Item-level Analyses Research Articles

Iranian Study on Social Determinants of Self-management in Patients with Hypertension Referring to Tabriz Health Care Centers in 2017-2018.

Aim:The present study aims to evaluate self-management status in Iranian patients with hypertension and its relationship with social determinants.Setting and Design:This study was carried out in 2017-2018 in health care centers affiliated with Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Iran.Methods:A total of 240 patients with hypertension, who referred to health care centers of Tabriz, were invited to fill out the self-management (researcher made) and social determinants of health questionnaires.Statistical Analysis:Spearman correlation was used to determine the relationship between self-management score and its items with items of social determinants of health questionnaire. Also, Pearson correlation Student t-test was used.Results:In this research 197 patients were studied. Mean age of the participants was 56.6 ± 10.1 years. The mean ± SD (standard deviation) of self-management score was 81.51 ± 13.16. The correlation coefficient of self -management with financial ability of securing the education expenses, nutrition and fruits, and health care expenses were 0.228 (P = 0.001), 0.149 (P value <0.05), and 0.28 (P < 0.001) respectively. Also, the correlation coefficient of age with self-management was − 0.206 (P value = 0.004). Item level analysis showed strong significant associations between social determinants and three items related to lifestyle and two items related to monitoring of blood pressure (BP) at home.Conclusion:Overall self -management status of the patients was very good. Health centers that plan self -management support programs for patients should consider the social determinants of life style modification and monitoring of BP at home by hypertensive patients.

Is academic tracking related to gains in learning competence? Using propensity score matching and differential item change functioning analysis for better understanding of tracking implications

This study analyzes gains in cognitive components of learning competence with respect to cohorts based on ability tracking in a Czech longitudinal study. Propensity score matching is used to form parallelized samples of academic and non-academic track students and to eliminate the effect of selective school intake. We applied regression models on the total scores to test for the overall track effect. Furthermore, we analyze scores and gains on the subscores and check for differential item functioning in Grade 6 and in change to Grade 9. While after 3 years, no significant difference between the two tracks was apparent in the total learning competence score, we did, however, find significant differences in some subscores and in the functioning of some items. We argue that item-level analysis is important for deeper understanding of the tracking implications and may provide the basis for more precise evidence-based decisions regarding the tracking policy.

PERCEIVED PHYSICAL LITERACY FOR CHINESE ELDERLY QUESTIONNAIRE DEVELOPMENT: PRELIMINARY VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY

Physical activity (PA) is an essential health prompting behavior. Unfortunately, in China, only about 12% to 40% of older adults met the PA recommendations. To guide the design of future PA interventions and policy-making, innovative solutions are needed to be introduced. Physical literacy, a relatively novel concept, has been recently introduced in the field of older adults’ PA. This concept takes a holistic view of PA behavior, which proposed that a person need to be motivationally, physically, strategically, effectively, socially, and knowledgeably prepared to be and stay physically active. The aim of this study was to develop the Perceived Physical literacy for Chinese Elderly (PPLCE) questionnaire and to establish its reliability and validity. An item pool for the PPLCE was generated from literature and interviews with Chinese older adults. Expert panel reviews and cognitive interviews were applied to establish the face and content validity of the questionnaire. A convenient sample of 388 Chinese older adults was recruited to assess the psychometric properties of the PPLCE. The item-level analysis and exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 46-item self-report measure, consisting with four factors: motivation, physical competence, interaction with environment, sense of self, interaction with others, and knowledge and understanding. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and test-retest reliability of the PPLCE were 0.88 and 0.79 respectively. A positive correlation between PPLCE and leisure-time PA was found (r=0.43). The PPLCE has the potential to be used as a valid and reliable measure to assess Chinese older adults’ perceived physical literacy.

Reliability and validity of the self-report version of the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire - Revised (EATQ-R) Short Form in a Turkish sample.

