Mean Scores For Scales Research Articles

P01-11 - Motivation for treatment of addiction may differ according to type of application: results from a Turkish sample

IntroductionThe motivation of the patient may affect response to treatment and prognosis.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to compare the various types of application of patients in terms of their motivation and sociodemographic variables.AimsTo demonstrate that patients who apply for treatment themselves have greater motivation and less depression and anxiety.MethodsPatients who applied or were referred for treatment of addiction to the Elazig Hospital for Mental Disorders were included in this study. Patients diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria, giving written informed consent and who did not have severe comorbid psychopathology were enrolled. Beck Depression and Anxiety Scales, and Motivation for Treatment Scale (MfT) were used in evaluation. p was set at 0.05.ResultsForty five male patients with a mean age of 37.9 (S.D. 11.2) were enrolled in the study. The mean scores for Beck Depression and Anxiety Scales and the Motivation for Treatment Scale were 27.7 (S.D. 12.8), 25.2 (S.D. 15.2) and 67.4 (S.D. 11.4); respectively. When the socio-demographic and clinical variables of the patients who applied voluntarily and those who were referred for treatment involuntarily were compared by Mann-Whitney U test, only the total score on the Motivation for Treatment Scale as well as those of its subscales for seeking help and being ready for treatment differed betwen groups (p: 0.01, 0.05 and 0.01; respectively).ConclusionTypes of application for treatment may affect levels of motivation in patients for treatment. Techniques for motivational interview may especially be important for patients applying involuntarily.

Family Physicians' Experiences With Community Mental Health Centers: A Multilevel Analysis

Family Physicians' Experiences With Community Mental Health Centers: A Multilevel Analysis

So much to teach, so little time: a prospective cohort study evaluating a tool to select content for a critical care curriculum

IntroductionCurricular content is often based on the personal opinions of a small number of individuals. Although convenient, such curricula may not meet the needs of the target learner, the program or the institution. Using an objective method to ensure content validity of a curriculum can alleviate this issue.MethodsA form was created that listed clinical presentations relevant to residents completing intensive care unit (ICU) rotations. Twenty residents and 20 intensivists in tertiary academic multisystem ICUs ranked each presentation on three separate scales: how life-threatening each is, how commonly each is seen in critical care, and how reversible each is. Mean scores for the individual scales were calculated, and these three values were subsequently multiplied together to achieve a composite score for each presentation. The correlation between the two groups' scores for the presentations was calculated to assess reliability of the process.ResultsThere was excellent agreement between the two groups for rating each presentation (correlation coefficient r = 0.94). The 10 clinical presentations with the highest composite scores formed the basis of our new curriculum.ConclusionsWe describe a method that can be used to select the content of a curriculum for learners in an ICU. Although the content that we selected to include in our curriculum may not be applicable to other ICUs, we believe that the process we used is easily applied elsewhere, and that it provides an efficient method to improve content validity of a curriculum.

Validity of the Walter Reed Visual Assessment Scale to measure subjective perception of spine deformity in patients with idiopathic scoliosis

BackgroundThe Walter Reed Visual Assessment Scale (WRVAS) was designed to allow idiopathic scoliosis patients to describe their perception of their deformity. In a previous stduy, the scale has shown good correlation with magnitude of the curveMethodsThe study included 70 patients (60 women and 10 men), mean age 19.4 years (range 12–40), with idiopathic scoliosis. Each patient filled out the WRVAS and the SRS-22 questionnaire. Thoracic and lumbar curve angles were determined in standing X-rays and the largest was named Cobbmax. WRVAS internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's alpha. Correlation coefficients were calculated between Cobbmax and the various WRVAS questions, and Cobbmax and the SRS-22 scales. The correlation between the WRVAS and SRS-22 was also determinedResultsMean magnitudes were thoracic curve, 36.6° and lumbar curve, 33.2°; average Cobbmax was 37.9°. The mean total WRVAS score was 15.6. Mean scores for the various SRS-22 scales were function 4.6, pain 4.3, self-image 3.7, mental health 4.2, and total score 84.1. Internal consistency for the WRVAS was excellent (Cronbach's alpha, 0.9), and there were no signs of collinearity among the seven questions (tolerance range 0.2–0.5). All the items on the WRVAS correlated significantly with Cobbmax (correlation coefficients, 0.4 to 0.7). The correlation between the total WRVAS and total SRS-22 score was -0.54 (P = .0001) and between WRVAS total score and SRS-22 image domain score was -0.57 (p = 0.0001)ConclusionThe WRVAS showed excellent internal consistency and absence of collinearity. There was a highly significant correlation between the results of the test and the magnitude of the deformity. The WRVAS correlated significantly with the SRS-22 image scale. The WRVAS is a valid instrument to assess scoliosis patients perception of their deformity

