Ordinal Alpha Coefficient Research Articles

Validation of the Hong Kong Chinese version of the Support Person's Unmet Needs Survey-Short Form.

This study describes the psychometric properties of a Hong Kong Chinese version of the short form of the Support Person’s Unmet Needs Survey (SPUNS-SF) for caregivers of patients with cancer. A convenience sample of 280 patient-caregiver dyads was recruited between April and June 2018. A subsample of 70 caregivers completed the survey again, two weeks later. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) examined the instrument’s factorial structure, ordinal alpha coefficients evaluated the internal consistency, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) assessed the test-retest reliability. Convergence validity was evaluated by the correlations with sleep disturbance and caregiver burden in caregivers. The Hong Kong Chinese version of the SPUNS-SF (SPUNS-SFHKC) had a high completion rate of 96.8% (271/280) among caregivers. The original five-factor model provided an acceptable fit with the data in the CFA. The ordinal alpha coefficients were 0.866–0.945, and the two-week test-retest reliabilities were 0.524–0.678. The correlations of the five domains of the SPUNS-SFHKC with caregiver burden were 0.257–0.446, and for sleep disturbance were 0.075–0.464. The SPUNS-SFHKC has a suitable factor structure and psychometric properties for use in assessing unmet supportive needs among Chinese caregivers of patients with cancer. The applicability of the instrument for long-term use still needs to be studied.

Social support in old age: differences by sex in a sample from northern Mexico

Social support is perceived as information from the environment that allows a person to feel loved, esteemed and sustained. The objective of this study was to compare whether there are significant differences between men and women in the level of social support perceived by the family, friends and other meaningful support networks. A quantitative cross-type study was carried out. We used the multi-dimensional scale of perceived Social support (MSPSS), measures the perceptions of support of three main sources: family, friend and other significant, obtained an ordinal alpha coefficient of ω =. 934. We used an intentional sampling, participated 396 adults (Mage = 69.81, of = 6.95), 56.3% were women and 43.8% men. Significant differences were found in the three dimensions of social support in the older adult, with a smaller effect size than a standard deviation. Older women have a better perception of social support that contributes to their well-being. The role that people around the older adult play is meaningful to him and the quality of the existing relationship is more important, the family becomes that close support network where the older adult feels protected and loved.

Evaluación del abuso psicológico en parejas del mismo sexo: evidencias de validez de la EAPA-P en una muestra de habla hispana

Antecedentes: La investigación del abuso psicológico en parejas del mismo sexo se ha incrementado en las últimas décadas. Sin embargo, los pocos estudios de validación de medidas estandarizadas se han realizado en países anglosajones. La Escala de Abuso Psicológico Aplicado en la Pareja (EAPA-P) es un cuestionario auto-administrado que mide comportamientos abusivos experimentados en relaciones de pareja. El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar las propiedades psicométricas de la EAPA-P en parejas del mismo sexo compuestas por personas hispano-hablantes. Método: 372 lesbianas, gais y bisexuales participaron en el estudio a través de un cuestionario en línea. Se examinó la estructura interna, las correlaciones con una medida de malestar psicológico y la capacidad de discriminación de la escala. La fiabilidad se examinó mediante el coeficiente alfa ordinal. Resultados: Se extrajo un único factor que explicó el 52.27% de la varianza total, obteniendo una fiabilidad de .95. El análisis discriminante reveló una puntuación mayor de 12 como punto de corte óptimo para identificar la victimización. Se hallaron correlaciones significativas entre las puntuaciones de la EAPA-P y sintomatología depresiva. Conclusiones: La EAPA-P parece ser un instrumento válido y fiable para evaluar el abuso psicológico en personas hispano-hablantes en parejas del mismo sexo.

Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Adaptation of the Indicators of Abuse (IOA) Screen

The objectives of this study were to replicate the analyses conducted by the creators of the Indicators of Abuse (IOA) Screen with a Spanish sample group and compare the results, to present new validity evidences, to analyze which items were more relevant in the detection of situations of risk of abuse, and to establish a cut-off point to interpret the obtained scores. The IOA was used by 46 professionals from social services teams who assessed the situation of 231 elderly individuals and their main caregivers. The obtained results advocated towards unidimensionality of the scale. It showed a high level of internal consistency (α = .94). The Confidence Interval of 99% for the alpha coefficient was between .92 and .95. The ordinal alpha coefficient reached the value of .98. The total score of the scale showed adequate temporal stability (r = .91; p ≤ .001; N = 163). Statistically significant differences (t-test) in the mean scores of most of the items were found between cases of adequate treatment and cases of risk of abuse. The scale classified correctly 93% of all cases. The best balance between sensitivity and specificity was found at the cut-off point given by score 16 (Sensitivity = 0.94, Specificity = 0.85). The results appear to confirm the validity evidence of the instrument when used with a Spanish population. However, it is necessary to conduct further research and confirm the results with wider, more representative sample groups.