This paper presents the first study to examine the psychometric qualities of a Turkish translation and adaptation of the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire - Revised (EATQ-R). Participants included 1,109 Turkish adolescents (48.7% females) aged 11 to 15 years. Results showed that internal consistency of the broad EATQ-R factors ranged from .65 to .74, internal consistency of the 11 fine-grained scales was comparable to that reported for the original English instrument, and test-retest stability of EATQ-R scales ranged from .60 to .70. Principal axis factoring of the scales revealed a three-factor structure (Effortful Control, Surgency, and Affiliativeness) that roughly reflected the structure obtained in U.S. samples. Item-level factor analysis revealed and confirmed eight factors consistent with a priori scales. Concurrent validity, assessed through correlations between EATQ-R and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) subscales, found that Effortful Control was negatively correlated with Total Difficulties and Hyperactivity-Inattention Problems; Effortful Control, Affiliativeness, and Surgency were positively correlated with Prosocial Behaviors; and Frustration was linked to Emotional, Conduct, Hyperactivity-Inattention, and Total Difficulties. Our results suggest that the EATQ-R is a useful questionnaire to measure reactive and regulative temperamental traits in Turkish children and adolescents.

Disease-specific quality of life following a flare in systemic lupus erythematosus: an item response theory analysis of the French EQUAL cohort.

To explore, at an item-level, the effect of disease activity (DA) on specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in SLE patients using an item response theory longitudinal model. This prospective longitudinal multicentre French cohort EQUAL followed SLE patients over 2 years. Specific HRQoL according to LupusQoL and SLEQOL was collected every 3 months. DA according to SELENA-SLEDAI flare index (SFI) and revised SELENA-SLEDAI flare index (SFI-R) was evaluated every 6 months. Regarding DA according to SFI and each SFI-R type of flare, specific HRQoL of remitting patients was compared with non-flaring patients fitting a linear logistic model with relaxed assumptions for each domain of the questionnaires. Between December 2011 and July 2015, 336 patients were included (89.9% female). LupusQoL and SLEQOL items related to physical HRQoL (physical health, physical functioning, pain) were most affected by musculoskeletal and cutaneous flares. Cutaneous flares had significant influence on self-image. Neurological or psychiatric flares had a more severe impact on specific HRQoL. Patient HRQoL was impacted up to 18 months after a flare. Item response theory analysis is able to pinpoint items that are influenced by a given patient group in terms of a latent trait change. Item-level analysis provides a new way of interpreting HRQoL variation in SLE patients, permitting a better understanding of DA impact on HRQoL. This kind of analysis could be easily implemented for the comparison of groups in a clinical trial. ClinicalTrials.gov, http://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01904812.

CTT Package in R

ABSTRACTClassical approach to test theory has been the foundation for educational and psychological measurement for over 90 years. This approach concerns with measurement error and hence test reliability, which in part relies on individual test items. The CTT package, developed in light of this, provides functions for test- and item-level analyses of dichotomous and polytomous response items. This review covers the basic concepts in classical theory that are related to test reliability and item analysis and demonstrates some of the key features of the CTT package while discussing its limitations.

Psychometric Properties of the Assessment of Recovery Capital (ARC) Instrument in a Diverse Low-Income Sample

Background: Recovery capital is a theoretical construct elucidating the resources that support recovery from addiction. The 50-item Assessment of Recovery Capital (ARC) instrument and related brief-format versions are the predominant measures of this construct. However, some of the ARC’s psychometric properties are not well-established, particularly in racially and economically diverse populations. Objectives: We aimed to determine if the ARC is a valid and reliable measure of recovery capital in a diverse sample. Methods: Paper-and-pencil survey data were collected between March 2017 and May 2018 from a low-income, racially diverse sample of adults in recovery (N = 273). Participants were recruited from nontreatment community settings throughout a mid-sized northeastern U.S. city. They completed the ARC and sociodemographic questions. To determine the ARC’s reliability and factor structure, we used item-level analyses and Cronbach’s alpha, followed by confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses. Results: Several items performed poorly, having means close to response extremes and problematically small variances. Cronbach’s alpha for the full measure was α = .92; however, alphas for the majority of subscales were below .70. The a priori 10-factor model solution failed, preventing interpretation of the confirmatory factor analysis results. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that although the 10-factor model marginally fit the data, items did not load together as proposed. Not once did all five subscale items load highly on the same factor. Conclusions/Importance: The ARC has substantial weaknesses in its theoretical alignment, item performance, and psychometric properties with diverse populations. We recommend the development of a new multidimensional, theory-aligned measure, following a rigorous measurement development protocol.

Self-management practices associated with quality of life for adults with epilepsy.

