Cronbach's Alpha Statistic Research Articles

Managing students’ academic failure among secondary school students for high productivity in Obingwa LGA of Abia State

The study investigated the management of students’ academic failure among secondary school students for high productivity in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State. The study was guided by two research questions and two hypotheses. Descriptive survey research design was used while the population of the study comprised thirty public secondary schools. A sample size of 10 secondary schools was selected from the 30 public secondary schools using stratified random sampling technique. Self-designed instrument entitled “Management Students’ Academic Failure Questionnaire” (MSAFQ) was utilized. The validity of the instrument was ensured. Test retest method was used and reliability co-efficient of 0.80 and 0.83 was obtained through Cronbach Alpha Statistics. Mean was used to answer the research questions while Z-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significant. The findings include but not limited to: lack of instructional material and inability of the teachers to stimulate students are causes of academic failures among students. It is therefore recommended that the government or appropriate agency should ensure adequate supply of functional instructional resources and teachers’ should do well to motivate students to learn thereby save students from incessant failures that could mar their future and life expectations.

Effect of Integrated Financial Management Information Revenue Systems on Financial Management in County Governments, Kenya

There have been significant improvements in Kenya's legal and institutional frameworks for public finance management (PFM) during the last six years, but the country's public finance management domain is still facing several problems that are at odds with sound PFM practices. The researchers set out to learn how much of an impact the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) had on county governments' use of Financial Management in Kenya. The research set out to determine how the IFMIS revenue system has influenced financial management in Kenya's county administrations. Descriptive and causal research methods were used. A total of 302 workers from the Treasury Departments of the County Governments of Kakamega, Busia, Vihiga, Trans Nzoia, and Bungoma were surveyed. This included 44 Procurement officers, 46 internal auditors, 89 Accountants, 87 Finance officers, and 42 Revenue officers. The 172 participants were chosen by stratified random selection. Questionnaires were used to gather the primary data. Content and construct validity were established via the pilot research, and reliability was calculated using the Cronbach Alpha statistic. Data was summarized using frequencies, means, standard deviations, and percentages using descriptive analysis, while correlation and multiple linear regression were employed using SPSS 26.0 for inferential analysis. At the 5% threshold of significance, hypotheses were examined. Models were developed and data was tabulated. The results showed that the County Governments in Western Kenya's financial management varied greatly (R2 = 0.443, P 0.0001) depending on the revenue method they used. At a significance threshold of P<0.05, the regression coefficient for IFMIS revenue system was 0.670, indicating that a one-unit shift in the IFMIS revenue system would lead to a 0.670-unit shift in financial management in the County governments in Western Kenya. Therefore, the research indicated that the IFMIS revenue system had a considerable impact on the budgetary practices of Kenya's county governments. To guarantee sustainable accomplishment and effective service delivery to the communities, the report suggests that county governments ought to digitize all tax collecting platforms.

Assessment of vice-chancellors’ role performance in management of students’ welfare services in universities of North-East Zone, Nigeria

This study was designed to assess the Vice-Chancellors’ Role Performance in Management of Students’ Welfare Services in Universities in North-East Zone, Nigeria. The study was conducted with two objectives which were to assess: The Vice-Chancellor’s role performance in management of students’ hostel accommodation services, the Vice-Chancellors’ role performance in management of security services in Universities in North-East Zone, Nigeria. `A descriptive survey research design was employed for the study. The population of the study comprises of all the fifteen Universities in North-East Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used for the study. Firstly, a purposeful sampling technique was used in the selected 6 universities out of the fifteen university for the study, similarly, a total of 75 staff were selected purposively both students’ affairs division and management staff, in the same vein, a total of 300 students comprises of hostel representatives and class representatives were selected which give a total of 420 respondents respectively. A structured questionnaire titled: ‘Opinion of Staff and Students’ in Management of Hostel Accommodation and Security Services ‘Questionnaire’ (SSMHASSQ). Questionnaire was developed by the researcher and validated by three experts in the Department of Educational Foundations and Curriculum Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The reliability coefficient of the validated instrument used for data collection for the study was 0.76 through Cronbach Alpha statistics. Mean and standard deviation were the statistical instrument used for answering the reach questions; while Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that Vice-Chancellor ensured that students’ hostel accommodation had facilities such as toilets and toiletries, bed space, good light facilities, Solar power systems are installed in the hostel premises for security, security personnel were stationed in the strategic areas to protect students and staff from the current trend of kidnapping, theft in the universities in the North-East zone, Nigeria. It was therefore concluded that the Vice-Chancellor paid little attention to students ' welfare services in universities in the Nort-East. Adequate hostel accommodation should be provided for the students in the universities in the North-east, more sanitary facilities should be provided to students’ hostel to improve their well-being; In terms of security issues, the Vice-Chancellors should ensure that the security unit is provided with security van well equipped with communication gadgets. Also, Vice-Chancellors should ensure that security personnel are trained to handle campus security threat in the universities in the North-East zone of Nigeria.

TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION PRACTICES AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAKAMEGA NORTH SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of teachers' professional knowledge application practices on students' academic performance in public secondary schools in Kakamega North sub-county, Kenya. The study was guided by the Goal setting theory. A descriptive survey research design was utilized. The target population was 772 persons comprising of 723 teachers, 49 principals, and 49 deputy principals from Kakamega North's public secondary schools. A sample size of 232 was obtained using Krejcie and Morgan's Table for determining sample sizes. The researcher then applied proportionate sampling approach to determine the number of respondents in each group. Thus, 217 teachers, 15 principals, and 15 deputy principals were used as respondents. Questionnaires, interview schedules, and document analysis were utilized in data collection. The reliability coefficient of the instruments was determined using the test-retest technique with Cronbach's alpha statistic being used to calculate its reliability. A reliability value of 0.842 was established which was considered sufficient to get consistent outcomes. The validity of the instruments was determined by the experts in the area of specialization. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square analysis. The qualitative data was processed and presented using quotations according to the study's topics and sub themes. The study established that there is no statistically significant relationship between teacher professional knowledge application appraisal practices and students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Kakamega North Sub-county, Kenya. The study recommends that a policy is needed to strengthen these variables in order to realize better academic results from students in public secondary schools. The study is hoped to benefit the education stake holders, policy makers and community members in improving the students’ academic performance.

Forensic Accounting, a Veritable Financial Tool for Qualitative Financial Reporting Systems in the 21st Century

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the implications and effects of forensic accounting as a veritable financial tool for qualitative financial reporting in the 21st century. In this period, forensic accounting is playing a significant role in the trajectory efforts in building enduring confidence in the credibility of financial reporting systems. Theoretical Framework: The quality of financial reporting is under critical threat as a result of reported financial scandals and the professional recklessness of a few unscrupulous individuals in the accounting profession. The objective of the financial reporting system is to galvanize the reporting procedures and true application of accounting standards to improve the general acceptance of accounting information. Forensic accounting bridges the gap as a veritable financial tool to enhance the quality of financial reporting. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employed used a survey research method, using a structured questionnaire administered through an online platform targeting a selection of forensic accounting investigators and forensic accountants. A total of 443 questionnaires were validated and used for the analyses. The reliability and validity of the instrument were confirmed with the use of Cronbach Alpha and descriptive statistics and inferential analysis were used for the study analyses of the data. Findings: The result demonstrated that forensic accounting exerted significant effects on each of the qualitative characteristics and enhanced characteristics of financial reporting systems in the study. The study concluded that forensic accounting as a veritable financial tool significantly affected the quality of financial reporting systems in this 21st century. Research Practical & Social Implication: The study with the possibility of application of forensic accounting during this contemporary period, the quality of financial reporting is enhanced. The implication of forensic accounting in safeguarding corporate financial risks should not be ignored, in providing novelty and oversight functions building quality and trust in reliance on the quality of financial reporting. Implication/Originality/Value: The value of this study is assuring quality financial reporting in providing strong confidence and trust in the reliability and credibility of financial statements in making useful decisions capable of adding economic value to the stakeholders.

