 7 items (ACHC-7) or with 2 items and 3 super-items (ACHC-5), demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. Use of the ACHC-5 Scale with super-items is recommended, since this solution adjusts for local dependency among items.

Psychometric testing of inventory of beliefs and attitudes on domestic violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchinson, Marie; Doran, Frances

2017-06-22

Background Domestic violence (DV) is an international public health issue associated with adverse health outcomes for adults and children. There have been widespread calls to increase nurses' capacity to respond to DV and improve undergraduate nursing education in this area. However, there are few valid, reliable and contemporary measures of nursing attitudes towards and beliefs concerning DV that are suited for use in evaluating education programmes. Aim To establish the psychometric properties of a newly developed inventory designed to measure nursing students' beliefs about and attitudes towards DV. Discussion Exploratory factor analysis identified five factors, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.646. The few factors loading>.80 suggest that the instrument has good discriminate validity. The absence of cross-loadings indicate good convergent validity. Conclusion The inventory provides one of the first validated and reliable measures for examining undergraduate nursing students' attitudes towards and beliefs about DV. Implications for practice The instrument is suited for use by nurse educators in assessing the influence of curriculum design and teaching strategies on student beliefs and attitudes. It would also be useful in studies investigating nurses' clinical practice on domestic violence.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS PSYCHOMETRIC TOOL FOR ENHANCING FUNCTIONAL FLUENCY

OpenAIRE

TEMPLE, SUSANNAH FLEUR

2002-01-01

Functional Fluency denotes efficacy of interpersonal functioning in terms of flexibility and balance of the behavioural modes a person uses. The aim of this project is to design and create a psychometric tool for mapping the patterns of such functioning. The intention is that feedback on the test results will stimulate the insights and understanding to support and encourage positive behavioural change. This process, involving the development of self-awareness, which is a key as...

A psychometric validation of the Short Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (SAWS)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elholm, Bjarne; Larsen, Klaus; Hornnes, Nete

2010-01-01

The study aimed to evaluate psychometrically a Danish translation of the Short Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (SAWS) in an outpatient setting in patients with Alcohol Dependence (AD) and Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms/Syndrome (AWS).......The study aimed to evaluate psychometrically a Danish translation of the Short Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (SAWS) in an outpatient setting in patients with Alcohol Dependence (AD) and Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms/Syndrome (AWS)....

Measuring pregnancy planning: A psychometric evaluation and comparison of two scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Drevin, Jennifer; Kristiansson, Per; Stern, Jenny; Rosenblad, Andreas

2017-11-01

To psychometrically test the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy and compare it with the Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale. The incidence of unplanned pregnancies is an important indicator of reproductive health. The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy measures pregnancy planning by taking contraceptive use, timing, intention to become pregnant, desire for pregnancy, partner agreement, and pre-conceptual preparations into account. It has, however, previously not been psychometrically evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The Likert-scored single-item Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale has been developed to measure the woman's own view of pregnancy planning level. Cross-sectional design. In 2012-2013, 5493 pregnant women living in Sweden were invited to participate in the Swedish Pregnancy Planning study, of whom 3327 (61%) agreed to participate and answered a questionnaire. A test-retest pilot study was conducted in 2011-2012. Thirty-two participants responded to the questionnaire on two occasions 14 days apart. Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis, Cohen's weighted kappa and Spearman's correlation. All items of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy contributed to measuring pregnancy planning, but four items had low item-reliability. The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy and Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale corresponded reasonably well with each other and both showed good test-retest reliability. The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy may benefit from item reduction and its usefulness may be questioned. The Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale is time-efficient and shows acceptable reliability and construct validity, which makes it more useful for measuring pregnancy planning. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Translation and validation of Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS to Portuguese - psychometric results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catarina Tavares

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Translate and adapt the Convergence Insuficiency Symptom Survey (CISS questionnaire to the Portuguese language and culture and assess the psychometric properties of the translated questionnaire (CISSvp. Methods: The CISS questionnaire was adapted according to the methodology recommended by some authors. The process involved two translations and back-translations performed by independent evaluators, evaluation of these versions, preparation of a synthesis version and its pre-test. The final version (CISSvp was applied in 70 patients (21.79 ± 2.42 years students in higher education, and at two different times, by two observers, to assess its reliability. Results: The results showed good internal consistency of the CISSvp (Cronbach's alpha - α=0.893. The test re-test revealed an average of the differences between the first and second evaluation of 0.75 points (SD ± 3.53, which indicates a minimum bias between the two administrations. The interrater reliability assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.880 to 0.952, revealing that the CISSvp represents an appropriate tool for measuring the visual discomfort associated with near vision tasks with a high level of reproducibility. Conclusions: The CISS Portuguese version, showed good psychometric properties and has been sown to be applicable to the Portuguese population, to quantify the visual discomfort associated with near vision, in higher education students.

Development and psychometric evaluation of a cardiovascular risk and disease management knowledge assessment tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosneck, James S; Hughes, Joel; Gunstad, John; Josephson, Richard; Noe, Donald A; Waechter, Donna

2014-01-01

This article describes the systematic construction and psychometric analysis of a knowledge assessment instrument for phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR) patients measuring risk modification disease management knowledge and behavioral outcomes derived from national standards relevant to secondary prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. First, using adult curriculum based on disease-specific learning outcomes and competencies, a systematic test item development process was completed by clinical staff. Second, a panel of educational and clinical experts used an iterative process to identify test content domain and arrive at consensus in selecting items meeting criteria. Third, the resulting 31-question instrument, the Cardiac Knowledge Assessment Tool (CKAT), was piloted in CR patients to ensure use of application. Validity and reliability analyses were performed on 3638 adults before test administrations with additional focused analyses on 1999 individuals completing both pretreatment and posttreatment administrations within 6 months. Evidence of CKAT content validity was substantiated, with 85% agreement among content experts. Evidence of construct validity was demonstrated via factor analysis identifying key underlying factors. Estimates of internal consistency, for example, Cronbach's α = .852 and Spearman-Brown split-half reliability = 0.817 on pretesting, support test reliability. Item analysis, using point biserial correlation, measured relationships between performance on single items and total score (P knowledge instrument specifically designed for an adult CR population was systematically developed and tested in a large representative patient population, satisfying psychometric parameters, including validity and reliability.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Spiritual Index of Well-Being in elderly Taiwanese.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Li-Fen; Yang, Shu-Hui; Koo, Malcolm

2017-01-04

Spiritual well-being has become an increasingly important issue for the elderly people. The 12-item Spirituality Index of Well-Being (SIWB) is a well-validated instrument for assessing a patient's current spiritual state. However, the psychometric properties of the SIWB in the Chinese elderly populations are not known. Therefore, this study translated the SIWB into Chinese and evaluated its psychometric properties. The English version of the SIWB was first translated into Chinese based on the Brislin's translation model. The psychometric properties of the translated version of the SIWB (SIWB-C) was evaluated in 416 elderly Taiwanese recruited using a purposive sampling procedure from a medical center, a long-term care institution, and a community health center. Convergent validity was accessed using Pearson's correlation coefficients of the SIWB-C, the EQ-5D-3 L health-related quality of life scale, and the Geriatric Depression Scale-5 (GDS-5). Exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation was performed to determine the construct validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for verification of the quality of the factor structures and demonstrating the convergent validity of the SIWB-C. An internal consistency test based on the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and a stability test based on the Guttman split-half coefficient were also performed. Test-retest reliability was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficient. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the original two-dimensional structure of the scale. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a well-fitting model and a fine convergent validity of the SIWB-C. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the Guttman split-half coefficient for the SIWB-C were 0.94 and 0.84, respectively. The correlations between the SIWB-C with EQ-5D-3 L and GDS-5 were 0.22 (p spiritual well-being in elderly Taiwanese. Its application in assessing the spiritual well-being in Mandarin-speaking elderly population warrants

Joint entropy for space and spatial frequency domains estimated from psychometric functions of achromatic discrimination.

Science.gov (United States)

Silveira, Vladímir de Aquino; Souza, Givago da Silva; Gomes, Bruno Duarte; Rodrigues, Anderson Raiol; Silveira, Luiz Carlos de Lima

2014-01-01

We used psychometric functions to estimate the joint entropy for space discrimination and spatial frequency discrimination. Space discrimination was taken as discrimination of spatial extent. Seven subjects were tested. Gábor functions comprising unidimensionalsinusoidal gratings (0.4, 2, and 10 cpd) and bidimensionalGaussian envelopes (1°) were used as reference stimuli. The experiment comprised the comparison between reference and test stimulithat differed in grating's spatial frequency or envelope's standard deviation. We tested 21 different envelope's standard deviations around the reference standard deviation to study spatial extent discrimination and 19 different grating's spatial frequencies around the reference spatial frequency to study spatial frequency discrimination. Two series of psychometric functions were obtained for 2%, 5%, 10%, and 100% stimulus contrast. The psychometric function data points for spatial extent discrimination or spatial frequency discrimination were fitted with Gaussian functions using the least square method, and the spatial extent and spatial frequency entropies were estimated from the standard deviation of these Gaussian functions. Then, joint entropy was obtained by multiplying the square root of space extent entropy times the spatial frequency entropy. We compared our results to the theoretical minimum for unidimensional Gábor functions, 1/4π or 0.0796. At low and intermediate spatial frequencies and high contrasts, joint entropy reached levels below the theoretical minimum, suggesting non-linear interactions between two or more visual mechanisms. We concluded that non-linear interactions of visual pathways, such as the M and P pathways, could explain joint entropy values below the theoretical minimum at low and intermediate spatial frequencies and high contrasts. These non-linear interactions might be at work at intermediate and high contrasts at all spatial frequencies once there was a substantial decrease in joint

Psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy in women with pregnancies ending in birth.

