Internal Consistency Coefficients Research Articles

Psychometric properties and observational data for COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale (C19-YRSm) for post-COVID-19 syndrome.

The recently developed modified COVID-19 (coronavirus of 2019) Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale (C19-YRSm) captures comprehensive biopsychosocial components of WHO's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health related to the Long Covid or post-COVID syndrome. The scale response categories on C19-YRSm were done post hoc on data collected from the original version of C19-YRS. To evaluate the C19-YRSm scale using reliability and validity measures. Prospective, observational study. The study includes 369 patients (clinical group) and 426 subjects of the general population (control group) and captures their post-COVID-19 symptoms. In addition, the reliability of C19-YRSm was estimated by Cronbach's alpha coefficients of internal consistency and inter-item correlations for subscales ('Symptom severity, Functional disability, and Other symptoms'). Convergent validity was established using correlations between C19-YRSm and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). The incremental validity of C19-YRSm was measured by introducing a hierarchical regression model using the C19-YRSm 'Overall health' subscale and FSS as criterion variables. C19-YRSm subscales have excellent internal consistencies (Cronbach's α value 0.81-0.96) and acceptable inter-item correlations (r value 0.23-0.79). Hereafter, the convergent validity of the C19-YRSm is good due to significant correlations between C19-YRSm subscales and FSS and C19-YRSm subscales. Finally, the hierarchical regression analysis supported consistent evidence for the incremental validity of the C19-YRSm subscales. C19-YRSm is a reliable and valid self-assessment scale for the assessment of post-COVID-19 syndrome.

THE FACTORS OF BUSINESS EFFICACY OF THE FOOD MARKET AND THEIR CORRELATION TO THE MARKETING IN FARMERS

The relevant research subjecs of this study are the contemporary models of economic studies, the factors of business efficacy of the food market, and the marketing of farmers. The aim of this transversal study was to define the latent structures of business efficacy and their linear correlation with the marketing of agricultural food farmers. The pertinent sample included (N =156) male farmers from Kolubara district, Serbia. The average age of participants was 44.26 ± =10.35). The questionnaire regarding farmer’s entrepreneurial success in food production was used in this research. The values of the Cronbach’s alpha (α) coefficient of internal consistency were higher than 0.70, which means that the variables used in this research possess satisfactory psychometric criteria. Four components were extracted by analyzing the exploratory factorial analysis, with Kaiser– Guttman criterion, and the oblimin rotation of the variables. The extracted four-factor groups of latent dimensions, on the level of statistical conclusion of 0,01, were interpreted as: quality – FI, economic privilege – FII, social privilege – FIII, and competition – FIV, which together account for 68.26% of the variance. The obtained findings on the coefficient of internal consistency (Cronbach’s) confirmed the reliability and validity of the applied measuring instrument, and thus future longitudinal studies can use it for examining the farmer population in Serbia.

Computational thinking scale: the predictive role of metacognition in the context of higher order thinking skills

This study aims to determine the predictive role of cognition in computational thinking. In this context, the research has two problem situations. The first one is the development of a computational thinking scale for prospective teachers. The second is to determine the predictive role of metacognition in computational thinking with this scale. In Study-1, the computational thinking scale was developed with (N= 365) participants. In Study-2 (N=306), the role of metacognition in computational thinking was explained with structural equation modeling. These findings show that, the computational thinking scale consisting of 28 items in Study-1 explained 48% of the total variance with a single factor structure and the internal consistency coefficient was found to be .985. In Study-2, the role of metacognition in computational thinking was tested with structural equation modeling. Accordingly, the planning, debugging and procedural knowledge sub-dimensions of metacognition explained 47% of the variance of computational thinking.

