Initial Validation Research Articles

A conditional reasoning test for risk and incident propensity: Development and validation.

The present study outlines the development and initial validation of a conditional reasoning test for risk and incident propensity (CRT-RIP). Individuals carry with them a wide array of experiences, attitudes, and dispositions that may influence their proneness for risk-taking and incident involvement. Yet, measuring risk propensity has proven challenging due to the high levels of transparency found in the self-report measures that are presently available. We initially developed 28 conditional reasoning items to measure risk and incident propensity. With four developmental samples, we evaluated item characteristics. After applying item decision guidelines for conditional reasoning tests, we retained 14 items. Using three test samples and with the 14-item CRT-RIP, we assessed predictive and incremental validity over five-factor personality traits and an explicit, self-report measure of risk propensity. With one final sample, we provided further validation of the 14-item CRT-RIP. Findings demonstrate initial success in predicting various safety behaviors and outcomes. Ability to measure risk propensity and to predict safety behaviors is valuable because of the profound consequences that may proceed failure to enact safety behaviors including property damage, injury, illness, or even death. We discuss potential applications and suggest directions for future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Development and initial validation of the Discrimination in Engineering Graduate Education (DEGrE) Scale.

Development and initial validation of the Discrimination in Engineering Graduate Education (DEGrE) Scale.

The iBelong Scale: Construction and validation of a measure of racial-ethnic-cultural belonging.

The purpose of this study was to develop a measure of racial-ethnic-cultural (REC) belonging for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC). The iBelong Scale was designed to assess the multidimensional components of REC belonging across diverse BIPOC groups. The scale was constructed based on a grounded conceptual framework of REC belonging, and the initial pool of items received feedback from community members and content experts. Validation of the iBelong Scale comprised data from 808 BIPOC participants collected across three interrelated studies for the purposes of initial validation, construct validity, and test-retest reliability. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis yielded a 25-item scale with five factors: (a) Home, (b) Connection, (c) Authenticity, (d) REC Thriving, and (e) Self-Definition. Results from Study 2's confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the five-factor model was an acceptable fit of the data and the best fit among competing models. Measurement invariance was assessed, and results indicated that the iBelong Scale measures REC belonging similarly across differing BIPOC groups. The iBelong Scale was related to a range of measures in theoretically expected ways, including positive associations with general belonging, racial/ethnic identity, and general well-being, and negative associations with loneliness and REC nonbelonging. Findings from Study 3 indicated the test-retest reliability of the iBelong Scale over a 2-week period. Limitations of the studies and implications for research and practice are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Activity Management Inventory for Pain (AMI-P): Initial Development and Validation of a Questionnaire Based on Operant Learning and Energy Conservation Models of Activity Management.

Activity management is an important treatment component in chronic pain programs. However, there are shortcomings in measures of this construct, leading to inconsistencies in research findings. Here, we describe the development of the Activity Management Inventory for Pain (AMI-P). The AMI-P was developed by a group of international researchers with extensive expertise in both chronic pain and activity management. The initial evaluation of the AMI-P items included 2 studies that were both conducted in Canadian tertiary pain care centers. The resulting 20-item measure has 3 behavior scales (Rest, Alternating Activity, and Planned Activity), and 4 goal scales (Feel Less Pain, Get More Done, Complete the Task, and Save Energy). The behavior scales evidenced marginal to good internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and a moderate positive association with an existing pacing measure. The Rest and Alternating Activity scales were associated with greater pain interference, the Alternating Activity and Planned Activity scales were associated with less satisfaction with social roles, and the Planned Activity scale was associated with fewer depressive symptoms. The Alternating Activity scale increased significantly from pretreatment to posttreatment. All goal scales were positively associated with all behavior scales. The Feel Less Pain goal scale was positively associated with measures of avoidance and pain interference, while the Get More Done goal scale was negatively associated with measures of depressive symptoms and overdoing. The findings support the reliability and validity of the AMI-P scales, while also highlighting the complexity and multidimensional aspects of activity management.