Epilepsy self-management practices enhance a patient's competence and confidence in managing their chronic condition, which is assumed to lead to an improved quality of life (QoL). We analyzed the relationship between the Epilepsy Self-Management Scale (ESMS) responses and the Quality of Life in Epilepsy (QOLIE-31) scores. Baseline questionnaires from HOBSCOTCH, a self-management program for cognitive problems, were administered in four New England epilepsy centers on adults (n = 100) with epilepsy and subjective memory complaints. There was no correlation between overall self-management scores and overall quality-of-life scores; however, subscale analyses indicated that certain self-management practices were strongly correlated with the overall QOLIE-31 score. Specifically, improved ESMS lifestyle management was associated with an increased quality-of-life score (adjusted p < 0.01), while enhanced ESMS safety management practices were associated with a decreased overall quality-of-life score (adjusted p < 0.01). Our item-level analysis highlighted specific items within the ESMS safety management, ESMS lifestyle management, and ESMS information management subdomains that were significant predictors for QoL. Depression was also shown to be significantly correlated with the QOLIE-31 (p < 0.01). Our study suggests that an overemphasis on safety practices may negatively affect quality of life, while enhanced lifestyle management has positive effects. Furthermore, our finding that quality of life is greatly dependent on depressive symptoms underscores the importance of treating depression in epilepsy.

Characteristics associated with significantly worse quality of life in mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome from the Prospective Cutaneous Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (PROCLIPI) study.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary Syndrome (SS) are the most common cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. MF/SS is accompanied by considerable morbidity from pain, itching and disfigurement. To identify factors associated with poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients newly diagnosed with MF/SS. Patients enrolled into Prospective Cutaneous Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (PROCLIPI; an international observational study in MF/SS) had their HRQoL assessed using the Skindex-29 questionnaire. Skindex-29 scores were analysed in relation to patient- and disease-specific characteristics. The study population consisted of 237 patients [60·3% male; median age 60 years, (interquartile range 49-70)], of whom 179 had early MF and 58 had advanced MF/SS. In univariate analysis, HRQoL, as measured by Skindex-29, was worse in women, SS, late-stage MF, those with elevated lactate dehydrogenase, alopecia, high modified Severity Weighted Assessment Tool and confluent erythema. Linear regression models only identified female gender (β = 8·61; P = 0·003) and alopecia (β = 9·71, P = 0·02) as independent predictors of worse global HRQoL. Item-level analysis showed that the severe impairment in symptoms [odds ratio (OR) 2·14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·19-3·89] and emotions (OR 1·88, 95% CI 1·09-3·27) subscale scores seen in women was caused by more burning/stinging, pruritus, irritation and greater feelings of depression, shame, embarrassment and annoyance with their diagnosis of MF/SS. HRQoL is significantly more impaired in newly diagnosed women with MF/SS and in those with alopecia. As Skindex-29 does not include existential questions on cancer, which may cause additional worry and distress, a comprehensive validated cutaneous T-cell lymphoma-specific questionnaire is urgently needed to more accurately assess disease-specific HRQoL in these patients. What's already known about this topic? Cross-sectional studies of mixed populations of known and newly diagnosed patients with mycosis fungoides (MF)/Sézary syndrome (SS) have shown significant impairment in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Previous studies on assessing gender-specific differences in HRQoL in MF/SS are conflicting. More advanced-stage disease and pruritus is associated with poorer HRQoL in patients with MF/SS. What does this study add? This is the first prospective study to investigate HRQoL in a homogenous group of newly diagnosed patients with MF/SS. In patients newly diagnosed with MF/SS, HRQoL is worse in women and in those with alopecia and confluent erythema. MF/SS diagnosis has a multidimensional impact on patient HRQoL, including a large burden of cutaneous symptoms, as well as a negative impact on emotional well-being.

The Group Theory Concept Assessment: a Tool for Measuring Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Group Theory

Introductory group theory provides the foundational course on algebraic structures. Yet, we know little about students’ underlying conceptual understandings. In this paper, I introduce the Group Theory Concept Assessment (GTCA), a measure created for the purpose of conducting large-scale studies of student conceptual understanding in group theory. The GTCA measures this understanding divorced from proof construction ability. I outline the design process and share results from various stages of analysis and refinement. I then present an item-level analysis of the GTCA including a detailed look at four items. These items focus on subgroups, inverses, quotient groups, and kernels, respectively. I conclude by reflecting on the GTCA’s potential usage as a research tool and practitioner tool.

Evaluating the Psychometric Properties of the Migraine Functional Impact Questionnaire (MFIQ).