Measuring Physical Education Teacher Socialization With Respect to Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programming

Purpose: Utilizing teacher socialization in physical education theory, the aim of this study was to develop a survey to measure physical education teachers’ socialization experiences and comprehensive school physical activity program involvement. Method: Instrument development included a review of existing comprehensive school physical activity program and socialization instruments, Delphi method to evaluate face and content validity through expert feedback, and a pilot test to examine the instrument’s psychometric properties. Results: Upon completion of expert feedback, three items were removed, four items were revised, and open-ended questions were added to each survey construct. The pilot test yielded 28 completed surveys (40% response rate). Bayesian exploratory factor analytic procedures showed that items had statistically significant loadings and were quality measures of the corresponding constructs. Survey subscales had acceptable and high internal consistency coefficients. Discussion/Conclusion: Results suggest that this instrument is a trustworthy tool for continued research examining physical education teachers’ socialization and comprehensive school physical activity program involvement.

Development and validation of mathematics persistence scale for secondary school students

The study focused on development and validation of the mathematics persistence scale (MPS) for measuring secondary school students’ persistence in learning mathematics. The study employed a descriptive survey design. Three research questions guided the study. The population of the study comprised 13,516 students distributed in 59 public secondary schools in Nsukka Education Zone, Enugu State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used in selecting a sample size of 1,378 secondary school mathematics students used for the study. In the development of MPS, 85 items were first constructed and subjected to face validity. After face validation, eight items were deleted in line with the recommendations and suggestions of the validators. The remaining 77 items were further subjected to exploratory factor analysis using statistical package for the social science version 25. 28 factorial pure items, that loaded into four salient factors (persistence in classroom mathematics exercise, persistence in mathematics take home assignments, persistence in a group mathematics tasks, and persistence in mathematics examination) emerged from the analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis of four factors using lavaan and semPlot packages indicated a harmony between four factor model and the data. The internal consistency coefficients of four factors ranges from 0.78 to 0.92.

ÜNİVERSİTE ÖĞRENCİLERİNDE KİNDARLIK DUYGUDURUMU İLE YAŞAM DOYUMU ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİ

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between grudge mood in university students and their satisfaction with life. The study group consisted of a total of 520 university students, 320 of whom were female and 200 of whom were male. The study was carried out in two steps. In the first step, a development study was carried out to measure the grudge mood in individuals using the ‘Grudge Mood Scale." For this purpose, a item pool was created with the views of relevant literature and field workers. The created items were appilied to 335 university students and analyzed with Exploratory Factor Analysis. According to the Exploratory Factor Analysis, the scale consists of four sub-dimensions. This four-dimensional structure it was applied to 350 students and analyzed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The results of confirmatory factor analysis have shown that the fit indices of the scale indicate a good fit with a four-factor structure. To test the validity and reliability of the developed scale, internal consistency coefficient, split-half reliability, content validity, test-retest reliability, and scale-related validity analyses were conducted. As a result of the analyses, it was concluded that the developed 'Grudge Mood Scale' is a valid and reliable scale.
 In the second step of the research, the relationship between grudge mood and life satisfaction was examined. Grudge Mood Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale and Personal Information Form were used as data collection tools. After the normality examination of the data, the Pearson Moment Product Correlation and Multivariate Variance Analysis techniques were used. According to the results of the analysis, there is a negative and significant relationship between university students' grudge mood and life satisfaction. Furthermore, the relationship between grudge mood and life satisfaction varies significantly according to the students' genders. The findings obtained from this study were interpreted in the context of the literature and recommendations were made.

