Properties In Terms Of Reliability Research Articles

Assessment of Psychometric Properties of the Malay Version of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS-M) among Non-Academic Staff Working from Home during COVID-19 in Malaysia.

This study aims to validate the Malay version of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS-M) in order for the scale to be available among the Malay-speaking population. Two hundred and ninety-eight non-academic staff completed the Malay version of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS-M), Malay Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI-M), and Malay Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (M-DASS-21). To explore the factor structure of BRS-M, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with the first group of 149 participants was conducted using FACTOR (v.11) software. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted from the data of the second group of 149 participants using SEM_PLS software. The EFA revealed a two-factor model; Factor 1 ="Resilience" and Factor 2 = "Succumbing". The CFA indicated a sufficient internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.806 and McDonald's omega, ω = 0.812) and a good fit with SRMR = 0.031. BRS-M, CBI-M, and M-DASS-21 displayed a satisfactory concurrent validity result. Household income and marital status had significant association with resilience level, with low household income (B40 group) being a predictor of lower resilience. The BRS-M demonstrated favourable psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity to assess the level of resilience among non-academic staff in Malaysia.

The Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale: Examining the Reliability and Validity in Spanish Parents

ObjectivesMindful parenting is the extension of dispositional mindfulness to parent–child interactions. The Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale (IM-P) is a 31-item self-report measure to assess different dimensions of mindful parenting. Its psychometric properties have been evaluated in several countries. Two studies were conducted, and the principal aim was to assess the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the IM-P in two samples of Spanish parents.MethodIn Study 1, 785 parents filled out this questionnaire and a dispositional mindfulness questionnaire. In Study 2, 859 parents responded to questions about mindful parenting and self-compassion.ResultsThe results of an exploratory factor analysis suggested a 5-factor structure in Study 1: nonjudgmental acceptance of parental functioning, compassion for the child, listening with full attention, self-regulation in parenting, and emotional awareness of the child. This 5-factor model was also evaluated through a confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2. The 5 factors showed good internal consistency and positive correlations with measures of dispositional mindfulness (Study 1) and self-compassion (Study 2).ConclusionsThe Spanish version of the IM-P has demonstrated adequate psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity in two samples of Spanish parents.

Validation of the French version of the ICHOM adult oral health standard set.

The ICHOM Adult Oral Health Standard Set (AOHSS) recently developed by the ICHOM Oral Adult Health Working Group is a standard set of outcomes designed for its collection in clinical practice in dental health. The outcome standard set is made up of clinical-reported outcome measures (CROMs) and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). The purpose of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the PROM section of the Standard Set in French for France to enable comprehensive evaluation of the patients' oral health quality of life in a French population. The questionnaire was translated following the guidelines of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcome Research (ISPOR). We included patients consulting in a dentistry clinic (n = 127) and seeking dental care. The PROM and CROM data were collected from all patients. Both reliability and the internal consistency were evaluated. The ICHOM AOHSS was successfully translated into French. We sampled and surveyed 126 patients in a dentistry clinic in France using the French translation of the ICHOM AOHSS. Cronbach's α was calculated to measure the internal consistency. The resulting Cronbach's α was 0.8, indicating acceptable homogeneity. The French version of the ICHOM AOHSS shows acceptable psychometric properties in terms of reliability and internal consistency. This translation is suitable for its implementation in a French-speaking patient population.

Design and Validation of a Questionnaire to Measure the Perception of Nursing Degree Students about the Learning Process in Primary Care.

The aim of this study was to develop a tool for the evaluation of the learning process of the clinical practicum in primary care. The study was carried out in two phases: (1) identification of the categories that determine the perception of the nursing degree students about the learning process in the clinical practicum in primary care and the items for each category; and (2) cross-sectional study in a sample of 475 nursing degree students. The psychometric properties in terms of reliability (internal consistency) and construct validity were analyzed through a confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of internal consistency for the entire questionnaire was 0.93, and that for each of the categories was above 0.70 in all cases. The chi-squared test was statistically significant (2.84; p < 0.001). The confirmatory factor analysis produced a model of 6 dimensions and 41 items. The parameters were estimated through the least squares method. All saturations were statistically significant (p < 0.05). In view of the results of this study, it can be asserted that the questionnaire to measure the perception of the nursing degree students about the learning process in the community clinical practicum (QPCLP) presents good properties in terms of internal consistency and validity.

