Italian Validation Research Articles

Measuring compassion in end-of-life cancer patients: The Italian validation of the Sinclair Compassion Questionnaire (SCQit).

Compassion is acknowledged as a key component of high-quality palliative care, producing positive outcomes for both patients and healthcare providers. The development of the Sinclair Compassion Questionnaire (SCQ) fulfilled the need for a valid and reliable tool to measure patients' experience of compassion. To validate the Italian version of the SCQ and to evaluate its psychometric properties in a sample of cancer patients with a life expectancy of less than 4 months. Cronbach's alpha estimates were computed to evaluate the internal reliability. Exploratory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and Item Response Theory analyses were performed to assess the validity of the construct. Divergent validity was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Treatment Satisfaction-Patient Satisfaction, the revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale, and the Trust in Oncologist Scale-Short Form. Data were collected from 131 patients recruited in either a hospital or a hospice setting. The analyses confirmed the single factor structure of SCQit, with Confirmatory Factor Analysis factor loadings ranging between 0.81 and 0.92 and satisfactory internal reliability. Hospital setting and high diagnosis/prognosis awareness were associated with significantly lower SCQit scores, whereas practicing a religious faith was associated with greater experiences of compassion. The Italian version of the SCQ (SCit) is a valid and reliable measure of patient-reported compassion. The SCQit can be used in clinical practice and research to measure the compassion experiences of terminally ill cancer patients and to evaluate the effectiveness of training to promote compassionate care in healthcare professionals.

Assessment of anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents: Italian validation of the short version of the spence children's anxiety scale for parents.

The assessment of anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents requires a valid and reliable single instrument able to detect various anxiety symptoms early and systematically collect data from other informant such as parents. The present study aimed to test the one-factor structure of the SCAS-P-8 and to examine its psychometric properties and invariance across sex and age in an Italian sample of 769 parents of children and adolescents aged 3-18years (50.8% females). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the one-factor structure of the SCAS-P-8, which showed good reliability and invariance by sex and age. When examining mean differences by sex and age, results showed that female schoolchildren had higher anxiety scores than males and other age groups. A strong correlation with emotional problems demonstrated convergent validity, while discriminant validity resulted from the weak correlations with externalizing symptoms and relationship problems with peers. Overall, findings support the SCAS-P-8 as a valid brief instrument to assess anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents for clinical and research purposes and demonstrate its invariance across sex and age.

Trust under development: The Italian validation of the Epistemic Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity Questionnaire (ETMCQ) for adolescents.

In recent years, the concept of epistemic trust has emerged as a critical factor in understanding psychopathology, particularly within the context of personality disorders. A self-report instrument, the Epistemic Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity Questionnaire (ETMCQ), has demonstrated its validity among English and Italian adult populations. However, extending its applicability to adolescents is essential for comprehending the role of epistemic trust in the development of mental disorders. The aim of this study was to validate the ETMCQ within the Italian adolescent demographic. Data were gathered from a wide selection of middle and high schools across Italy. The data collection started on 01/03/2022 and ended on 30/06/2022. Besides the ETMCQ (Study 1 = 662 participants, 12-18 years old, M = 15.56, SD = 2.20; 324 females, 338 males), we also administered other self-report instruments measuring mentalization, emotional dysregulation, general levels of psychopathology, and interpersonal trust in a smaller groups (Study 2 = 417 participants, aged from 12-19 years old, M = 15.64; SD = 2.08; 249 females, 168 males). Our findings provide empirical validation for the theoretical framework concerning the role of epistemic trust in psychological functioning and substantiate the validity of ETMCQ as a measure to assess it among teenagers. The ETMCQ is a valid and promising instrument for adolescent populations; its ease and brevity of administration could make it a valuable tool both in clinical and research contexts, shedding light on the role of epistemic trust in mental health.