The Adaptation of the Regret Elements Scale to Turkish Culture

Humans feel the need to reflect on their past decisions throughout their lives. Regret plays a significant role in this evaluation. Acknowledging regret is crucial, as it helps in rectifying undesirable past decisions and making healtier options in the future. Regret has cognitive and affective dimentions. Cognitive regret refers to reviewing past decisions, while affective regret belong to negative emotions. This study aims to adapt the regret elements scale (RES) in the Turkish adult population. The study involved 48 participants in the pilot application stage, 40 participants in the language validity stage, 599 participants in the confirmatory factor analysis stage, and 52 participants in the test-retest stage. The participants' ages ranged from 18 to 60 years. The study examined the language validity, confirmatory factor analysis, and criterion-related validity of the scale. Additionally, reliability measures such as Cronbach Alpha internal consistency coefficient, Spearman-Brown split-half reliability, test-retest reliability coefficient, and differences between the 27% lower and upper groups were utilized. Mean explained variance (AVE) and combined reliability (CR) values were also calculated. The findings indicate that the language validity of the scale was high (.80). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the 2-dimensional and 10-item scale had acceptable fit indices [x2 / df= 2.09, RMSEA= .043, SRMR= .07, NNFI /TLI = .91, CFI= .94, GFI= .92]. The scale and its sub-dimensions were negatively correlated with Satisfaction with Life. Reliability analyses found high Cronbach's Alpha reliability (.92), Spearman-Brown split-half reliability (.95), and test-retest reliability (.75) coefficients, as well as significant differences between the regret score averages of the lower and upper groups of 27%. The AVE and CR values of the scale were also high. The findings suggest that the 2-dimensional (affective regret and cognitive regret) and 10-item RES is a valid and reliable measuring tool for assessing regret in the field of mental health for adult individuals in Turkey. Overall, the RES can be considered a useful tool for measuring regret and its various dimensions. It is thought that the adaptation of the regret elements scale (RES), which includes these dimentions, will contribute to the literature.

Turkish Adaptation of the Relationship Sabotage Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study

In this study, it is aimed to adapt the ‘Relationship Sabotage Scale' (RSS), whose validity and reliability studies were conducted by Peel and Caltabiano (2021), adapting it to Turkish. The adaptation process of the scale was carried out by going through various stages in which the participants were university students. In the first stage of the research, 32 university students were reached for language equivalence study. At the next stage, the study group for the validity and reliability study of the research consists of a total of 266 university students, 150 (56%) female and 116 (44%) male, studying at various faculties in the fall semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. The construct validity of the RSS was tested with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Confirmatory factor analysis results show that the 12-item and three-factor structure of the original scale was confirmed. It was observed that the item factor loads of the scale ranged from .56 to .95. According to the findings, it is seen that the scale tested with CFA has sufficient goodness-of-fit indices. For the reliability of the scale, the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient was calculated; At the end of the analyzes, the total Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of the scale was found .81, while the Cronbach alpha (α) internal consistency coefficients for the sub-dimensions ranged from .81 to .85. The findings obtained as a result of the study show that RSS is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used in evaluating the self-sabotage of individuals in their romantic relationships.

A Test Development Study on Spatial Visualization for Second-Grade Primary School Students

This study aims to develop a new spatial visualization test (SVT) for second grade primary school students. The study employed the survey design, and the test was developed in accordance with the test development steps. According to the findings obtained as a result of the pilot study, the items were generally high difficulty levels, and they were very good items. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis findings confirmed the three sub-dimensions (mental integration, mental rotation, and paper folding) measuring spatial visualization skills. SVT, which was reduced to 10 items, was administered to 396 students; the KR-20 internal consistency coefficient was 0.63, the average difficulty index was 0.35 and the average discrimination index was 0.48. As a result of the study, a valid and reliable test on spatial visualization for second grade primary school students was obtained and it was concluded that students' spatial visualization was at a low level.

Investigation of The Measurement Invariance of Affective Characteristics Related to TIMSS 2019 Mathematics Achievement by Gender