Validity of the Functioning Assessment Short Tests (FAST), in patients with schizophrenia

IntroductionFunctional impairment in schizophrenia is one of the main features of the disorder and implies a great impact on the patient's quality of life. The Brief Functioning Assessment Scale (FAST), originally validated in bipolar disorder, has also been validated for its application in other mental disorders. However, we only found one study on the reliability and validity of the Brazilian version in schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the FAST in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Material and methodsA total of 226 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were evaluated by mean the FAST, the GAF and the self-care requirements scale (ERA). Scale properties were analyzed in terms of internal consistency, inter-observer agreement and test-retest reliability. Convergent validity with the GAF and ERA scales was also analyzed, as well as construct validity by means of a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). ResultsFor the total scale, the results showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha of, 87), as well as good inter-observer (ICC=,86) and test-retest (ICC=,77) agreement. Concurrent validity with the GAF scale was discrete (r=−,32; P<,001) and with the ERA scale was moderate (r=,50; P<,001). CFA showed an internal structure that matched the six factors proposed by the original scale, with a good level of item saturation for each factor. ConclusionsThe FAST scale showed good psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity in its Spanish version for its application in patients with schizophrenia. It can be considered as a good tool to assess different areas of functional impairment in clinical practice and research.

Validation of the Dyspnoea-12 and Multidimensional Dyspnea profile among older Swedish men in the population

BackgroundThe Dyspnoea-12 (D12) and Multidimensional dyspnea profile (MDP) are commonly used instruments for assessing multiple dimensions of breathlessness but have not been validated in older people in the population. The aim of this study was to validate the D12 and MDP in 73-years old men in terms of the instruments’ underlying factor structures, internal consistency, and validity.MethodsA postal survey was sent out to a population sample of 73-years old men (n = 1,193) in southern Sweden. The two-factor structures were evaluated with confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha, and validity using Pearson´s correlations with validated scales of breathlessness, anxiety, depression, fatigue, physical/mental quality of life, body mass index (BMI), and cardiorespiratory disease.ResultsA total 684 men were included. Respiratory and cardiovascular disease were reported by 17% and 38%, respectively. For D12 and MDP, the proposed two-factor structure was not fully confirmed in this population. Internal consistency was excellent for all D12 and MDP domain scores (Cronbach's alpha scores > 0.92), and the instruments’ domains showed concurrent validity with other breathlessness scales, and discriminant validity with anxiety, depression, physical/mental quality of life, BMI, and cardiorespiratory disease.ConclusionsIn a population sample of 73-years old men, the D12 and MDP had good psychometrical properties in terms of reliability and validity, which supports that the instruments are valid for use in population studies of older men.

Psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale in a Cypriot student sample

Subjective well-being has been researched across multiple studies to identify how different people define happiness and satisfaction in their lives. Life satisfaction, a key component of subjective well-being, has been used on its own as a global judgment of an individual’s subjective level of satisfaction with life. The Satisfaction with Life scale (SWLS) allows people to express their perceptions about 5 simple statements. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the scale in a Cypriot sample of 341 university students. Psychometric analysis revealed that the data fit well in a unidimensional factor model in a confirmatory factor analysis, with adequate reliability indices of McDonald’s ω and Cronbach’s α =.86, and test-retest reliability of Pearson r = .85. SWLS scores had negative correlation coefficients with scores from trait anxiety, perceived stress, neuroticism, behavioral inhibition and depression measures, and moderate to strong positive correlations with scores from optimism and self-esteem measures; they were weakly positively associated with social desirability and uncorrelated with need for cognition scores. Overall, the SWLS scale had satisfactory psychometric properties in terms of reliability, factorial, convergent and discriminant validity and can be used with a Greek-speaking student population.

EBEVEYNLİĞE GELENEKSEL VE MODERN YAKLAŞIMLAR ÖLÇEĞİ’NİN GELİŞTİRİLMESİ: GÜVENİRLİK VE GEÇERLİK

Culture has an impact on shaping traditional and egalitarian attitudes that are essential factors affecting parenting and child outcomes. Although in the literature some scales focus on these attitudes about parenthood, none of them are appropriate for the Turkish cultural context. Thus, it is thought that the scale measuring these attitudes in the Turkish cultural context is vital for the proper evaluation of the relationship between these attitudes and other constructs. Therefore, the main aim of the current study was to develop a reliable and valid measure exploring parents’ traditional and modern approaches to parenting. Factor analysis results showed that the Inventory of Traditional and Modern Approaches to Parenting has two dimensions: traditional and modern approaches. Also, the internal consistency scores and significant associations between the factors of the scale and other related constructs demonstrated that the Inventory of Traditional and Modern Approaches to Parenting had good psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity. In sum, this new scale can be used to assess parents' traditional or modern attitudes toward parenthood.

