Mean Inter-item Correlation Research Articles

Assessing the reliability and validity of sleep assessments in patients seeking metabolic and bariatric surgery

BackgroundMore than 80% of patients seeking metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) report disturbance in sleep function. No studies have assessed the psychometric properties of sleep measures in MBS samples. ObjectivesThis study assessed the reliability and validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) in a large sample of patients seeking MBS. SettingTwo academic medical centers. MethodsMeasures of sleep (PSQI and ISI) and psychological functioning, including the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS), were administered presurgically. Internal consistency was assessed with mean inter-item correlations and item-total correlations. Construct validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) based on models identified in the literature and by measuring convergent and discriminant validity. ResultsParticipants (N = 939) were primarily female (83.4%) with a mean age of 41.7 (SD = 11.5) years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 47.5 kg/m2 (SD = 8.5). CFAs indicated excellent fit for 2-factor solutions for the PSQI and ISI. Internal consistency for the PSQI and ISI were acceptable. Convergent validity was demonstrated by large correlations between the PSQI and ISI (r = .80, P < .001), and moderate correlation between the PSQI, ISI, and QIDS (rs > .50, ps < .001). The PSQI and ISI were moderately correlated with QIDS items assessing sleep function (P < .001), but correlations with items assessing appetite change were small (r < .10), demonstrating good discriminant validity. ConclusionsResults support the reliability and validity of the PSQI and ISI for patients undergoing MBS.

The psychometric properties of the Persian version of the innovation support inventory (ISI-12) in clinical nurses: a methodological cross-sectional study

BackgroundInnovation in nursing involves applying new knowledge to create novel ideas, methods, or technologies, resulting in higher-quality care and improved patient outcomes. Adequate support for innovation is crucial for progress in nursing. This study aimed to translate the Innovation Support Inventory (ISI-12) into Persian and assess its psychometric properties specifically among clinical nurses.MethodsA methodological cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2022 to July 2023 to evaluate the face, content, and construct validity of the ISI-12. Construct validity was assessed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and convergent and discriminant validity evaluation using data obtained from 321 clinical nurses. The test–retest stability and internal consistency of the ISI-12 were also evaluated to assess its reliability.ResultsThe Persian version of the ISI-12 validation through confirmatory factor analysis has confirmed its fit with the proposed three-factor model. The ISI-12 demonstrated high reliability, as evidenced by a Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = 0.969), McDonald's omega coefficient (ω = 0.922), coefficient H (H = 0.979), and mean inter-item correlation (ρ = 0.418). Additionally, the stability of the ISI-12 during two weeks among 40 clinical nurses was found to be excellent, with an ICC of 0.951.ConclusionThe Persian version of the ISI-12 is a valid inventory for evaluating the innovation Support of clinical nurses.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the asthma Action plan questionnaire (AAPQ)

Objective To develop a practical and psychometrically sound tool to evaluate caregiver knowledge of their child’s asthma action plan (AAP). Methods A pilot study was conducted in a sample of 40 caregivers of children with asthma to assess the content validity, item difficulty, and item discrimination of the Asthma Action Plan Questionnaire (AAPQ). The inter-rater and intra-rater agreement of the AAPQ’s scoring rubric were also examined. Subsequently, a large-scale study was conducted in a sample of 80 caregivers of children with asthma and 40 caregivers of children without current asthma and no prior exposure to patients with asthma to evaluate the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and known-groups validity of the AAPQ. Results The 7-item AAPQ demonstrated acceptable content validity (a scale-content validity index of 0.98) and internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha =.63 and mean inter-item correlation coefficient of .20) and very strong test-retest reliability over a two-to-four-week period (r = .88, p < .001). The AAPQ discriminated between caregivers of children with asthma and caregivers of children without asthma (M ± SD 8.3 ± 1.6 vs. 4.3 ± 1.7, p < .001, respectively). Conclusion The AAPQ is a valid and reliable questionnaire that provides an assessment of caregivers’ knowledge of their child’s AAP and can guide educational interventions by healthcare providers.