This research examines whether the affective characteristics of the TIMSS 2019 Turkey mathematics application provide measurement invariance according to gender. The research sample consists of 4048 8th-grade students participating in the TIMSS in 2019. Research data were downloaded from the international website of TIMSS. The research data collection tools are “Sense of School Belonging”, “Students Confident in Mathematics”, “Students Like Learning Mathematics”, and “Students Value Mathematics” scales. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were performed in the context of validity analyses to examine measurement invariance. In terms of reliability, the Cronbach Alfa internal consistency coefficient was calculated. Accordingly, out of the four scales in the study, only “Students Confident in Mathematics” scale could not be confirmed in confirmatory factor analysis. Therefore, while “Students Confident in Mathematics” scale was not examined for measurement invariance, the other three scales were examined within the scope of measurement invariance. For measurement invariance, research data were tested with Multiple Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MG-CFA), one of the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques. As a result of the analyses, while the strict invariance model was provided in “Students Like Learning Mathematics” scale and “Students Value Mathematics” scale, strong invariance/scale invariance model was provided in “Sense of School Belonging” scale. It was concluded that there was no gender bias in the three scales for which MG-CFA was performed, and the mean scores were comparable according to gender. In this context, it can be said that “Sense of School Belonging”, “Students Like Learning Mathematics”, and “Students Value Mathematics” scales are valid in determining the differences according to gender.

Development of Parent Educational Philosophy Tendency Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study

The present study endeavors to formulate a measurement tool that is both valid and reliable, intended to assess the educational philosophy tendencies of parents. The sampling process was executed through the utilization of multistage sampling. 1,330 parents formed the sample of the scale development process. This sample was randomly divided into two, half for exploratory factor analysis and half for confirmatory factor analysis. 65.7% of the participants are female and 34.3% are male. 41.2% of the participants are primary school parents, 30.6% are secondary school parents and 28.2% are high school parents. The Parent Educational Philosophy Tendency Scale’s construct validity was first tested with exploratory factor analysis and then confirmatory factor analysis was performed, and findings related to these analyzes are presented respectively. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis, the scale consisted of 19 items and three sub-dimensions, and these dimensions are named individualist, subject-centered, and socialist in line with the literature. The three-factor structure of the scale was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, the differences between the averages of the 27% lower and upper groups in the scale items were significant. According to the reliability analysis, the Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficient values of the scale are .896 for the “individualist” sub-dimension, .781 for the “socialist” sub-dimension, and .717 for the “subject-centered” sub-dimension of the Parent Educational Philosophy Tendency Scale. The Parent Educational Philosophy Tendency Scale represents the perception of parents’ philosophy of education. The internal consistency coefficients of the sub-dimensions of the Parent Educational Philosophy Tendency Scale were at a reasonable level. As a result, in the light of the analyzes and expert opinions, the items of the scale could measure the intended quality and the structure to be measured, the construct validity was high and it performed stable measurements.

Career Engagement Scale: Examination of Turkish Psychometric Properties

The aim of this study is to adapt Career Engagement Scale (CES) developed by Hirschi, Freund, and Herrmann (2013) into Turkish. The data of the study were collected from 500 (64.7% female) university students. First of all, exploratory factor analysis was performed, and, unlike the original form, a two-factor structure with an eigenvalue greater than 1 and explaining 63.58% of the total variance was obtained. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to examine the validity of the two-factor structure obtained in Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). The model fit indices (x2 = 73.924, df = 25 x2/df =2.95, p < .001; GFI = .97, AFGI = .97 CFI = .98, RMR = .038; TLI = .95, IFI = .98, NFI = .97 and RMSEA = .063 %90 [.046-.079]) obtained as a result of the analysis reveal that the two-factor structure of the measurement tool was confirmed on Turkish samples. The internal consistency coefficients of CES were calculated as .88 for the whole scale, .84 for the proactive career planning dimension, and .83 for the career proactive skill development dimension. To examine the similar scale validity of CES, the correlation coefficient between the Vocational Outcome Expectations Scale (VOES), the Career Decision Regret Scale (CDRS), and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) was calculated. As a result of the analysis performed, a significant positive correlation was found between CES and VOES (r = .55; p < .01) and SWLS (r =.41, p < .01). However, a significant negative correlation was found between CES and CDRS (r = -.22; p < .05). All these results show that the two-factor structure of CES has been validated on a Turkish sample and it is a valid and reliable scale