Validity and Reliability of the Self-administered Psycho-TherApy-SystemS (SELFPASS) Item Pool for the Daily Mood Tracking of Depressive Symptoms: Cross-sectional Web-Based Survey.

Backgrounde-Mental health apps targeting depression have gained increased attention in mental health care. Daily self-assessment is an essential part of e-mental health apps. The Self-administered Psycho-TherApy-SystemS (SELFPASS) app is a self-management app to manage depressive and comorbid anxiety symptoms of patients with a depression diagnosis. A self-developed item pool with 40 depression items and 12 anxiety items is included to provide symptom-specific suggestions for interventions. However, the psychometric properties of the item pool have not yet been evaluated.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to investigate the validity and reliability of the SELFPASS item pool.MethodsA weblink with the SELFPASS item pool and validated mood assessment scales was distributed to healthy subjects and patients who had received a diagnosis of a depressive disorder within the last year. Two scores were derived from the SELFPASS item pool: SELFPASS depression (SP-D) and SELFPASS anxiety (SP-A). Reliability was examined using Cronbach α. Construct validity was assessed through Pearson correlations with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the General Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), and the WHO-5-Wellbeing-Scale (WHO-5). Logistic regression analysis was performed as an indicator for concurrent criterion validity of SP-D and SP-A. Factor analysis was performed to provide information about the underlying factor structure of the item pool. Item-scale correlations were calculated in order to determine item quality.ResultsA total of 284 participants were included, with 192 (67.6%) healthy subjects and 92 (32.4%) patients. Cronbach α was set to .94 for SP-D and α=.88 for SP-A. We found significant positive correlations between SP-D and PHQ-9 scores (r=0.87; P<.001) and between SP-A and GAD-7 scores (r=0.80; P<.001), and negative correlations between SP-D and WHO-5 scores (r=–0.80; P<.001) and between SP-A and WHO-5 scores (r=–0.69; P<.001). Increasing scores of SP-D and SP-A led to increased odds of belonging to the patient group (SP-D: odds ratio 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05; P<.001; SP-A: 1.05, 1.05-1.01; P=.01). The item pool yielded 2 factors: one that consisted of mood-related items and another with somatic-related items.ConclusionsThe SELFPASS item pool showed good psychometric properties in terms of reliability, construct, and criterion validity. The item pool is an appropriate source for daily mood tracking in future e-mental health apps among patients with depression. Our study provides general recommendations for future developments as well as recommendations within the item pool.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

Emotional control, the attempt to suppress the expression of negative effects, is an essential factor in the prevalence of psychological distress in women with breast cancer. The Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS) is a commonly used self-report tool for assessing emotional suppression in both clinical and general groups. This study aimed to validate the Chinese version of the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS) in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The study involved 680 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer aged 25 to 76 (mean age = 48.19, standard deviation (SD) = 8.57) from Changsha (China). Data analysis included Cronbach's alpha coefficients, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Pearson's correlations, Independent-Samples T test, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) were conducted to determine the optimal model. For the best fitting model stability was assessed with tests for invariance across age, educational level, and employment status. Internal consistency (α = 0.987) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.715) of the CECS were presented. Results confirm the structure of the Chinese version of the CECS with 21 items divided into three dimensions, anger suppression (CECS_AG), depression suppression (CECS_MD), and anxiety suppression (CECS_AX). Convergent and known-groups validity were acceptable. Additionally, this model remained invariant across age, educational levels, and employment status. The Chinese version of the CECS has good psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity, remaining invariant across age, educational levels, and employment status in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

Psychometric Validation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) Adapted to Moroccan Teachers