Initial Validity Evidence for a Measure of Transactional Sex in a U.S. College Student Sample

ABSTRACT The current study provides initial validity evidence for a measure of Transactional Sex (TS). Participants (N = 269) were recruited from a Northeastern University in the United States and consisted of undergraduate and graduate students. Participants completed an online survey through QuestionPro that contained the Transactional Sex Measure (TSM) as well as measures of depression, anxiety, and stress, condom use negotiation self-efficacy and sexual risk, alcohol and drug use, and materialism. Construct and criterion validity were examined. Findings revealed that the TSM provided good criterion validity evidence but the construct validity evidence was minimal. Further studies on the conceptualization of TS and distribution of the TSM across a variety of diverse samples can provide more validity evidence.

Validation of a Novel Neurologic Assessment Test for Healthcare Staff.

BACKGROUND: To measure the effectiveness of an educational intervention, it is essential to develop high-quality, validated tools to assess a change in knowledge or skills after an intervention. An identified gap within the field of neurology is the lack of a universal test to examine knowledge of neurological assessment. METHODS: This instrument development study was designed to determine whether neuroscience knowledge as demonstrated in a Neurologic Assessment Test (NAT) was normally distributed across healthcare professionals who treat patients with neurologic illness. The variables of time, knowledge, accuracy, and confidence were individually explored and analyzed in SAS. RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation) time spent by 135 participants to complete the NAT was 12.9 (3.2) minutes. The mean knowledge score was 39.5 (18.2), mean accuracy was 46.0 (15.7), and mean confidence was 84.4 (24.4). Despite comparatively small standard deviations, Shapiro-Wilk scores indicate that the time spent, knowledge, accuracy, and confidence are nonnormally distributed ( P < .0001). The Cronbach α was 0.7816 considering all 3 measures (knowledge, accuracy, and confidence); this improved to an α of 0.8943 when only knowledge and accuracy were included in the model. The amount of time spent was positively associated with higher accuracy ( r2 = 0.04, P < .05), higher knowledge was positively associated with higher accuracy ( r2 = 0.6543, P < .0001), and higher knowledge was positively associated with higher confidence ( r2 = 0.4348, P < .0001). CONCLUSION: The scores for knowledge, confidence, and accuracy each had a slightly skewed distribution around a point estimate with a standard deviation smaller than the mean. This suggests initial content validity in the NAT. There is adequate initial construct validity to support using the NAT as an outcome measure for projects that measure change in knowledge. Although improvements can be made, the NAT does have adequate construct and content validity for initial use.

Particle Image Velocimetry and Total Temperature Characterization of Arc-Heated Mach 4.5 Free Jet

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements were conducted in the Arc-Heated Combustion Tunnel (ACT-II) on a high-enthalpy Mach 4.5 nozzle flow. The primary motivation for the current work is to establish the feasibility of PIV as a high-quality flow diagnostic technique in hypersonic arc-heated flows and produce a high-resolution hypersonic nozzle flow characterization, including nozzle free jet shear layer velocity profiles. Due to the uncertain nature of the gas composition in the flowfield of interest, PIV measurements of a supersonic wedge flow were used to couple the flow velocities to the oblique shock relations. This enabled a PIV-derived total temperature calculation that does not require a priori assumptions of the exact gas composition. A PIV expansion module was developed for this study, and proper seed sizing and material were selected for the present flow. An analysis of the seed particle response from the PIV measurements provided an initial validation of the seed performance while revealing potential issues with consistent seed sizing. These measurements and derived conditions represent a means of acquiring high-resolution velocimetry and temperature datasets that consider uncertainties in the experimental generation of hypersonic high-enthalpy flows.