Science.gov (United States)

Goossens, Joline; Verhaeghe, Sofie; Van Hecke, Ann; Barrett, Geraldine; Delbaere, Ilse; Beeckman, Dimitri

2018-01-01

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy in women with pregnancies ending in birth. A two-phase psychometric evaluation design was set-up. Phase I comprised the translation from English into Dutch and pretesting with 6 women using cognitive interviews. In phase II, the reliability and validity of the Dutch version of the LMUP was assessed in 517 women giving birth recently. Reliability (internal consistency) was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, inter-item correlations, and corrected item-total correlations. Construct validity was assessed using principal components analysis and hypothesis testing. Exploratory Mokken scale analysis was carried out. 517 women aged 15-45 completed the Dutch version of the LMUP. Reliability testing showed acceptable internal consistency (alpha = 0.74, positive inter-item correlations between all items, all corrected item-total correlations >0.20). Validity testing confirmed the unidimensional structure of the scale and all hypotheses were confirmed. The overall Loevinger's H coefficient was 0.57, representing a 'strong' scale. The Dutch version of the LMUP is a reliable and valid measure that can be used in the Dutch-speaking population in Belgium to assess pregnancy planning. Future research is necessary to assess the stability of the Dutch version of the LMUP, and to evaluate its psychometric properties in women with abortions.

The Swedish P-CAT: modification and exploration of psychometric properties of two different versions.

Science.gov (United States)

Selan, Denis; Jakobsson, Ulf; Condelius, Anna

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to further investigate the psychometric properties (with focus on construct validity and scale function) of the Swedish version of the Person-centred Care Assessment Tool (P-CAT) in a sample consisting of staff working in elderly care units (N = 142). The aim was also to further develop and psychometrically test a modified, noncontext-specific version of the instrument (mP-CAT) in a sample consisting of staff working in primary health care or within home care for older people (N = 182). Principal component analysis with varimax rotation initially suggested a three-factor solution for the P-CAT, explaining 55.96% of variance. Item 13 solely represented one factor wherefore this solution was rejected. A final 2-factor solution, without item 13, had a cumulative explained variance of 50.03%. All communalities were satisfactory (>0.3), and alpha values for both first factor (items 1-6, 11) and second factor (items 7-10, 12) were found to be acceptable. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation suggested a final 2-factor solution for the mP-CAT explaining 46.15% of the total variance with communalities ranging from 0.263 to 0.712. Cronbach's α for both factors was found to be acceptable (>0.7). This study suggests a 2-factor structure for the P-CAT and an exclusion of item 13. The results indicated that the modified noncontext-specific version, mP-CAT, seems to be a valid measure. Further psychometric testing of the mP-CAT is however needed in order to establish the instrument's validity and reliability in various contexts. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Child's Challenging Behaviour Scale, Version 2 (CCBS-2): Psychometric Evaluation With Young Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourke-Taylor, Helen; Pallant, Julie; Cordier, Reinie

In this article, we evaluate psychometric properties of the Child's Challenging Behaviour Scale, Version 2 (CCBS-2) with mothers of young, typically developing children. A cross-sectional mail survey with Australian mothers (N = 337) included the CCBS-2, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, and the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status scale. Internal consistency was good, and no gender differences in CCBS-2 scores were significant. Significant results included differences between CCBS-2 scores: among children grouped according to age, among children grouped according to pre- and post-school entry, among mothers grouped according to extent of any symptom type, and between this sample and a previously collected age-matched sample of children with disabilities. Of the properties tested, results support sound psychometrics. The CCBS-2 can be used to differentiate children according to age, school entry, and disability as well as to identify families for potential services in behavior management and mental health. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

A Review of Standardized Tests of Nonverbal Oral and Speech Motor Performance in Children

Science.gov (United States)

McCauley, Rebecca J.; Strand, Edythe A.

2008-01-01

Purpose: To review the content and psychometric characteristics of 6 published tests currently available to aid in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of motor speech disorders in children. Method: We compared the content of the 6 tests and critically evaluated the degree to which important psychometric characteristics support the tests' use for…

Psychometric characteristics of health-related quality-of-life questionnaires in oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Science.gov (United States)

Timmerman, Angelique A; Speyer, Renée; Heijnen, Bas J; Klijn-Zwijnenberg, Iris R

2014-04-01

Dysphagia can have severe consequences for the patient's health, influencing health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Sound psychometric properties of HRQoL questionnaires are a precondition for assessing the impact of dysphagia, the focus of this study, resulting in recommendations for the appropriate use of these questionnaires in both clinical practice and research contexts. We performed a systematic review starting with a search for and retrieval of all full-text articles on the development of HRQoL questionnaires related to oropharyngeal dysphagia and/or their psychometric validation from the electronic databases PubMed and Embase published up to June 2011. Psychometric properties were judged according to quality criteria proposed for health status questionnaires. Eight questionnaires were included in this study. Four are aimed solely at HRQoL in oropharyngeal dysphagia: the deglutition handicap index (DHI), dysphagia handicap index (DHI'), M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI), and SWAL-QOL, while the EDGQ, EORTC QLQ-STO 22, EORTC QLQ-OG 25 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35 focus on other primary diseases resulting in dysphagia. The psychometric properties of the DHI, DHI', MDADI, and SWAL-QOL were evaluated. For appropriate applicability of HRQoL questionnaires, strong scores on the psychometric criteria face validity, criterion validity, and interpretability are prerequisites. The SWAL-QOL has the strongest ratings for these criteria, while the DHI' is the most easy to apply given its 25 items and the use of a uniform scoring format. For optimal use of HRQoL questionnaires in diverse settings, it is necessary to combine psychometric and utility approaches.

Psychometric properties of the Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beauchamp, Marla K; Schmidt, Catherine T; Pedersen, Mette M

2014-01-01

The choice of measure for use as a primary outcome in geriatric research is contingent upon the construct of interest and evidence for its psychometric properties. The Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI) has been widely used to assess functional limitations and disability...... in studies with older adults. The primary aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the current available evidence for the psychometric properties of the LLFDI....

Seeking a Balance between the Statistical and Scientific Elements in Psychometrics

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Mark

2013-01-01

In this paper, I will review some aspects of psychometric projects that I have been involved in, emphasizing the nature of the work of the psychometricians involved, especially the balance between the statistical and scientific elements of that work. The intent is to seek to understand where psychometrics, as a discipline, has been and where it…

SNOT-22: psychometric properties and cross-cultural adaptation into the Portuguese language spoken in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Caminha, Guilherme Pilla; Melo Junior, José Tavares de; Hopkins, Claire; Pizzichini, Emilio; Pizzichini, Marcia Margaret Menezes

2012-12-01

Rhinosinusitis is a highly prevalent disease and a major cause of high medical costs. It has been proven to have an impact on the quality of life through generic health-related quality of life assessments. However, generic instruments may not be able to factor in the effects of interventions and treatments. SNOT-22 is a major disease-specific instrument to assess quality of life for patients with rhinosinusitis. Nevertheless, there is still no validated SNOT-22 version in our country. Cross-cultural adaptation of the SNOT-22 into Brazilian Portuguese and assessment of its psychometric properties. The Brazilian version of the SNOT-22 was developed according to international guidelines and was broken down into nine stages: 1) Preparation 2) Translation 3) Reconciliation 4) Back-translation 5) Comparison 6) Evaluation by the author of the SNOT-22 7) Revision by committee of experts 8) Cognitive debriefing 9) Final version. Second phase: prospective study consisting of a verification of the psychometric properties, by analyzing internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Cultural adaptation showed adequate understanding, acceptability and psychometric properties. We followed the recommended steps for the cultural adaptation of the SNOT-22 into Portuguese language, producing a tool for the assessment of patients with sinonasal disorders of clinical importance and for scientific studies.

