Psychometric Research Articles

Translation and Validation of the Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire in Indonesian Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

The purpose of the study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the 24-item Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire (DKQ) for Indonesian patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and evaluate its psychometric properties. Forward-backward translation, adaptation involving 7 experts, and pretesting to develop the Indonesian version of DKQ were conducted. Psychometric analysis was carried out among T2D patients from 40 primary health care centers in Indonesia. Known-group, convergent and discriminant validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed. Additionally, a descriptive item analysis was conducted. In total, 39 patients participated in the pretesting and 304 patients in the validation process and descriptive analysis. Of the 24 items, 2 were adjusted during the adaptation process, and 1 item was deleted because it did not adequately reflect the original item. Known-group validity was demonstrated because patients with younger ages, higher educational levels, and longer diabetes duration had significantly higher DKQ scores. Convergent validity was demonstrated by a significant positive correlation of the DKQ scores with overall treatment satisfaction. The 23-item DKQ Bahasa Indonesia showed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.73; omega total = 0.72) and good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.87 in a sample of 27 patients). No floor and ceiling effects were found in the item analysis. The study demonstrates adequate validity and reliability of the 23-item DKQ Bahasa Indonesia for assessing diabetes knowledge in Indonesian primary care patients with T2D. This instrument can be used to identify room for improvement and develop diabetes education programs.

Exploring Implementation Processes of a Multicomponent Family Support Intervention in Intensive Care Units (FICUS) Study: A Mixed-Methods Process Evaluation.

To investigate the experience with and progress of the implementation of a Family Support Intervention (FSI) into adult intensive care units (ICUs) as part of the cluster-randomised FICUS trial. A mixed-methods process evaluation using a multiple case study approach guided by the normalisation process theory. This study took place between June 2022 and July 2023 in eight Swiss ICUs randomised to the intervention arm. A tailored implementation strategy was used to introduce the multicomponent FSI, consisting of a new family nursing role and a family care pathway, into interprofessional ICU teams. Participants were 40 ICU key clinical partners. Qualitative data were collected twice, early (3-6 months) and mid-implementation (9-12 months), using small group interviews. A questionnaire with psychometric measures (Acceptability of Intervention Measure, Feasibility of Intervention Measure, Intervention Appropriateness Measure, Normalisation Measure Development Questionnaire) was administered at mid-implementation. RITA pragmatic rapid thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Qualitative and quantitative results were then compared across ICUs (cases). Findings indicated the desired progress of the FSI integration overall and across cases, with high acceptability and appropriateness ratings but only moderate to high feasibility scores. Study-related barriers were noted in all ICUs (i.e., FSI delivery as part of a clinical trial). Implementation barriers included family nurses' limited capacity and clinician's attitudes towards the FSI. Leadership support and interprofessional collaboration were identified as facilitators. Case-based, integrated findings yielded two implementation pathways, namely early and protracted adopters. Implementation barriers were related to the feasibility of FSI delivery within the study context that required a high degree of standardisation and protocol adherence. Implementation progress was shaped by an interprofessional culture of family care, sufficient staff and time resources, and leadership support. The study's findings will inform future implementation of complex health interventions in ICUs. Good reporting of a Mixed-Methods Study (GRAMMS). Within the FICUS trial, a patient and family advisory board with a patient expert, three family members and a patient with own lived experience of critical care collaborate with the research team.

Шкала родительского стресса: адаптация на русскоязычной выборке матерей школьников