Acceptability measures for evaluating smoking cessation interventions among individuals with diabetes

BackgroundThe literature indicates that individuals with diabetes do not easily adopt smoking cessation interventions. Given that the success of such interventions depends on patient involvement and attitudes, assessing intervention acceptability, including patient satisfaction and perceived usefulness, is crucial before implementing a smoking cessation intervention. This paper reports the preliminary validation of the satisfaction and perceived usefulness questionnaires for evaluating smoking cessation interventions among individuals with diabetes. Study designValidity study. MethodsThe satisfaction questionnaire contained eight statements while the perceived usefulness questionnaire had fourteen; both rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Content validation involved five tobacco cessation facilitators rating item relevance using a 4-point ordinal rating scale, suggesting improvements. The questionnaires were also translated into Maltese for local use and assessed for translation validity using a similar scale. Unanimous agreement among experts was required for item relevance and equivalence. Thirty-four individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, attending a diabetes-specific smoking cessation intervention, received either the Maltese or English versions of the questionnaires. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha. ResultsAfter two rounds of content validation, the experts unanimously agreed on item relevance and conceptual equivalence. Fifteen and sixteen participants completed the Maltese and English versions of the questionnaires, respectively. Both questionnaires’ versions were found to have a high internal consistency (>0.8). ConclusionsThese findings provide the initial validation of these instruments for assessing the acceptability of smoking cessation interventions among individuals with diabetes. Further validation in different settings using a larger sample is suggested.

Structural validation of the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire for use in foot and ankle surgery.

The Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOxFQ) is an anatomically specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) currently used to assess a wide variety of foot and ankle pathology. It consists of 16 items across three subscales measuring distinct but related traits: walking/standing ability, pain, and social interaction. It is the most used foot and ankle PROM in the UK. Initial MOxFQ validation involved analysis of 100 individuals undergoing hallux valgus surgery. This project aimed to establish whether an individual's response to the MOxFQ varies with anatomical region of disease (measurement invariance), and to explore structural validity of the factor structure (subscale items) of the MOxFQ. This was a single-centre, prospective cohort study involving 6,637 patients (mean age 52 years (SD 17.79)) presenting with a wide range of foot and ankle pathologies between January 2013 and December 2021. To assess whether the MOxFQ responses vary by anatomical region of foot and ankle disease, we performed multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. To assess the structural validity of the subscale items, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Measurement invariance by pathology was confirmed, suggesting the same model can be used across all foot and ankle anatomical regions. Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated a two- to three-factor model, and suggested that item 13 (inability to carry out work/everyday activities) and item 14 (inability to undertake social/recreational activities) loaded more positively onto the "walking/standing" subscale than their original "social interaction" subscale. This large cohort study supports the current widespread use of the MOxFQ across a broad range of foot and ankle pathologies. Our analyses found indications that could support alterations to the original factor structure (items 13 and 14 might be moved from the "social interaction" to the "walking/standing" subscale). However, this requires further work to confirm.

The development and initial validation of IgG4-related disease damage index: a consensus report from Chinese IgG4-RD Consortium

ObjectiveTo develop and conduct an initial validation of the Damage Index for IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD DI).MethodsA draft of index items for assessing organ damages in patients with IgG4-RD was generated...

Development and initial validation of the Mount Sinai Resilience Scale.

The construct of psychological resilience has received increasing attention in the mental health field. This article describes the development and initial validation of a novel self-report resilience scale, which addresses gaps in the resilience measurement literature by assessing thoughts and behaviors that help promote resilience rather than traits, and simultaneously evaluating multiple factors previously associated with resilience. Following consensus meetings focused on scale development, we conducted an online study (n = 1,864) of U.S. adults to develop and validate an initial version of the Mount Sinai Resilience Scale (MSRS). An exploratory factor analysis in a random 50% of the sample suggested a seven-factor solution; this solution was then generally supported by a follow-up confirmatory factor analysis in the remaining 50% of the sample. After removing poor-fitting items, a revised 24-item scale correlated in the expected directions with established measures of perceived resilience and resilience-related constructs (e.g., social support and optimism). Collectively, the results of this study provide initial support for the convergent and discriminant validity of the MSRS and describe its factor structure. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Development and initial validation of the LGBTQ+ Community Resilience and Inequity Scale.

