Acceptable Levels Of Reliability Research Articles

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Overwork Climate Scale.

This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Overwork Climate Scale. Japanese workers were invited to participate in online surveys at baseline and 1-month follow-up. The Overwork Climate Scale was translated into Japanese, according to international guidelines. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), while structural validity was evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Psychological job demands, work engagement, psychological safety, and workaholism were assessed for convergent validity. The number of respondents was 302 at baseline and 169 at follow-up. Results indicated robust Cronbach's alpha values of 0.86 (for overwork endorsement) and 0.80 (for lacking overwork reward) at baseline, complemented by ICC of 0.89 and 0.82, respectively. CFA confirmed the suitability of the two-factor model. Moreover, the Japanese Overwork Climate Scale exhibited significant correlations with anticipated constructs. Structural equation modeling revealed a consistent association between overwork climate and both workaholism and work engagement, similar to the original version. In conclusion, the Japanese version of the Overwork Climate Scale demonstrates acceptable levels of reliability and validity, warranting its potential adoption among Japanese workers.

Exploratory Study: Social Media Impact on Mental Health Perception in Colombian Gen Z

This exploratory study aimed to discern and comprehend the social media usage patterns and their perceived impact on mental health among Generation Z students at a Colombian university. Employing a mixed methods approach, data were collected from 361 Colombian Gen Z individuals. A focus group guide and a self-reported questionnaire, informed by focus group results, were utilized to evaluate diverse constructs. Qualitative data underwent iterative categorization (IC), while quantitative data underwent statistical analysis using SPSS software. Participants predominantly utilized social media for communication and entertainment, with indications of a link between social media use and anxiety. However, participants did not perceive social media as significantly influential in their decision-making processes or relationships. Notably, female participants reported higher anxiety levels. This study of Colombian Gen Z freshmen unveiled social media's notable influence on body image, mental health, and social rewards. It underscores the necessity for tailored interventions to foster positive online experiences, address gender-specific challenges, and reassess brand engagement strategies within this demographic. Additionally, it highlights the need for further research within the Colombian university context. Though the employed instrument exhibited acceptable validity and reliability levels, future research could benefit from enhancements. This paper represents the initial endeavor to analyze social media consumption among Generation Z in Colombia through a mixed methods approach. Examining social media consumption patterns and their impact on mental health contributes to academic discourse on this relationship, informing the design of appropriate pedagogic strategies while considering reported gender differences. This study contributes valuable insights into the intricate interplay between social media use and mental health among Colombian Gen Z students. Addressing these dynamics is pivotal in formulating targeted interventions and strategies to support the mental well-being of this demographic within university settings. Future investigations should focus on refining measurement tools and delving deeper into nuanced aspects of social media's influence on mental health within educational environments.

The Role of Flexibility in the Integrated Operation of Low-Carbon Gas and Electricity Systems: A Review

The integration of gas and electricity networks has emerged as a promising approach to enhance the overall flexibility of energy systems. As the transition toward sustainable and decarbonized energy sources accelerates, the seamless coordination between electricity and gas infrastructure becomes increasingly crucial. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art research and developments concerning the flexibility in the operation of low-carbon integrated gas and electricity networks (IGENs) as part of the whole system approach. Methods and solutions to provide and improve flexibility in the mentioned systems are studied and categorized. Flexibility is the system’s ability to deal with changes and uncertainties in the network while maintaining an acceptable level of reliability. The presented review underscores the significance of this convergence in facilitating demand-side management, renewable energy integration, and overall system resilience. By highlighting the technical, economic, and regulatory aspects of such integration, this paper aims to guide researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders toward effective decision-making and the formulation of comprehensive strategies that align with the decarbonization of energy systems.

New approach methods to assess developmental and adult neurotoxicity for regulatory use: a PARC work package 5 project.