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective. </strong>Adaptation of the Parental Stress Scale by J. Berry and V. Jones on a sample of mothers of Russian schoolchildren – first and fourth grade students of elementary schools in Nizhny Novgorod and the Nizhny Novgorod region. <br><strong>Background. </strong>Modern parenting research highlights the complex nature of parenting experiences, the diversity of parental practices, the changes associated with the child's upbringing and the dynamics of the family system, and the combination of both positive and negative emotions in parenting. However, there is a noticeable shortage of tools in the Russian-language literature to measure both parental satisfaction and parental stress. <br><strong>Study design. </strong>The study was conducted using an online survey within the “Longitudinal study of factors of school failure”, implemented in Nizhny Novgorod and the Nizhny Novgorod region. <strong>Participants. </strong>The study included a sample of 900 mothers of fourth grade and 1120 mothers of the first grade school students. <strong>Measurements.</strong> Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and McDonald's Omega coefficients were used for psychometric data analysis. The PERMA Profiler questionnaire and correlation analysis were used to assess validity based on convergent and discriminant evidence. The data was analyzed in the Jamovi 2022 and R programs. <br><strong>Results. </strong>Factor analyses of the internal structure suggest two factors, including 8 items each. The subscales “Parental stress” and “Parental satisfaction” demonstrate a high level of internal consistency. The assessment of validity based on the convergent and discriminant evidence confirms the reliability and validity of the instrument. <br><strong>Conclusions. </strong>The scale demonstrates good psychometric properties and can be used for parenting research, as well as in applied projects to improve parental competence and emotional support for parents.</p>

Current oral contraceptive use affects explicit and implicit measures of depression in women

Some data suggest that increased depressive symptoms may occur in women using combined oral contraceptives (OCs). However, this idea is controversial and the existing evidence is conflicting. The present study compared negative affect in 53 healthy women (Mage = 19.9 years) during intervals of active daily OC hormone intake and during the washout week of the contraceptive cycle when no exogenous estrogens or progestins are used. A prospective counterbalanced repeated-measures study design was employed. Depressive affect was evaluated using standard psychometric tests of explicit (self-perceived) and implicit negative affect. Implicit measures are considered less subject to bias related to social expectations, self-awareness, or willingness to disclose. Other than their usual OCs, participants were medication-free and had been using OCs for a median of 12 mo. We found that measures of implicit affect (e.g., Affect Misattribution Procedure, Emotional Stroop Test) displayed a more depressive-like pattern of performance during active hormone intake, particularly among a subgroup of OC users who reported experiencing high levels of depressive affect more generally. In contrast, participants’ self-perceptions suggested that they perceived their negative symptoms to be greater during the ‘off’ phase of the OC cycle, when OC steroids are withdrawn and menses occurs. The present findings reinforce the possibility of depressive mood effects associated with OC usage, and highlight the utility of including implicit measures, but also illustrate the complexity of mood assessment in OC users.

Краткая версия Шкалы аутентичности в отношениях: психометрическая проверка в российской культуре

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective</strong>. Psychometric validation of the Russian-language short version of the Authenticity in Relationships Scale (AIRS), which allows you to assess the degree of authenticity in various contexts: partners, parents, friends and colleagues. <br><strong>Background.</strong> The basis of close relationships as an absolute value for different cultures is honest self-presentation, which contributes to a person’s psychological well-being and increases satisfaction with communication. Authentic relationships include unacceptability of deception and intimate risk taking. In authentic relationships, there should be no desire to produce and maintain ideas about oneself and one’s partner that do not correspond to reality. They also imply a desire for more open, close communication, i.e., revealing one’s real self to another person. To measure this quality, the Authenticity in Relationships Scale was developed in the USA and GB, which has not yet been subjected to systematic psychometric testing, although there are no analogues to this instrument in Russia, which determined the relevance of this study. <strong>Study design.</strong> Standard psychometric validation of the methodology was carried out for each of the four contexts: partners, parents, friends, colleagues. The Cronbach coefficient alpha was analyzed on the full sample of respondents; half of the respondents’ answers were selected for exploratory factor analysis, the other half for confirmatory factor analysis. <br><strong>Participants.</strong> The study involved 449 respondents aged 18 to 60 years (10% male, 90% female; average age – 27 years (min = 17, max = 60)). The study participants are Russian–speaking citizens of the Russian Federation, representatives of different professions. <br><strong>Measurements.</strong> The main method was a short version of the Authenticity in Relationships Scale, which included 10 statements for each context. Data were collected online using the 1ka.si service. Jamovi (v. 2.3.21.0) was used for data processing. <br><strong>Results.</strong> The scale is applicable only to the context of a romantic relationship. For other contexts, the original model has not been confirmed. <br><strong>Conclusions.</strong> The methodology can be applied in research and in psychological counseling to study the authenticity level of romantic relationships. The scale's applicability to other social contexts requires further testing.</p>