Development and initial validation of the LGBTQ+ Community Resilience and Inequity Scale.

Handheld Sonographic Cardiovascular Imaging Under Hypergravity Conditions.

INTRODUCTION: Real-time cardiovascular imaging during hypergravity exposure has been historically limited by technological and physical challenges. Previous efforts at sonographic hypergravity imaging have used fixed ultrasound probes; the use of hand-held ultrasound, particularly performed by minimally trained laypersons, has been less explored. Here we will discuss handheld sonography to self-visualize carotid vascular and cardiac changes during hypergravity.METHODS: Three subjects with variable ultrasound experience ranging from no familiarity to extensive clinical experience used handheld ultrasound at rest and under stepwise +Gz hypergravity exposures (maximum +3.5 Gz) to visualize carotid vascular changes. Subxiphoid cardiac ultrasound was obtained by the most experienced subject. Subjects had variable prior hypergravity experience; all were trained in anti-G straining techniques. Sonographically inexperienced subjects underwent a brief (< 5 min) familiarization with the ultrasound probe, user interface, and desirable viewing window immediately prior to centrifugation; real-time coaching was provided. Ultrasound images were correlated to self-reported symptoms and hemodynamic data.RESULTS: Handheld ultrasound performed as desired; all subjects were successful at obtaining ultrasound images with adequate capture of windows of interest. Subxiphoid imaging efforts were limited by probe overheating and associated with variable quality of imaging due to probe displacement from straining techniques; the subject noted transient, mild discomfort and ecchymosis after imaging in the subxiphoid region.DISCUSSION: Even individuals with minimal or no ultrasound experience successfully obtained usable images under centrifuge conditions. While there were some limitations, this technical demonstration provides initial validation of handheld sonography as an available tool for real-time cardiovascular imaging in a hypergravity environment.Blue RS, Ong KM. Handheld sonographic cardiovascular imaging under hypergravity conditions. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2024; 95(3):158-164.

Leveraging Compliance to Design a Minimally Invasive, Expandable Interbody Cage Capable of Customized Anatomical Fit for Spinal Fusion Surgery

Abstract As spinal fusion surgery continues to transition to less invasive techniques, there remains an unmet need for ever smaller and more complex interbody cages to meet the unique needs of this difficult surgery. This work focuses on the hypothesis that this need can be met using the inherent advantages of compliant mechanisms in a way no previous device has. Deployable Euler Spiral Connectors optimized using a gradient based optimization algorithm were used as the foundation for a device that can stow to a very small size for device insertion then bilaterally deploy to a substantially larger device footprint. Additionally, a continuously adjustable lordotic angle was achieved using the same device so as to result in a customized anatomical fit while potentially reducing hospital inventory requirements. Several tests including finite element analysis, compression testing, shear testing, and deployment in a cadaver were performed as initial verification and validation that the concept device performs reasonably well under typical testing paradigms used for interbody cages.

Transcriptional analysis of oxidative and nitrosative stress on oral opportunistic Candida albicans.

The yeast Candida albicans is one of the most aggressive opportunistic pathogens in immunocompromised patients. The ability of the yeast to withstand stresses and radicals is of great concern. In the present study, four isolates of C. albicans were taken from patients with oral candidiasis and grown on RPMI for 24 hours at 37°C. Then, they were exposed to various concentrations of oxidative (H2O2) and nitrosative (HNO3) stress for two hours, and gene expression rates were measured through RT-PCR. After initial biofilm formation steps and growth validation, RNA extracted from the yeast and gene expression status were evaluated. Upon treatment with H2O2, the gene expression profile for ALS1, MLH1, and EXO1 showed approximately a fold increase in expression. While within HNO3 the yeast gene expression exhibited a dramatic increase in ALS1 up to 217 folds, while others such as MLH1, HWP1, and ERG11 showed a one-fold increase in the expression rate. The findings of this research indicate a considerable expression activity within the biofilm of Candida albicans, increased rate of DNA mismatch repair and break fixation may indicate the ability of the yeast to tolerate high concentrations of free radicals. It paves the way toward understanding the pathogenicity of the yeast and its survival capability inside macrophages. The study also revealed that the biofilm strategy of the yeast is more active within these stresses.