Assessing the Relationship of Learning Approaches to Workplace Climate in Clerkship and Residency

To determine what approaches to learning are adopted by clinical clerks and residents and whether these approaches are associated with demographic factors, specialty, level of training, and perceptions of the workplace climate. In 2001-02, medical clerks (n = 532) and residents (n = 2,939) at five medical schools in Ontario, Canada, were mailed the Workplace Learning Questionnaire. The correlation between the approaches to learning at work and perceived workplace climate and the influence of gender, age, location, residency program and level of training on outcomes were measured. A total of 1,642 clerks and residents responded (47%). The factor structure and reliability of the Workplace Learning Questionnaire were confirmed for these respondents. A surface-disorganized approach to learning was correlated with perception of heavy workload (r = .401, p < .001). The deep approach to learning was correlated with perception of choice-independence in the workplace and a supportive-receptive workplace (r = .32, p < .001; r = .23, p < .001). The climate factors, perception of choice-independence and supportive-receptive workplace, were correlated (r = .60, p < .001). There were significant differences among the mean scores for scales based on residency, year of training, and location of training. Perception of the workplace climate was associated with the approach to learning in the workplace of clerks and residents. Perception of heavy workload was associated with less effective approaches to learning. These associations varied with the residency program and the level of training.

Cross-sectional study of health-related quality of life in African Americans with chronic renal insufficiency: the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension Trial.

We measured health-related quality of life (HRQL) by using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form (SF-36) in a cross-sectional study of 1,094 African American men and women with mild to moderate chronic renal insufficiency (mean glomerular filtration rate, 45.7 mL/min/1.73 m2) caused by hypertension before randomization onto the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK) Trial. Scales contributing to physical health and a summary measure, the Physical Component Summary (PCS) score (mean, 43.4 +/- 10.9 [SD]), were significantly lower than scales relating to mental health and the Mental Component Summary (MCS) score (51.3 +/- 10.3). All scales (except Role-Physical) and the PCS and MCS were significantly higher in men (44.3 +/- 10.9 and 51.8 +/- 10.0, respectively) than women (41.9 +/- 10.8 and 50.5 +/- 10.6, respectively). In multivariate analysis, employment status, education level, household income, body mass index, comorbid medical conditions, years of hypertension, number of antihypertensive drugs prescribed, exercise status, and male sex were significant independent predictors of PCS. Fewer factors predicted MCS and included employment status, marital status, current smoking, age, comorbid medical conditions, and male sex. In the entire AASK cohort, mean scores for individual scales, except Mental Health, and the PCS were lower, but the mean MCS score was slightly higher than values for the US general population. Values for individual scales of the SF-36 and the PCS were substantially higher among AASK participants compared with African-American hemodialysis patients. Six of the eight scales were lower in the AASK cohort compared with groups of racially mixed and exclusively African-American hypertensive subjects. We conclude that physical aspects of quality of life are substantially reduced compared with mental components among AASK participants, and a number of demographic and clinical characteristics significantly impact on HRQL.

Personality profiles and heart rate variability (vagal tone) in children with recurrent abdominal pain

The aim of the study was to explore psychological factors and autonomic activity in children with recurrent abdominal pain and to compare them with those in a control group of healthy children. The Personality Inventory for Children was used for assessment of developmental, emotional and psychosocial factors in 25 children with recurrent abdominal pain (age, 7–15 y). Parasympathetic and sympathetic functions in these children and in 23 healthy control subjects (age, 7–13 y) were also investigated, non-invasively using a computerized polygraph. Vagal tone (parasympathetic function) was indexed by calculation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia in beats/min. Skin conductance (sympathetic function) was recorded by the constant current method. On the Personality Inventory for Children, 16 patients had high scores on somatic concern. Several patients had scores in the clinical range for depression, withdrawal and anxiety, but the mean scores for these personality profile scales were well within the normal range of healthy children. Interestingly, there was a spike on the L (Lie)-scale for most of the patients and 15 patients had scores above or close to the clinical cut-off value. As compared with the scores in healthy children, vagal tone and sympathetic tone were normal. Conclusion: Many children with recurrent abdominal pain have scores in the clinical range for depression, withdrawal, anxiety and L-scale indicating coping problems, denial and a trend towards somatic concern that may contribute to the evolution of abdominal pain. Autonomic nerve activity was not disturbed in these children.