Social and pedagogical assistance to adolescents with intellectual disabilities

Importance. One of the pressing problems of correctional psychological and pedagogical assistance to children with intellectual developmental disabilities is the possibility of early initiation of correction and the choice of effective correctional and developmental methods for the purpose of their maximum socialization. Purpose of the study: orrectional and developmental activities introduction into adaptive physical education classes to increase the social adaptation level of adolescents 14–15 years old with mild mental disability.Materials and Methods. 20 teenagers aged 14–15 years with mild mental disability, studying in a correctional school of type VIII, took part in the pedagogical experiment. Two groups are formed: a control group, studying according to a standard program for people with disabilities, and an experimental group, in which, as part of pedagogical control, 30 correctional and developmental classes, 30 minutes each, are conducted 1–2 times a week, as part of adaptive physical education classes. The tools for assessing the effectiveness of the correctional classes are: determination of the group cohesion index using K.E. Sishor’s psychometric test, determining the aggressiveness level using Bass–Darki’s questionnaire, assessing communication skills using B.A. Fedorishin’s assessment.Results and Discussion. Corrective and developmental activities carried out during adaptive physical education classes had a positive impact on the communication abilities development in adolescents aged 14–15 years with mild mental disability. After conducting a pedagogical experiment, adolescents in the experimental group significantly improved the average diagnostic test scores (p ˂ 0.05) on the following tests: K.E. Sishor’s psychometric test, B.A. Fedorishin’s communicative inclinations assessment, Bass–Darki’s questionnaire.Conclusion. The introduction of developed correctional and educational activities into the adaptive physical education classes program made it possible to increase the social adaptation level of adolescents 14–15 years old with mild mental disability.

How Culture and Musical Engagement Shape Musical Reward Sensitivity in Danish Teens: A Validation Study of the Danish Barcelona Musical Reward Questionnaire With 4641 Adolescents.

The ability to convey emotions and induce pleasure is one of the most important aspects of the way that music becomes meaningful to humans. Affective responses to music are specific to both cultural and personal preferences, but little is known about the individual variability in adolescence. The Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire (BMRQ) is a psychometric measure that identifies five factors associated with musical pleasure: Musical Seeking, Emotional Evocation, Mood Regulation, Social Reward, and Sensory-Motor. With this study, we aimed to validate the BMRQ in Danish teens and to explore the differences in music reward experiences in relation to the amount of musical activity, between genders and over ages. Approximately 30,000 Danish adolescents participated in a mass experiment with a subset (N = 4641, 51.2% girls, age range = 13-19 years old) responding to (1) a Danish adaptation of the BMRQ and (2) the Concurrent Musical Activities (CCM) Questionnaire. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied, and a seven-factor model of the BMRQ was found to fit the Danish adolescent population. The seven-factor version of the Danish BMRQ was due to the split of the dimensions "Sensory-Motor" and "Social Reward" into two further subfactors. The students with a higher amount of musical engagement scored higher across all dimensions. In particular, the higher the musical engagement, the higher scores were found for the facet of musical pleasure related to the sharing of musical activities, especially in the earliest stages of adolescence. Furthermore, we found that sensitivity to music generally tends to increase with age, and that girls reported overall to be more sensitive to music than boys in the dimension related to evocation of emotions. A slightly different model of the BMRQ has to be taken into account when testing the Danish adolescent population. In addition to utilizing the Danish version of the BMRQ on a large sample of adolescents, this study may provide insight into the relationship between changes in the level of musical reward depending on amount of musical engagement and how musical reward unfolds within and between genders and across age groups during this developmental stage.

The meaning of attention control.