P-557 Validating the Dutch polycystic ovary syndrome questionnaire (PCOSQ) and the polycystic ovary syndrome quality of life tool (PCOSQOL) in Dutch and Flemish women with PCOS

Abstract Study question What are the test-retest reliability and the domain structures of the Dutch version of the PCOSQ and PCOSQOL in Dutch and Flemish women with PCOS? Summary answer The Dutch version of the PCOSQ and the PCOSQOL are reliable and can both be used to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in PCOS. What is known already The polycystic ovary syndrome questionnaire (PCOSQ) is recommended to measure the quality of life in women with PCOS. The PCOSQ was developed in 1998 to complement generic health-related QoL instruments. The PCOSQ has been validated in Arabic, German, Chinese, and Swedish. Recent research suggested that the PCOSQ focuses on the physical impact of PCOS and that psychological, social, or environmental aspects are less represented. Therefore, the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Quality Of Life Scale (PCOSQOL) was developed in 2018. Both questionnaires have not been validated in Dutch yet. Study design, size, duration A forward and backward translation was performed on the original English PCOSQ and PCOSQOL by two independent translators. PCOS patients were contacted with a request to complete both questionnaires (and some additional demographic questions) online in their home environment (T0). A test-retest design was applied to demonstrate stability over time by having all women complete the same questionnaires a second time (T1). Approval of the clinic’s Ethics Committee was obtained in both participating centres. Participants/materials, setting, methods Women of at least 18 years old, who were able to speak and write Dutch, and who were diagnosed with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria (ESHRE/ASRM, 2003) or according to the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of PCOS (ESHRE, 2018) were eligible for the study. Women who were pregnant at T0 or T1 were excluded from the study. Participants were included between January and December 2021. Main results and the role of chance In total, 245 women were included in this study. The median age was 31 (19-54) years. For the PCOSQ, the Cronbach alpha statistic for the five domains ranged from 0.88 to 0.96 demonstrating good to excellent internal consistency. The Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) for the five domains was high to excellent ranging from 0.88 to 0.96. For the PCOSQOL, the Cronbach alpha ranged from 0.91 to 0.96 demonstrating excellent internal consistency. The ICC ranged from 0.91 to 0.96 for the four domains indicating excellent reliability. The factor analysis presented five domains of the PCOSQ and the original domain structure was partly confirmed. An extra domain for acne was included based on previous studies. Therefore, the Dutch version of the PCOSQ contained six domains: Weight, Body hair, Emotions, Infertility, Menstrual problems, and Acne. Based on the factor analysis, an extra domain was added to the original four domains of the PCOSQOL, which included items related to dealing with PCOS. Most women (70.6%) needed approximately 15 minutes to complete both questionnaires and had no preference for one of the two questionnaires (55.9%). Limitations, reasons for caution A limitation of our study could be that women with more PCOS complaints were more motivated to participate in this study. Therefore, potential selection bias should be taken into account. Wider implications of the findings The PCOSQ and PCOSQOL are disease-specific QoL measures for women with PCOS. The Dutch versions can be used in studies and in clinical settings (e.g. by nurses and midwives, counsellors, psychologists) to examine the impact of PCOS on QoL in Dutch and Flemish women. Trial registration number NA

Lecturers’ Transition from Face-to-Face to Online Teaching for Sustainable University Goals in the New Normal

The paper investigated lecturers’ transition from face-to-face to online teaching for sustainable university goals in the new normal. The problem of the study hinges on the fact that lecturers transition from face-to-face to online teaching will to a large extent determine the attainment of university goals the right or wrong perception of these lecturers about this change will affect the university system to a great extent. Three research questions were raised and three null hypotheses tested in the study. Design used in the study was descriptive survey. Population of the study comprised 3,806 academic staff while 350 respondents were sampled for the study using simple random sampling technique. Cochran’s sample size formula was used to determine the sample size of the study. Instrument used for data collection was a 15-items self-structured questionnaire tagged “Transition from Face-to-Face to Online Teaching Questionnaire” (TFOTQ). The instrument was face and content validated by three Measurement and Evaluation experts from the University of Port Harcourt while the average reliability of the instrument was 0.81 using Cronbach alpha statistics. Out of the 350 copies of questionnaire administered, 328 copies which was 93.7% were retrieved. Research questions raised were answered using mean and standard deviation scores while the hypotheses were tested using z-test statistics at 0.05 level of significance. Result of the study showed a difference in their perception and skills possessed for online teaching but no difference in the challenges encountered. Adequate training was recommended for lecturers’ successful transition to online teaching in the new normal.