Development of an instrument to measure attitudes, practices, and factors towards goal-setting in stroke rehabilitation

Background: Goal-setting is essential for a person-centered approach to stroke rehabilitation. Understanding this challenging and heterogeneous practice can contribute to optimising rehabilitation outcomes. However, valid, and reliable tools are lacking for its investigation. This study aimed to develop a self-report measure to assess attitudes, practices, and factors related to goal-setting in physiotherapists working with stroke rehabilitation. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was developed based on the literature and submitted for content and face validity with a committee of experts and physiotherapists. Selected items were considered to create scales for attitudes and practices towards goal-setting. The factor structure and internal consistency of these scales were examined. Results: All three dimensions had satisfactory content validity. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a two-factor structure for the Attitudes towards Goal-setting Scale (A-GS) (‘Role’ and ‘Participation’, together explaining 55% of the variance of the total score) and for Practices towards Goal-setting Scale (P-GS) (‘Procedures’ and ‘Documentation’, together explaining 56% of the variance of the total score). Cronbach alpha values and mean inter-item correlations indicated adequate internal consistency. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary support for the adequacy of this newly developed measure, which can be used as an assessment tool to determine physiotherapists’ attitudes and practices towards goal-setting in stroke rehabilitation and related factors.

Are remote health clinics primary health care focused? Validation of the Primary Health Care Engagement (PHCE) Scale for the Australian remote primary health care setting.

To test and validate a measure of primary health care (PHC) engagement in the Australian remote health context. PHC principles include quality improvement, community participation and orientation of health care, patient-centred continuity of care, accessibility, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Measuring the alignment of services with the principles of PHC provides a method of evaluating the quality of care in community settings. A two-stage design of initial content and face validity evaluation by a panel of experts and then pilot-testing the instrument via survey methods was conducted. Twelve experts from clinical, education, management and research roles within the remote health setting evaluated each item in the original instrument. Panel members evaluated the representativeness and clarity of each item for face and content validity. Qualitative responses were also collected and included suggestions for changes to item wording. The modified tool was pilot-tested with 47 remote area nurses. Internal consistency reliability of the Australian Primary Health Care Engagement scale was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity of the Australian scale was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis and principal component analysis. Modifications to suit the Australian context were made to 8 of the 28 original items. This modified instrument was pilot-tested with 47 complete responses. Overall, the scale showed high internal consistency reliability. The subscale constructs 'Quality improvement', 'Accessibility-availability' and 'population orientation' showed low levels of internal consistency reliability. However, the mean inter-item correlation was 0.31, 0.26 and 0.31, respectively, which are in the recommended range of 0.15 to 0.50 and indicate that the items are correlated and are measuring the same construct. The Australian PHCE scale is recommended as a tool for the evaluation of health services. Further testing on a larger sample may provide clarity over some items which may be open to interpretation.

Structural validity and internal consistency of an outcome measure to assess self-reported educator capacity to support children with motor difficulties

BackgroundPartnering for Change (P4C) is a school-based occupational therapy service intended to build the capacity of educators to support children with motor difficulties.AimsThis paper describes the development of the Partnering for Change Educator Questionnaire and evaluates its structural validity and internal consistency.Methods and proceduresThe P4C Educator Questionnaire was completed by 1,216 educators four times across 2 years. Data from the initial time point were analysed via exploratory factor analysis (n = 436). Subsequently, Cronbach’s alpha and mean interitem correlations were calculated. Finally, the proposed factor structure was confirmed by testing it against data from times two through four using confirmatory factor analysis (n = 688).Outcomes and resultsA three-factor structure was evident and confirmed in hypothesis testing. The factor structure was interpretable according to the framework for building educator capacity used in this study. Internal consistency was high, with the total scale outperforming each subscale.Conclusions and implicationsA novel measure of educator self-reported capacity to support students with motor difficulties demonstrated structural validity and internal consistency. We currently recommend use as a complete scale accompanied by additional validation research.