Attention control has been proposed as an ability construct that explains individual differences in fluid intelligence. Evaluating this hypothesis is complicated by a lack of clarity in the definition of attention control. Here, I propose a definition of attention control, based on experimental research and computational models of what guides attention, and how cognitive processes are controlled. Attention is the selection of mental representations for prioritized processing, and the ability to control attention is the ability to prioritize those representations that are relevant for the person's current goal, thereby enabling them to think and act in accordance with their intentions. This definition can be used to identify appropriate and less appropriate ways to measure individual differences in attention control. An analysis of various approaches to measurement reveals that the current practice of measuring attention control leaves room for improvement. Aligning our psychometric measurements with a clear, theoretically grounded concept of attention control can lead to more valid measures of that construct. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The translation and validation of the surgical anxiety questionnaire into the modern standard Arabic language: results from classical test theory and item response theory analyses

BackgroundPreoperative anxiety is commonly found in patients who are waiting for surgery and can lead to negative surgical outcomes. Understanding the sources of surgical anxiety allows healthcare providers to identify at-risk patients and implement psychosocial interventions such as counseling, relaxation techniques, and cognitive‒behavioral therapy to minimize anxiety. Few comprehensive psychiatric measures are available to assess preoperative anxiety in Arabic.ObjectiveOur study aimed to translate, adapt, and validate the Surgical Anxiety Questionnaire (SAQ) into the modern standard Arabic language, also known as Fusha al-Asr Arabic.MethodsTo translate the questionnaire, the research team used the gold standard process of forward translation by two independent translators along with back translation evaluation by four trained medical doctors. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey completed by 208 Arabic speakers (mean age 38 years, 44% women) from four countries. Psychometric analyses, which included internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, confirmatory factor analysis, and item response analysis, were performed. Convergent validity tests were performed against the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item Scale (GAD-2), Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-2), Perceived Stress Scale 4 (PSS-4), and Arabic version of the Visual Analog Scale for anxiety (VAS-A).ResultsThe mean SAQ of our sample was 19.38 ± 12.63 (possible range 0–68). The Arabic SAQ translation demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with McDonald’s omega and a Cronbach’s alpha of approximately 0.90. The test-retest reliability was also high, with an intraclass coefficient of 0.94. The SAQ showed strong convergent validity against the GAD-2 (r = 0.94, p < 0.01). The SAQ also showed weak-moderate correlations with the PHQ-2 (r = 0.26, p < 0.01), PSS-4 (r = 43, p < 0.01), and VAS-A (r = 0.36, p < 0.01) scores. The original three-factor structure was supported by confirmatory factor analysis, confirming the original structure reported in the original English language version. The results for fitness indices showed acceptable preliminary results (CFI/TLI approximately 0.90), and deleting some items improved the model fit (CFI/TLI > 0.90, RMSEA < 0.08). We suggest retaining the original factorial solution until further validation studies can be conducted. The item response theory (IRT) results identified no items that were excessively difficult or subject to guessing. The multidimensional IRT provided evidence that the SAQ items form a multidimensional scale assessing surgical anxiety that fits the classical model reasonably well.ConclusionThe SAQ has demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity; thus, it is a trustworthy and valid tool for evaluating preoperative anxiety in Arabic speakers. Future research could benefit from using the SAQ in both surgical and psychiatric research.

Constructing a measure for self-perceived open organizational culture in a university hospital pharmacy.

An open organizational culture in the workplace represents an environment where information, ideas, and feedback are freely exchanged among all members, regardless of position or rank. Currently, there are no valid survey instruments to measure this culture within a healthcare context. To address this gap, we developed a survey instrument to measure self-perceived open organizational culture at a university pharmacy using a test re-test study design. Data were collected during classroom training on basic mediation skills study. Participants completed the same questionnaire before (test phase) and after the training (validation phase). The questionnaire included statements assessing open organizational culture. The data were analyzed using standardized psychometric methods, including correlations, Exploratory Factor Analysis (structural validity), and construct validity by correlating the open organizational culture scores with the Interpersonal Communication Inventory. In the test phase, 191 participants (161 females, 84%; response rate = 39.7%) contributed to the initial construction of the self-perceived open organizational culture survey instrument. In the validation phase, 81 of the original respondents completed the questionnaire again. Three latent factors were identified, retaining 22 of the 37 items: "enabling systems" (7 items), "open behavior" (8 items), and "trusting and supporting coworkers" (7 items). High correlations were found among the three factors (r > 0.6), and between these factors and the Interpersonal Communication Inventory (r > 0.35). Cronbach's alphas were all above 0.85, indicating good internal consistency. During the validation phase, the factors demonstrated high internal consistency, test/re-test correlations, and agreement. This study presents a 22-item survey instrument for measuring individual differences in self-perceived open organizational culture within a university hospital pharmacy. The instrument demonstrates internal consistency and construct validity. Further validation of its psychometric properties and testing in other healthcare departments are recommended.