Development and validation of a structured observation scale to measure responsiveness of physicians in rural Bangladesh

BackgroundResponsiveness of physicians is the social actions that physicians do to meet the legitimate expectations of service seekers. Since there is no such scale, this study aimed at developing one for measuring responsiveness of physicians in rural Bangladesh, by structured observation method.MethodsData were collected from Khulna division of Bangladesh, through structured observation of 393 patient-consultations with physicians. The structured observation tool consisted of 64 items, with four Likert type response categories, each anchored with a defined scenario. Inter-rater reliability was assessed by same three raters observing 30 consultations. Data were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by assessment of internal consistency by ordinal alpha coefficient, inter-rater reliability by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), concurrent validity by correlating responsiveness score with waiting time, and known group validity by comparing public and private sector physicians.ResultsAfter removing items with more than 50% missing values, 45 items were considered for EFA. Parallel analysis suggested a 5-factor model. Nine items were removed from the list owing to < 0.50 communality, <0.32 loading in un-rotated matrix, and <0.30 on any factor in rotated matrix. Since 34 items (i.e., the number of remaining items after removing nine items by EFA) were loaded neatly under five factors, explained 61.38% of common variance, and demonstrated high internal consistency with coefficient of 0.91, this was adopted as the Responsiveness of Physicians Scale (ROP-Scale). The five factors were named as 1) Friendliness, 2) Respecting, 3) Informing and guiding, 4) Gaining trust, and 5) Financial sensitivity. Inter-rater reliability was high, with an ICC of 0.64 for individual rater’s reliability and 0.84 for average reliability scores. Positive correlation with waiting time (0.51), and higher score of private sector by 0.18 point denote concurrent, and known group validity, respectively.ConclusionsThe ROP-Scale consists of 34 items grouped under five factors. One can apply this with confidence in comparable settings, as this scale demonstrated high internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. More research is needed to test this scale in other settings and with other types of providers.

Équivalence de la version en français pour le Canada et de la version originale états-unienne de l’Adult Self-Report

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the equivalence of the French-Canadian version of the Adult Self-Report (ASR; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2003) to its original English (USA) version. Both the original English version and the newly translated French-Canadian version were administered to 251 bilingual students from four Canadian provinces (Manitoba, New-Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec), with a one to two weeks interval. Correlations varying from 0.72 to 0.87 indicated a high degree of correspondence between the scales of the two versions. Cohen's d calculated using Morris and DeShon's (2002) formula for within-subjects designs indicate that differences between mean scores varied from near-zero (d=0.01) to small (d=0.19), and suggest that they are not clinically significant. Ordinal alpha coefficients for the scales of the French-Canadian version varied from 0.66 to 0.96 but are inferior to those of the English version in seven of the eleven scales. Globally, results indicate that the equivalence of the French-Canadian version to the original English version of the ASR is sufficient to recommend its use.

Spanish validation of the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking (DOSPERT-30) Scale.

The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a Spanish version of the short Domain-Specific Risk-Taking (DOSPERT-30) scale, measuring risk-taking behavior, risk perception, and expected beneficial consequences (from taking risks) in five life domains: ethics, finance, health/security, recreational, and social decisions. The scale was back-translated, and administered online to 826 participants. Validity evidence was tested using correlations with construct-related instruments (UPPS-P and SSS-V), as well as using factor analysis. Internal consistency reliability was calculated with the ordinal Alpha coefficient, and gender differences were considered. Internal consistency was good, and factor analysis confirmed the five factors proposed by the authors. With respect to the external validity, high correlations with the positive urgency and the sensation seeking subscales of the UPPS-P, as well as with the thrill and adventure seeking and disinhibition subscales of the SSS-V were found. Finally, gender differences were found in all subscales and domains, with men tending to take more risks, perceive less risk and expect more beneficial consequences, except for the social domain where an inverse pattern was found. As these findings are in line with the original version, they indicate the scale was successfully adapted.

A Scale of Parental Anxiety about Pediatric Emergency Medical Care Services of Japan: Development, Reliability, Validity, Generalizability and Usefulness

Aim: The purpose of this study was to develop a scale, “parental anxiety about pediatric emergency medical care services” (PAPEMCS), and to evaluate its psychometric properties. Methods: Participants were 14,510 parents with children 6 years old or younger in Kagawa Prefecture. Using each half of the participants, exploratory factor analysis was performed to generate items and factors for the PAPEMCS, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to establish the construct validity. The generalizability of the PAPEMCS was evaluated by congruence tests and multigroup CFA. The usefulness of the PAPEMCS was established by the relationship between the PAPEMCS and non-urgent usage of pediatric emergency medical care services (PEMCS). Results: The PAPEMCS compromised 4 factors: “anxiety about quality of PEMCS”, “anxiety about PEMCS system”, “anxiety about public support”, and “anxiety about private support”. All reliability estimates (polychoric ordinal alpha coefficients, item-rest correlations), the item discrimination, 5 fit indices for CFA, the convergent validity (indicator reliabilities, composite reliabilities, average variance extracteds), and the discriminant validity fulfilled the acceptability thresholds. All generalizability estimates fulfilled the predetermined levels of acceptability (Tucker’s congruence coefficients, congruence tests, strict factorial invariance). The usefulness of the PAPEMCS was established by the higher scores of the PAPEMCS being related to non-urgent usage of PEMCS. Conclusions: The PAPEMCS demonstrated satisfactory reliability, validity, generalizability and usefulness. The PAPEMCS is useful to quantify the contents and extent of parental anxiety about PEMCS, and to clarify the mechanisms of non-urgent PEMCS usage.