Executive functions and addictions: a Structural Equation Modeling Approach and the Italian validation of the Adult Executive Functioning Inventory (ADEXI)

Introduction the work aims to observe the associations between psychoactive substance use and gambling and executive functioning as well as to validate the Italian version of the “Adult Executive Functioning Inventory” (ADEXI) scale. Methods data were collected through a representative cross-sectional study among 5,160 people (18-84 years old) called IPSAD® (Italian Population Survey on Alcohol and Other Drugs). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was performed to explore the associations between ADEXI and other behaviors measured with standardized questionnaires. Cronbach α has been performed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the ADEXI scale. Results SEM showed that both WM and INH were correlated with problematic cannabis use (WM r = 0.112; INH r = 0.251) and gambling (WM r = 0.101; INH r = 0.168), while problematic alcohol use was correlated only with INH (r = 0.233). Cronbach α for the WM subscale was 0.833 (CI 0.826-0.840), while for INH was 0.694 (CI 0.680-0.708). Conclusion results pointed out a strong correlation between addictions (substance-related and non-substance-related) and WM and INH impairments among the adult general population. Moreover, the ADEXI scale could be considered a valuable tool for general population surveys to detect working memory and inhibition characteristics.

Translation and validation in Italian of the methotrexate intolerance severity score for children and adults with arthritis.

Methotrexate (MTX) is the most used drug to treat children and adults with arthritis and its use is burdened by adverse effects. The MTX intolerance severity score (MISS) was developed in English to identify patients who are intolerant to MTX. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the MISS in Italian. The Italian version of the MISS was developed following the "guidelines for process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-reported measures". The Italian version of the MISS was validated in 125 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) followed at the Rheumatology Unit of Bambino Gesù Children Hospital. We assessed the construct validity and calculated the internal consistency of the Italian MISS. We performed ROC analysis to assess the overall performance of the Italian MISS. We translated and adapted the MISS to the Italian language. The Italian MISS showed a very good internal consistency as shown by a Cronbach α of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.84-0.90) and a composite reliability of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.83-0.91).The Cohen's κ was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.71-0.91), suggesting a very good construct validity. The ROC analysis showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.97 (95% CI, 0.93-0.99). A threshold of 6 to define intolerant patients, showed a sensitivity of 98.3% and specificity of 81.2%. We developed the Italian version of the MISS and showed its validity and reliability to identify patients intolerant to MTX in clinical practice and in a research setting.

Cultural adaptation and validation in Italian of the Seated Postural Control Measure for Adults 2.0.

The aim of this study was to assess the cultural adaptation and validation in Italian of the Seated Postural Control Measure for Adults 2.0 (SPCMA 2.0). The original scale was translated and culturally adapted from French to Italian using the "Translation and Cultural Adaptation of Patient Reported Outcomes Measures-Principles of Good Practice" guidelines. Its internal consistency and test-retest reliability were examined. Its concurrent validity was evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficients with the Italian version of the Wheelchair use Confidence Scale and Wheelchair Skills Test 4.2. Fifty-nine people were evaluated and re-evaluated after 48 h. Most of the items and subscale totals were stable in the 2 evaluations as they reported an intraclass correlation coefficient value of >0.77. The test-retest analysis of the dynamic evaluation was performed on the same patients 48 h apart. The analysis for construct validity showed statistically significant correlations with Wheelchair use Confidence Scale and Wheelchair Skills Test 4.2. Seated Postural Control Measure for Adults 2.0 is one of the few tools that allow researchers to perform a quantitative and standardized posture assessment in a cost-effective and time-saving way. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that it is an easy-to-administer scale and requires readily available tools. The limitations of this study highlighted above and the need to use quantitative and qualitative tools in clinical practice imply the need to conduct future studies.