In the European regulatory context, rodent in vivo studies are the predominant source of neurotoxicity information. Although they form a cornerstone of neurotoxicological assessments, they are costly and the topic of ethical debate. While the public expects chemicals and products to be safe for the developing and mature nervous systems, considerable numbers of chemicals in commerce have not, or only to a limited extent, been assessed for their potential to cause neurotoxicity. As such, there is a societal push toward the replacement of animal models with in vitro or alternative methods. New approach methods (NAMs) can contribute to the regulatory knowledge base, increase chemical safety, and modernize chemical hazard and risk assessment. Provided they reach an acceptable level of regulatory relevance and reliability, NAMs may be considered as replacements for specific in vivo studies. The European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) addresses challenges to the development and implementation of NAMs in chemical risk assessment. In collaboration with regulatory agencies, Project 5.2.1e (Neurotoxicity) aims to develop and evaluate NAMs for developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) and adult neurotoxicity (ANT) and to understand the applicability domain of specific NAMs for the detection of endocrine disruption and epigenetic perturbation. To speed up assay time and reduce costs, we identify early indicators of later-onset effects. Ultimately, we will assemble second-generation developmental neurotoxicity and first-generation adult neurotoxicity test batteries, both of which aim to provide regulatory hazard and risk assessors and industry stakeholders with robust, speedy, lower-cost, and informative next-generation hazard and risk assessment tools.

The Test-retest Reliability of Pain Outcome Measures in People with Phantom Limb Pain.

To quantify the test-retest reliability of three patient-reported outcome measures of pain for people living with phantom limb pain (PLP) and assess impact of test-retest errors on future research and clinical decisions. Thirty-nine participants (30 males), mean (SD) age: 55 (16), mean (SD) years post amputation: 6.8 (8.3), reported their PLP levels on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain intensity, the revised Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ-2), and a pain diary, on two occasions 7-14 days apart. Mean systematic change, within-subjects SD, limits of agreement (LOA), coefficient of variation and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were quantified alongside their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Systematic learning effects (mean changes) were not clinically relevant across the VAS, SF-MPQ-2 and pain diary. Within-subjects SDs (95%CI) were 11.8 (9.6-15.3), 0.9 (0.7-1.2), and 8.6 (6.9-11.5), respectively. LOA (95%CI) were 32.6 (26.5-42.4), 2.5 (2-3.3), and 23.9 (19.2-31.8), respectively. ICCs (95%CI) were 0.8 (0.6-0.9), 0.8 (0.7-0.9), and 0.9 (0.8-0.9), respectively, but may have been inflated by sample heterogeneity. The test-retest errors allowed detection of clinically relevant effect sizes with feasible sample sizes in future studies, but individual errors were large. For people with PLP, a pain intensity VAS, the SF-MPQ-2, and a pain diary show an acceptable level of inter-session reliability for use in future clinical trials with feasible sample sizes. Nevertheless, the random error observed for all three of the pain outcome measures suggests they should be interpreted with caution in case studies and when monitoring individuals' clinical status and progress.

Psychometric properties of the Maslach Burnout Inventory in healthcare professionals, Ancash Region, Peru

Background Burnout syndrome (BS) among healthcare professionals in Peru demands immediate attention. Consequently, there is a need for a validated and standardized instrument to measure and address it effectively. This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) among healthcare professionals in the Ancash region of Peru. Methods Using an instrumental design, this study included 303 subjects of both sexes (77.56% women), ranging in age from 22 to 68 years (M = 44.46, SD = 12.25), selected via purposive non-probability sampling. Appropriate content validity, internal structure validity, and item internal consistency were achieved through confirmatory factor analysis, and discriminant validity for the three dimensions was obtained. Evidence of convergent validity was found for the Emotional Exhaustion (EE) and Personal Accomplishment (PA) dimensions, with reliability values (ω > .75). Results The EE and PA dimensions exhibited acceptable levels of reliability (ω and α > .80). However, the Depersonalization (DP) dimension demonstrated significantly lower reliability (α < .60 and ω < .50). Conclusions A correlated three-factor model was confirmed, with most items presenting satisfactory factor loadings and inter-item correlations. Nonetheless, convergent validity was not confirmed for the DP dimension.