Introduction: The literature on burnout research shows that more than 90% have used the Maslach BurnoutInventory (MBI).Objective: The aim is to establish the psychometric properties in terms of reliability, sensitivity and validityof the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and to adapt it to the context of Moroccan teachers.Method: This work was carried out through a process of translation and reverse translation of theoriginal instrument by adapting the elements to the teaching profession. To determine the psychometriccharacteristics, we used Cronbach’s alpha to determine reliability, exploratory factor analysis to extractfactors and determine dimensionality, and confirmatory factor analysis to test the validity of the statisticalmodel. Validation of the instrument was carried out on a sample of 170 teachers working in public schoolsin Ouezzane region (Morocco).Results: Items 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, and 22 were relatively incoherent with respect to the other items, they wereeliminated. The factorial analysis made appear three factors whose are explain 58.22% of the total variance.Cronbach’s ? for the whole questionnaire (0.761), for emotional exhaustion (0.819), depersonalization(0.850) and sense of personal accomplishment (0.785). The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showedsatisfactory adjustment indices (X2 = 164,938 - df = 101- CFI = .937 - TLI = .915 - RMSEA = .037- Pclose = .984).Conclusion: We propose to use Maslach’s Theoretical Model for the Moroccan Sample in Future Researchon the burnout of Moroccan teachers.

Brief Clinical Assessment Scale for Schizophrenia (BCASS): Development, Validity, and Reliability Study.

The instruments used for the clinical assessment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are not commonly administered in routine clinical practice since their application takes a long time. This study aims to develop a short, comprehensive, and easy-to-apply scale and to examine its psychometric properties. A 14-item scale was prepared by adding two items inquiring about obsessions and memory difficulties to the items taken from Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) covering the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The items were rated on a 4-point scale reflecting their effect on daily functioning as 1. not present, 2. mild problems, 3. moderate problems, 4. severe problems. The scale was administered together with other concordant scales to the patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The construct validity of the scale was analyzed by explanatory factor analysis, the concurrent validity was examined through correlations of the scale scores with those of comparable scales, and criterion validity was evaluated by the sensitivity to the change in psychopathology. For reliability, internal consistency coefficient and interrater reliability were assessed. Data from a total of 120 patients were analyzed. The internal consistency coefficient of the scale was calculated as 0.89. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a 4-factor solution which accounted for 74.47% of the total variance of the scale scores. The first factor (psychosis) explained 43.49% of the total variance, the second factor (negative/cognitive impairment) explained 14.53%, the third factor (emotional distress) explained 11.19%, and the fourth factor (disorganization) explained 5.34% of the total variance. Significant correlations were found between the scale's total score and the PANSS (r=0.78), Clinical General Impression-Severity (CGI-S) (r=0.81), and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores (r=-0.77). Interrater reliability was strong (ICC=0.89), and the sensitivity to the change in psychopathology was significant (Cohen d=2.68). The scale demonstrated adequate psychometric properties in terms of reliability, validity, and dimensionality that justify its use in routine clinical practice.

A Narrative Review on Measurement Properties of Fixed-distance Walk Tests Up to 40 Meters for Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a serious disease and has no cure to date. Knee OA is a leading cause of functional limitation (e.g., difficulty walking). Walking speed is 1 method of quantifying difficulty with walking and should be assessed in clinical practice for adults with knee OA because it has prognostic value and is modifiable. Specifically, slow walking speed is associated with increased risk of adverse health outcomes, including all-cause mortality in adults with knee OA and can be modified by engaging in physical activity or exercise. However, at present, there is little consensus on the distance and instructions used to conduct the walk test. Distance is often selected based on space availability, and instruction varies, from asking the participants to walk at a comfortable pace versus as fast as possible. Therefore, the purpose of this narrative review is to summarize the measurement properties, strengths, and limitations of a fixed-distance walk test ≤ 40 meters in adults with knee OA. Good measurement properties in terms of reliability and validity were observed across the different testing protocols for fixed-distance walk test (i.e., any distance ≤ 40 m and fast- or self-paced). Therefore, clinicians and researchers can select a testing protocol that can safely and consistently be performed over time, as well as provide a practice trial to acclimatize the patients to the fixed-distance walk test.

The Factor Structure of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire in Tunisian Patients.

Background:The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) is a frequently used screening tool for the early detection of Bipolar Disorder (BD), which is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed at its onset. In this study, data from Tunisia has been used to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic MDQ.Methods:The sample included 151 patients with a current major depressive episode. The Arabic adapted version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR was used to formulate a diagnosis, yielding 62 patients with BD and 89 with unipolar Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Principal component analysis with parallel analysis was used to establish the spontaneous distribution of the 13 core items of the MDQ. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to check the available factor models. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the capacity of the MDQ to distinguish patients with BD from those with MDD.Results:Cronbach’s α in the sample was 0.80 (95%CI: 0.75 to 0.85). Ordinal α was 0.88. Parallel analysis suggested two main components, which explained 59% of variance in the data. CFA found a good fit for the existing unidimensional, the two-factor, and the three-factor models. ROC analysis showed that at a threshold of 7, the MDQ was able to distinguish patients with BD from those with MDD with extraordinary negative predictive value (0.92) and a positive diagnostic likelihood ratio of 3.8.Conclusion:The Arabic version of the MDQ showed good measurement properties in terms of reliability, factorial validity and discriminative properties.