Psychometrics of the self-report safe driving behavior measure for older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Classen, Sherrilene; Wen, Pey-Shan; Velozo, Craig A; Bédard, Michel; Winter, Sandra M; Brumback, Babette; Lanford, Desiree N

2012-01-01

We investigated the psychometric properties of the 68-item Safe Driving Behavior Measure (SDBM) with 80 older drivers, 80 caregivers, and 2 evaluators from two sites. Using Rasch analysis, we examined unidimensionality and local dependence; rating scale; item- and person-level psychometrics; and item hierarchy of older drivers, caregivers, and driving evaluators who had completed the SDBM. The evidence suggested the SDBM is unidimensional, but pairs of items showed local dependency. Across the three rater groups, the data showed good person (≥3.4) and item (≥3.6) separation as well as good person (≥.93) and item reliability (≥.92). Cronbach's α was ≥.96, and few items were misfitting. Some of the items did not follow the hypothesized order of item difficulty. The SDBM classified the older drivers into six ability levels, but to fully calibrate the instrument it must be refined in terms of its items (e.g., item exclusion) and then tested among participants of lesser ability. Copyright © 2012 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: Psychometric properties of the parent and teacher version in children aged 4–7

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stone, L.L.; Janssens, J.M.A.M.; Vermulst, A.A.; Maten, M.L. van der; Engels, R.C.M.E.; Otten, R.

2015-01-01

Background The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is one of the most employed screening instruments. Although there is a large research body investigating its psychometric properties, reliability and validity are not yet fully tested using modern techniques. Therefore, we investigate

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS

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Mahdieh Sadat Khoshouei

2007-06-01

Full Text Available   Abstract: Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS is an instrument used to evaluate the severity of social phobia. It has been widely used in different contexts and cultures, presenting variable psychometric properties. The aim of this study is to investigate the psychometric properties of LSAS. Method: The sample consisted of 342 students (184 females, 158 males aged 19 - 34(Mean age=21.93, SD=3.44 years; Subjects were selected from eight faculties of Isfahan University, using a random clustering procedure. In order to measure test-retest reliability, LSAS was re-administered to fifty-eight students three weeks after the first session. Results: The method of Principal components analysis (Varimax Normalized Rotation was applied to evaluate structural validity of LSAS. The factor analysis defined 5 factors which covered 84.68% of the total variability of the data. The five factors extracted were: 1 speaking in a group; 2 social interaction in leisure activity; 3 activity in public; 4 attitude of disagreement or disapproval;and 5 social interaction with unknown person. The reliability coefficients (Cronbach alpha, split-half and test- retest were found to be satisfactory for the total scale and its subscales. Conclusions: The scale is valid and reliable for studies that require a standard

Brief Report: An Independent Replication and Extension of Psychometric Evidence Supporting the Theory of Mind Inventory.

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Greenslade, Kathryn J; Coggins, Truman E

2016-08-01

This study presents an independent replication and extension of psychometric evidence supporting the Theory of Mind Inventory (ToMI). Parents of 20 children with ASD (4; 1-6; 7 years; months) and 20 with typical development (3; 1-6; 5), rated their child's theory of mind abilities in everyday situations. Other parent report and child behavioral assessments included the Social Responsiveness Scale-2, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-2, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4, and Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Preschool, 2. Results revealed high internal consistency, expected developmental changes in children with typical development, expected group differences between children with and without ASD, and strong correlations with other measures of social and communication abilities. The ToMI demonstrates strong psychometrics, suggesting considerable utility in identifying theory of mind deficits in children with ASD.

Swedish Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (SAAQ): a psychometric evaluation.

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Lundgren, Tobias; Parling, Thomas

2017-06-01

Psychological inflexibility and experiential avoidance are equivalent (with somewhat different connotations) concepts and refer to an unwillingness to remain in contact with particular private events. This concept is most often measured by the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) and is strongly related to psychopathology and behavioral effectiveness. In this study, the preliminary psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the AAQ-II (Swedish Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-SAAQ) are presented. The study is done in two steps. In the first step, the 10-item version of the AAQ-II is investigated through principal component analysis (n = 147). Secondly, due to problems with the component structure, the instrument is reduced to a six-item version and its validity and internal consistency are investigated (n = 154). The six-item version shows good concurrent and convergent validity as well as satisfying internal consistency (α = .85). Furthermore, the Swedish six-item version of the AAQ-II showed one strong component. Test-retest reliability was satisfactory (r = .80; n = 228). In future research, predictive and external validity would be important to investigate in order to further ensure that the SAAQ is a useful measure for clinical research. In conclusion, the SAAQ has satisfactory psychometric properties, but more data need to be gathered to further explore the possibilities for the instruments in Swedish contexts.

[Psychometric properties of Q-DIO, an instrument to measure the quality of documented nursing diagnoses, interventions and outcomes].

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Muller-Staub, M.; Lunney, M.; Lavin, M.A.; Needham, I.; Odenbreit, M.; Achterberg, T. van

2010-01-01

The instrument Q-DIO was developed in the years 2005 till 2006 to measure the quality of documented nursing diagnoses, interventions, and nursing sensitive patient outcomes. Testing psychometric properties of the Q-DIO (Quality of nursing Diagnoses, Interventions and Outcomes.) was the study aim.

Design process and preliminary psychometric study of a video game to detect cognitive impairment in senior adults

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Sonia Valladares-Rodriguez

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction Assessment of episodic memory has been traditionally used to evaluate potential cognitive impairments in senior adults. Typically, episodic memory evaluation is based on personal interviews and pen-and-paper tests. This article presents the design, development and a preliminary validation of a novel digital game to assess episodic memory intended to overcome the limitations of traditional methods, such as the cost of its administration, its intrusive character, the lack of early detection capabilities, the lack of ecological validity, the learning effect and the existence of confounding factors. Materials and Methods Our proposal is based on the gamification of the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT and it has been designed to comply with the psychometric characteristics of reliability and validity. Two qualitative focus groups and a first pilot experiment were carried out to validate the proposal. Results A more ecological, non-intrusive and better administrable tool to perform cognitive assessment was developed. Initial evidence from the focus groups and pilot experiment confirmed the developed game’s usability and offered promising results insofar its psychometric validity is concerned. Moreover, the potential of this game for the cognitive classification of senior adults was confirmed, and administration time is dramatically reduced with respect to pen-and-paper tests. Limitations Additional research is needed to improve the resolution of the game for the identification of specific cognitive impairments, as well as to achieve a complete validation of the psychometric properties of the digital game. Conclusion Initial evidence show that serious games can be used as an instrument to assess the cognitive status of senior adults, and even to predict the onset of mild cognitive impairments or Alzheimer’s disease.

Design process and preliminary psychometric study of a video game to detect cognitive impairment in senior adults.

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Valladares-Rodriguez, Sonia; Perez-Rodriguez, Roberto; Facal, David; Fernandez-Iglesias, Manuel J; Anido-Rifon, Luis; Mouriño-Garcia, Marcos

2017-01-01

Assessment of episodic memory has been traditionally used to evaluate potential cognitive impairments in senior adults. Typically, episodic memory evaluation is based on personal interviews and pen-and-paper tests. This article presents the design, development and a preliminary validation of a novel digital game to assess episodic memory intended to overcome the limitations of traditional methods, such as the cost of its administration, its intrusive character, the lack of early detection capabilities, the lack of ecological validity, the learning effect and the existence of confounding factors. Our proposal is based on the gamification of the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) and it has been designed to comply with the psychometric characteristics of reliability and validity. Two qualitative focus groups and a first pilot experiment were carried out to validate the proposal. A more ecological, non-intrusive and better administrable tool to perform cognitive assessment was developed. Initial evidence from the focus groups and pilot experiment confirmed the developed game's usability and offered promising results insofar its psychometric validity is concerned. Moreover, the potential of this game for the cognitive classification of senior adults was confirmed, and administration time is dramatically reduced with respect to pen-and-paper tests. Additional research is needed to improve the resolution of the game for the identification of specific cognitive impairments, as well as to achieve a complete validation of the psychometric properties of the digital game. Initial evidence show that serious games can be used as an instrument to assess the cognitive status of senior adults, and even to predict the onset of mild cognitive impairments or Alzheimer's disease.

Intelligence for education: as described by Piaget and measured by psychometrics.

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Shayer, Michael

2008-03-01

Two separate paths to the concept of intelligence are discussed: the psychometric path being concerned with the measurement of intelligence, involving the methodology of norm-referenced testing; the path followed by Piaget, and others, addresses from the start the related question of how intelligence can be described, and employs a criterion-referenced methodology. The achievements of psychometrics are briefly described, with an argument that they now remain important tools of what Kuhn called 'normal science'. The criterion-referenced approach of Piaget and others is described, with evidence from intervention studies that the Genevan descriptions of children-in-action have allowed the choice of contexts within which children can profitably be challenged to go further in their thinking. Hence, Genevan psychology is also now a part of the normal science with important uses, shown both in neo-Piagetian studies and further research stemming from Geneva. Discussion of the 'Flynn effect' sheds light on both paths, with problems still unresolved. The argument is then developed that the relevance of neuroscience needs to be discussed to try to decide in what ways it may provide useful insights into intelligence.

Psychometric evaluation of the Moral Distress Risk Scale: A methodological study.