SIGNIFIKANSI INOVASI TEKNOLOGI DALAM KONTEKS EKSPANSI DAN TRANSFORMASI EKONOMI PASCA-PANDEMI

This research significance of technological innovation in the context of post-pandemic economic expansion and transformation is conducted. The research methodology involves a literature study and quantitative. The literature study focuses on the theory of technological innovation and empirical findings related to its impact on post-pandemic economic expansion and transformation. The results of the validity test indicate that the measurement instruments for technological innovation variables and economic expansion and transformation are statistically valid. Reliability tests using Cronbach's Alpha show an acceptable level of reliability for both variables. Simple regression analysis indicates a positive relationship between technological innovation and economic expansion and transformation of MSMEs. Hypothesis testing with the t-test confirms the significance of this relationship. Descriptive hypothesis testing indicates that technological innovation and economic expansion and transformation of MSMEs operate effectively, with agreement and strong agreement percentages reaching 94% for both variables. Normality testing shows that the residual values are normally distributed. This research provides a significant contribution to understanding the role of technological innovation in supporting the post-pandemic economic expansion and transformation of MSMEs. The practical implications of this research can assist entrepreneurs and policymakers in enhancing the implementation of technological innovation to support sustainable economic growth.

Development and validation of the University of Tokyo Occupational Mental Health leadership checklist among occupational health specialists

Recently, occupational health specialists (OHS) are expected to exert leadership to develop high-quality occupational health activities. This study aimed to develop and investigate the reliability and validity of a scale to measure leadership preparation among OHS (The University of Tokyo Occupational Mental Health [TOMH] Leadership Checklist; TLC). Based on literature reviews and interviews among OHS, we created potential items consisting of 54 items with six factors (10 items for self-awareness, 10 items for situational awareness, 9 items for vision, 12 items for mindset, 3 items for performance of one's duties, and 10 items for relationship-building). An online survey was conducted with 300 OHS in Japan to verify the scale's reliability and validity. Consequent to the exploratory factor analysis, using the principal factor method and promax rotation, 51 items across the following five factors were identified; "self-awareness", "situational awareness", "vision", "mindset", and "performance of one's duties". The confirmatory factor analysis showed good fit indices; CFI = 0.877, SRMR = 0.050, and RMSEA = 0.072. Cronbach's α ranged from 0.93-0.96. Additionally, the scores of the TLC were significantly positively correlated with work engagement, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy; contrastingly, they were significantly negatively correlated with psychological distress (p < .05). Furthermore, the participants who had experience leadership without authority indicated significantly higher scores of the TLC and its subscales than those who did not (p < .001). The newly developed TLC appeared to have acceptable levels of reliability and validity. It would be beneficial for OHS to show good leadership.

“A No means No”: rape myth acceptance, victim blaming and hostile sexism as predictors of acceptance towards rape on a date among Pakistani adults

ABSTRACT Past research has shown that date rape continues to remain a major instrument in rape cases. Moreover, hostile sexism and victim blaming are significant predictors of acceptance of rape on dates. The current study assesses whether rape myth acceptance, victim blaming and hostile sexism significantly predict acceptance towards rape on a date among Pakistani adults. A cross-sectional research design was employed in the study with a sample of 330 participants selected through a sensitivity analysis based on G power analysis with 95% confidence intervals. The findings showed that this sample was sufficient to achieve the desired effect sizes. Data analysis was done using Pearson product moment correlation, hierarchical regression, independent sample t test and moderated mediation analysis via AMOS. The results showed that all study variables had acceptable levels of reliability. It was also found that hostile sexism, victim blaming and rape myth acceptance significantly and positively predicted acceptance of rape perpetrated by a male on a date. The findings further showed higher levels of victim blaming moderated the mediating effect of hostile sexism on the association between rape myth acceptance and acceptance of rape perpetrated by a male on a date. It is thus concluded that hostile sexism, victim blaming and rape myth acceptance significantly predict acceptance of rape on a date. It was also found that males have a higher tendency towards hostile sexism, victim blaming and rape myth acceptance and thus may be more likely to view the perpetrators of rape as being more credible in comparison to the victims.