Psychometric Properties and Measurement Equivalence of the Workplace Incivility Scale Across Cultures: Insights from Daily Diary Study.

Despite extensive research on workplace incivility, little attention has been given to its validation in culturally distinct contexts such as China and Pakistan. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the psychometric properties of the workplace incivility scale within these cultural frameworks. Additionally, it seeks to explore the cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the workplace incivility scale between these two diverse settings using a daily diary study design. The sample consisted of employees from service-providing organizations in China and Pakistan. Data was collected through snowball sampling, resulting in responses from 100 Chinese and 115 Pakistani employees over 10 consecutive workdays. Analysis of the daily responses, encompassing 748 from Chinese and 833 from Pakistani workers, indicated successful validation of the scale within both populations. This demonstrates the transferability of the concept of incivility to these cultural contexts. An integral aspect of this study is the consideration of potential cultural variations in workplace uncivil behavior. The validation and measurement equivalence of the scale for the core construct serves as essential infrastructure supporting such research endeavors.

The Role of Recruitment Practises in Enabling Workforce Diversity in County Governments in Kenya

Workforce diversity in public sector organizations in sub-Saharan Africa is supported by legal statutes and mandates as opposed to organizational policy initiatives. HR audits indicate a skewed distribution of specific ethnic groups and an aged workforce with redundant skills due to recruitment practices. Due to the dearth of studies on workforce diversity in sub-national governments in Sub-Saharan Africa, the study examined the role of recruitment practices in enabling workforce diversity in the County Government of Trans- Nzoia. The study was guided by the social identity theory and adopted a descriptive design that was cross-sectional in the time dimension. The study censused senior employees of the County Government and employed a questionnaire as the main research instrument The study carried out data analysis through descriptive analysis and used regression analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0 and the output presented in the form of graphs, Charts, and tables. The descriptive statistics indicated the county government values employee qualifications and uses both internal and external job advertisements, with a skewed but consistent selection process. Use of interviews with little application of the psychometric test of candidates as a screening criteria. Workforce diversity significantly correlated with the recruitment practices; with job advertisements (r = 0.781, p&lt; 0.05), and screening process (r = 0.679, p&lt; 0.05), The study concluded that the recruitment practices have a positive effect on workforce diversity. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the county government support competitive recruitment procedures to improve workforce diversity. The study implications are that sector organizations can promote workforce diversity through efficient practices. The study calls for the HR professional to critically examine the different aspects of HRM in public sector organizations. The study findings are beneficial to sub-national governments, policymakers/legislators, and other scholars in Kenya

The Vaginal Penetration Skills Scale (VPSS): a paradigm shift in genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder screening, assessment, and stratification.