Contributions to Customer Satisfaction from Product Quality, Promotion and Price

This study tries to examine how product attributes like quality, advertising, and price affect consumer pleasure. People who live in Central Jakarta and use the Shopee app to make purchases make up the study's demographic. For the 100-sample sample employed in this review, non-probability sampling with a purposive examining technique will be used. Utilizing Google forms to disseminate questionnaires, the primary data was collected. The Multiple Linear Regression Test method, the Classical Assumptions Analysis approach, the Pearson Product Moment test, and Cronbach Alpha statistics were used in this study to examine the validity and reliability. to evaluate the theory utilizing IBM SPSS version 26. The findings indicated that Customer Satisfaction is influenced by the variable Product Quality.

Determination of knowledge, attitude, and practice of Chinese and local people toward malaria prevention in Kano State, Nigeria.

To date, malaria is still a major public health issue in the world. Africa remains the most affected continent with the highest number of malaria cases and deaths. Since more than one thousand Chinese citizens are living in Nigeria, an examination of their knowledge, attitude, and practice compared with those of the local people may be essential for malaria prevention. This study adopted cross-sectional research. A total of 137 Chinese people and 299 local people residing in Kano State, Nigeria constituted the study subjects. A questionnaire was used for the collection of data on socio-demography and predictors of attitudes. The Cronbach alpha statistic was used to analyze these data. Insecticide spraying, mosquito repellents, and wearing protective clothing at night are the malaria preventive measures by both the local and Chinese people living in Kano state, Nigeria. However, there is a significant difference (P<0.05) between the two groups, with the duration of stay in Nigeria, the use of mosquitoes, attitude, and practices playing impactful roles among the Chinese people. Hence, Chinese people demonstrated better knowledge and control of malaria transmission and prevention than the local people living in Kano State. In conclusion, attitudes and practices toward malaria diseases are the major causes of the high rate of malaria in Nigeria, particularly in Kano State.

Investigating French Teachers’ Professional Pedagogical Skills for Quality Basic Education in Edo State

The French language is the second foreign language in Nigeria and its curriculum is core at the basic school level. Teachers’ professional pedagogical skills are important for quality basic education at this level; hence, this study was carried out. Two research questions were formulated with one hypothesis to guide this study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. The research population comprised all the 36 French teachers in the public basic schools in Edo State as at the 2022 school year. All the 36 French teachers were used for the study rated by their French language head teacher. A questionnaire titled: “French Teachers’ Professional Pedagogical Skills for Quality Basic Education Questionnaire (FTPPSQBEQ)” was designed and validated. The reliability coefficient was established using Cronbach Alpha Statistics and a coefficient of 0.83 was obtained for the instrument and the hypothesis was tested using ANOVA statistics at 0.05 level of significance. The researcher personally administered the instrument to the respondents and data collected was analyzed using means and standard deviation. Findings revealed a high level of French teachers’ professional pedagogical skills for quality basic education in Edo State. In the same vein, the level of French teachers’ professional pedagogical skills for quality basic education in Edo State did not vary by teachers’ academic qualification. It was found that quality basic education is a function of teachers’ professional pedagogical skills and therefore recommended that language teacher’s education programme should emphasis pedagogical skills competence.

Policy reforms in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for sustainable development in Abia State, Nigeria

The study determined the relevance of policy reforms in Technical Vocational Education and Training for sustainable development in Abia State, Nigeria. The survey research design was used. The population of the study consisted of 4,302 persons made up of 300 officers of Vocational Technical Education Boards and 4,002 teachers of vocational subjects in all the Vocational Technical schools in Abia State in the 2020/2021 academic year. The sample comprised 356 respondents made up of 32 Vocational Technical Education Boards staff and 324 vocational teachers. The sample was selected using stratified random sampling technique. A questionnaire titled “TVET Policy Reforms for Sustainable Development in Abia State Questionnaire” was used for data collection. The questionnaire which contained 31 items structured on a four-point scale was validated by three experts and its internal consistency reliability index was 0.88 determined using Cronbach alpha statistics. The mean with standard deviation was used to answer the research questions while independent t-test was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that reforms are needed in 10 areas of the TVET policy; and that TVET policy reforms are useful for sustainable development in 10 ways. Also, 10 challenges against achievement of TVET policy objectives were found. The researchers concluded that there is dire need for reforms in Nigeria’s TVET policy in the ten areas identified in this study in order to facilitate sustainable development in Abia State and the entire country. It was recommended among others, that the Federal Ministry of Education should initiate moves for significant reforms in Technical Vocational Education and Training policy in Nigeria as soon as is practicable.