Relationship and variation of dimensions in gamified experiences associated with the predictive model using GAMEX

Gamifying educational practices is a trend in the field of education, especially in universities. Knowing which dimensions are significant in active gamified methodologies allows understanding the extent to which a dimension depends on another if there is a correlation between them. Through the GAMEX (gameful experience in gamification) scale, which measures gamified experiences (Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier 43:98–115, 2018), the aims of this study were to: 1) explore, using the structural equations model, the viability of the GAMEX model formulated to analyse the gamified experience level of university students; and 2) determine the influence of the GAMEX variables on the students’ degree of mastery in gamified experiences. The sample was constituted by 405 university students. A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was carried from a PLS (partial least squares) approach, using SmartPLS software. The results show the reliability of the different constructs considered in the proposed model. The items presented acceptable reliability levels and strong consistency with the dimensions of the model. The model emphasises the multidimensional character of gamified experience and supports the students’ mastery over the different gamified experiences.

Impact of short-term wind forecast accuracy on the performance of decarbonising wholesale electricity markets

As the proportion of variable renewable generation capacity in our electricity systems rises, so too will the associated absolute forecast errors in their generation. This work quantifies the complex interactions between short-term renewable generation forecasts, short-term demand forecasts, generator unit commitment and economic dispatch in electricity systems with levels of variable renewable generation spanning 49–79% of annual electricity demand. When the short-term operational uncertainty caused by renewable generation becomes larger in absolute terms than that of demand, the accuracy of renewable generation forecasting has a critical influence on electricity market performance. That is, inaccurate short-term wind forecasts can increase hours of unserved energy and scarcity hours spent at market price cap, increase total system costs and prices, significantly increase returns to thermal generators and energy storage, reduce returns to wind generators, and increase greenhouse gas emissions slightly. For the generalised case study considered in this work, the value of improved short term wind generation forecasts looks to becomes significant once variable renewables generate more than roughly 60% of annual electricity demand. Reductions in average market prices of 5 $/MWh or more then appear plausible as acceptable levels of reliability are recovered. As such, improvements in short-term renewable generation forecasting are likely required in order to justify continued investment in variable renewables as the major means of achieving decarbonisation efficiently and reliably, and these could be achieved by any combination of improved forecasting, dispatch control or on-site firming.

Validity and reliability of artificial intelligence chatbots as public sources of information on endodontics.

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the validity and reliability of responses provided by GPT-3.5, Google Bard, and Bing to frequently asked questions (FAQs) in the field of endodontics. FAQs were formulated by expert endodontists (n = 10) and collected through GPT-3.5 queries (n = 10), with every question posed to each chatbot three times. Responses (N = 180) were independently evaluated by two board-certified endodontists using a modified Global Quality Score (GQS) on a 5-point Likert scale (5: strongly agree; 4: agree; 3: neutral; 2: disagree; 1: strongly disagree). Disagreements on scoring were resolved through evidence-based discussions. The validity of responses was analysed by categorizing scores into valid or invalid at two thresholds: The low threshold was set at score ≥4 for all three responses whilst the high threshold was set at score 5 for all three responses. Fisher's exact test was conducted to compare the validity of responses between chatbots. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to assess the reliability by assessing the consistency of repeated responses for each chatbot. All three chatbots provided answers to all questions. Using the low-threshold validity test (GPT-3.5: 95%; Google Bard: 85%; Bing: 75%), there was no significant difference between the platforms (p > .05). When using the high-threshold validity test, the chatbot scores were substantially lower (GPT-3.5: 60%; Google Bard: 15%; Bing: 15%). The validity of GPT-3.5 responses was significantly higher than Google Bard and Bing (p = .008). All three chatbots achieved an acceptable level of reliability (Cronbach's alpha >0.7). GPT-3.5 provided more credible information on topics related to endodontics compared to Google Bard and Bing.