THE RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE BAHASA MALAYSIA (MALAY) VERSION OF THE CARER’S FALL CONCERN INSTRUMENT (CFC-I M) AMONG CARERS OF AN OLDER PERSON

The Carers' Fall Concern Instrument (CFC-I) is a tool used to measure the level of concern caregivers have when caring for older people who may be at risk of falling. However, it has not been determined whether this tool is valid for use among caregivers of elderly persons in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aimed to translate and to establish the psychometric properties of the Malay version of the CFC-I for use among caregivers of elderly persons. The researchers used the "forward-backwards" procedure to translate the CFC-I into Malay and then conducted a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of the translated version. The study included 86 caregivers of elderly persons who analysed the validity and reliability of the Malay version of the CFC-I. The results indicated that the content validity of the 16-item CFC-I Malay version was excellent, as evidenced by I-CVI and k* values is 1.0. Moreover, experts agreed that the items were relevant, as shown by S-CVI/Ave and S-CVI/UA values of 1.0. Concurrent validity was established by a strong, positive correlation between the total scores of the Malay and original English versions (r = 0.762, p &lt; 0.001). The instrument's internal consistency was also high, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.89. Overall, participants rated their understanding of the instructions and questions of the CFC-I Malay version as level 4 or 5 (agree or strongly agree). The mean inter-item correlation was 0.51, ranging from 0.18 to 0.79. In conclusion, the Malay version of the Carers' Fall Concern Instrument is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating the level of fall concern among caregivers of elderly persons in Malaysia. Healthcare professionals can use this instrument to strengthen fall prevention strategies for older people in the country.

Climate for evidence-based mental health care implementation in Germany: psychometric investigation of the Implementation Climate Scale (ICS)

Organizational implementation climate is an important construct in implementation research to describe to what extent implementation is expected, supported, and rewarded. Efforts in bridging the research-practice gap by implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) can benefit from consideration of implementation climate. The Implementation Climate Scale (ICS) is a psychometrically strong measure assessing employees’ perceptions of the implementation climate. The present cross-sectional study aimed at providing a German translation and investigating its psychometric properties. The translation followed standard procedures for adapting psychometric instruments. German psychotherapists (N = 425) recruited online completed the ICS, the Evidence Based Practice Attitudes Scale (EBPAS-36D) and the Intention Scale for Providers (ISP). We conducted standard item and reliability analyses. Factorial validity was assessed by comparing an independent cluster model of Confirmatory Factorial Analysis (ICM-CFA), a Bifactor CFA, a Second-order CFA and an (Bifactor) Exploratory Structural Equation Model (ESEM). Measurement invariance was tested using multiple-group CFA and ESEM, convergent validity with correlation analysis between the ICS and the ISP subjective norms subscale (ISP-D-SN). The mean item difficulty was pi = .47, mean inter-item correlation r = .34, and mean item-total correlation ritc = .55. The total scale (ω = 0.91) and the subscales (ω = .79–.92) showed acceptable to high internal consistencies. The model fit indices were comparable and acceptable (Second-order CFA: RMSEA [90% CI] = .077 [.069; .085], SRMR = .078, CFI = .93). Multiple-group CFA and ESEM indicated scalar measurement invariance across gender and presence of a psychotherapy license. Psychotherapists in training reported higher educational support for EBP than licensed psychotherapists (T = 2.09, p = .037, d = 0.25). The expected high correlation between the ICS and the ISP-D-SN was found (r = .59, p < .001). Results for the German ICS confirm good psychometric properties including validity.

Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Assessment of Psychometric Properties of Nepalese Version of Skindex-16

Introduction: Assessment of the quality of life is an important aspect of managing skin diseases. The tools to measure the health related quality of life are still scarce in our country. We have planned to add one useful and widely used tool in the local language. The main objective of this study was to translate English version of skindex-16 in Nepali language and evaluate its psychometric properties. Methods: Standard protocol was followed to translate the English version of Skindex-16 into Nepali language after due permission from the Mapi Trust. The translated version was completed by the patients in the out-patient unit of dermatology department, which was subjected to statistical validation. Some participants completed the same questionnaire in seven to ten days gap. Cronbach’s, Intra-Class correlation, Pearson’s correlation and factor analysis were performed for validation of newly translated Skindex-16 version. Results: In total 190 people were enrolled in this study, 92 (48.4%) were males. One hundred and nineteen of the total participants had inflammatory conditions, 8 had facial pigmentation and remaining 63 had a solitary non-inflammatory skin lesions. Overall Cronbach’s was 0.91, for items related to symptoms it was 0.74, for emotions .91 and for functioning .86. The mean inter-item correlation coefficient was 0.403, the Intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.918 and the Pearson’s correlation coefficient 0.929 (P value &lt;.001). The Principal component analysis derived three factors and the items loaded on these factors satisfactorily. Conclusion: The Nepali version of Skindex-16 is a well translated and validated tool to measure the health related quality of life in skin diseases.

Exploring Dynamics of Changes in Psychological Skills in the Development of Talented Athletes.

In this study we examined changes in a psychological skill set, defined as crucial for the growth of talented athletes, through repeated assessments of the six-factor Psychological Characteristics of Development Excellence Questionnaire (PCDEQ). In a first phase of this study, we built and evaluated a French adaptation of the PCDEQ: the PCDEQ-SV (18 items). After confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha revealed that scales for its six factors ranged from very good to just below minimally acceptable as a model fit. The mean inter-item correlations for the scales, built on three items per scale, were optimal, leading us to assume that this short version was reliable. In the second phase, we analyzed the changes in the skill sets of 67 talented Swiss athletes who were given the PCDEQ-SV three times over 1year. Feedback on the scores was provided to participants in comparison to the test's cutoffs after T1 and T2. The analysis then focused on those who scored below the cutoffs and their resources for skill improvements. We found that the highest number of participants scored below the cutoffs at testing times, T1 and T2 on Factors 2, 6 and 1. Changes in scores were characterized by overall dynamics of improvement. The resources most used to effect those changes were "personal work with no outside help," "discussions with significant others," and "specific work with the coach." The results are discussed in relation to the iGen's resources for self-determination of psychological skills improvement.

Psychometric Properties of the Child Neglect Scale and Risk Factors for Child Neglect in Chinese Young Males Who Were Incarcerated

Child neglect is an important risk factor for juvenile delinquency, while few studies have examined child neglect in Chinese juvenile delinquents due to the lack of appropriate measurement tools. The Child Neglect Scale is a 38-item retrospective self-report scale that specifically focuses on child neglect. The current study, therefore, aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Child Neglect Scale and risk factors for child neglect among Chinese juvenile delinquents. A total of 212 young males who were incarcerated participated in this study, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Child Neglect Scale, and basic information questionnaire were used to collect data. The results showed that the Child Neglect Scale has good reliability, and the mean inter-item correlation coefficients reach accepted standards. Moreover, it is found that child neglect is prevalent among Chinese young males who are incarcerated, with communication neglect occurring most frequently. Low levels of family monthly income and rural residency are risk factors for child neglect. The average scores of security neglect, physical neglect, and communication neglect of the participants respectively show statistically significant differences according to the type of major caregivers. Findings suggest that the Child Neglect Scale may be used to measure child neglect with four independent subscales in Chinese young males who are incarcerated.

Development and validation of the Social Reward Questionnaire-Early Childhood.