Personality profiles and heart rate variability (vagal tone) in children with recurrent abdominal pain

The aim of the study was to explore psychological factors and autonomic activity in children with recurrent abdominal pain and to compare them with those in a control group of healthy children. The Personality Inventory for Children was used for assessment of developmental, emotional and psychosocial factors in 25 children with recurrent abdominal pain (age, 7-15 y). Parasympathetic and sympathetic functions in these children and in 23 healthy control subjects (age, 7-13 y) were also investigated, non-invasively using a computerized polygraph. Vagal tone (parasympathetic function) was indexed by calculation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia in beats/min. Skin conductance (sympathetic function) was recorded by the constant current method. On the Personality Inventory for Children, 16 patients had high scores on somatic concern. Several patients had scores in the clinical range for depression, withdrawal and anxiety, but the mean scores for these personality profile scales were well within the normal range of healthy children. Interestingly, there was a spike on the L (Lie)-scale for most of the patients and 15 patients had scores above or close to the clinical cut-off value. As compared with the scores in healthy children, vagal tone and sympathetic tone were normal. Many children with recurrent abdominal pain have scores in the clinical range for depression, withdrawal, anxiety and L-scale indicating coping problems, denial and a trend towards somatic concern that may contribute to the evolution of abdominal pain. Autonomic nerve activity was not disturbed in these children.

Evaluating PTSD in incarcerated male juveniles with the MMPI-A: An exploratory analysis

This is a preliminary study examining the utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent form (MMPI-A; Butcher, Williams, Graham, Archer, Tellegan, Ben-Porath, & Kaemmer, 1992) for identifying PTSD in incarcerated adolescents. Scores from the MMPI-A were compared with scores and diagnostic criteria from the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (PTSD-RI; Frederick, 1985) for a sample of 60 male juvenile delinquents. Results from a MANOVA indicated significant differences in mean scores for MMPI-A Scales 4, 6, and 8 for both PTSD and Non-PTSD groups. The MMPI Supplementary PK scale (Keane, Malloy & Fairbank, 1984), developed for identifying PTSD, was adapted and evaluated for applications with the MMPI-A. Finally, a discriminant function analysis successfully classified juveniles with and without PTSD symptomatology. In summary, the PK scale was moderately successful at identifying post-traumatic stress reactions. Our results suggest that the MMPI-A may serve as a useful screening measure, indicating the need for further evaluation of traumatic experiences in juveniles.

Effects of Intentional Distortion in Personality Measurement and evaluation of Suggested Palliatives

Two rational, a priori strategies for dealing with intentional distortion of self-descriptions were developed and evaluated according to their (a) impact on criterion-related validity, (b) effect on scale score means for the total group as well as women and minorities, and (c) impact on who specifically is hired. One strategy involves correcting an individual's content scale scores based on the individual's score on an Unlikely Virtues (UV) scale. A second strategy involves removing people from the applicant pool because their scores on an UV scale suggest they are presenting themselves in an overly favorable way. Incumbent and applicant data from three large studies were used to evaluate the two strategies. The data suggest that (a) neither strategy affects criterion-related validities, (b) both strategies produce applicant mean scores for content scales that are closer to incumbent mean scores, (c) men, women, Whites, and minorities are not differentially affected, and (d) both strategies result in a subset of people who are not hired who would otherwise have been hired. If one's goal is to reduce the impact of intentional distortion on hiring decisions, both strategies appear reasonably effective.

MMPI assessment of patients with functional bowel disorders.

This prospective study was undertaken to assess personality differences among patients with chronic pelvic floor disorders. Sixty patients (43 females and 17 males) of a mean age of 58 (range, 33-87) years with fecal incontinence (n = 19), constipation (n = 30), or levator spasm (n = 11) had a mean duration of symptoms of 35 (range, 2-50) years. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was utilized for psychologic assessment for all patients prior to treatment. Mean scores for scales 1 (hypochondriasis), 2 (depression), and 3 (hysteria) were significantly elevated for the levator spasm group (71, 75, and 73, respectively). A similar pattern was seen for the constipation group, where the mean scores for scales 1 and 2 were significantly elevated (70 and 74, respectively) with a moderate elevation on scale 3 (68). The hypochondriasis (1), depression (2), and hysteria (3) scales are referred to as the "neurotic triad," and profile patterns such as these indicate that these subjects may manifest their psychologic distress as physical symptoms. By contrast, the fecal incontinence patients were within the normal range on all scales. The information from these MMPI profiles can be used to understand the personality and emotional composition of these patients to assist in their evaluation and treatment.

A comparison of the WAIS and WAIS‐R in matched UK samples

A matched samples design was employed to compare WAIS and WAIS-R IQ in UK subjects. The WAIS yielded significantly higher mean Full Scale, Verbal and Performance IQs. The mean differences were 7.5, 6.4 and 7.9 IQ points respectively. The WAIS and WAIS-R samples were broadly representative of the UK adult population in terms of age, sex and social class distribution, and therefore provide tentative estimates of population mean scores for both Wechsler scales. Mean WAIS IQ was 108.6, suggesting that the WAIS yields inflated IQ scores in the contemporary UK population. Encouragingly, mean WAIS-R Full Scale IQ was 101.1, suggesting that it neither markedly underestimates nor overestimates IQ in the UK.