DIGITAL MARKETING AND CUSTOMER ACQUISITION IN AN AGRO-INDUSTRIAL COMPANY

The present study presented as a general objective to determine the level of relationship between digital marketing and customer acquisition in the company Agroindustrias Dane S.R.L., Tarapoto, 2022, the methodology used was basic, correlational scope, quantitative approach and non-experimental cross-sectional design. , the study sample consisted of 201 employees of the company, who provided information through a survey with a questionnaire consisting of 20 items measured on the Likert scale, being validated by the opinion of 5 experts and presenting high reliability. through Cronbach's Alpha statistic. The results found were that a Spearman's Rho coefficient = 0.770 was determined between digital marketing and customer acquisition, a Spearman's Rho coefficient = 0.622 between content marketing and customer acquisition, a Spearman's Rho coefficient = 0.673 between social media marketing and customer acquisition. The conclusions reached were that there is a direct and high significant relationship between digital marketing and customer acquisition, in addition there is a direct and moderate significant relationship between content marketing and customer acquisition, as well as for social media marketing and customer acquisition.

Risky sexual behavior practices and its associated factors among married women in Obio/Akpor local government area of rivers state, Nigeria

Risky sexual behavior has become a widespread occurrence in society, with reports of a growing proportion of women having several sexual partners and engaging in unprotected sexual activities. The study looked into hazardous sexual behavior practices and the variables that contribute to them among married women in Rives State's Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. The purpose of the study was to look at the prevalence of hazardous sexual behavior among married women in Obio/Akpor LGA. For the aim of the study, two (2) objectives and one (1) hypothesis were developed. The research used a cross-sectional mixed method design. The quantitative part makes use of the (RSBPQ) Questionnaire, which has a 4-point Likert scale and a criteria mean of 2.5. The Focused Group Discussion Guide, on the other hand, was utilized to collect qualitative data (RSBPFGDG). The convenience sampling methodology was utilized to select 40 participants from four groups for the focus group discussion, whilst the multi-stage sampling strategy was used to randomly select 315 participants for the quantitative data method. The research has 355 participants in total. Both methods were validated and reliable; a reliability index of 0.84 was achieved using Cronbach Alpha statistics. For qualitative data, the research questions were examined. For quantitative data, mean, percentages, and charts were employed. According to the findings, four (4) out of ten (10) rural women and two out of ten urban women engaged in unsafe sexual conduct. This suggests that there is a link between demographic characteristics and risky sexual behavior. To assess the association at the 0.05 level of significance, the research hypothesis was examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). H01 was determined to be 14.69, with an F-critical value of 3.00. As a result, the null hypothesis was rejected, and the alternative hypothesis indicated that there is a significant association between related variables; education and risky sexual behavior practices among married women in Obio/Akpor LGA. Moreover, due to the significant f-value, a further test was required to determine the groups that significantly affect the difference, and the Scheffe post hoc test was also used. Thus, the results show a very significant influence of each on women's educational level and risky sexual behavior, which is particularly evident above the secondary school level. The study concludes that; risky sexual behavior is widespread in this setting. So, it was recommended that the government, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders involved engage in awareness creation, campaigns, and the discouragement of numerous sex partners, among other interventions, to minimize risky sexual behaviors among women.

Lecturers’ Transition from Face-to-Face to online Teaching for Sustainable University Goals in the New Normal

The paper investigated lecturers’ transition from face-to-face to online teaching for sustainable university goals in the new normal. The problem of the study hinges on the fact that lecturers transition from face-to-face to online teaching will to a large extent determine the attainment of university goals the right or wrong perception of these lecturers about this change will affect the university system to a great extent. Three research questions were raised and three null hypotheses tested in the study. Design used in the study was descriptive survey. Population of the study comprised 3,806 academic staff while 350 respondents were sampled for the study using simple random sampling technique. Cochran’s sample size formula was used to determine the sample size of the study. Instrument used for data collection was a 15-items self-structured questionnaire tagged “Transition from Face-to-Face to Online Teaching Questionnaire” (TFOTQ). The instrument was face and content validated by three Measurement and Evaluation experts from the University of Port Harcourt while the average reliability of the instrument was 0.81 using Cronbach alpha statistics. Out of the 350 copies of questionnaire administered, 328 copies which was 93.7% were retrieved. Research questions raised were answered using mean and standard deviation scores while the hypotheses were tested using z-test statistics at 0.05 level of significance. Result of the study showed a difference in their perception and skills possessed for online teaching but no difference in the challenges encountered. Adequate training was recommended for lecturers’ successful transition to online teaching in the new normal.