Self-Efficacy Scale for Turkish Lesson: A Study of Validity and Reliability

A significant role is played by the idea of self-efficacy, which involves students' perceptions of their unique skills and ability to do well in Turkish lectures. The purpose of this study is to create a measurement tool that is both valid and reliable for assessing secondary school students' self-efficacy toward Turkish language instruction. In the 2022–2023 academic year, 420 kids who are enrolled in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades at four different public secondary schools in Aksaray city center make up the study group. The package applications AMOS 24.00 and SPSS 22.00 were used to analyze the data. To test the scale's construct validity, factor analysis was done. The exploratory factor analysis produced a 4-factor scale with 23 items as a result. A total of 52.088% of the variance is explained by the scale. The scale's 4-factor structure was verified by confirmatory factor analysis. The fit indices derived by confirmatory factor analysis were found to exhibit satisfactory or outstanding fit. The reliability of the scale's items was evaluated using analyses, and it was found that the scale's Cronbach's Alpha internal consistency coefficient was .89. The research's findings demonstrate that the scale that was created in response to them is a reliable and valid measurement tool for assessing secondary school students' self-efficacy toward Turkish courses. The self-efficacy of fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade pupils toward Turkish classes can be assessed using this scale.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Spanish Validation of the Computerized Information Processing Assessment Battery (COGNITO).

Mild cognitive impairment (CI) has an exponential increase in its prevalence and causes functional deficits and dependence. Its early detection allows for timely treatment and greater therapeutic efficacy. However, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is currently underdiagnosed. Although recent decades have seen a rise in computerized instruments for the detection and early diagnosis of MCI, showing numerous advantages over the classic paper-and-pencil methods, such as standardized stimulus presentation. However, their limitations include the use of self-administered application without professional supervision. Few of these instruments have Spanish-adapted versions. To translate, adapt, and validate the computerized Information Processing Assessment Battery (COGNITO) battery in the Spanish population and to develop a portable administration system that facilitates its application in different settings. COGNITO was then administered to 232 Spanish participants (18-89years) without cognitive impairment, after which preliminary normative data were obtained. Strong positive correlations were found between the main cognitive domains assessed by COGNITO and the variables of age, educational level, and MEC score. The gender variable only correlated with visuospatial skills, with men outperforming women. The test-retest correlations conducted after 4 weeks with 89 participants revealed adequate reliability coefficients ranging between.63 and.66 (visuospatial skills = 0.35). Internal consistency coefficients were satisfactory in Attention-Executive Functions and Memory domains. The Spanish adaptation of COGNITO shows adequate psychometric characteristics of validity and reliability. The preliminary normative data provided may contribute to the early detection of cognitive impairments associated with both normal aging and various types of neurological pathology. This tool has great utility and versatility for neuropsychological practice.

Education No Longer at Ease: The Necessity to Build a New Employable and Productive Society for Nigerian Youths through Quality Education

The study sought to ascertain the influence of risk assessment procedures on the financial performance of Anambra State's small and medium-sized companies (SMEs). Two research questions were developed, and one hypothesis was evaluated at a 0.05 level of significance. A correlational design was used in the study. The study's population included 2,895 managers of SMEs in Anambra State. A stratified sampling strategy was used to pick the sample. Thirty percent of small and medium-sized entrepreneurs were picked at random from each stratum, yielding an 868-person sample size. Three experts validated the two questionnaires used to gather data. A pilot test was done on 20 managers of SMEs in Enugu State to examine the dependability of the instruments. The Cronbach Alpha reliability technique was used, and the total reliability coefficient for internal consistency was 0.82, suggesting that the study was reliable. The Cronbach Alpha reliability technique was used to assess the data for each instrument cluster, providing values of 0.78 and 0.85 for clusters 1 and 2, respectively. Pearson's Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression were used to analyze the data. According to the findings, risk identification and risk analysis have a beneficial impact on the financial performance of SMEs in Anambra State. Furthermore, a substantial association was discovered between risk assessment techniques and the financial success of the state's SMEs. Based on these findings, several recommendations were made, including the suggestion that top management of SMEs should develop a risk assessment framework tailored to their business size, type, and financial capacity