Unilateral dynamic balance assessment: The test-retest reliability of the OptoJump next drift protocol

BackgroundThe OptoJump Next Drift Protocol is a test designed to assess unilateral dynamic balance. Participants are required to perform a series of unilateral jumps from which left/right and forward/back displacement (Drift) is calculated. ObjectivesThis investigation set out to establish the test-retest reliability of the OptoJump Next Drift Protocol. MethodTwenty-six participants performed the OptoJump Next Drift Protocol on two separate occasions. Drift Area and Drift Area as a percentage of total available jump area were calculated for each leg. ResultsInterclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) indicated poor reliability for Drift Area and Drift Area as a percentage of total available jump area (right leg r = .44; left leg r = −0.20). However, 95% Limits of Agreement (LoA) suggested a stronger relationship. For Drift Area, between trial Mean Difference for the right leg was 50.87 cm2 (95% LoA = −227.57 – 328.87) and for the left leg it was 54.08 cm2 (95% LoA = −333.62 – 441.79). For Drift Area as a percentage of total available jump area, Mean Difference for the right leg was 0.56% (95% LoA = −2.44 – 3.65) and for left 0.60% (95% LoA = - 3.76–4.89). ConclusionsBased on the 95% LoA data, the authors suggest that the OptoJump Next Drift Protocol does offer an acceptable level of reliability.

Reliability, Validity, and Identification Ability of a Commercialized Waist-Attached Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) Sensor-Based System in Fall Risk Assessment of Older People.

Falls are a prevalent cause of injury among older people. While some wearable inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor-based systems have been widely investigated for fall risk assessment, their reliability, validity, and identification ability in community-dwelling older people remain unclear. Therefore, this study evaluated the performance of a commercially available IMU sensor-based fall risk assessment system among 20 community-dwelling older recurrent fallers (with a history of ≥2 falls in the past 12 months) and 20 community-dwelling older non-fallers (no history of falls in the past 12 months), together with applying the clinical scale of the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest). The results show that the IMU sensor-based system exhibited a significant moderate to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.838, p < 0.001), an acceptable level of internal consistency reliability (Spearman's rho = 0.471, p = 0.002), an acceptable convergent validity (Cronbach's α = 0.712), and an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.590 for the IMU sensor-based receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The findings suggest that while the evaluated IMU sensor-based system exhibited good reliability and acceptable validity, it might not be able to fully identify the recurrent fallers and non-fallers in a community-dwelling older population. Further system optimization is still needed.

Development and validation of a tool to assess researchers’ knowledge of human subjects’ rights and their attitudes toward research ethics education in Saudi Arabia

BackgroundResearchers must adhere to ethical and scientific standards in their research involving human subjects; therefore, their knowledge of human subjects’ rights is essential. A tool to measure the extent of this knowledge is necessary to ensure that studies with participants are conducted ethically and to enhance research integrity. Currently, no validated instrument is available for such an assessment. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study is to develop a reliable and valid instrument to assess researchers’ knowledge of human subjects’ rights in clinical settings, as well as a reliable and valid measure of their attitudes toward clinical research ethics education in Saudi Arabia.MethodsThe current study involves the development of a questionnaire about the rights of human subjects in research and the researchers’ attitudes toward research ethics education. The content was developed based on an extensive review of research ethics guidelines. A panel of experts tested the questionnaire for face validity (n = 5) and content validity (n = 8). The reliability of the questionnaire was established by a split-half reliability coefficient and item analysis among a sample (n = 301) of clinical researchers.ResultsFace validity demonstrated that the questionnaire was quick to complete and easy to answer. The global content validity indices (S-CVIs) were greater than 0.78 for all questionnaire sections; the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.755 for knowledge items; Cronbach’s alpha was 0.77 for researchers’ attitudes, showing good internal consistency. The difficulty index ranged from 12.0% to 98.7% for all knowledge items. Most questions were at an acceptable level of reliability and discrimination criteria. The final version of the questionnaire contained 89 items, distributed as 15 questions on demographic and professional characteristics, 64 questions items on knowledge, and 10 items on attitudes.ConclusionsThe questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to assess biomedical researchers’ knowledge of human subjects’ rights and their attitudes toward research ethics education. This instrument could help address the gap in researchers’ knowledge of the rights and facilitate the development of educational intervention programs to set appropriate learning objectives.