Receptive vaginal penetration skills have been implicated in the etiology, explanatory models, and treatment of genito-pelvic pain penetration disorder (GPPPD). However, there are no psychometric skills measures designed to screen, assess, and stratify GPPPD. We aimed to develop and psychometrically evaluate a new scale-the Vaginal Penetration Skills Scale (VPSS)-to screen, assess, and stratify GPPPD. This study included 148 Brazilian females with GPPPD symptoms (113 lifelong and 35 acquired) and 251 Brazilian females without sexual complaints. We conducted factor analyses considering all participants (n= 399). Then, we conducted latent class analysis within the GPPPD group to identify clusters of individuals with similar VPSS profiles. We assessed convergent validity through intercorrelation with the Brazilian versions of the Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS) and the 6-item Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI-6). We developed complete and short-form versions of the VPSS (VPSS-29 and VPSS-SF11, respectively), each with 3 dimensions, to screen, assess, and stratify GPPPD. Factor analysis yielded a 3-factor VPSS model with the "Nonsexual Genital Self-Exploration," "Nonsexual Vaginal Penetration Skills," and "Sexual Vaginal Penetration Skills" dimensions for both VPSS versions. The reliability was excellent for the VPSS-29 (ω= 0.981, α= 0.981) and the VPSS-SF11 (ω= 0.959, α= 0.961). All 3 dimensions could detect significant differences between patients with GPPPD and healthy females. They also differentiated the patients with GPPPD, distinguishing gradient levels. For convergent validity, we found moderate to strong correlations (rho = 0.715-0.745) between the VPSS, FGSIS, and FSFI-6. The VPSS can be applied easily in both clinical and research settings. The VPSS provides a concise and thorough evaluation of receptive vaginal penetration skills in both sexual and nonsexual contexts among patients with GPPPD. The sample had limited diversity regarding gender and sexual orientation; therefore, it is important to validate the use of this scale in populations beyond the cisgender heterosexual female population to ensure its applicability in diverse settings. These results support the reliability and psychometric validity of the VPSS as a self-report measure to screen, assess, and stratify GPPPD symptoms.

Development and Validation of a Pediatric Celiac Disease-Specific Quality of Life Measure.

Quality of life (QOL) is critical in screening and management of chronic medical conditions, including celiac disease (CD). This project aimed to develop a CD-specific pediatric QOL measure ("CDLIFE") with parallel self- and parent-report forms by generating items through concept elicitation interviews, iterative refinement using cognitive debriefing interviews, and evaluating its psychometric properties and validity. Concept elicitation interviews were conducted to develop items (nine youth ages 8-19 with CD; 10 parents of youth with CD), followed by cognitive interviews with additional stakeholders (three youth with CD, three parents, and eight clinicians), and item administration (parent/youth reports: n=103/102). Analyses included response frequencies, internal consistency reliability, exploratory factor analyses, and correlations with related measures (PROMIS, PEDSQL, and GFD-VAS). From concept elicitation interviews, 42 youth and 45 parent items were developed. Cognitive debriefing interviews yielded 36 refined items. Psychometric analyses identified 15 items to remove due to ceiling/floor effects, poor item-to-test correlations; youth-parent mismatch or conceptual mismatch. Total score internal consistency was high (alphas=0.89-0.90). A four-factor model solution had the best fit (Social Impact, External Support, Adaptive Vigilance, Eating Behaviors/Adjustment) with a fifth single-item domain (Financial Resources). The final CDLIFE (21 items) total scores correlated with most related measures in expected directions for parent and youth forms. The CDLIFE may facilitate insight into CD-specific QOL for youth ages 2-18 years, capturing important dimensions of physical and socioemotional health. Administering the CDLIFE will help identify and track families needing support.

Psychometric Testing of an Arabic Version of the Attitude Toward Skin-to-Skin Contact Instrument among Women in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Cultural Validation Study.

The World Health Organization recommends skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth, yet the practice rate remains low in Saudi Arabia, impacting the health and well-being of mother-baby dyads. No previous studies have explored Saudi women's attitudes toward skin-to-skin contact, a critical factor in developing strategies to increase its adoption. This study aimed to develop and evaluate an instrument to assess attitudes toward skin-to-skin contact among women in Saudi Arabia. An instrument was developed by modifying the validated "Mother-Newborn Skin-to-Skin Contact Questionnaire". Psychometric testing was conducted to validate the instrument through a cross-cultural survey involving 383 participants recruited from two hospitals in Saudi Arabia using a convenience sampling method. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.885, indicating that the sample size was suitable for performing exploratory factor analysis. The overall Cronbach's alpha value was 0.85, reflecting adequate internal consistency of the questionnaire. The criteria of the two-factor confirmatory factor analysis were also met. The majority of women (85.6%) demonstrated a positive attitude towards skin-to-skin contact. A positive correlation was observed between higher educational levels and the total attitude score (r = 0.161, p = 0.002). The developed questionnaire is a reliable tool for measuring attitudes towards skin-to-skin contact among women in Saudi Arabia. The findings highlight the importance of educational interventions to improve the uptake of this practice.