Effect of Risk Assessment Practices on the Financial Performance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMES) in Anambra State

The study sought to ascertain the influence of risk assessment procedures on the financial performance of Anambra State's small and medium-sized companies (SMEs). Two research questions were developed, and one hypothesis was evaluated at a 0.05 level of significance. A correlational design was used in the study. The study's population included 2,895 managers of SMEs in Anambra State. A stratified sampling strategy was used to pick the sample. Thirty percent of small and medium-sized entrepreneurs were picked at random from each stratum, yielding an 868-person sample size. Three experts validated the two questionnaires used to gather data. A pilot test was done on 20 managers of SMEs in Enugu State to examine the dependability of the instruments. The Cronbach Alpha reliability technique was used, and the total reliability coefficient for internal consistency was 0.82, suggesting that the study was reliable. The Cronbach Alpha reliability technique was used to assess the data for each instrument cluster, providing values of 0.78 and 0.85 for clusters 1 and 2, respectively. Pearson's Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression were used to analyze the data. According to the findings, risk identification and risk analysis have a beneficial impact on the financial performance of SMEs in Anambra State. Furthermore, a substantial association was discovered between risk assessment techniques and the financial success of the state's SMEs. Based on these findings, several recommendations were made, including the suggestion that top management of SMEs should develop a risk assessment framework tailored to their business size, type, and financial capacity.

TURKISH ADAPTATION OF ADVENTURE BEHAVIOR SEEKING SCALE: A VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY STUDY

In the current study, the aim is to test the validity and reliability of “Adventure Behavior Seeking Scale (T-ABSS)” developed to evaluate the adventure behaviors of individuals in the natural spaces in the Turkish population. 
 The psychometrics of the scale was tested with the participation of 239 males (Meanage = 27.53 ± 7.90) and 126 females (Meanage = 24.52 ± 6.17) in total 365 individuals who participate in the activities in nature. As the data collecting tool, “Adventure Behavior Seeking Scale” developed by Próchniak (2017) consisting of 8 items and one factor was used. To test convergent validity of T-ABSS, “Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS)” was used. The main assumptions of parametric tests which are normality, linearity and homogeneity of variances were tested. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to test the structural validity of the scale. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to validate the emerged factor structure. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation analysis was conducted for the convergent validity. To test the reliability of T-ABSS, Cronbach Alpha internal consistency coefficient was used. 
 EFA results show that the Turkish form of the scale consists of 2 factors and 7 items, and they predict 58.76% of total variance. Since one of the items’ factor load was under 0.30, it was excluded from the study. CFA results carried out to test the two-factor structure of scale revealed the model fit indices are between acceptable and perfect indices limits with “χ2/df= 3.10, GFI= 0.97, AGFI=0.94, CFI=0.95, NFI=0.93, SRMR=0.05, RMSEA=0.076”. It was found that the factor loads of the scale are between 0.57 and 0.75, and their Cronbach Alpha coefficients are between 0.70 and 0.71. As a result of the analysis to determine the convergent validity, it was found there is statistically positive correlation between “Sensation Seeking Scale” and T-ABSS. The obtained values indicate the convergent validity of T-ABSS is acceptable. 
 The obtained results indicate that the Turkish version of ABSS (T-ABSS) has a two-factor structure, and it is a valid and reliable measurement tool to evaluate adventure behavior seeking levels of participants.