Comparison Study between Different Methods Used in Estimation of Initial Oil in Place for Asmari Reservoir, Southeastern Iraqi Oilfield

In the oil industry, estimating the presence of oil reserves is a key issue during the reservoir exploration, evaluation, and development stages and should be investigated because of the risks and inaccuracies that are considered inherent issues. Moreover, true and distinct hydrocarbon content can only be discerned upon field production or depletion. The challenge of estimating reserves is therefore a function of time and available data. In this study, Different Known modules with varying levels of analytical accuracy were utilized to establish the Initial Oil InPlace (STOIIP) of the Asmari reservoir in Fauqi Oilfield through analysis of production history from one well. The accuracy of the results obtained was examined and showed an acceptable level of reliability. Results from various models indicate that the most reliable estimate of OOIP is approximately 1.01MMMbbl for the Asmari reservoir using a multi-column model. Furthermore, by performing different analytical and numerical calculations on the Fauqi well production history, the uncertainty in the reservoir calculations of STOIIP can be reduced.

Spatial variability of urban forest topsoil properties: towards representative and robust sampling design.

Background: Soil spatial variability is a major concern when deciding how to collect a representative topsoil sample for laboratory analysis. Sampling design to capture site-specific variability is documented in the agricultural literature, but poorly understood for urban forest soils where soils may be characterized by strong horizontal and vertical variability and large temporal anthropogenic disturbances. Methods: This paper evaluates the spatial variability of selected topsoil properties under urban trees to define a statistically robust sampling design that optimizes the number of samples to reliably characterize basal soil respiration (BSR), a property associated with soil health. To provide a reference on variability, two additional soil properties were measured, unrelated to BSR: electrical conductivity (EC) and bulk density (BD). Thirteen sampling sites comprising both park and street trees ( Acer rubrum) were selected in Cambridge, MA, USA. Results: Results indicate street tree topsoil had approximately twice as much variation, requiring more intensive sampling, as did park tree topsoil, even though street trees had smaller soil sampling zones, constricted by tree pits. The variability of BSR was nearly identical to that of EC, and BD results varied least. A large number of samples would be required for acceptable levels of statistical reliability (90% CI - 10% ER) of 44.4, 41.7, and 6.4 for BSR, EC, and BD, respectively, whereas by accepting a lower level of certainty (80% CI - 20% ER) the number of required soil samples was calculated as 6.8, 6.4, and 0.4 for BSR, EC, and BD, respectively. Conclusions: The use of EC testing as a baseline measure to determine spatial variation in the topsoil is proposed, to alleviate the financial implications of more expensive BSR testing. Factors of topsoil disturbance and soil access restrictions at sites with severe root-sidewalk conflicts and the overall generalizability of the results are also discussed.