Current policy and practice for the identification, management, and treatment of postpartum anxiety in the United Kingdom: a focus group study

BackgroundPostpartum Anxiety [PPA] is a prevalent problem in society, posing a significant burden to women, infant health, and the National Health Service [NHS]. Despite this, it is poorly detected by current maternal mental health practices. Due to the current lack of appropriate psychometric measures, insufficiency in training of healthcare professionals, fragmentation of maternal mental healthcare policy and practice, and the magnitude of the effects of PPA on women and their infants, PPA is a critical research priority. This research aims to develop a clear understanding from key stakeholders, of the current landscape of maternal mental health and gain consensus of the needs associated with clinically identifying, measuring, and targeting intervention for women with PPA, in the NHS.MethodsFour focus groups were conducted with a total of 21 participants, via Zoom. Data were analysed using Template Analysis.ResultsAnalysis rendered four main themes: (1) Defining Postpartum Anxiety; (2) Postpartum Anxiety in Relation to other Mental Health Disorders; (3) Challenges to Measurement and Identification of Maternal Mental Health; and (4) An Ideal Measure of Postpartum Anxiety.ConclusionsFindings can begin to inform maternal mental healthcare policy as to how to better identify and measure PPA, through the implementation of a postpartum-specific measure within practice, better training and resources for staff, and improved interprofessional communication.

Polish language adaptation and validation of the Fonseca Anamnestic Index for individuals with temporomandibular disorders.

Given the notable prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in the Polish population, there is a clear need for the use of simple, reliable questionnaires as screening tools to facilitate the referral of patients to TMD specialists. The aim of the study was to translate and adapt the Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI) into Polish and assess its reliability and validity in identifying TMD symptoms. The Polish adaptation of the FAI (FAI-PL) was developed in accordance with the international guidelines, including the translation and evaluation of the psychometric properties of the questionnaire. Every patient received a standardized assessment, which involved history taking and clinical examination, including the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) and the FAI questionnaire. The psychometric analyses included an evaluation of the questionnaire's reliability and validity, as well as an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Of the 122 individuals enrolled in the study, 63.9% were female. The mean age of the participants was 28.1 years (standard deviation (SD): 6.3). According to the RDC/TMD standards, 40.9% of patients had no TMD, while the FAI assessment indicated that 27% of patients had no TMD. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the FAI-PL was 0.75. The exploratory factor analysis revealed 3 factors, accounting for 55.2% of the total variation. The diagnostic sensitivity of the FAI-PL was 98.6%, while the diagnostic specificity reached a level of 65.3%. The Polish version of the FAI is a reliable and valid tool for the screening of TMD symptoms in the Polish-speaking population.