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Schaefer, Rafaela; Zoboli, Elma Lcp; Vieira, Margarida M

2017-01-01

Moral distress is a kind of suffering that nurses may experience when they act in ways that are considered inconsistent with moral values, leading to a perceived compromise of moral integrity. Consequences are mostly negative and include physical and psychological symptoms, in addition to organizational implications. To psychometrically test the Moral Distress Risk Scale. A methodological study was realized. Data were submitted to exploratory factorial analysis through the SPSS statistical program. Participants and research context: In total, 268 nurses from hospitals and primary healthcare settings participated in this research during the period of March to June of 2016. Ethical considerations: This research has ethics committee approval. The Moral Distress Risk Scale is composed of 7 factors and 30 items; it shows evidence of acceptable reliability and validity with a Cronbach's α = 0.913, a total variance explained of 59%, a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin = 0.896, and a significant Bartlett <0.001. Concerns about moral distress should be beyond acute care settings, and a tool to help clarify critical points in other healthcare contexts may add value to moral distress speech. Psychometric results reveal that the Moral Distress Risk Scale can be applied in different healthcare contexts.

Psychometric properties of the Albanian version of the Orofacial Esthetic Scale: OES-ALB.

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Bimbashi, Venera; Čelebić, Asja; Staka, Gloria; Hoxha, Flurije; Peršić, Sanja; Petričević, Nikola

2015-08-26

The aim was to adapt the Orofacial Esthetic Scale (OES) and to test psychometric properties of the Albanian language version in the cultural environment of the Republic of Kosovo. The OES questionnaire was translated from the original English version according to the accepted techniques. The reliability (internal consistency), and validity (construct, convergent and discriminative) were tested in 169 subjects, test-retest in 61 dental students (DS), and responsiveness in 51 prosthodontic patients with treatment needs (PPTN). The corrected item correlation coefficients of OES-ALB ranged from 0.686 to 0.909. The inter-item correlation coefficient ranged between 0.572 and 0.919. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.961 and IIC 0.758. Test- retest was confirmed by good ICCs and by no significant differences of the OES scores through the period of 14 days without any orofacial changes (p > 0.05). Construct validity was proved by the presence of one-factor composition that assumed 79.079% of the variance. Convergent validity showed significant correlation between one general question about satisfaction with orofacial esthetics and the OES summary score, as well as between the sum of the 3 OHIP-ALB49 questions related to orofacial aesthetics and the OES summary score. Discriminative validity was confirmed with statistically significant differences between DS, prosthodontic patients without treatment need and PPTN (p < 0.01). Responsiveness was confirmed by a significant increase of OES scores after PPTN patients received new fixed partial or removable dentures (P < 0.001). The results proved excellent psychometric properties of the OES-ALB questionnaire in the Republic of Kosovo.

Psychometric properties of the Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised Short-Form in a South African population.

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Sorsdahl, Katherine; Stein, Dan J; Myers, Bronwyn

2017-04-01

The Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised Short-Form (SPSI-R:SF) has been used in several countries to identify problem-solving deficits among clinical and general populations in order to guide cognitive-behavioural interventions. Yet, very few studies have evaluated its psychometric properties. Three language versions of the questionnaire were administered to a general population sample comprising 1000 participants (771 English-, 178 Afrikaans- and 101 Xhosa-speakers). Of these participants, 210 were randomly selected to establish test-retest reliability (70 in each language). Principal component analysis was performed to examine the applicability of the factor structure of the original questionnaire to the South African data. Supplementary psychometric analyses were performed, including internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Collectively, results provide initial evidence of the reliability and validity of the SPSI-R:SF for the assessment of problem solving deficits in South Africa. Further studies that explore how the Afrikaans language version of the SPSI-R:SF can be improved and that establish the predictive validity of scores on the SPSI-R:SF are needed. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale in policewomen.

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Zhen Wang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10 is one of most widely used instruments to measure a global level of perceived stress in a range of clinical and research settings. This study was conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the Simplified Chinese version of the PSS-10 in policewomen. METHODOLOGY: A total of 240 policewomen were recruited in this study. The Simplified Chinese versions of the PSS-10, the Beck Depression Inventory Revised (BDI-II, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI were administered to all participants, and 36 of the participants were re-tested two weeks after the initial testing. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.86, and the test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.68. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA yielded 2 factors with eigenvalues of 4.76 and 1.48, accounting for 62.41% of variance. Factor 1 consisted of 6 items representing "negative feelings"; whereas Factor 2 consisted of 4 items representing "positive feelings". The item loadings ranged from 0.72 to 0.83. The Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA indicated a very good fit of this two-factor model to this sample. The PSS-10 significantly correlated with both BDI-II and BAI, indicating an acceptable concurrent validity. CONCLUSIONS: The Simplified Chinese version of the PSS-10 demonstrated adequate psychometric properties for evaluating stress levels. The results support its use among the Chinese population.

Measurement of overgeneral autobiographical memory: Psychometric properties of the autobiographical memory test in young and older populations.

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Ros, Laura; Romero, Dulce; Ricarte, Jorge J; Serrano, Juan P; Nieto, Marta; Latorre, Jose M

2018-01-01

The Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) is the most widely used measure of overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM). The AMT appears to have good psychometric properties, but more research is needed on the influence and applicability of individual cue words in different languages and populations. To date, no studies have evaluated its usefulness as a measure of OMG in Spanish or older populations. This work aims to analyze the applicability of the AMT in young and older Spanish samples. We administered a Spanish version of the AMT to samples of young (N = 520) and older adults (N = 155). We conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), item response theory-based analysis (IRT) and differential item functioning (DIF). Results confirm the one-factor structure for the AMT. IRT analysis suggests that both groups find the AMT easy given that they generally perform well, and that it is more precise in individuals who score low on memory specificity. DIF analysis finds three items differ in their functioning depending on age group. This differential functioning of these items affects the overall AMT scores and, thus, they should be excluded from the AMT in studies comparing young and older samples. We discuss the possible implications of the samples and cue words used.

The psychometric properties of a shortened corporate entrepreneurship assessment instrument

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Renier Steyn

2017-08-01

Aim: The aim of this research was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a measure of entrepreneurial climate. Entrepreneurial climate was measured using a shortened version of the Hornsby, Kuratko and Zahra (2002 instrument, called the Corporate Entrepreneurship Assessment Instrument (CEAI. Making information on the psychometric properties of the instrument available directly relates to its utility. Setting: The setting was medium to large South African companies. A random sample of employees was drawn from 53 selected companies across South Africa, with 60 respondents per company (N = 3 180. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used. Several instruments were administered, including the shortened version of the CEAI. Cronbach’s alpha was used to test for reliability and several methods were used to test for validity. Correlation analysis was used to test for concurrent validity, convergent validity and divergent validity. Principle component factor analysis was used to test for factorial validity and a t-test to test for known-group validity. Results: The results showed that the reliability for the total score of the shortened version of the CEAI was acceptable at 0.758. The results also showed some evidence of concurrent validity, as well as homogeneity among the items. With regard to factorial validity, all items loaded in accordance with the subscales of the instrument. The measure was able to distinguish, as expected, between government organisations and private business entities, suggesting known-group validity. Convergent validity and divergent validity were also assessed. Interesting to note was that entrepreneurship climate correlates more with general employee attitude (e.g. employee engagement; R= 0.420, p < 0.001 and organisational commitment, R = 0.331, p < 0.001 than with self-reported innovation (R = 0.277, p < 0.001 and R = 0.267, p < 0.001. Contribution: This paper not only provided information on the reliability

Cross-cultural adaptation and analysis of the psychometric properties of the Balance Evaluation Systems Test and MiniBESTest in the elderly and individuals with Parkinson's disease: application of the Rasch model

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Angelica C. Maia

2013-06-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Older adults and individuals with neurological problems such as Parkinson's disease (PD exhibit balance deficits that might impair their mobility and independence. The assessment of balance must be useful in identifying the presence of instability and orient interventions. OBJECTIVE: To translate and perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest and MiniBESTest to Brazilian Portuguese and analyze its psychometric properties. METHOD: The tests were translated and adapted to Portuguese according to a standard method and then subjected to a test-retest reliability assessment (10 older adults; 10 individuals with PD. The psychometric properties were assessed by the Rasch model (35 older adults; 35 individuals with PD. RESULTS: The reliability coefficient of the tests relative to the items and subjects varied from 0.91 and 0.98, which is indicative of the stability and reproducibility of the measures. In the BESTest, the person (4.19 and item (5.36 separation index established six balance ability levels and seven levels of difficulty, respectively. In the MiniBESTest, the person (3.16 and item (6.41 separation index established four balance ability levels and nine levels of difficulty, respectively. Two items in the BESTest did not fit with the model expectations, but the construct validity was not compromised. No item in the MiniBESTest was erratic. CONCLUSIONS: The results corroborate the diagnostic and screening functions of the BESTest and MiniBESTest, respectively, and indicate that the Brazilian versions exhibit adequate reliability, construct validity, response stability, and capacity to distinguish among various balance ability levels in older adults and individuals with PD.

The Drug Effects Questionnaire: Psychometric Support across Three Drug Types

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Morean, Meghan E.; de Wit, Harriet; King, Andrea C.; Sofuoglu, Mehmet; Rueger, Sandra Y.; O’Malley, Stephanie S.