BackgroundMigraine is a chronic neurologic disease that can be associated with significant migraine‐related impact, disability, and burden. Patient‐reported outcome measures (PRO) are included in clinical trials of migraine interventions to capture treatment effects from a patient perspective. Clinical and regulatory guidelines also encourage use of PROs in trials. The Migraine Functional Impact Questionnaire (MFIQ) is a novel PRO measure, assessing the impact of migraine on Physical Function (PF), Usual Activities (UA), Social Function (SF), and Emotional Function (EF), in the past 7 days. Scientific methods recommended to meet the requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration were followed, to ensure that the MFIQ content included outcomes that were relevant to adults with migraine and were clinically relevant, specifically to evaluate preventive treatments for migraine.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to conduct item analyses informing item reduction and scoring, and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the MFIQ.MethodsIn a prospective, observational study, adults with migraine completed the MFIQ as well as additional clinical and PRO instruments, including the Headache Impact Test (HIT‐6TM), Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function Short Form 10a (PROMIS‐PF), Migraine‐Specific Quality‐of‐Life Questionnaire (MSQ), and Patient Global Rating of Change (PGIC). Item‐level evaluation, item response theory (IRT), and factor analysis were used to select final MFIQ items, identify domains, and inform scoring. Psychometric properties of the MFIQ were evaluated to assess reliability (internal consistency and test–retest), validity (construct and known‐groups), and responsiveness.ResultsThe study enrolled 569 adults with migraine. Subjects had an average age of 39.9 years (SD 12.0), 87.2% were female, and 80.8% were white. Five items were dropped from the draft version based on results of item‐level analyses reviewed in the context of previous qualitative research to produce the final 26‐item MFIQ (v.2). Four domain scores (PF, UA, SF, and EF) and a global item score for impact on UA were identified. Higher scores on a 0‐100 scale represent greater impact. All scores exhibited high internal consistency (α ≥ 0.89) and moderate test–retest reliability among stable subjects (ICCs ≥ 0.47). Construct validity was demonstrated by significant correlations (all P < .0001) between MFIQ domain scores, related PRO scores, and the frequency of migraine days and headache days. All domain scores differentiated between subgroups (“known groups”) defined based on established levels of clinical severity: number of monthly migraine and headache days, migraine interference levels and scores on other PRO instruments (P < .05). Improvements in MFIQ scores corresponded with clinical improvement (percent reduction in monthly migraine days), improvement in migraine interference with daily activities, and related improvements in PRO scores (P < .05), demonstrating that the MFIQ was responsive to changes in migraine impact.ConclusionsThe MFIQ is a reliable and valid measure that can be used to collect data about migraine impact. The MFIQ is being used to evaluate outcomes of migraine interventions in clinical trials and observational studies. It could potentially also be used in clinical practice both for initial and ongoing assessments for monitoring outcomes and to enhance communication between patients and healthcare professionals for the management of migraine.

Validation of an oncology-specific instrument to measure cancer patients’ perception of care coordination.

6543 Background: According to the IOM, effective coordination of care (CC) is a critical component of high-quality cancer care; however, lack of a reliable and validated measure limits our current understanding of cancer care coordination. We examined psychometric properties and utility of a Care Coordination Instrument (CCI), a survey developed to assess cancer patients’ perceptions of care coordination. Methods: The 29-item CCI was administered to 200 patients receiving active treatment for cancer at private oncology practices and hospital-based facilities from Oct. 2018 to Jan. 2019. The CCI includes subscales that evaluate CC in 3 domains (Communication, Navigation, Operational) across 4 areas of CC (patient-physician; between health providers; during inpatient-to-ambulatory care transitions; during transitions across different phases of care). All items were rated on a 4-point Likert scale. Results: Psychometric analyses of the CCI demonstrated that it has good internal consistency reliability (α = .917) and the three-factor solution was an acceptable fit (CFI = .853, SRMR = .065). Overall, cancer types (leukemia, myeloma) and having an identified patient navigator significantly predicted higher patients’ ratings of CC ( p &lt; .05). Similar trends were found for Communication and Operation subscale scores ( p &lt; .05). Having an identified navigator predicted higher Navigation scores ( p &lt; .05). Marginally significant differences were found for practice setting, with patients receiving care in hospital-based facilities reporting better CC ( p = .085). Item-level analyses revealed significant differences in specific aspects of CC (e.g., physician-patient communication) across cancer type, presence/absence of a patient navigator, and practice setting. Conclusions: The results demonstrate that the CCI is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring cancer patients’ perceptions of care coordination. Perception of CC correlated with the presence of a navigator, underlying cancer type and (trending) practice setting. Use of this instrument may reveal important information about cancer care coordination and may identify areas of targets for improvement in patient-centered cancer care delivery.