Social interactions like group inclusion, receiving praise, or treating others kindly can be motivating and enjoyable. Social reward sensitivity, including motivation and enjoyment, varies between individuals. In early childhood, this variation may relate to differences in social experience and development. Social reward questionnaires have been developed to measure individual differences in social enjoyment for adolescents and adults, but no early childhood measure currently exists. Here, we describe the development and validation of the parent/caregiver report Social Reward Questionnaire-Early Childhood (SRQ-EC) for children aged 3-7 years. The SRQ-EC was developed to quantify both wanting (motivation) and liking (enjoyment) of social rewards, which were considered in separate factor models. For wanting and liking models, exploratory (N = 126) and confirmatory (N = 344) factor analyses identified that three subscales best represented early childhood social reward sensitivity, which were: Sociability (large groups), Admiration (praise and positive attention), and Prosocial Interactions and Compliance (kindness and rule following). SRQ-EC subscales were internally consistent (ω = 0.76-0.91, α = 0.75-0.88, mean interitem correlations = 0.38-0.60) with high test-retest reliability over 2-weeks (r = 0.66-0.85, all p < .001). Subscales differentially associated with other social behavior and personality measures, suggesting construct validity. SRQ-EC subscale scores further showed differential and significant associations with autistic-like traits in nonautistic children. These results suggest that SRQ-EC subscale scores are reliable for assessing social reward sensitivity during early childhood, which could offer key developmental insight regarding interindividual variation in early social behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Validating the Remote First Aid Self-Efficacy Scale for Use in Evaluation and Training of First Responders in Remote Contexts.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the remote first aid self-efficacy scale (RFA SES). The RFA SES is a 30-item self-report scale developed in response to emerging evidence showing that self-efficacy is predictive of performance. Trained alumni from Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA) training courses and less trained students from Laurentian University (LU) were recruited via email to complete an online questionnaire at 2 different periods (T1 and T2). The questionnaire included demographic questions, the 30-item RFA SES, the 10-item Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC), and the 10-item generalized self-efficacy scale (GSES). Data analysis included assessment of the dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the scale. There were 448 alumni from WMA and 1106 students from LU who participated in the study. The RFA SES demonstrated a clear unidimensional structure. The mean interitem correlation was 0.75 at T1. Test-retest reliability (T1 to T2) was high for both the LU group (intraclass correlation [ICC]=0.90) and the WMA group (ICC=0.92). Moderate correlations were found between RFA SES and CD-RISC (r=0.42, P<0.001), a general measure of resilience, and the GSES (r=0.48, P<0.001), a general measure of self-efficacy. Wilderness Medical Associates participants showed higher mean scores than LU students at T1 (t [569]=16.2, P<0.001). The RFA SES is a unidimensional, reliable, and potentially valid scale. Further research should focus on item reduction followed by additional tests of reliability and validity.

Development and initial validation of questionnaire on predictors for the use of hearing protection devices among noise exposed manufacturing workers in Tanzania: A methodological study.

The use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) has been an intervention of choice in many workplaces such as in the construction industry for quite some time due to impractical effects of engineering and administrative interventions. Questionnaires for assessment for HPDs use among construction workers have been developed and validated in developed countries. However, there is limited knowledge of the same, among manufacturing workers in developing countries that are assumed to have a different culture, work organizations and production processes. We conducted a stepwise methodological study to develop a questionnaire to predict the use of HPDs among noise exposed workers in manufacturing factories in Tanzania. The questionnaire included 24 items and was developed through rigorous and systematic procedures involving three steps; (i) item formulation that involved two experts, (ii) expert content review and item rating that involving eight experts with vast experience in the field, and (iii) a field pre-test that involved 30 randomly selected workers from a factory with similar characteristics as a planned study site. A modified Pender's Health Promotion Model was adopted in the questionnaire development. We analyzed the questionnaire in terms of content validity and item reliability. The 24 items were categorized into seven domains i.e., perceived self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, interpersonal influences, situational influences and safety climate. The score for content validity for each item was satisfactory as the content validity index ranged between 0.75 to 1.00 for clarity, relevance, and essentiality criteria. Similarly, the scores for the content validity ratio (for all items) were 0.93, 0.88 and 0.93 for clarity, relevance, and essentiality, respectively. In addition, the overall value for Cronbach's alpha was 0.92 with domain coefficients: perceived self-efficacy 0.75; perceived susceptibility 0.74; perceived benefits 0.86; perceived barriers 0.82; interpersonal influences 0.79; situational influences; 0.70; and safety climate 0.79. The mean inter-item correlation was 0.49 suggesting good internal consistency. The developed and preliminary validated questionnaire can be used to predict the HPDs use among noise exposed manufacturing factory workers. Future surveys using this questionnaires warranted for further validation of the scale developed.