Macro- and Microstructural White Matter Differences in Neurologic Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Neuropsychiatric complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection, also known as neurologic postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (NeuroPASC), affect 10%-60% of infected individuals. There is growing evidence that NeuroPASC is a multi system immune dysregulation disease affecting the brain. The behavioral manifestations of NeuroPASC, such as impaired processing speed, executive function, memory retrieval, and sustained attention, suggest widespread WM involvement. Although previous work has documented WM damage following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, its involvement in NeuroPASC is less clear. We hypothesized that macrostructural and microstructural WM differences in NeuroPASC participants would accompany cognitive and immune system differences. In a cross-sectional study, we screened a total of 159 potential participants and enrolled 72 participants, with 41 asymptomatic controls (NoCOVID) and 31 NeuroPASC participants matched for age, sex, and education. Exclusion criteria included neurologic disorders unrelated to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Assessments included clinical symptom questionnaires, psychometric tests, brain MRI measures, and peripheral cytokine levels. Statistical modeling included separate multivariable regression analyses of GM/WM/CSF volume, WM microstructure, cognitive, and cytokine concentration between-group differences. NeuroPASC participants had larger cerebral WM volume than NoCOVID controls (β = 0.229; 95% CI: 0.017-0.441; t = 2.16; P = .035). The most pronounced effects were in the prefrontal and anterior temporal WM. NeuroPASC participants also exhibited higher WM mean kurtosis, consistent with ongoing neuroinflammation. NeuroPASC participants had more self-reported symptoms, including headache, and lower performance on measures of attention, concentration, verbal learning, and processing speed. A multivariate profile analysis of the cytokine panel showed different group cytokine profiles (Wald-type-statistic = 44.6, P = .046), with interferon (IFN)-λ1 and IFN-λ2/3 levels higher in the NeuroPASC group. NeuroPASC participants reported symptoms of lower concentration, higher fatigue, and impaired cognition compatible with WM syndrome. Psychometric testing confirmed these findings. NeuroPASC participants exhibited larger cerebral WM volume and higher WM mean kurtosis than NoCOVID controls. These findings suggest that immune dysregulation could influence WM properties to produce WM volume increases and consequent cognitive effects and headaches. Further work will be needed to establish mechanistic links among these variables.

Development and validation of the Child Hemophilia Treatment Experience Measure: A new observer-reported outcome measure.

The Child Hemophilia Treatment Experience Measure (Child Hemo-TEM) was developed to capture the treatment burden experience of children with haemophilia (CwH). Describe the development of this novel haemophilia-specific measure. Interviews were conducted with clinical experts, CwH and CwH's caregivers. Interviews were analysed according to adapted grounded theory principles. Based on the analysis, a preliminary measure was developed and debriefed. Psychometric analyses were performed according to an a priori analysis plan using data collected in a cross-sectional web survey and a final measure was generated. Interviews with four clinical experts, 25 CwH ages 8 to <12 years, and 25 caregivers of CwH <12 years were conducted. Concepts endorsed by ≥10% of CwH and caregivers were: adherence, ease of use, emotional impacts, physical impacts, treatment concerns, and interference with daily life. Cognitive debriefing assessments were conducted to ensure participant understanding and item relevance. Caregivers found the measure to be understandable, comprehensive, and relevant. However, several issues with CwH completing the measure were identified and it was decided to only develop an observer-reported outcome version. Data for psychometric validation was collected in a web survey (N=187). Item reduction dropped 12 items. Factor analysis generated a single, 7-item, internally consistent (α =.855) factor, which consisted of items covering all relevant a priori concepts. The majority of a priori convergent and all known groups validity hypotheses were confirmed. The study findings provide evidence that the Child Hemo-TEM is a brief, well-designed, and valid and reliable measure of haemophilia treatment burden.

Adaptation and Validation of the Moral Distress Scale-Healthcare Professionals in Latvia

Moral distress occurs when an individual recognizes the ethically appropriate action in a given situation but is prevented from acting on it due to external factors. The MMD-HP represents a major update to the previously revised Moral Distress Scale (MDS-R). This tool was designed and refined to measure the extent of moral distress experienced by healthcare professionals when encountering ethical challenges. The adaptation and validation process was conducted in four phases, employing various psychometric measures to ensure the scale's consistency with the original study. Psychometric indicators used include Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson correlation, and confirmatory factor analysis, among others. The MMD-HP total score ranged from 4 to 207, with a mean score of 95.3 (SD 53.8) for n=12, 79 19 (SD 46.4) for n=48, and 115.7 (SD 75.1) for n=201. The overall Cronbach's alpha in each phase of our study ranged from 0.907 to 0.965 The Chi-square of the scale was 315.49 and χ²/df = 0.9. The CFI was 0.934, TLI 0.913, and NFI was 0.891. The RMSEA was 0.059 and SRMR 0.08. We determined that the Latvian version of the MMD-HP is valid and reliable for assessing moral distress among nurses in Latvia.