Initial validation of a diaphragm tracking system for multiple breath-hold volumetric modulated arc therapy of abdominal tumors: A phantom study.

The breath-hold radiotherapy has been increasingly used to mitigate interfractional and intrafractional breathing impact on treatment planning and beam delivery. Previous techniques include body surface measurements or radiopaque metal markers, each having known disadvantages. We recently proposed a new markerless technique without the disadvantages, where diaphragm was registered between DRR and fluoroscopic x-ray projection images every 180ms during VMAT delivery. An initial validation of the proposed diaphragm tracking system (DiaTrak) was performed using a chest phantom to evaluate its characteristics. Diaphragm registration was performed between DRR and projection streaming kV x-ray images of a chest phantom during VMAT delivery. Streaming data including the projection images and the beam angles were transferred from a linac system to an external PC, where the diaphragm registration accuracy and beam-off latency were measured based on image cross correlation between the DRR and the projection images every 180ms. It was shown that the average of the beam-off latency was 249.5ms and the average of the diaphragm registration error was 0.84mm CONCLUSIONS: Initial validation of the proposed DiaTrak system for multiple breath-hold VMAT of abdominal tumors has been successfully completed with a chest phantom. The resulting beam-off latency and the diaphragm registration error were regarded clinically acceptable.

Development and initial validation of the perceived instrumental effects of violence in sport scale.

A growing body of research is looking into risk factors for interpersonal violence (IV) in sport. This research suggests the existence of several important risk factors, especially organizational and social factors. One of these factors is the beliefs regarding instrumental effects of violence. Coaches may want to drive performance, deter failure, test resilience and commitment, develop toughness, assure interpersonal control, and promote internal competition. In sum, available evidence suggests the risk of IV increases when coaches believe in the effectiveness of strategies involving IV to enhance athlete performance or perceive external approval for these practices. The studies presented in this article seeks to develop and validate the Perceived Instrumental Effects of Violence in Sport (PIEVS) Scale in order to measure those beliefs in coaches. In study 1, item generation, expert consultation, cognitive interviews, pilot test and item reduction phases led to 25 items for the PIEVS around six dimensions. In study 2, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with 690 coaches in order to determine the PIEVS factorial structure and the convergent and divergent validity of the scale was tested (long and short form). Our results suggested a one-factor solution for the PIEVS (25 items). This one-factor model provided an excellent fit to the data and a very good internal consistency. The PIEVS and empowering motivational climate were negatively correlated, which supported divergent validity as expected. The PIEVS was positively correlated with the disempowering motivational climate and with sport ethic norms, which supported convergent validity as expected. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the appropriateness of the PIEVS Scale to measure perceived instrumental effects of violence in coaches.

Initial Development and Validation of the Brief Internalized Heterosexist Racism Scale for Gay and Bisexual Black Men: A Measure of Internalized Heterosexist Racism.