Health researchers\u2019 experiences, perceptions and barriers related to sharing study results with participants

BackgroundAlthough research participants are generally interested in receiving results from studies in which they participate, health researchers rarely communicate study findings to participants. The present study was designed to provide opportunity for a broad group of health researchers to describe their experiences and concerns related to sharing results (i.e. aggregate study findings) with research participants.MethodsWe used a mixed–methods concurrent triangulation design, relying on an online survey to capture health researchers’ experiences, perceptions and barriers related to sharing study results with participants. Respondents were health researchers who conduct research that includes the consent of human subjects and hold a current appointment at an accredited academic medical institution within the United States. For quantitative data, the analytic strategy focused on item-level descriptive analyses. For the qualitative data, analyses focused on a priori themes and emergent subthemes.ResultsRespondents were 414 researchers from 44 academic medical institutions; 64.5% reported that results should always be shared with participants, yet 60.8% of respondents could identify studies in which they had a leadership role where results were not shared. Emergent subthemes from researchers’ reasons why results should be shared included participant ownership of findings and benefits of results sharing to science. Reasons for not sharing included concerns related to participants’ health literacy and participants’ lack of desire for results. Across all respondents who described barriers to results sharing, the majority described logistical barriers.ConclusionsStudy findings contribute to the literature by documenting researchers’ perspectives and experiences about sharing results with research participants, which can inform efforts to improve results sharing. Most respondents indicated that health research results should always be shared with participants, although the extent to which many respondents described barriers to results sharing as well as reported reasons not to share results suggests difficulties with a one-size-fits-all approach to improving results sharing.

Item-level analysis of the relationship between orthodontic treatment need and oral health-related quality of life in Korean schoolchildren.

This study aimed to evaluate the associations between normative orthodontic treatment need and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) at an item level as well as subscale and total score levels among schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 2,010 randomly selected children aged approximately 8, 10, 12, and 15years residing in the Gyeonggi province, Korea. Children were clinically examined with the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). To measure OHRQoL, the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) was used. In the physical health domain of COHIP, crooked teeth, discoloration, "food sticking," and "difficulty keeping teeth clean" were significantly associated with IOTN levels (P<0.05), whereas pain, sensitivity and bleeding, bad breath, mouth breathing, and dry mouth were not. In addition, present and future dental health were significantly associated with IOTN levels, although self-confidence, attractiveness, and future health were not. As expected, the 5 subscale scores and total score of COHIP were significantly associated with IOTN levels after adjustment for gender, age, socioeconomic level, and caries state. This study suggests the importance of in-depth investigation at the item level of OHRQoL assessment scales to better evaluate the impact of malocclusion that might be alleviated by orthodontic treatment.

The Subjective Experience of Inner Speech in Aphasia Is a Meaningful Reflection of Lexical Retrieval.

Purpose Individuals with aphasia often report that they feel able to say words in their heads, regardless of speech output ability. Here, we examine whether these subjective reports of successful "inner speech" (IS) are meaningful and test the hypothesis that they reflect lexical retrieval. Method Participants were 53 individuals with chronic aphasia. During silent picture naming, participants reported whether or not they could say the name of each item inside their heads. Using the same items, they also completed 3 picture-based tasks that required phonological retrieval and 3 matched auditory tasks that did not. We compared participants' performance on these tasks for items they reported being able to say internally versus those they reported being unable to say internally. Then, we examined the relationship of psycholinguistic word features to self-reported IS and spoken naming accuracy. Results Twenty-six participants reported successful IS on nearly all items, so they could not be included in the item-level analyses. These individuals performed correspondingly better than the remaining participants on tasks requiring phonological retrieval, but not on most other language measures. In the remaining group ( n = 27), IS reports related item-wise to performance on tasks requiring phonological retrieval, but not to matched control tasks. Additionally, IS reports were related to 3 word characteristics associated with lexical retrieval, but not to articulatory complexity; spoken naming accuracy related to all 4 word characteristics. Six participants demonstrated evidence of unreliable IS reporting; compared with the group, they also detected fewer errors in their spoken responses and showed more severe language impairments overall. Conclusions Self-reported IS is meaningful in many individuals with aphasia and reflects lexical phonological retrieval. These findings have potential implications for treatment planning in aphasia and for our understanding of IS in the general population.