German and Italian validation of the Dyadic Coping Inventory-Sexual Minority Stress (DCI-SMS) scale.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals (hereafter people with minoritized sexual orientation and/or gender identities) have limited legal rights and access to resources because of their marginalized status in society. These limitations are associated with notable health disparities and increase experiences of minority stress. For those in a romantic relationship, being able to communicate and cope with one's partner-dyadic coping-can help buffer stress' deleterious effects on well-being. Given the promise of understanding how dyadic coping can mitigate experiences of sexual minority stress, the Dyadic Coping Inventory-Sexual Minority Stress (DCI-SMS) was recently created and validated with those living in the United States to assess how partners cope with sexual minority stress. Answering a global call to expand psychological science beyond a U.S. centric perspective, the purpose of this study was to validate the DCI-SMS in German and Italian using samples from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis results, along with tests of convergent and discriminant validity, and measurement invariance, suggest that the DCI-SMS is a valid measure of stress communication and dyadic coping behaviors for those in a same-gender relationship in the countries sampled. Important future directions include examining its efficacy in other countries, such as those with more adverse sociopolitical climates for people with minoritized sexual orientation and/or gender identities in a same-gender relationship. Limitations and future directions for research and clinical practice are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

HEART FAILURE AND PALLIATIVE CARE, ITALIAN VALIDATION OF THE "NEED ASSESSMENT TOOL: PROGRESSIVE DISEASE – HEART FAILURE" (NAT: PD–HF)

Abstract Palliative Care in Heart Failure cardiology setting is still a demanding topic and lacking of clear indications regarding which patients should be referred to palliative care is an actual issue, as confirmed by a systematic review of international literature. Assessment tools facilitate the identification of patient needs and guide the actions of healthcare professionals to address them. Some existing tools described in literature were used with non–cardiological patients, but they cannot be applied to Heart Failure as they are incomplete and investigate non–specific aspects of the disease. Two recent systematic reviews indicate that the most comprehensive and specific tool for Heart Failure patients is the "NAT: PD–HF." The "NAT: PD–HF" has already been translated and validated from English to Dutch and German, but an Italian validation is still missing in literature. It is a quick and easy–to–use tool consisting of four sections that assess the patient’s well–being and quality of life, the caregiver‘s ability to provide assistance and support, both patient’s and caregiver’s needs and requests and any critical element that, if present, would justify a specialist palliative evaluation. Therefore, with prior authorization from the original authors, we proceeded with the translation and transcultural validation of the tool. The study protocol was approved by the Bioethics Committee of Bologna in April 2023. We are currently at the final phase of the protocol, namely testing the tool on the target population by the professionals involved in the care process. The purpose of transcultural validation is to provide the Italian scientific community with the "NAT: PD–HF" tool: throw its incorporation into the medical records of Heart Failure Patients receiving care in the territorial setting, we aim to increase the use of palliative cares and, consequently, the quality of life of patients and caregivers, as demonstrated in the original study.

Italian validation of the mentalization scale (MentS)

The research aimed to assess the reliability, factor structure, and validity of the Italian adaptation of the Mentalization Scale (MentS), a 28-item self-report questionnaire that measures mentalization across three dimensions. The psychometric properties of the Italian version were examined in two studies with large samples of adults and adolescents. The first study (Study 1) aimed to evaluate, through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the construct validity of the Italian version of the MentS in adolescents (N = 618) and adults (N = 720). The second study (Study 2) was undertaken to test the convergent validity and temporal stability of the Italian version of the MentS. Specifically, the study assessed the relationship between the MentS and scores on the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8), one of the most widely used instruments to assess mentalization, in a large sample of high-school students (N = 472). Furthermore, the study evaluated the 4-week test-retest reliability of the instrument in a sample of undergraduates (N = 128). The questionnaire exhibited strong internal consistency across both adult and adolescent samples, with Cronbach’s alphas ranging from 0.71 to 0.83. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses consistently identified three correlated underlying factors within both age groups, demonstrating the robust factor structure of the Italian version of the MentS. Furthermore, the tool demonstrated strong convergent validity with the RFQ-8 and acceptable test-retest reliability over a 4-week period. These findings provide compelling evidence supporting the Italian version of the MentS as a reliable and valid self-report measure for comprehensively assessing different facets of mentalization.