2013-01-01

Rationale The Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) is widely used in studies of acute subjective response (SR) to a variety of substances, but the format of the DEQ varies widely across studies, and details of its psychometric properties are lacking. Thus, the field would benefit from demonstrating the reliability and validity of the DEQ for use across multiple substances. Objective The current study evaluated the psychometric properties of several variations of DEQ items, which assessed the extent to which participants (1) feel any substance effect(s), (2) feel high, (3) like the effects, (4) dislike the effects, and (5) want more of the substance using 100mm Visual Analog Scales. Methods DEQ data from three placebo-controlled studies were analyzed to examine SR to amphetamine, nicotine, and alcohol. We evaluated the internal structure of the DEQ for use with each substance as well as relationships between scale items, measures of similar constructs, and substance-related behaviors. Results Results provided preliminary psychometric support for items assessing each DEQ construct (FEEL, HIGH, DISLIKE, LIKE, and MORE). Conclusions Based on the study results, we identify several common limitations of extant variants of the DEQ and recommend an improved version of the measure. The simplicity and brevity of the DEQ combined with its promising psychometric properties support its use in future SR research across a variety of substances. PMID:23271193

Development and psychometric validation of a scale to assess information needs in cardiac rehabilitation: the INCR Tool.

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Ghisi, Gabriela Lima de Melo; Grace, Sherry L; Thomas, Scott; Evans, Michael F; Oh, Paul

2013-06-01

To develop and psychometrically validate a tool to assess information needs in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) patients. After a literature search, 60 information items divided into 11 areas of needs were identified. To establish content validity, they were reviewed by an expert panel (N=10). Refined items were pilot-tested in 34 patients on a 5-point Likert-scale from 1 "really not helpful" to 5 "very important". A final version was generated and psychometrically tested in 203 CR patients. Test-retest reliability was assessed via the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), the internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha, and criterion validity was assessed with regard to patient's education and duration in CR. Five items were excluded after ICC analysis as well as one area of needs. All 10 areas were considered internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha>0.7). Criterion validity was supported by significant differences in mean scores by educational level (pinformation need. The INCR Tool was demonstrated to have good reliability and validity. This is an appropriate tool for application in clinical and research settings, assessing patients' needs during CR and as part of education programming. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the Effects of the Number of Categories on Psychometric Properties According to Mokken Homogeneity Model

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Asiye ŞENGÜL AVŞAR

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was to examine the effects of the number of categories for polytomous items on psychometric properties in a nonparametric item response theory (NIRT model. For the purpose of the study, data sets with two different sample sizes (100 and 500 that come from different sample distribution shapes (normal distribution, positively skewed distribution, and negatively skewed distribution, two different test lengths (10 items and 30 items, and three different number of categories (three, five, and seven were generated. The effects of the number of categories on psychometric properties of polytomous items were analyzed by Mokken Homogeneity Model (MHM under NIRT model. The research was designed as a basic research. In the generation and analysis of data sets, R Studio 3.4.0 software was used. For analysis conducted with MHM, Mokken package was used in R Studio. According to scaling with MHM, specific pattern of item fit to MHM with changing the number of categories was not observed. In general, it was found that the number of categories has no effect on reliability estimate. It was determined that tests have weak fit to MHM under test conditions in the research.

Development and psychometric testing of the Carter Assessment of Critical Thinking in Midwifery (Preceptor/Mentor version).

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Carter, Amanda G; Creedy, Debra K; Sidebotham, Mary

2016-03-01

develop and test a tool designed for use by preceptors/mentors to assess undergraduate midwifery students׳ critical thinking in practice. a descriptive cohort design was used. participants worked in a range of maternity settings in Queensland, Australia. 106 midwifery clinicians who had acted in the role of preceptor for undergraduate midwifery students. this study followed a staged model for tool development recommended by DeVellis (2012). This included generation of items, content validity testing through mapping of draft items to critical thinking concepts and expert review, administration of items to a convenience sample of preceptors, and psychometric testing. A 24 item tool titled the XXXX Assessment of Critical Thinking in Midwifery (CACTiM) was completed by registered midwives in relation to students they had recently preceptored in the clinical environment. ratings by experts revealed a content validity index score of 0.97, representing good content validity. An evaluation of construct validity through factor analysis generated three factors: 'partnership in practice', 'reflection on practice' and 'practice improvements'. The scale demonstrated good internal reliability with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.97. The mean total score for the CACTiM scale was 116.77 (SD=16.68) with a range of 60-144. Total and subscale scores correlated significantly. the CACTiM (Preceptor/Mentor version) was found to be a valid and reliable tool for use by preceptors to assess critical thinking in undergraduate midwifery students. given the importance of critical thinking skills for midwifery practice, mapping and assessing critical thinking development in students׳ practice across an undergraduate programme is vital. The CACTiM (Preceptor/Mentor version) has utility for clinical education, research and practice. The tool can inform and guide preceptors׳ assessment of students׳ critical thinking in practice. The availability of a reliable and valid tool can be used to

Motivational Interviewing Skills in Health Care Encounters (MISHCE): Development and psychometric testing of an assessment tool.

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Petrova, Tatjana; Kavookjian, Jan; Madson, Michael B; Dagley, John; Shannon, David; McDonough, Sharon K

2015-01-01

Motivational interviewing (MI) has demonstrated a significant impact as an intervention strategy for addiction management, change in lifestyle behaviors, and adherence to prescribed medication and other treatments. Key elements to studying MI include training in MI of professionals who will use it, assessment of skills acquisition in trainees, and the use of a validated skills assessment tool. The purpose of this research project was to develop a psychometrically valid and reliable tool that has been designed to assess MI skills competence in health care provider trainees. The goal was to develop an assessment tool that would evaluate the acquisition and use of specific MI skills and principles, as well as the quality of the patient-provider therapeutic alliance in brief health care encounters. To address this purpose, specific steps were followed, beginning with a literature review. This review contributed to the development of relevant conceptual and operational definitions, selecting a scaling technique and response format, and methods for analyzing validity and reliability. Internal consistency reliability was established on 88 video recorded interactions. The inter-rater and test-retest reliability were established using randomly selected 18 from the 88 interactions. The assessment tool Motivational Interviewing Skills for Health Care Encounters (MISHCE) and a manual for use of the tool were developed. Validity and reliability of MISHCE were examined. Face and content validity were supported with well-defined conceptual and operational definitions and feedback from an expert panel. Reliability was established through internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, and test-retest reliability. The overall internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha) for all fifteen items was 0.75. MISHCE demonstrated good inter-rater reliability and good to excellent test-retest reliability. MISHCE assesses the health provider's level of knowledge and skills in brief

A Comparison of Cosmological Parameters Determined from CMB Temperature Power Spectra from the South Pole Telescope and the Planck Satellite

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Aylor, K.; Hou, Z.; Knox, L.; Story, K. T.; Benson, B. A.; Bleem, L. E.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chang, C. L.; Cho, H.-M.; Chown, R.; Crawford, T. M.; Crites, A. T.; de Haan, T.; Dobbs, M. A.; Everett, W. B.; George, E. M.; Halverson, N. W.; Harrington, N. L.; Holder, G. P.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Hrubes, J. D.; Keisler, R.; Lee, A. T.; Leitch, E. M.; Luong-Van, D.; Marrone, D. P.; McMahon, J. J.; Meyer, S. S.; Millea, M.; Mocanu, L. M.; Mohr, J. J.; Natoli, T.; Omori, Y.; Padin, S.; Pryke, C.; Reichardt, C. L.; Ruhl, J. E.; Sayre, J. T.; Schaffer, K. K.; Shirokoff, E.; Staniszewski, Z.; Stark, A. A.; Vanderlinde, K.; Vieira, J. D.; Williamson, R.

2017-11-01

The Planck cosmic microwave background temperature data are best fit with a ΛCDM model that mildly contradicts constraints from other cosmological probes. The South Pole Telescope (SPT) 2540 {\\deg }2 SPT-SZ survey offers measurements on sub-degree angular scales (multipoles 650≤slant {\\ell }≤slant 2500) with sufficient precision to use as an independent check of the Planck data. Here we build on the recent joint analysis of the SPT-SZ and Planck data in Hou et al. by comparing ΛCDM parameter estimates using the temperature power spectrum from both data sets in the SPT-SZ survey region. We also restrict the multipole range used in parameter fitting to focus on modes measured well by both SPT and Planck, thereby greatly reducing sample variance as a driver of parameter differences and creating a stringent test for systematic errors. We find no evidence of systematic errors from these tests. When we expand the maximum multipole of SPT data used, we see low-significance shifts in the angular scale of the sound horizon and the physical baryon and cold dark matter densities, with a resulting trend to higher Hubble constant. When we compare SPT and Planck data on the SPT-SZ sky patch to Planck full-sky data but keep the multipole range restricted, we find differences in the parameters n s and {A}s{e}-2τ . We perform further checks, investigating instrumental effects and modeling assumptions, and we find no evidence that the effects investigated are responsible for any of the parameter shifts. Taken together, these tests reveal no evidence for systematic errors in SPT or Planck data in the overlapping sky coverage and multipole range and at most weak evidence for a breakdown of ΛCDM or systematic errors influencing either the Planck data outside the SPT-SZ survey area or the SPT data at {\\ell }> 2000.

The Self-Stigma of Depression Scale (SSDS): development and psychometric evaluation of a new instrument.