The impact of person-centred care on patients' care experiences in relation to educational level after acute coronary syndrome: secondary outcome analysis of a randomised controlled trial.

Research supporting the benefits of person-centred care is growing, still knowledge about patients' experiences of person-centred care is limited. To evaluate the effects of person-centred care on patients' experiences of care, and also in relation to educational level, after an acute coronary syndrome. A total of 199 patients aged less than 75 years, hospitalised for acute coronary syndrome, were randomly assigned to either standard cardiac care ( n=105) or person-centred care plus standard cardiac care ( n=94). Experience of care was assessed at three healthcare settings (hospital, outpatient and primary care) using the 15-item Picker patient experience questionnaire plus two questions concerning information and documentation. No significant difference was found at the three healthcare settings between the two study groups in the Picker patient experience questionnaire total score. Item level analysis showed that the person-centred care group significantly improved at all three healthcare settings on information received and in documentation of care compared with the standard cardiac care group ( P<0.05). In outpatient care, the person-centred care group reported significantly better family-physician communication ( P=0.004) and information for the family ( P=0.007) compared with the standard cardiac care group. In patients without postsecondary education, the corresponding figures were even more in favour of the person-centred care group ( P=0.0005 and P=0.0049, respectively), and they also reported higher involvement in care decisions ( P=0.023). A person-centred care approach after an event of acute coronary syndrome improves patients' care experiences for information, shared documentation and involvement of family and friends. This effect was especially prominent in patients with a low educational level, who were also more involved in care decisions. Swedish registry, Researchweb.org , ID NR 65 791.

Four Critical Years: Effects of College on Beliefs, Attitudes, and Knowledge by Alexander W. Astin

Reviewed by: Four Critical Years: Effects of College on Beliefs, Attitudes, and Knowledge by Alexander W. Astin Nicholas A. Bowman Four Critical Years: Effects of College on Beliefs, Attitudes, and Knowledge Alexander W. Astin San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1977, 312 pages, $35.93 (softcover) This retrospective book review looks back at one of the most influential and ambitious books examining college student outcomes: Four Critical Years: Effects on Beliefs, Attitudes, and Knowledge (Astin, 1977). The book has a “sequel” that is perhaps better known today: What Matters in College: Four Critical Years Revisited (Astin, 1993). Four Critical Years stands out for its unique contribution at the time in which it was published. In this review, I will provide a summary of the book’s content, discuss its contribution and influence on subsequent research, describe how higher education literature has moved forward since that time, and conclude with whether this book should be assigned in today’s student affairs and higher education graduate programs. Before beginning this discussion, it is crucial to consider the technological context in which this book was written. Here are a few points of interest: • Alexander Astin had someone else type the book for him, perhaps because word processing programs (as we think of them today) were not widely available during the mid–1970s (Haigh, 2006). • Multilevel analyses appropriately examine both student-level and institutional-level predictors — were not developed until the late 1970s and 1980s (Raudenbush & Bryk, 2002). • The first version of SPSS was released less than 10 years before the publication of the book: it is not clear which software program was used, but SAS was not released until 1976, and Stata was released in 1985. The original version of SPSS used punchcards, while the 1975 version instead used “mainframes with a client terminal” (Stauber, 2018, para. 3). This mainframe probably filled a large room. • Computers that were released in 2016 had approximately 1 million times more computing power than those from 1976 (e.g., Roser, 2017). Thus, conducting numerous multiple regression analyses with thousands of participants and dozens of independent variables would have taken a very, very long time. SUMMARY OF BOOK CONTENT Astin describes the impressive scope of the book in the first chapter. Data were obtained from over 200,000 students at more than 300 institutions who completed the Freshman Survey from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) in 1966–1969 (or the survey’s predecessor in 1961). Depending upon the cohort, the follow-up surveys occurred during students’ first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or tenth year from the start of their undergraduate studies. Most analyses contained a small proportion of this large population that focused on a particular follow-up [End Page 245] year (many of the analyses examined change from the Freshman Survey to the senior year). Additional analyses were conducted separately by sex and academic ability (as measured via high school GPA or standardized test score), along with some subgroup analyses by race/ethnicity and age. Astin classified the various outcomes in this large-scale study as affective versus cognitive and as psychological versus behavioral. Several outcome variables were used for each combination of outcome type; for instance, affective psychological outcomes consisted of self-concept, values, attitudes, beliefs, drive for achievement, and satisfaction with college. The introductory chapter argues convincingly for the contribution of this study, especially given the rarity of multi-institutional and longitudinal samples in prior research. The next five chapters describe and interpret the results of the numerous analyses, organized by broad outcome category: attitudes, beliefs, and self-concept (chapter 2); patterns of behavior (chapter 3); competency and achievement, which includes college retention and graduation (chapter 4); career develop ment, including the movement from one major or field of study to another (chapter 5); and satisfaction with the college environ ment (chapter 6). Each chapter starts by describing the specific outcomes that fall into these broad categories. An item-level analysis explores whether each of these outcomes has increased or decreased over time, particularly from the first year to the senior year (and sometimes across various years). Astin then presents results from the stepwise regression analyses that were organized into three different blocks (or groups...