ID-Migraine test for pediatric population: preliminary results from the Italian validation

Background: Migraine is a frequent neurological condition with a high impact on quality life. The diagnosis is clinical in accordance with the International Classification of Headache Disorders version 3 criteria. Early diagnosis is important to initiate timely treatment. A screening tool for adulthood is already available (ID-Migraine), while there is currently no questionnaire that allows for diagnosis in children and adolescents. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the validity of ID-Migraine to diagnose migraine in pediatric population.Methods: A total of 94 pediatric patients were enrolled and administered ID-Migraine. The mean age was 11.6 years. The study group included patients with a diagnosis of migraine (63%) and primary stabbing headache (37%).Results and conclusions: Specificity and positive predictive values were >80% (92% and 93% respectively); sensitivity and negative predictive values tended towards reliability (71% and 66% respectively), making the ID-Migraine a reliable tool in diagnosing migraine in the pediatric population.

Italian validation of the positive solitude scale

ABSTRACT Positive Solitude (PS) is the decision to use one’s time for a meaningful activity, with a choice made by and for oneself. The purpose of this study is to validate the Italian version of the Positive Solitude Scale (PSS) developed by Palgi et al. (2021a). Data were collected through the administration of a questionnaire to 1,120 Italian adults. Confirmatory factor analyses showed a bi-factor structure, indicating that the scale can be considered as unidimensional. Moreover, the Italian PSS demonstrated good internal consistency, supporting the scale’s good reliability. Then, PS was associated with improved psychological well-being, increased mindfulness, higher levels of positive effects and lower loneliness. However, we found no association between PS and depressive symptomatology. These results support a good convergent, discriminant, and divergent validity of the scale. Finally, this study enhances the understanding of PS in the Italian context providing a valuable tool for future research.

Affective and Attitudinal Features of Benevolent Heterosexism in Italy: The Italian Validation of the Multidimensional Heterosexism Inventory

IntroductionPeople who belong to a sexual and gender minority often face prejudices that have their roots in heterosexism, a sociocultural system that can manifest itself in different ways and sometimes in a seemingly benevolent fashion. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Heterosexism Inventory (MHI), a scale assessing aversive, amnestic, paternalistic, and positive stereotypic heterosexism, in an Italian sample.MethodsTwo hundred one cisgender and heterosexual individuals (129 women and 72 men) aged 18 to 81 years (M = 36.42, SD = 12.56) were recruited online between May and October 2022 and answered questions about social dominance orientation, right-wing authoritarianism, ambivalent sexism, and attitudes toward lesbians and gay men.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis showed that the original 4-factor model of the scale fit the data well. Predictive and convergent validity of the Italian version of the MHI was adequate, whereas discriminant validity was not fully achieved due to overlap of multidimensional heterosexism with hostile and benevolent sexism and authoritarianism. Scores were higher for aversive and amnesic heterosexism in men than in women, but not for paternalistic and positive stereotypic heterosexism. Finally, less educated participants, those with no LGBTQI + friends, and religious participants were higher in all MHI subscales than their counterparts.ConclusionsThis study provides the first evidence for the validity and reliability of an Italian version of the MHI.Policy ImplicationsUsing the MHI can help to make visible not only the explicit but also the subtle forms of heterosexism, thus recognizing the multidimensional nature of heterosexism produced in social institutions.

The Italian Validation of the Healthcare Professional Humanization Scale for Nursing.

Purpose: The Healthcare Professional Humanization Scale (HUMAS) is a measure of the evaluation of the humanization of care in nursing professions. Despite being validated for the Spanish language, there still needed validation in Italian, which seems essential considering the cultural differences. Aim: We aimed to test the validity and reliability of the HUMAS with an Italian sample of registered nurses. Methods: The present study used cross-sectional data from 300 nurses that completed the survey. The study's main phases were (a) construction of the Italian version; (b) testing and analyzing the psychometric properties of the scale. The exploratory factor analysis and the Content Validity Index (CVI) were performed. Cronbach's alpha and test-retest were used to determine the reliability. Findings: The final Italian version of HUMAS (HUMAS-I) comprised 19 items grouped into five correlated latent factors, accounting for 68.4% of the variance. Additionally, it exhibited a satisfactory Cronbach's alpha for each latent component and an average CVI for the entire scale of 0.68. Conclusions: The HUMAS-I shows acceptable psychometric proprieties as the original Spanish version. Therefore, it could be an advantageous instrument for use in nursing practice and research.