We introduce internalized heterosexist racism (IHR), or the internalization of damaging stereotypes, harmful beliefs, and negative attitudes about being a sexual minority person of color. We also present the initial development and validation of the Brief Internalized Heterosexist Racism Scale for gay and bisexual Black men (IHR-GBBM), a unidimensional, 10-item measure of IHR. Exploratory factor analyses on an internet-obtained sample of gay and bisexual Black men (N = 312; Mean age = 30.36 years) show that the IHR-GBBM had evidence of good internal consistency, and good convergent, discriminant, concurrent, and incremental validity. The IHR-GBBM was positively correlated with internalized racism, internalized heterosexism, and discrimination (racist, heterosexist). IHR was also negatively correlated with race stigma consciousness, weakly positively correlated with sexual identity stigma consciousness, but not correlated with either race identity, sexual identity, or social desirability. Hierarchical regressions showed that the IHR-GBBM explained an additional variance of 2.8% and 3.1% in anxiety symptoms and substance use coping, respectively, after accounting for (1) sociodemographics, (2) internalized racism and internalized heterosexism, and (3) an interaction of internalized racism and internalized heterosexism. Older participants and those who were "out" about their sexual identity reported lower IHR. Those who did not know/want to report their HIV status reported greater IHR. Results revealed no sexual identity, sexual position, relationship status, income, education, or employment status differences in IHR. We hope the development of the IHR-GBBM spurs future research on predictors and consequences of IHR. We discuss limitations and implications for the future study of internalized heterosexist racism.

Perspectives of older people on environmental sustainability: A cross-cultural validation study between five countries

The global agenda to move societies towards a more sustainable course of development also affects the lives of older people in our ageing populations. Therefore, it is important to understand the drivers, intentions and behaviours concerning sustainability among older adults. The aim of this study is to translate and cross-culturally validate an existing instrument (SustainABLE-16 Questionnaire), developed in the Netherlands, which measures how older people view the theme of environmental sustainability in their daily lives, for use in Romania, Poland, North Macedonia and Israel. The SustainABLE-16 covers three domains: 1) Pro-environmental behaviours; 2) Financial position; and 3) Beliefs. The scale was translated in Romanian, Polish, Macedonian, Albanian and Hebrew. Its 16 items were appraised for relevance by older people and experts in the field. A total of 2299 older people, including the original Dutch respondents, were included for the assessment of the level of measurement invariance across six languages, spoken in five countries. As the initial validation of the SustainABLE-16 did not meet internationally-recognised fit requirements, the shorter SustainABLE-8 was validated instead. This instrument proved valid for use in all participating countries (configural validity). Subsequently, increasingly constrained structural equation models were applied to test their fit with the data, ensuring that the fit did not deteriorate. The test results of measurement invariance across the countries indicated that items were stable, achieving partial scalar invariance, with five items demonstrating full scalar invariance. The shorter SustainABLE-8 functions uniformly across all language groups and can, therefore, be used to evaluate sustainable practices among older people. A better understanding of the drivers and practices among older citizens across Europe could, in turn, feed into more fitting public policies on sustainability in the built environment.

The Development and Initial Validation of O-WSVLT, a Meaning-Recall Online L2 Spanish Vocabulary Levels Test

ABSTRACT Recent literature in the field of L2 vocabulary assessment has advocated for the development of written receptive vocabulary tests such as Vocabulary Levels Tests (VLTs) that use: (a) meaning-recall item formats, (b) a minimum of 40 item counts per 1,000-frequency band to improve level estimates, and (c) lemmas (not word-families) as the lexical unit . With such recommendations in mind, this study presents the development and initial validation of Online written meaning-recall Spanish Vocabulary Levels Test (O-WSVLT), the first 120-item meaning-recall vocabulary levels test that measures knowledge of the 3,000 most frequent words in Spanish. A total of 209 L1-English learners of L2-Spanish participated in the study. Focusing on internal technical qualities of the test, Rasch measurement analysis was employed to provide evidence regarding four aspects of construct validity: content (i.e. representativeness and technical quality), substantive, structural, and generalizability . Results showed that (1) the items presented adequate spread of difficulty, (2) items demonstrated high levels of unidimensionality, and (3) O-WSVLT displayed an excellent fit to the Rasch model, with Rasch person and item reliability coefficients of 0.97 and 0.99 respectively. O-WVLT fills a gap by providing L2 Spanish teachers and researchers with a reliable tool to measure students’ written receptive meaning-recall vocabulary knowledge.