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Barney, Lisa J; Griffiths, Kathleen M; Christensen, Helen; Jorm, Anthony F

2010-12-01

Self-stigma may feature strongly and be detrimental for people with depression, but the understanding of its nature and prevalence is limited by the lack of psychometrically-validated measures. This study aimed to develop and validate a measure of self-stigma about depression. Items assessing self-stigma were developed from focus group discussions, and were tested and refined over three studies using surveys of 408 university students, 330 members of a depression Internet network, and 1312 members of the general Australian public. Evaluation involved item-level and bivariate analyses, and factor analytic procedures. Items performed consistently across the three surveys. The resulting Self-Stigma of Depression Scale (SSDS) comprised 16 items representing subscales of Shame, Self-Blame, Social Inadequacy, and Help-Seeking Inhibition. Construct validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability were satisfactory. The SSDS distinguishes self-stigma from perceptions of stigma by others, yields in-depth information about self-stigma of depression, and possesses good psychometric properties. It is a promising tool for the measurement of self-stigma and is likely to be useful in further understanding self-stigma and evaluating stigma interventions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psychometric evaluation of the altered states of consciousness rating scale (OAV.

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Erich Studerus

2010-08-01

Full Text Available The OAV questionnaire has been developed to integrate research on altered states of consciousness (ASC. It measures three primary and one secondary dimensions of ASC that are hypothesized to be invariant across ASC induction methods. The OAV rating scale has been in use for more than 20 years and applied internationally in a broad range of research fields, yet its factorial structure has never been tested by structural equation modeling techniques and its psychometric properties have never been examined in large samples of experimentally induced ASC.The present study conducted a psychometric evaluation of the OAV in a sample of psilocybin (n = 327, ketamine (n = 162, and MDMA (n = 102 induced ASC that was obtained by pooling data from 43 experimental studies. The factorial structure was examined by confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling, hierarchical item clustering (ICLUST, and multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC modeling. The originally proposed model did not fit the data well even if zero-constraints on non-target factor loadings and residual correlations were relaxed. Furthermore, ICLUST suggested that the "oceanic boundlessness" and "visionary restructuralization" factors could be combined on a high level of the construct hierarchy. However, because these factors were multidimensional, we extracted and examined 11 new lower order factors. MIMIC modeling indicated that these factors were highly measurement invariant across drugs, settings, questionnaire versions, and sexes. The new factors were also demonstrated to have improved homogeneities, satisfactory reliabilities, discriminant and convergent validities, and to differentiate well among the three drug groups.The original scales of the OAV were shown to be multidimensional constructs. Eleven new lower order scales were constructed and demonstrated to have desirable psychometric properties. The new lower order scales are most likely better suited to

Development and psychometric evaluation of the arterial puncture self-efficacy scale.

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Hernández-Padilla, José Manuel; Granero-Molina, José; Márquez-Hernández, Verónica V; Suthers, Fiona; Fernández-Sola, Cayetano

2016-05-01

Arterial puncture for arterial blood gases (ABG) analysis can be a risky, painful, difficult-to-perform procedure that is often insufficiently practised and generates stress and discomfort amongst patients and healthcare professionals. Self-efficacy is a key component in the acquisition of procedural skills. Therefore, professionals' self-efficacy in arterial puncture should be measured before attempting the procedure on real patients. To develop and psychometrically assess a self-efficacy scale in arterial puncture. An observational cross-sectional design was used in this study. Faculty of Education Sciences, Nursing and Physiotherapy in a higher education institution in the south of Spain. A convenience sample of 342 nursing students entered and completed the study. All participants met the following inclusion criteria: (1) ≥18years old and (2) enrolled in a nursing degree programme during the 2014/2015 academic year. Participants were 74% female (n=254) and their age ranged from 18 to 50, with a mean age of 21.74years (SD=5.14). The Arterial Puncture Self-Efficacy Scale (APSES) was developed and psychometrically tested. Reliability and content validity were studied. Predictive validity and concurrent validity assessed criterion validity. In addition, principal component analysis and known-group analysis evaluated construct validity. Principal component analysis revealed the two-subscale structure of the final 22-item version of the Arterial Puncture Self-Efficacy Scale (APSES). A total Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.97 showed its high reliability. The APSES' content validity index was excellent (S-CVI/Ave=0.95). Predictive and concurrent validity analysis demonstrated the good criterion validity of the tool. Supporting the APSES' sensitivity and specificity, known-groups analysis evidenced significant differences (pgood psychometric properties for measuring self-efficacy in arterial puncture for ABG analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

Assessing the Psychometric Properties of the Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form in Mainland China

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Fang, Ke; Pieterse, Alex L.; Friedlander, Myrna; Cao, Junhong

2011-01-01

This investigation tested the psychometric properties of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form (ATSPPH-SF; Fisher and Farina ["Journal of College Student Development, 36", 368-373, 1995]) in a sample of 338 Mainland Chinese college students. Using back-translation, the ATSPPH-SF was translated into…

Psychological theory testing versus psychometric nay-saying: comment on Neuberg et al.'s (1997) critique of the need for closure scale.

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Kruglanski, A W; Atash, M N; DeGrada, E; Mannetti, L; Pierro, A; Webster, D M

1997-11-01

S. L. Neuberg, T. N. Judice, and S. G. West (1997) faulted our work with the Need for Closure Scale (NFCS) on grounds that the NFCS lacks discriminant validity relative to S. L. Neuberg's and J. T. Newsom's (1993) Personal Need for Structure (PNS) Scale and is multidimensional, which, so they claim, renders the use of its total score inadmissible. By contrast, the present authors show that neither of the above assertions is incompatible with the underlying need for closure theory. Relations between NFCS and the PNS are to be expected, as these were designed to operationalize the very same construct (of need for closure). Furthermore, no unidimensionality of the NFCS has been claimed, and none is required to use its total score for testing various theoretically derived predictions. An instrument's ultimate utility hinges on theoretical considerations and empirical evidence rather than on questionable psychometric dogma unrelated to the substantive matters at hand.

Psychometric Properties of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children in Italy: Testing the Validity among a General and Clinical Pediatric Population.

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Erica Gobbi

Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to assess an Italian version of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C-It. Three separate studies were conducted, whereby testing general psychometric properties, construct validity, concurrent validity and the factor structure of the PAQ-C-It among general and clinical pediatric population. Study 1 (n = 1170 examined the psychometric properties, internal consistency, factor structure (exploratory factor analysis, EFA and construct validity with enjoyment perception during physical activity. Study 2 (n = 59 reported on reliability, construct validity with enjoyment and BMI, and on cross-sectional concurrent validity with objectively measured MVPA (tri-axial accelerometry over the span of seven consecutive days. Study 3 (n = 58 examined the PAQ-C-It reliability, construct validity with BMI and VO2max as the objective measurement among a population of children with congenital heart defects (CHD. In study 2 and 3, the factor structure of the PAQ-C-It was then re-examined with an EFA. The PAQ-C-It showed acceptable to good reliability (alpha .70 to .83. Results on construct validity showed moderate but significant association with enjoyment perception (r = .30 and .36, with BMI (r = -.30 and -.79 for CHD simple form, and with the VO2max (r = .55 for CHD simple form. Significant concurrent validity with the objectively measured MVPA was reported (rho = .30, p < .05. Findings of the EFA suggested a two-factor structure for the PAQ-C-It, with items 2, 3, and 4 contributing little to the total score. This study supports the PAQ-C-It as an appropriate instrument to assess the MVPA levels of Italian children, including children with simple forms of CHD. Support is given to the possible instrument effectiveness on a large international perspective in order to level out data gathering across the globe.

Psychometric Properties of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children in Italy: Testing the Validity among a General and Clinical Pediatric Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Gobbi, Erica; Elliot, Catherine; Varnier, Maurizio; Carraro, Attilio

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research was to assess an Italian version of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C-It). Three separate studies were conducted, whereby testing general psychometric properties, construct validity, concurrent validity and the factor structure of the PAQ-C-It among general and clinical pediatric population. Study 1 (n = 1170) examined the psychometric properties, internal consistency, factor structure (exploratory factor analysis, EFA) and construct validity with enjoyment perception during physical activity. Study 2 (n = 59) reported on reliability, construct validity with enjoyment and BMI, and on cross-sectional concurrent validity with objectively measured MVPA (tri-axial accelerometry) over the span of seven consecutive days. Study 3 (n = 58) examined the PAQ-C-It reliability, construct validity with BMI and VO2max as the objective measurement among a population of children with congenital heart defects (CHD). In study 2 and 3, the factor structure of the PAQ-C-It was then re-examined with an EFA. The PAQ-C-It showed acceptable to good reliability (alpha .70 to .83). Results on construct validity showed moderate but significant association with enjoyment perception (r = .30 and .36), with BMI (r = -.30 and -.79 for CHD simple form), and with the VO2max (r = .55 for CHD simple form). Significant concurrent validity with the objectively measured MVPA was reported (rho = .30, p PAQ-C-It, with items 2, 3, and 4 contributing little to the total score. This study supports the PAQ-C-It as an appropriate instrument to assess the MVPA levels of Italian children, including children with simple forms of CHD. Support is given to the possible instrument effectiveness on a large international perspective in order to level out data gathering across the globe.