Estructura factorial de la Cardiff Anomalous Perceptions Scale (CAPS) en una muestra de población colombiana

BackgroundThe continuum hypothesis of psychosis assumes that hallucinations are not exclusive of psychotic disorders. A number of psychometric tests have been developed to assess psychosis using a dimensional model. ObjectivesTo determine the factorial structure of the Cardiff Anomalous Perceptions Scale (CAPS) for the Colombian population, and to contrast the fit of two factor models previously reported in the literature by conducting a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study in which 207 subjects from the general population were assessed using the Cardiff Anomalous Perceptions Scale. ResultsA two-factor structure with acceptable ordinal alpha coefficients (α=.88 and α=.87) was found. One factor gathered items related to multimodal perceptual alterations, and a second factor grouped items related with experiences linked to the temporal lobe. The analysis of the first factor indicated that it was dependent on cultural issues for the interpretation of sensations. The second factor appeared almost unchanged on diverse populations, suggesting its transcultural character. When comparing the models proposed by Bell et al. and Jaen-Moreno et al. using the data obtained from the sample, the confirmatory factor analysis conducted indicated inadequate goodness-of-fit indexes (χ2). However, some incremental goodness-of-fit indexes (normalized χ2 [RMSEA]) were acceptable. The Jaén-Moreno et al. model showed the best fit to the data collected from the Colombian sample. ConclusionsThe factorial structure of CAPS for the Colombian population appears to be sensitive to cultural issues, especially when describing anomalous sensorial experiences.

Dimensionality, Reliability and Validity of the InterRAI Depression Rating Scale in a Canadian Palliative Care Population

A reliable and valid instrument is needed to screen for depression in palliative patients. The interRAI Depression Rating Scale (DRS) is based on seven items in the interRAI Palliative Care instrument. This study is the first to explore the dimensionality, reliability and validity of the DRS in a palliative population. Palliative home care patients (n = 5,175) residing in Ontario (Canada) were assessed with the interRAI Palliative Care instrument. Exploratory factor analysis and Mokken scale analysis were used to identify candidate conceptual models and evaluate scale homogeneity/performance. Confirmatory factor analysis compared models using standard goodness-of-fit indices. Convergent and divergent validity were investigated by examining polychoric correlations between the DRS and other items. The “known groups” test determined if the DRS meaningfully distinguished among client subgroups. The non-hierarchical two factor model showed acceptable fit with the data, and ordinal alpha coefficients of 0.83 and 0.82 were observed for the two DRS subscales. Omega hierarchical (ωh) was 0.78 for the bifactor model, with the general factor explaining three quarters of the common variance. Despite the multidimensionality evident in the factor analyses, bifactor modelling and the Mokken homogeneity coefficient (0.34) suggest that the DRS is a coherent scale that captures important information on sub-constructs of depression (e.g., somatic symptoms). Higher correlations were seen between the DRS and mood and psychosocial well-being items, and lower correlations with functional status and demographic variables. The DRS distinguished in the expected manner for known risk factors (e.g., social support, pain). The results suggest that the DRS is primarily unidimensional and reliable for use in screening for depression in palliative care patients.

Is Poor Sleep Quality at High Altitude Separate from Acute Mountain Sickness? Factor Structure and Internal Consistency of the Lake Louise Score Questionnaire

The factor structure and internal consistency of the Lake Louise Score Questionnaire (LLSQ) have not been determined in a large population at high altitude; however, a single-factor structure and a high internal consistency are preferable for accurate clinical and research applications of the LLSQ. A large group of Nepalese pilgrims (n=491) were assessed for acute mountain sickness with a verbal Nepali translation of the LLSQ after rapidly ascending from 1950 m to 4380 m. The factor structure and internal consistency of the LLSQ were determined with a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the ordinal alpha coefficient, respectively. A one-factor structure with all five items of the LLSQ was accepted. Four items (headache, gastrointestinal upset, fatigue/weakness, and dizziness/lightheadedness) loaded strongly on this factor (>0.70), but sleep quality had a low factor loading (0.33). The internal consistency (ordinal alpha coefficient) was 0.79, but removing the sleep quality item improved this value to 0.84. The sleep quality item of the LLSQ was weakly related to the other items of the LLSQ. Future research should further investigate whether impaired sleep at altitude should be considered separately from other symptoms of AMS.