Gaining a Better Understanding of General Mattering Scale: An Application of Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory

The current study shows applications of both classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) to psychology data. The study discusses item level analyses of General Mattering Scale produced by two theories as well as strengths and weaknesses of both measurement approaches. The survey consisted of a total of five Likert-type items. Each student chose the best answers from the given categories (e.g., not at all, a little, somewhat, very much). We specifically run generalized partial credit IRT model. Overall, we discussed that while CTT provides comparatively superficial information but, IRT allows gaining deeper insight into the test items and response categories. We concluded that the meaning of item properties differ in CTT and IRT, and this difference may lead to different interpretations. We aimed to encourage psychologists and counsellors to give more consideration to the IRT applications when assessing the psychometric features of the items.

An Item-Level Analysis of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and Its Associations With Challenge to Core Beliefs and Rumination.

Background: Previous studies have found that rumination and challenge to core beliefs may have a predictive effect on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) among different samples. In addition, there is some evidence that these variables have different effects on PTSD and PTG, although the latter construct has been the target of a larger body of research and theoretical models. The main objective of the current study is to examine the effect of challenge to core beliefs, intrusive rumination, and deliberate rumination on PTSD and PTG, through an item-level analyses.Methods: The sample was composed of 205 Portuguese women who had been given a breast cancer diagnosis (M = 54.32, SD = 10.05), and who completed the following self-administered questionnaires: the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-C); the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI); the Core Beliefs Inventory; and the Event Related Rumination Inventory. Two multivariate multiple regression analyses, using each item of the PCL-C and the PTGI as dependent variables, were conducted.Results: The results demonstrated that challenges to core beliefs predict 17 of the 21 PTGI items and 12 of the 17 PCL-C items. All but one item of the PCL-C are predicted by intrusive rumination, while the variance of only 4 items of the PTGI are explained by deliberate rumination.Conclusion: These findings indicate that women with breast cancer who tend to display higher levels of intrusive rumination are more likely to report PTSD symptoms, and that an examination of one’s core beliefs is predictor of both positive and negative outcomes. In spite of the proven effect of challenge to core beliefs on both variables, this study suggests that this effect has only a minor influence on PTSD, in addition to confirming its major impact on PTG.

Therapists' techniques in the treatment of adolescent depression.

When comparing the relative effectiveness of different psychological treatment approaches using clinical trials, it is essential to establish fidelity to each manualized therapy, and differentiation between the treatment arms. Yet few psychological therapy trials include details about the assessment of treatment integrity and little is known about the specific techniques used by therapists, or to what degree these techniques are shared or distinct across different therapeutic approaches. The aims of this study were: to establish the fidelity of two established psychological therapies - cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) and short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy (STPP) - in the treatment of adolescent depression; and to examine whether they were delivered with adherence to their respective treatment modalities, and if they could be differentiated from each other and from a reference treatment (a brief psychosocial intervention; BPI). The study also aimed to identify shared and distinct techniques used within and across the three treatments. Audio-tapes (N=230) of therapy sessions, collected as part of a trial, were blind double-rated using the Comparative Psychotherapy Process Scale (CPPS), which includes subscales for cognitive-behavioural and psychodynamic-interpersonal techniques. The treatments were delivered with reasonable fidelity and there was clear differentiation in the use of cognitive-behavioural and psychodynamic-interpersonal techniques between CBT and STPP, and between these two established psychological therapies and BPI. An item-level analysis identified techniques used across all three treatments, techniques that were shared between BPI and CBT, and techniques that were unique to CBT and STPP.