Examining the Factor Structure of Short Grit Scale (8 items) among University Students in a Collectivist Society - Pakistan

Pakistan's education ministry correctly identified management problems in its latest policy but paid no attention to helping students improve their psychological mindset. It is necessary to develop programs to help children raise their psychological outlook to bear the rigors of 21st-century education. This study examined grit that has the potential to be part of any developmental program. In particular, we focused on examining the factor structure of the short grit scale among university students using optimal strategies. Additionally, we provided cultural interpretations of the results. Our EFA result on polychoric data (n=268) in the R program revealed a two-factor solution: consistency of interest (4 items) and perseverance (3 items). The mean interitem correlation reliability was within the range (.29 to .34), and ordinal alpha was significant (.65) in both dimensions. Further, the CFA on polychoric data (n=269) displayed good fit indices for a two-factor solution with high reliabilities for both dimensions (Coefficient H &gt; .80). Our first MGCFA exhibited metric-level measurement invariance across gender. Similarly, the second MGCFA between groups (n=41) separated by 4.5 months displayed metric-level measurement invariance. The cultural interpretations of the results surmise that a two-factor solution exists among the sample students. However, these facets might act independently, and a high score on both dimensions might imply a gritty person. Though additional dimensions to define grit in collectivist societies have emerged, they require further validation.

Adapting the Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool for French-Canadian Intensive Care Nurses.

Self-administered instruments are used to measure components of work environments that cannot be measured directly. The Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT) of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is a promising instrument. However, it is available only in English and Japanese, precluding its use in other populations and cross-national comparisons. To describe the Canadian French translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the HWEAT (F-HWEAT) and to explore its factor structure and psychometric properties. Cross-cultural adaptation of the HWEAT and collection of evidence of validity via an electronic cross-sectional survey. A total of 564 intensive care unit nurses participated in the validation study. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the presence of a single overarching factor measured by the F-HWEAT. The Cronbach α for the instrument was 0.89 (95% CI, 0.88-0.91). The mean and median interitem correlations were both 0.32, and item-partial total correlations ranged from 0.33 to 0.64. The overall F-HWEAT score indicated that nurses believed their work environment needed improvements. Moderate positive correlations were found between the overall F-HWEAT score and nurses' perceptions of care quality (r = 0.45 [95% CI, 0.38-0.51]) and safety (r = 0.48 [95% CI, 0.40-0.55]). The results support the use of the F-HWEAT in French-speaking populations. Using the F-HWEAT will help elucidate areas needing improvement and expand global dialogues about healthy critical care work environments. With this information, nurse leaders and researchers can develop and implement modern strategies to improve the work conditions of intensive care unit nurses.

Emotion Recognition and the Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (SI-Bord): Outcomes and Community-Based Validation.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by impulsivity, affect instability, dysregulation, low self-image, and interpersonal difficulties. There are many instruments to measure traits of BPD, however, few can be administered quickly. The Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (SI-Bord) is an instrument offering a brief administration time with comparable psychometric properties to more comprehensive measures. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SI-Bord in a healthy community-based sample and its relatedness to measures of social cognition. A community-based sample of participants completed an online survey consisting of measures of BPD traits and social cognition including: the Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (SI-Bord), the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), the Florida Affect Battery (FAB), the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI). Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and inter-item correlations. Validity was assessed using factor analysis, examining associations with other measures of BPD traits, and examining associations with measures not measuring BPD traits. 151 participants were included in the study. Participants' age ranged from 20-76 (mean age of 38.79 ± 12.37) and comprised 76 females (50.33%) and 75 males (49.67%). Good internal consistency was found with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.71. Good inter-item reliability was found with a mean inter-item cross correlation of 0.25, with each item of the SI-Bord showing an inter-item correlation coefficient of &gt;.5. Factor analysis identified good construct validity with a strong singular dimension explaining a large proportion of variance (Question 1). The SI-Bord showed good concurrent validity with significantly strong positive correlations with the subscales of the PAI borderline scale measuring affect instability (r = 0.60; p &lt; 0.001), identity problems (r = 0.67; p &lt; 0.001), negative relationships (r = 0.61; p &lt; 0.001), total score (r = 0.76; p &lt; 0.001), and to a moderately strong positive correlation with self-harm (r = 0.39; p &lt; 0.001). The SI-Bord was not correlated with the NPI-16 (r = 0.131; p = 0.11), showing good divergent validity. These findings support the SI-Bord as a quick and useful screening tool for traits associated with BPD. Further clinical validation is warranted.