Validity and reliability of the Skarzynski Tinnitus Scale (STS) in Turkish

IntroductionTo investigate the validity and reliability of a Turkish version of the Skarzynski Tinnitus Scale (STS) in a Turkish patient group.Material and methodsThe study was conducted on 143 volunteers aged over 18 years who had complained of tinnitus for at least one month. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were used for construct validity. Criterion validity was analysed by a Spearman’s bivariate correlation test. Reliability analyses were assessed with Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficients and test–retest reliability with McNemar–Bowker and ICC coefficients.ResultsA new three-factor structure was produced using EFA. The factors were similar to the original study except for Item 14. The STS gave similar measures to the tested Tinnitus Handicap Inventory scale. Nearly all item–total correlations were greater than 0.4, indicating good internal consistency. The internal consistencies of the items were 0.86–0.88; in the test–retest reliability analyses of the sub-scales, ICC scores were 0.90–0.96.ConclusionsThe Turkish STS can be used reliably in all adults with a symptom of tinnitus. However, because one item in the new structure of the Turkish version is in a different sub-dimension it may necessary to conduct new validation studies.

Reliability and validity of the Turkish voice handicap index-partner (VHI-P-TR)

ObjectiveThis study examines the Turkish validity, reliability and diagnostic performance of the Voice Handicap Index-Partner (VHI-P-TR), which is used to obtain the perceptions of communication partners of individuals with dysphonia about the functional, physical and emotional handicap resulting from the patient experiencing dysphonia. MethodThe study included 160 individuals with dysphonia and their communication partners. First, translation, back translation, expert validity and pilot study were performed in the scale adaptation process. Then, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the construct validity of the VHI-P-TR. Correlations between the VHI-P-TR and Voice Handicap Index (VHI-TR) scores of dysphonic individuals were examined to evaluate the concurrent validity of the VHI-P-TR. To assess the reliability of the VHI-P-TR, a test-retest analysis was performed, and internal consistency coefficients (α) were calculated. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to determine the cut-off point for the VHI-P scores. ResultsA high positive correlation was found between the participants’ VHI-P-TR and VHI-TR total and subscales mean scores (r's > 0.782; p < 0.01). The VHI-P-TR had high internal consistency regarding for its subscales and total score (α's > 0.94; p < 0.01). Factor loadings of all VHI-P-TR items were higher than 0.30 and their error variances were lower than 0.90. In addition, factor loadings were statistically significant for all the items (p < 0.05). The data fit the model well according to all CFA indices except for GFI (scale = 0.69). An adequate sensitivity and specificity were achieved for the VHI-P-TR, and the cut-off point was found as 11.50 for the total score and ranged from 2.50 to 5.50 for the subscales. ConclusionThe VHI-P-TR is a valid and reliable measurement tool with high diagnostic performance in all subscales and total score, and has high levels of agreement with the VHI-TR.

Reliability of the Frailty Index Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Consistent and reproducible estimates of the underlying true level of frailty are essential for risk stratification and monitoring of health changes. The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability of the frailty index (FI). A total of 426 community-dwelling older adults from the FRequent health Assessment In Later life (FRAIL70+) study in Austria were interviewed biweekly up to 7 times. Two versions of the FI, one with 49 deficits (baseline), and another with 44 (follow-up) were created. Internal consistency was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis and coefficient omega. Test-retest reliability was assessed with Pearson correlation coefficients and the intraclass correlation coefficient. Measurement error was assessed with the standard error of measurement, limits of agreement, and smallest detectable change. Participants (64.6% women) were on average 77.2 (±5.4) years old with mean FI49 at a baseline of 0.19 (±0.14). Internal consistency (coefficient omega) was 0.81. Correlations between biweekly FI44 assessments ranged between 0.86 and 0.94 and reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient) was 0.88. The standard error of measurement was 0.05, and the smallest detectable change and upper limits of agreement were 0.13; the latter is larger than previously reported minimal clinically meaningful changes. Both internal consistency and reliability of the FI were good, that is, the FI differentiates well between community-dwelling older adults, which is an important requirement for risk stratification for both group-level oriented research and patient-level clinical purposes. Measurement error, however, was large, suggesting that individual health deteriorations or improvements, cannot be reliably detected for FI changes smaller than 0.13.