Loglinear Rasch model tests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kelderman, Hendrikus

1984-01-01

Existing statistical tests for the fit of the Rasch model have been criticized, because they are only sensitive to specific violations of its assumptions. Contingency table methods using loglinear models have been used to test various psychometric models. In this paper, the assumptions of the Rasch

A Psychometric Evaluation of a Swedish Version of the Positive–Negative Sex-Role Inventory (PN-SRI

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Therese Rydberg Sterner

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The Positive–Negative Sex-Role Inventory (PN-SRI assesses gender identity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of a Swedish version of the PN-SRI in a population of 70-year-olds within the Gothenburg H70-study in Sweden. The overarching objective of testing the PN-SRI within the H70-study was to evaluate its usability to further study gender identity in large population-based samples of older adults. A total of 1124 individuals participated in the psychometric testing. A sub-sample of these (n = 406 provided a comprehensive survey regarding societal norms on femininity and masculinity. Reliability and validity tests were performed using Cronbach’s Alpha and factor analyses. The Cronbach’s α coefficients (0.734–0.787 indicated a satisfactory level of internal consistency, and the four-factor model (Model 2 fitted the data at an acceptable level (root-mean-square error of approximation, RMSEA = 0.068, standardized root-mean-square residual, SRMR = 0.07. This cross-cultural adaptation of the PN-SRI indicates that it may be applicable in a Swedish research setting comprising older adults. Future research is needed to further test the psychometric properties of this scale. Adding the PN-SRI to population-based studies will contribute to providing a nuanced way of analyzing differences and similarities among men and women.

What Is Embodiment? A Psychometric Approach

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Longo, Matthew R.; Schuur, Friederike; Kammers, Marjolein P. M.; Tsakiris, Manos; Haggard, Patrick

2008-01-01

What is it like to have a body? The present study takes a psychometric approach to this question. We collected structured introspective reports of the rubber hand illusion, to systematically investigate the structure of bodily self-consciousness. Participants observed a rubber hand that was stroked either synchronously or asynchronously with their…

Approaching Sign Language Test Construction: Adaptation of the German Sign Language Receptive Skills Test

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Haug, Tobias

2011-01-01

There is a current need for reliable and valid test instruments in different countries in order to monitor deaf children's sign language acquisition. However, very few tests are commercially available that offer strong evidence for their psychometric properties. A German Sign Language (DGS) test focusing on linguistic structures that are acquired…

Psychometric properties of the problematic online gaming questionnaire short-form and prevalence of problematic online gaming in a national sample of adolescents.

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Pápay, Orsolya; Urbán, Róbert; Griffiths, Mark D; Nagygyörgy, Katalin; Farkas, Judit; Kökönyei, Gyöngyi; Felvinczi, Katalin; Oláh, Attila; Elekes, Zsuzsanna; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2013-05-01

The rise and growing popularity of online games has led to the appearance of excessive gaming that in some cases can lead to physical and psychological problems. Several measures have been developed to explore the nature and the scale of the phenomenon. However, few measures have been validated psychometrically. The aim of the present study was to test the psychometric properties of the 12-item Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire Short-Form (POGQ-SF) and to assess the prevalence of problematic online gaming. Data collection was carried out to assess the prevalence of problematic online gaming in a national representative adolescent sample by using an offline (pen and pencil) method. A total of 5,045 secondary school students were assessed (51% male, mean age 16.4 years, SD=0.9 years) of which 2,804 were gamers (65.4% male, mean age 16.4 years, SD=0.9 years). Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to test the measurement model of problematic online gaming, and latent profile analysis was used to identify the proportion of gamers whose online game use can be considered problematic. Results showed that the original six-factor model yielded appropriate fit to the data, and thus the POGQ-SF has appropriate psychometric properties. Latent profile analysis revealed that 4.6% of the adolescents belong to a high risk group and an additional 13.3% to a low risk group. Due to its satisfactory psychometric characteristics, the 12-item POGQ-SF appears to be an adequate tool for the assessment of problematic online gaming.

Psychometric evaluation of the HIV symptom distress scale

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Marc, Linda G.; Wang, Ming-Mei; Testa, Marcia A.

2012-01-01

The objective of this paper is to psychometrically validate the HIV Symptom Distress Scale (SDS), an instrument that can be used to measure overall HIV symptom distress or clinically relevant groups of HIV symptoms. A secondary data analysis was conducted using the Collaborations in HIV Outcomes Research U.S. Cohort (CHORUS). Inclusion criteria required study participants (N=5,521) to have a valid baseline measure of the AIDS Clinical Trial Group Symptom Distress Module, with an SF-12 or SF-36 completed on the same day. Psychometric testing assessed unidimensionality, internal consistency and factor structure using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM). Construct validity examined whether the new measure discriminates across clinical significance (CD4 and HIV viral load). Findings show that the SDS has high reliability (α=0.92), and SEM supports a correlated second-order factor model (physical and mental distress) with acceptable fit (GFI=0.88, AGFI=0.85, NFI=0.99, NNFI=0.99; RMSEA=0.06, [90% CI 0.06 – 0.06]; Satorra Bentler Scaled, C2 =3274.20; p=0.0). Construct validity shows significant differences across categories for HIV-1 viral load (p< 0.001) and CD4 (p< 0.001). Differences in mean SDS scores exist across gender (p< 0.001), race/ethnicity (p< 0.05) and educational attainment (p < 0.001). Hence, the HIV Symptom Distress Scale is a reliable and valid instrument, which measures overall HIV symptoms or clinically relevant groups of symptoms. PMID:22409246

Psychometric Evaluation of the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) for use in Singapore.

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Lim, Chun Yi; Law, Mary; Khetani, Mary; Rosenbaum, Peter; Pollock, Nancy

2018-08-01

To estimate the psychometric properties of a culturally adapted version of the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) for use among Singaporean families. This is a prospective cohort study. Caregivers of 151 Singaporean children with (n = 83) and without (n = 68) developmental disabilities, between 0 and 7 years, completed the YC-PEM (Singapore) questionnaire with 3 participation scales (frequency, involvement, and change desired) and 1 environment scale for three settings: home, childcare/preschool, and community. Setting-specific estimates of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity were obtained. Internal consistency estimates varied from .59 to .92 for the participation scales and .73 to .79 for the environment scale. Test-retest reliability estimates from the YC-PEM conducted on two occasions, 2-3 weeks apart, varied from .39 to .89 for the participation scales and from .65 to .80 for the environment scale. Moderate to large differences were found in participation and perceived environmental support between children with and without a disability. YC-PEM (Singapore) scales have adequate psychometric properties except for low internal consistency for the childcare/preschool participation frequency scale and low test-retest reliability for home participation frequency scale. The YC-PEM (Singapore) may be used for population-level studies involving young children with and without developmental disabilities.

Eccentricity dimension of the Dimensional Clinical Personality Inventory: Review and psychometric properties

OpenAIRE

Carvalho, Lucas de Francisco; Pianowski, Giselle; Silveira, Fernando José; Bacciotti, Jonatha Tiago; Vieira, Philipe Gomes

2016-01-01

Abstract We aimed to review of the Eccentricity dimension of the Dimensional Clinical Personality Inventory (IDCP), through two steps. The first one focused on developing new items and the second on testing the psychometric properties in a sample of 225 subjects (70.1% females), aging between 18 and 66 years, mostly undergraduate students (58.9%). The subjects answered the IDCP, and the Brazilian versions of the NEO-PI-R, PID-5 and MIS. The first step resulted in 42 items, which 22 were new. ...

Sexual Self-Schema Scale for Women—Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Polish Version

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Krzysztof Nowosielski, MD

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The sexual self-schema is a part of a broader concept of the self that is believed to be crucial for intrapersonal and interpersonal sexual relationships. Aim: To develop and perform psychometric validation of the Polish version of the Sexual Self-Schema Scale for Women (SSSS-W-PL. Methods: 561 women 18 to 55 years old were included in the final analysis. Linguistic validation was performed in 4 steps in line with the MAPI Institute guidelines. Convergent validity was calculated using the Pearson r product-moment coefficient between different measures of sexuality (attitudes and experience, behavior, arousal, romantic relationship and SSSS-W-PL total and factor scores. To test discriminant validity, we applied hierarchical regression analyses predicting the number of lifetime sexual partners, self-rating as a sexual person (1 item, “I feel sexually attractive”; on a 5-point Likert scale, and arousability, with independent variables being extraversion (Ten-Item Personality Inventory, self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the SSSS-W-PL (total and factor scores. Main Outcomes Measures: Sexual self-schema was measured by the SSSS-W-PL, whereas arousability was measured by the arousal/excitement scale of the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the study population was 29.0 ± 7.6 years. The final scale consisted of 24 adjectives grouped within 4 factors: romantic, passionate, direct, and embarrassed. The 4-factor model accounted for 39% of the variance. The Cronbach α was 0.74 for the SSSS-W-PL total score and 0.61 to 0.84 for individual factors. Test-retest reliability of the scale after 2- to 8-week intervals was 0.87 (95% CI = 0.82–0.86, P < .001. The increment variances were statistically significant and ranged from 3.8% to 11.6%. Conclusion: The analysis showed good psychometric properties and internal validity of the SSSS-W-PL. The SSSS-W-PL might be helpful in consulting and

A Review of Psychometric Assessment and Reporting Practices: An Examination of Measurement-Oriented versus Non-Measurement-Oriented Domains

Science.gov (United States)

Slaney, Kathleen L.; Tkatchouk, Masha; Gabriel, Stephanie M.; Ferguson, Leona P.; Knudsen, Jared R. S.; Legere, Julien C.