School Leadership Effectiveness as Predictor of Internal Efficiency of Public Secondary Schools in Less Developed Communities in South-South Region, Nigeria

School internal efficiency in south-south region of Nigeria; a geopolitical region perceived to be rich in natural resources has been worrisome in recent times. The study therefore investigated the relationship between school leadership effectiveness and internal efficiency of public secondary schools in less developed communities in south-south regions of Nigeria. Four research questions were raised and three hypotheses were formulated for the purpose of the study. The research design adopted for the study was a descriptive survey. A total of two hundred and forty-two (242) schools were selected through multi stage sampling technique. Two research instruments developed by the researchers and validated by seasoned education practitioners were used to collect data for the study. They are; Leadership Effectiveness of Public Senior Secondary School Questionnaire (LEPSSSQ) and Public Senior Secondary School Students Enrolment Checklist (PSSSSEC). The questionnaire was pilot tested and its reliability value was computed using the Cronbach alpha statistics which yielded 0.79. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, standard deviation and Pearson r were used to analyse the data generated from the research questions and hypotheses respectively. It was found that principals were effective in their leadership roles performance but schools were generally inefficient amongst other findings. Based on these, it was recommended that principals should be regularly trained and retrained on effective leadership strategies that will engender and sustain high school internal efficiency despite some challenges faced in the system.

Factors of Teacher Transfer in Bayelsa and Delta States, Nigeria

This study sought to determine the predictors of teachers' transfers within state-owned secondary academies in Bayelsa and Delta States with a view to determining the reasons for teachers' transfers within state secondary academies. Using Cochran's Alpha formula for small sample size determination, three hundred fifty (723) teachers were sampled from a population of 15,631 for their opinion on why teachers seek transfers. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data for the study, along with data on teachers' transfers collected from the secondary school management boards of both states. The instrument was validated, and a reliability value of 0.77 was found for teachers using Cronbach's alpha statistic tool. Findings show that a remarkable number of teachers leave a particular school within the jurisdiction of the school system annually; however, analyses with Pearson's product-moment coefficient indicate that teachers' transfers are not remarkably linked to students' mobility; instead, the need to pass external examinations is. The study recommends, among other things, strict compliance with transfer practices.

Validation of an Adapted Version of the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey for Older Adults Living in Long-Term Care Homes.

The Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12) is a generic patient-reported outcome measure of physical and mental health status. An adapted version of the VR-12 was developed for use with older adults living in long-term residential care (LTRC) homes in Canada: VR-12 (LTRC-C). This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric validity of the VR-12 (LTRC-C). Data for this validation study were collected via in-person interviews for a province-wide survey of adults living in LTRC homes across British Columbia (N = 8,657). Three analyses were conducted to evaluate validity and reliability: (1) confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to validate the measurement structure; (2) correlations with measures of depression, social engagement, and daily activities were examined to evaluate convergent and discriminant validity; and (3) Cronbach's alpha (r) statistics were obtained to evaluate internal consistency reliability. A measurement model with 2 correlated latent factors (representing physical health and mental health), 4 cross-loadings, and 4 correlated items resulted in an acceptable fit (root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.07; comparative fit index = 0.98). Physical and mental health were correlated in expected directions with measures of depression, social engagement, and daily activities, though the magnitudes of the correlations were quite small. Internal consistency reliability was acceptable for physical and mental health (r > 0.70). This study supports the use of the VR-12 (LTRC-C) to measure perceived physical and mental health among older adults living in LTRC homes.