A Report on the Translation into Kiswahili and Subsequent Validation, of Three Positive Psychology Scales

Whilst positive psychology has grown as a strand of the discipline internationally, very little positive psychology research has been conducted in East Africa. It is likely that one reason for this is the scarcity of relevant validated Kiswahili-language psychometric scales. This paper reports the process and outcomes of translation into Kiswahili, refinement, and validation of three commonly-used scales from the positive psychology domain – the Gratitude Questionnaire, Satisfaction With Life Scale, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support – among students of the Universities of Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. Cronbach’s alpha values, mean inter-item correlations, and correlations with one another and with related measures, all yielded acceptable results. The final versions – K-GQ5, K-SWLS and K-MSPSS – appear valid and reliable, and suitable for use in research. We recommend larger scale investigation of these translations, the translation of further scales, and the development of positive psychology research in East Africa.

The Reliability of the Arabic Version of the Dyspnea Index Questionnaire for Upper Airway-Related Dyspnea.

Objectives This study aimed to translate the Dyspnea Index(DI) questionnaire into the Arabic language and determine whether this version is valid and reliable for Arabic-speaking patients with upper airway-related dyspnea. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the King Saud University Medical City otolaryngology clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The DI questionnaire was translated intoArabicand then back-translated into the English language. Inclusion criteria were preoperative patients presenting to the otolaryngology clinic with upper airway-related dyspnea between November and December 2020. The results of internal consistency and factor analysis among the items were compared to the original DI development results to assess the reliability of the questionnaire. Results Among a total of 57 recruited patients, 50 questionnaires were completed with an 88% response rate. The mean age of the included patients was 38 ±14 years. Women constituted 58% of the patients. The most common diagnosis was subglottic stenosis (72%). Principle component extraction in factor analysis revealed a single underlying factor for all the questions. Factor loading ranged from 0.69 to 0.85. Reliability statistics showed a high value of internal consistency among the items. The mean inter-item correlation was 0.58. Conclusion Based on our findings, the Arabic version of the DIquestionnaire is a reliable instrument for evaluating upper airway dyspnea.

Application of the Team Emergency Assessment Measure for Prehospital Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

Introduction: Communication and teamwork are critical for ensuring patient safety, particularly during prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The Team Emergency Assessment Measure (TEAM) is a tool applicable to such situations. This study aimed to validate the TEAM efficiency as a suitable tool even in prehospital CPR. Methods: A multi-centric observational study was conducted using the data of all non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients aged over 18 years who were treated using video communication-based medical direction in 2018. From the extracted data of 1494 eligible patients, 67 sample cases were randomly selected. Two experienced raters were assigned to each case. Each rater reviewed 13 or 14 videos and scored the TEAM items for each field cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance. The internal consistency, concurrent validity, and inter-rater reliability were measured. Results: The TEAM showed high reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.939, with a mean interitem correlation of 0.584. The mean item–total correlation was 0.789, indicating significant associations. The mean correlation coefficient between each item and the global score range was 0.682, indicating good concurrent validity. The mean intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.804, indicating excellent agreement. Discussion: The TEAM can be a valid and reliable tool to evaluate the non-technical skills of a team of paramedics performing CPR.