2010-01-01

The primary aim of the present study is to determine whether the psychometric evaluation practices and test-analytic rationales of researchers publishing in journals with a measurement focus differ from those of researchers publishing in journals with varying substantive research foci. Several components of two different samples of articles were…

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Danish Version of the Theory of Mind Storybook for 8-14 Year-Old Children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Clemmensen, Lars; Bartels-Velthuis, Agna A.; Jespersen, Rokur Av F.; van Os, Jim; Blijd-Hoogewys, Els M. A.; Ankerstrom, Lise; Vaever, Mette; Daniel, Peter F.; Drukker, Marjan; Jeppesen, Pia; Jepsen, Jens R. M.

2016-01-01

Background: Theory-of-Mind (ToM) keeps on developing in late childhood and early adolescence, and the study of ToM development later in childhood had to await the development of sufficiently sensitive tests challenging more mature children. The current study aimed to investigate the psychometric

Assessment of the psychometrics of a PROMIS item bank: self-efficacy for managing daily activities.

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Hong, Ickpyo; Velozo, Craig A; Li, Chih-Ying; Romero, Sergio; Gruber-Baldini, Ann L; Shulman, Lisa M

2016-09-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the psychometrics of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System self-efficacy for managing daily activities item bank. The item pool was field tested on a sample of 1087 participants via internet (n = 250) and in-clinic (n = 837) surveys. All participants reported having at least one chronic health condition. The 35 item pool was investigated for dimensionality (confirmatory factor analyses, CFA and exploratory factor analysis, EFA), item-total correlations, local independence, precision, and differential item functioning (DIF) across gender, race, ethnicity, age groups, data collection modes, and neurological chronic conditions (McFadden Pseudo R (2) less than 10 %). The item pool met two of the four CFA fit criteria (CFI = 0.952 and SRMR = 0.07). EFA analysis found a dominant first factor (eigenvalue = 24.34) and the ratio of first to second eigenvalue was 12.4. The item pool demonstrated good item-total correlations (0.59-0.85) and acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.97). The item pool maintained its precision (reliability over 0.90) across a wide range of theta (3.70), and there was no significant DIF. The findings indicated the item pool has sound psychometric properties and the test items are eligible for development of computerized adaptive testing and short forms.

Development and psychometric properties of the Shared Decision Making Questionnaire--physician version (SDM-Q-Doc).

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Scholl, Isabelle; Kriston, Levente; Dirmaier, Jörg; Buchholz, Angela; Härter, Martin

2012-08-01

To develop and psychometrically test a brief instrument for assessing the physician's perspective of the shared decision-making process in clinical encounters. We adapted the 9-item Shared Decision Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9) for patients to generate a new version for physicians (SDM-Q-Doc). The physician version was tested in clinical encounters between 29 physicians and 324 patients in German outpatient care contexts. Analyses of the extent to which the instrument was accepted, the reliability of the instrument, and the factorial structure of the scale were performed. Physicians showed a high level of acceptance toward the SDM-Q-Doc. Item discrimination parameters were above .4 for all but one item. An analysis of internal consistency yielded a Cronbach's α of .88. Factor analysis confirmed a one-dimensional structure. The results of this study suggest that the SDM-Q-Doc is a well-accepted and reliable instrument for assessing the physician's perspective during SDM processes in clinical encounters. To our knowledge, the SDM-Q-Doc is the first psychometrically tested scale available for assessing the physician's perspective. The SDM-Q-Doc can be used in studies that analyze the effectiveness of the implementation of SDM and as a quality indicator in quality assurance programs and health service assessments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computational Psychometrics for the Measurement of Collaborative Problem Solving Skills

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Polyak, Stephen T.; von Davier, Alina A.; Peterschmidt, Kurt

2017-01-01

This paper describes a psychometrically-based approach to the measurement of collaborative problem solving skills, by mining and classifying behavioral data both in real-time and in post-game analyses. The data were collected from a sample of middle school children who interacted with a game-like, online simulation of collaborative problem solving tasks. In this simulation, a user is required to collaborate with a virtual agent to solve a series of tasks within a first-person maze environment. The tasks were developed following the psychometric principles of Evidence Centered Design (ECD) and are aligned with the Holistic Framework developed by ACT. The analyses presented in this paper are an application of an emerging discipline called computational psychometrics which is growing out of traditional psychometrics and incorporates techniques from educational data mining, machine learning and other computer/cognitive science fields. In the real-time analysis, our aim was to start with limited knowledge of skill mastery, and then demonstrate a form of continuous Bayesian evidence tracing that updates sub-skill level probabilities as new conversation flow event evidence is presented. This is performed using Bayes' rule and conversation item conditional probability tables. The items are polytomous and each response option has been tagged with a skill at a performance level. In our post-game analysis, our goal was to discover unique gameplay profiles by performing a cluster analysis of user's sub-skill performance scores based on their patterns of selected dialog responses. PMID:29238314

Computational Psychometrics for the Measurement of Collaborative Problem Solving Skills

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Stephen T. Polyak

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a psychometrically-based approach to the measurement of collaborative problem solving skills, by mining and classifying behavioral data both in real-time and in post-game analyses. The data were collected from a sample of middle school children who interacted with a game-like, online simulation of collaborative problem solving tasks. In this simulation, a user is required to collaborate with a virtual agent to solve a series of tasks within a first-person maze environment. The tasks were developed following the psychometric principles of Evidence Centered Design (ECD and are aligned with the Holistic Framework developed by ACT. The analyses presented in this paper are an application of an emerging discipline called computational psychometrics which is growing out of traditional psychometrics and incorporates techniques from educational data mining, machine learning and other computer/cognitive science fields. In the real-time analysis, our aim was to start with limited knowledge of skill mastery, and then demonstrate a form of continuous Bayesian evidence tracing that updates sub-skill level probabilities as new conversation flow event evidence is presented. This is performed using Bayes' rule and conversation item conditional probability tables. The items are polytomous and each response option has been tagged with a skill at a performance level. In our post-game analysis, our goal was to discover unique gameplay profiles by performing a cluster analysis of user's sub-skill performance scores based on their patterns of selected dialog responses.

Computational Psychometrics for the Measurement of Collaborative Problem Solving Skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Polyak, Stephen T; von Davier, Alina A; Peterschmidt, Kurt

2017-01-01

This paper describes a psychometrically-based approach to the measurement of collaborative problem solving skills, by mining and classifying behavioral data both in real-time and in post-game analyses. The data were collected from a sample of middle school children who interacted with a game-like, online simulation of collaborative problem solving tasks. In this simulation, a user is required to collaborate with a virtual agent to solve a series of tasks within a first-person maze environment. The tasks were developed following the psychometric principles of Evidence Centered Design (ECD) and are aligned with the Holistic Framework developed by ACT. The analyses presented in this paper are an application of an emerging discipline called computational psychometrics which is growing out of traditional psychometrics and incorporates techniques from educational data mining, machine learning and other computer/cognitive science fields. In the real-time analysis, our aim was to start with limited knowledge of skill mastery, and then demonstrate a form of continuous Bayesian evidence tracing that updates sub-skill level probabilities as new conversation flow event evidence is presented. This is performed using Bayes' rule and conversation item conditional probability tables. The items are polytomous and each response option has been tagged with a skill at a performance level. In our post-game analysis, our goal was to discover unique gameplay profiles by performing a cluster analysis of user's sub-skill performance scores based on their patterns of selected dialog responses.

Relation between Visual Acuity and Slope of Psychometric Function in Young Adults

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Tomoki Tokutake

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Mita et al. (2010 devised a technique of comparing a visual acuity (VA change in an individual with more accurate VA than conventional VA tests by significant difference examined logarithmic (Log VA ± standard deviation (SD. Using this technique, in this study, we examined a relation between VA and the slope of the psychometric function in normal young subjects. Six occlusion foil conditions were employed (1.0, 0.8, 0.6, 0.4, 0.1 and without the foil under a full refractive correction. Ten normal young adults (22.8 years old on average who have no ophthalmologic disease except ametropia participated in the measurement. The experiment was carried out with the constant method, a series of ten Landolt rings were used and each ring was presented 20 times randomly in a measurement. A 5.6-inch type of liquid crystal display driven by a computer, which has 1,280×800 pixels spatial resolution, was used to present the stimulus. In the normal young adults, the slope of the psychometric function did not change as the VA change systematically, and there was almost no correlation between them (r = −0.103.