Validation of the self-directed learning scale for middle-aged and older adults

ABSTRACT Considering the significance of lifelong learning in advancing active aging in aging societies, the ability to engage in self-directed learning plays a crucial role for adults. There are many self-directed learning (SDL) tools available that measure the SDL abilities of nursing students and healthcare professionals. However, fewer SDL tools specifically designed for middle-aged and older adults have been developed. The purpose of this research was to examine and confirm the factor structure and the internal consistency of the SRSSDL-adult scale, specifically for middle-aged and older adult learners enrolled in senior learning centers. A cross-sectional method was adopted. Both Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were conducted to assess the structural validity of the scale. The internal consistency was determined using the Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient. The results indicated that the five factors – learning needs assessment skills, learning planning skills, learning execution skills, self-assessment skills, and interpersonal skills – showed acceptable levels of reliability. The revised 25-item SRSSDL-adult scale was found to be a valid measure of middle-aged and older adults’ self-directed learning abilities in the context of senior education programs. The findings of this study have the potential to be utilized by educational institutions and educators involved in senior education programs.

Psychometric properties of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire among Iranian parents of children with autism spectrum disorder

Background The Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) has been adapted for the study of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but its use has not been studied in Iran. In this study, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire for Autism Spectrum Disorder (IPQ-R-ASD-Persian) and how Iranian parents’ perceptions of autism may be related to parental anxiety, depression, and affect. Method This study included 114 parents of children with ASD in Iran. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the IPQ-R-ASD-Persian, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule were administered. Confirmatory factor analysis and the maximum likelihood method based on the variance-covariance matrix were employed to explore the IPQ-R-ASD factor structure. Four measures of goodness-of-fit were utilized, which included chi-square/degree of freedom (χ2/df), comparative fit index (CFI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR). Cronbach’s alpha and the corrected item-total correlation were used to measure internal consistency. The convergent validity was assessed by calculating the average variance extracted. Furthermore, we evaluated the test-retest reliability of the IPQ-R-ASD-Persian scales over two weeks using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results There was no floor or ceiling effect for the IPQ-R-ASD-Persian scales. Cronbach’s α values were consistently higher than 0.70, except for Timeline-Cyclical (α = 0.484). All scales of the IPQ-R-ASD-Persian except for the Timeline-Cyclical scale generally showed good test-retest reliability over two weeks. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a seven-factor model (χ2/df = 1.62, CFI = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.064, SRMR = 0.098), similarly to the original IPQ-R instrument. Conclusions The IPQ-R-ASD-Persian demonstrated statistically acceptable reliability and validity levels supporting its use as a viable instrument for such research in Iran. As a result, this might be a useful approach for evaluating parents’ perceptions which is vital for supporting families and for developing effective interventions.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Safety Evaluation Tool in the Laboratories of the University Complexes

Introduction: Laboratories play a crucial role in education and scientific research by providing an environment for various experiments and investigations. However, due to potential hazards such as chemical, biological, and physical agents, laboratories are inherently considered dangerous work environments. Therefore, it is essential to have a reliable and valid tool to evaluate the safety of these environments comprehensively. Therefore, this study was conducted to design and psychometrical evaluation a comprehensive tool for safety evaluation in university laboratory complexes. &#x0D; Materials and Methods: In the first stage, a Checklist was developed across various areas through a process that involved using a literature review, field visits, Interviews with laboratory technicians, and creating videos from multiple laboratories. The initially designed questionnaire was sent to 10 safety experts for face validity, and then their comments on the question phrasing were considered. To assess the content validity, two measures were employed: the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and the Content Validity Index (CVI). Additionally, the reliability of the instrument was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha calculation method.&#x0D; Results: In the initial stage, a total of 286 questions were designed within 9 different areas. Subsequently, 49 questions were removed by expert members due to overlapping concepts, resulting in a final questionnaire consisting of 237 questions. The content validity index and relative coefficient were found to be above 0.8 in all areas, indicating strong content validity. Furthermore, Cronbach's alpha value exceeded 0.7 in all areas, suggesting a desirable level of reliability for the designed program.&#x0D; Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that the developed questionnaire exhibits acceptable levels of validity and reliability. As such, it can serve as a comprehensive and suitable tool for monitoring safety in University complex laboratories.