An Italian Validation of the 5-Item Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ): A Useful Tool for Rapid Assessment of Stigma, Acceptance, and Tolerance

Stigma negatively impacts individuals, families, and communities, affecting relationships, education, and employment and leading to an additional burden on mental health. Assessing public attitudes towards people with mental health conditions is crucial, especially in terms of public health. Therefore, the Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ) was validated and adapted to the Italian cultural context. Translation followed four phases, involving bilingual speakers, comparison, back-translation, and expert review. In the pre-test phase, the questionnaire was administered to 21 participants anonymously. The validation test involved 213 subjects. Statistical analyses included exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and McDonald’s Omega and Cronbach’s alpha to assess the internal consistency. The results indicate good internal consistency (Omega = 0.71; Alpha = 0.72), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFI = 0.971) validated the questionnaire’s construct. The study’s findings align with the original validation, underscoring the questionnaire’s robustness. Overall, understanding public attitudes is crucial for public health interventions combating stigma and fostering positive attitudes.

The assessment of emotion reactivity: The Italian validation of the Perth Emotional Reactivity Scale-Short Form (PERS-S).

Emotion reactivity refers to the activation, intensity and duration of emotional responses to internal or external stimuli. It can be differentiated from emotion regulation since the former is the very first response to an emotional trigger, and the latter can be defined as a tool for maintaining one's arousal in a window of tolerance. Since, to date, there are no Italian self-report measures able to evaluate individuals' emotional reactivity, this study aimed to contribute to the Italian validation of the Perth Emotional Reactivity Scale-Short Form (PERS-S). The PERS-S is an 18-item self-report measure answered on a 5-point Likert scale that generates six subscale scores and two composite scores, with higher scores indicating higher levels of reactivity. Data from 768 individuals showed that the PERS-S had good to excellent goodness of fit. The internal consistency was high, with an overall reliability coefficient (Cronbach's α) of .87 and .86 for the negative and positive general scales, respectively. The PERS-S also demonstrated appropriate convergent validity, showing significant correlations with conceptually related measures, and acceptable divergent validity, showing minimal correlations with unrelated constructs. Finally, we evaluated the Test-Retest Reliability by administering the PERS-S to the same sample twice, with a 2-week interval. The significant correlations between the two PERS-S administrations suggest temporal stability. The Italian version of the PERS-S will enrich the repertoire of self-report measures for investigating the development and risk factors of mental health disorders and may have practical applications in clinical settings.

Italian validation of a short version of the Dutch eating behavior questionnaire: Psychometric properties and relationships with self-esteem, eating self-efficacy, and snacking habits in university students

Background: The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) is a widely used self-report measure of eating styles, i.e., emotional, restrained, and external. A short and reliable version is useful for screening, routine assessments, and multipurpose surveys. Objective: The short version of the DEBQ by Bailly et al. (2012) was validated in the Italian context in two studies. Concurrent criterion validity was tested by considering gender, body mass index, self-esteem, eating self-efficacy, and snacking habits. Method: Data were collected via online questionnaires administered to two convenience samples of university students ( n = 613, n = 856). Results: The three-factor structure of the short version of the DEBQ was supported and was invariant across genders. Correlations among the three eating styles, gender, body mass index, self-esteem, eating self-efficacy, and snacking habits followed the expected pattern. Conclusion: The short form of the DEBQ is psychometrically sound and can be used to investigate eating styles among Italian university students.

Italian validation of the body odor disgust scale.