Application of the Chinese version of the addiction profile index (API) in drug users: an analysis of validity and measurement invariance across genders

BackgroundIn China, substance use disorders represent a significant burden on public health and the economy. However, while the range of drugs and drug markets expands and diversifies, the instruments available to evaluate users’ dependence statuses from multiple dimensions have become insufficient. Accordingly, the present study presents the Chinese version of the Addiction Profile Index (API), explores its reliability and validity, and investigates the measurement invariance between males and females with substance use disorders.MethodsThe API, a self-report questionnaire, was administered to 2252 people with substance use disorders who were undergoing treatment in compulsory detoxification institutions located in five provinces in China (943 females; mean age = 33.5 years old, SD = 8.6). Additionally, to ensure the authenticity of the collected data, the study’s volunteers completed the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT), DUDIT-Extended (DUDIT-E), and the Health Scale for Drug Abusers (HSDA).ResultsThe revised API, with its updated substance list, featured 34 items. The new four-factor model, incorporating behavioral symptoms of dependence, impact on social life, cravings, and motivations for detoxification, explained 55.30% of the total variance, indicating a good fit. Moreover, Cronbach’s α and mean item coefficient values showed good internal consistency reliability. Regarding criterion validity, the revised factors were moderately to highly correlated with their corresponding subscales in the DUDIT, DUDIT-E, and HSDA. In addition, the multigroup confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that a measurement invariance of the revised four-factor model across genders was supported, fully assuming different degrees of invariance. The three factors of symptoms, social life, and motivation exhibited significant differences between male and female participants in the t test results (p < 0.01).ConclusionsThe Chinese version of the API shows good psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity, and exhibits measurement equivalence across the genders. Therefore, it could be used to comprehensively assess the severity of drug dependence in people with substance use disorders.

Psychometric properties of the psychological strain scales (PSS) in suicide attempters and community controls of rural China

BackgroundPsychological Strain Scales (PSS) were developed to measure four types of strain comprising value strain, deprivation strain, aspiration strain, and coping strain. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of 40-item PSS in suicide attempters and community controls of rural China. MethodsData of this study came from the investigation of 132 suicide attempters and their paired community controls matched with the same sex, age (±3 years) and residence in five counties in rural Shandong, China. The Chinese version of PSS, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI) and the Self-esteem Scale (SES) were administered and reliability test and validity test of the PSS were conducted. ResultsCronbach's α and Guttman Spilt-Half coefficient of PSS was 0.942 and 0.842 for suicide attempters, and 0.950 and 0.874 for community controls. For both suicide attempters and community controls, the Exploratory Factor Analysis indicated a one-factor structure of each strain scale, which accorded with the original factor structure proposed by the authors. The scores of the total PSS and four subscales were positively correlated with the scores of CES-D and TAI; and negatively correlated with the score of SES, which indicated a good performance in convergent validity. LimitationsThis study was limited to its generalizability to the Chinese urban population. ConclusionsThe Chinese version of the 40-item PSS has satisfactory psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity in Chinese rural suicide attempters and community controls.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Italian language Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12) as an outcome measure for total knee arthroplasty in an Italian population