Impacts of Maternal Care Services on Reproductive Health of Pregnant Women Attending Primary Health Care Centres in North-Eastern Nigeria

Maternal care services involves provision of health care to women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum period at reproductive health care settings. The quality of maternal care services that women receive determine their reproductive health status in pregnancy, delivery and postpartum and impact on their overall wellbeing and that of the feotus. Maternal complications in pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum that usually result to death of women and their feotus due to poor maternal care services are still persistent in North-Eastern Nigeria, Nigeria. Therefore, the study examined the impacts of maternal care services on reproductive health of pregnant women attending primary health care centres in North-Eastern Nigeria. An ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of 2,487 registered pregnant women attending primary health care centres in North-Eastern Nigeria. A sample of 482 was selected through multistage sampling procedures. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection, the instrument was validated by three experts was used as instrument for the study. The reliability of the instrument was established with the use of split-half method and analyzed using Cronbach alpha statistics; a coefficient of 0.87 was obtained which shows the instrument is reliable. Inferential Statistics of Chi-square was used to analyze the data at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study show that maternal care services of medical check-up, physical test, health talk and immunization have significant impacts on reproductive health of pregnant women attending primary health care centres in North-Eastern Nigeria. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that regular seminars and training should be organized by reproductive health care professionals for pregnant women in order to enlighten them on the benefits of maternal care services in order to improve their reproductive health status. Also, government should provide high quality immunization equipment and medications available and accessible in maternal care services centres as one strategy of prevention maternal complication during postpartum period and to improve the reproductive health and wellbeing of the mother and newborn baby.

Conversational Skills, Speech Production and Academic Achievement Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Special Needs Schools in Rivers State, Nigeria

This study investigated the relationship between conversational skills, speech production and academic achievement among children with autism spectrum disorder in special needs schools. The study adopted a correlational survey design. Four research questions and four corresponding hypotheses were raised and formulated to guide the study. The population for this study consists of all 80 male and female pupils diagnosed with ASD in seven special needs schools in Rivers State. The research instrument that was used in this study is a modified four-point Likert type scale questionnaire titled “Conversational Skills, Speech Production and Academic Achievement Questionnaire” (CSSPAAQ). Cronbach Alpha statistics was used to estimate the reliability of the instrument and the reliability coefficients of 0.81 for conversational skills, 0.70 for speech production and 0.92 for academic achievement were obtained. Data was collected and analysed using simple regression while t-test and beta value associated with simple regression was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level of significance. From the data analyzed, it was found that conversational skills and speech production are significantly related to academic achievement among children with ASD in special needs schools. Based on these findings the following recommendations were made: Counsellors, teachers, school administrators and caregivers of children with ASD should encourage conversational skills by supplementing intervention strategies that draw from a variety of theories and involve varying degrees of adult-directed activities with child-centered activities in order to increase interaction and generalization of learnt skills to new settings and communication partners; and teachers, caregivers, and parents of children with ASD should encourage speech production by engaging the use of video modelling technique in teaching and during play activities and everyday routines to encourage the use of new words in different contexts.

The validity and reliability of the Arabic translation of the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire

Objective/backgroundObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder in childhood. Polysomnography is the gold standard for the diagnosis of OSA. However, it is expensive and time-consuming, and it may be unavailable. The self-administered Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) is a reliable and validated screening test featuring high sensitivity (0.85) and specificity (0.87). It has been translated into multiple languages and is widely used to screen for OSA in children. This study translated the PSQ into Saudi Arabian Arabic and validated it. Patients/methodsThe Arabic-PSQ was translated using forward-backward translation, following established guidelines. A review committee monitored the process and approved the final version. The reliability of the scale was measured using Cronbach's alpha and kappa statistics. The validity of the Arabic-PSQ was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). ResultsOur study recruited 220 Saudi children with potential adenoid hypertrophy from King Abdulaziz University hospital clinics. The Arabic-PSQ had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.946). Additionally, all subscales had excellent reliability, with Cronbach's α of 0.924 for snoring, 0.762 for sleepiness, and 0.820 for behavior. Test-retest reliability showed excellent agreement of >80% in all items (p < 0.0001). CFA for the Arabic-PSQ confirmed a significant correlation between the items of each subscale. ConclusionsThe Arabic-PSQ is reliable, validated, and culturally adapted. It can be safely used to screen for OSA in children. However, given this study's limitations, the diagnostic efficacy of the Arabic-PSQ should be assessed in future studies.