Disgust sensitivity to body odors plays a role in a set of psychological mechanisms supposedly evolved to avoid pathogens. To assess individual differences in body odor disgust, we previously developed the body odor disgust scale (BODS) and validated it in English. The BODS presents six scenarios where disgust could be evoked by smells coming from an internal source and an external source. The present study aimed to validate the BODS in the Italian population and to find further evidence for its structural, construct, and criterion validity. We used two large samples (N = 1,050, F = 527; and N = 402, F = 203, respectively) that were representative of the Italian population for sex and age. Across these two studies, we confirmed the hypothesized bifactor structure, with all the items loading onto a general body odor disgust sensitivity factor, and on two specific factors related to the internal structure. In terms of construct validity, we found that the BODS converged with pathogen disgust sensitivity of the three-domain disgust scale (TDDS) but was distinct from a general propensity to experience negative emotions. The BODS showed criterion validity in predicting the behavioral intentions toward COVID-19 avoidance behavior, although it did not seem to be incrementally valid when compared to the TDDS pathogen subscale. We also established scalar measurement invariance of the BODS regarding gender and found that women display higher levels of BODS. Results from the Italian version of the BODS indicate its structural, construct, nomological and criterion validity. Furthermore, our result on sex differences in disgust sensitivity are consistent with previous literature, and we discuss them in the broader context of cross-cultural and primate findings that points toward a possible evolutionary explanation of this difference.

Towards a multidimensional measure of well-being: cross-cultural support through the Italian validation of the well-being profile

BackgroundThe Well-being Profile (WB-Pro) is a multi-item and multidimensional instrument with strong psychometric properties and a solid theoretical grounding. It includes aspects of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being that can be used at the individual and social levels.MethodWe developed the Italian version through back-translation procedures. The aim of this study is to validate the WB-Pro in Italian as well as to better understand its multidimensionality through bifactor analysis. A sample of 1451 participants (910 = women, 62.7%; age range: 18–70, M-age = 32.34, SD-age = 13.64) was involved.ResultsThe 15-factor structure was confirmed with CFA and ESEM and was invariant across gender, age, and education. We examined convergent and discriminant validity and a bifactorial representation. Short versions of the WB-Pro were tested.DiscussionEven though a few items of the Italian version of the WB-Pro might benefit from revision (e.g., clear-thinking scale), this study confirms the theoretical and empirical strength of the WB-Pro.ConclusionsThis study supports the WB-Pro validity and usefulness in studying well-being and for professional psychological applications to assess well-being in both individuals and groups.

Italian validation of the Adolescent Family Process short-form questionnaire

ABSTRACT Perceived parenting is a crucial and complex factor for the psychological well-being of adolescents. The Adolescent Family Process Short-Form (AFP-SF) investigates the perception of adolescents’ maternal and paternal parenting across six dimensions: closeness, support, communication, monitoring, peer approval, and conflict. This was the first study to evaluate the psychometric properties of the AFP-SF in 378 Italian adolescents (41.30% boys). The data fit the originally conceptualized models well. Reliability was acceptable and the measurement invariance across sex was established. The results showed that adolescents perceived more monitoring by mothers than fathers. Sex differences in maternal parenting were also found, with girls showing more monitoring and communication than boys. AFP-SF subscales correlated positively with subjective well-being except for conflict, which showed a negative correlation. These findings suggest that AFP-SF is a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of perceived parenting among Italian adolescents.

The adaptation and validation of the Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index (Gold-MSI) in Italian: The Gold-MSI-IT

The Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index (Gold-MSI) measures a wide range of self-reported musical abilities and behaviors in the Western adult general population, regardless of musical expertise. This instrument has been validated in various languages, but an Italian version is lacking. The present study describes the Italian validation and adaptation of the Gold-MSI (Gold-MSI-IT) and investigates the effects of socio-demographic variables on scores of musical sophistication. Analyses of factor structure and internal reliability on an Italian sample ( N = 429, mean age = 31.08, SD = 11.68, 75.5% female) and analyses of test–retest reliability on a smaller sample ( N = 57, mean age = 34.68, SD = 10.80, 75% female) show that the Gold-MSI-IT conforms to a bifactor model, similarly to the original version, including an underlying General Musical Sophistication factor and five subfactors, and that our instrument has good internal consistency and good test–retest reliability. Additional tests showed gender differences in musical sophistication and that musical sophistication correlated with education but not with age. The study provides a reliable and stable tool to investigate individual differences in the Italian context and adds to our knowledge of musicality in the general population across countries.