BackgroundWith ever-increasing numbers of patients undergoing elective total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and as TKA is performed in increasingly younger patients, patient demands and expectations have also increased. With improved patient outcomes, new PROMs with heightened discriminatory power in well-performing patients are needed. The present study aimed to translate and validate the Italian version of the Forgotten Joint Score (FJS-12) as a tool for evaluating pre-operative through longitudinal post-operative outcomes in an Italian population.MethodsIn this prospective study, patients with unilateral osteoarthritis, undergoing TKA surgery between May 2015 and December 2017 were recruited to participate in the study. The FJS-12 and WOMAC were collected pre-operatively and at six and 12 months post-operatively. According to the COSMIN checklist, reliability, internal consistency, validity, responsiveness, effect size, and ceiling effects and floor effects were evaluated.ResultsOne hundred twenty patients completed the study, 66 of which participated in the evaluation of test-retest reliability. Good test-retest reliability was found (ICC = 0.90). The FJS-12 also showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.81). Construct validity with the WOMAC, as a measure of the Pearson correlation coefficient, was moderate (r = 0.45 pre-operatively; r = 0.46 at 6 months and r = 0.42 at 12 months post-operatively). From six to 12 months, the change was slightly greater for the WOMAC than for the FJS-12 patients (effect size d = 0.94; d = 0.75, respectively). At 12-months follow-up, the ceiling effects reflecting the maximum score were 12% for the FJS-12 and 6% for the WOMAC; however, scores within 10% of the maximum score were comprised 30% of the FJS-12 scores and 59% for the WOMAC.ConclusionThe Italian FJS-12 demonstrated strong measurement properties in terms of reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity in TKA patients. Furthermore, a more detailed look at ceiling effects shows a superior discriminatory capacity when compared to the WOMAC at 12-months follow-up, particularly in better-performing patients.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov NCT03805490. Registered 18 January 2019 (retrospectively registered).

Frontotemporal Dementia Knowledge Scale: Development and Preliminary Psychometric Properties.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) accounts for ∼10% of dementia cases and is the most common cause of early-onset dementia. However, no well-validated instrument currently exists to measure knowledge about FTD. In this study, we used systematic scale development procedures to create a scale to measure knowledge of FTD based on a contemporary understanding of the disease. Standard scale development methods were used to create items and evaluate their psychometric properties. A total of 72 health care professionals and 102 caregivers of people with FTD responded to items measuring FTD knowledge, general dementia knowledge, crystallized intelligence, experience with FTD, and demographic information. The Frontotemporal Dementia Knowledge Scale (FTDKS) contains 18 items that cover key, basic knowledge about FTD in the domains of risk factors, symptoms, course, caregiving, and treatment. The scale uses a 4-point True/False format with a Don't Know option and takes ∼5 minutes to complete. In the current sample the FTDKS had good psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity. The FTDKS can be used with health care professionals and caregivers of people with FTD to assess their knowledge about the disease. The scale may be useful to evaluate knowledge in clinical care and educational program contexts.

Validation of the Danish version of the brief negative symptom scale

Objective: The Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) is an instrument for evaluating negative symptoms (NS) in schizophrenia based on the 2005 consensus statement by the National Institute of Mental Health. This study examines the validity and reliability of the Danish version of BNSS.Materials and methods: Acutely and chronically affected patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were assessed with BNSS along with other psychopathological scales and clinical measures. Convergent and discriminant validity of BNSS was evaluated by its relationships with these assessments. Inter-rater agreement was estimated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).Results: Forty-nine subjects were included; the mean age was 33.1 (±10.8) years and 32 (65%) were males. BNSS correlated strongly with traditional assessment tools for NS and poorly with measures of depressive and extrapyramidal symptoms, except for Parkinsonism. Moreover, BNSS correlated well with the assessment of positive symptoms. The ICC of BNSS was 0.95 (n = 19, 95% CI: 0.88–0.98).Conclusions: Overall, BNSS holds appropriate psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity. However, discriminant validity was compromised by correlations with positive symptoms and Parkinsonism. The former originates presumably from NS secondary to positive symptoms since the sample included acutely psychotic patients, and the latter from overlapping rating criteria regarding facial expressivity impairment.

Validation study of the Italian version of Communication Activities of the Daily Living (CADL 2) as an ecologic cognitive assessment measure in older subjects

Communication can be affected by age related cognitive decline and mental deterioration. The second edition of the Communication Activities of the Daily Living (CADL 2) appears as an interesting ecological assessment tool of cognitive functions in old age. The aim of this work is to (1) develop an Italian version of CADL 2, (2) to test its psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity, and (3) to measure CADL 2 discriminative capacity between cognitively healthy and cognitively impaired older subjects. One hundred and eleven subjects were enrolled (36 M; 75 F, age 80, 80.85 ± 7years, education 9.3 ± 4.7years). The CADL 2 was administered together with a standard neuropsychological battery. The CADL 2 showed good reliability and correlates with all the cognitive evaluation tests. The CADL 2's area under the curve was equal to 0.80, index of good diagnostic accuracy. The CADL 2 is an appropriate assessment tool for communication skills in aging.