Development Of Scale Research Articles

Development of the Home Hospice Nursing Care Scale to Support End-of-Life Patients With Cancer and Evaluation of its Reliability and Validity.

This study aimed to develop the "Home Hospice Nursing Care Scale" to assess the care provided by visiting nurses to patients with end-stage cancer and evaluate its reliability and validity. A draft of the scale was created based on a descriptive survey conducted among oncology nurse specialists and certified oncology nurses working as home-visit nurses. A questionnaire survey was administered to 1,770 home-visit nurses working at 296 functionally strengthening home-visit nursing establishments. A total of 436 valid responses were obtained (valid response rate: 24.6%). Exploratory factor analysis identified 5 factors comprising 40 items: care that supports the values of the patient and their family members, partnership involving the patient and their family members to maintain home care, care that allows for living with loved ones until end of life, care that supports the daily lives of family caregivers, and care that reconciles the feelings of those involved. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the goodness-of-fit indices of the model were as follows: GFI = 0.846, AGFI = 0.828, CFI = 0.915, and RMSEA = 0.050. Cronbach's α coefficients ranged from 0.77 to 0.93. Criterion-related validity was verified by the Healthcare Professionals' Attitudes towards Terminal Home Care Scale and Difficulties with Home Palliative Cancer Care Scale. The reliability and validity of the scale was verified, which demonstrates its utility. Future challenges include analyzing factors related to home hospice nursing care and developing an educational program based on the future study. Key words: home hospice, end-of-life, cancer, nursing, scale development, reliability, validity.

Construction and initial validations of the major decision-making self-efficacy scale (MDMSES) for Chinese high school students

BackgroundMajor decision-making self-efficacy (MDMSE) is an important indicator of students’ ability to make effective decisions in specialty selection. It has implications for students’ personal growth and career counselling interventions. While the previous MDMSES has been widely used in the context of China’s New College Entrance Examination reform, the increased choice of majors and advancement of career planning necessitate a new scale to assess high school students’ MDMSE levels.MethodsScale items were generated based on a literature review, student interviews, and expert reviews. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were used to assess the appropriateness of the scale’s structure, and network analysis was used to calculate concurrent validity. Retest reliability was calculated to evaluate stability.ResultsThe MDMSES contains 24 items with five factors (Information Acquisition, Decision Persistence, Self-Determination, Self-Evaluation, and Social Support). The results show that the scale has a good five-factor structure (χ2/df = 1.91, CFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.05, and SRMR = 0.06), and the internal consistency reliability of the total scale is 0.91.ConclusionThe scale development results satisfied the psychometric and statistical criteria, allowing the scale to be used as a means of detection to support intervention efforts for individuals with low MDMSE levels.

The Index of Consensual Sexual Sadism (ICSS): Scale development, validation, measurement invariance, and nomological network comparisons with everyday sadism.

Sexual sadism has long been of interest to scholars and clinicians in psychology, and most research on sexual sadism has focused on forensic samples. However, recently, research has uncovered the existence of sexual sadism in general populations. Measures designed to assess sexual sadism in the general population are lacking. To address this gap, we created the Index of Consensual Sexual Sadism (ICSS) and performed some initial psychometric testing of its structure, measurement invariance, validity (e.g., distinguishment from everyday sadism), and reliability. In this preregistered study, separate samples of community adults and undergraduates (N = 1,391; Mage = 24.21, SDage = 10.92, rangeage = 18-85; 68.40% female; 76.10% White) completed the ICSS and measures of sadistic pleasure in sexual and nonsexual contexts, normal personality traits (HEXACO), personality disorder traits, antagonistic personality features (e.g., psychopathy), frequency of sadistic sexual fantasies, romantic relationship satisfaction, and social desirability. The ICSS demonstrated a unidimensional structure that was invariant across the tested groupings of sample type, sex, and age; in addition, the scale had only a trivial relation to social desirability bias, and it related to the other outcomes in a way that highlighted its construct validity and distinguished it from everyday sadism. The ICSS seems a viable candidate for assessing consensual sexual sadism so that clinicians and researchers can begin evaluating the full spectrum of sexual sadism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Wound Healing in Butterfly Pupal Wing Tissues: Real-Time In Vivo Imaging of Long-Range Cell Migration, Cluster Formation, and Calcium Oscillations

Insects can repair wounds and regenerate body parts in response to physical damage. Wound healing in butterfly pupal wing tissues is developmentally interesting because ectopic color patterns develop during healing, suggesting that normal and damage-induced color patterns may use similar mechanisms. Here we physiologically investigated wound healing and ectopic color pattern formation in butterfly pupal wing tissues using the blue pansy butterfly Junonia orithya. In response to physical puncture damage, various ectopic color patterns are formed around the damage site. After the wounding operation, we observed hemocytes migrating over long distances along the wing veins (lacunae) toward the damage site, where hemocytes and epidermal cells formed cellular clusters. Calcium oscillations were observed in cells at and near the damage site. Calcium oscillations were transiently affected by ruthenium red, an inhibitor of calcium transporters and channels, and ruthenium red caused various abnormalities in the scales of adult wings. These results suggest that cell migration, cluster formation, and calcium oscillations play important roles in wound healing and scale development at and near the damage site. Ectopic color patterns may develop in response to local calcium oscillations as a consequence of the evolutionary co-option of the healing process for normal development.

Development and validation of the pain management competency scale for nurses and a nationwide survey of Chinese nurses

BackgroundNurses’ competency in pain management is essential for effectively alleviating patients' acute pain, controlling chronic pain, and promoting patient recovery. However, reliable tools for evaluating these competencies across different clinical specialties and healthcare settings are lacking. This study aimed to develop and validate a Pain Management Competency Scale for Nurses (PMCSN) and to assess the pain management competencies of nurses in China through a nationwide survey.MethodsAn item pool and a draft scale were developed through literature reviews, semi-structured interviews, and expert panel discussions. This was followed by refinement of the scale via Delphi expert consultations and a pilot test. To validate the scale, 342 nurses were conveniently sampled from six hospitals in Eastern and Central China. The validation process included item analysis, internal consistency reliability assessment, test–retest reliability (with 40 nurses retaking the questionnaire after a 14-day interval), content validity (evaluated by six experts using a 4-point Likert scale), and structural validity (assessed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses). The validated scale was then applied in a survey of 1,500 nurses from 15 hospitals across Eastern, Central, and Western China. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and t-tests.ResultsThe PMCSN comprised six primary dimensions—Pain Assessment and Monitoring, Pharmacological Pain Management, Non-Pharmacological Pain Management, Management of Analgesic Adverse Effects, Patient/Family Education, and Professional Development—and includes 52 tertiary items. The PMCSN scores ranged from 6 to 120, calculated by summing the standardized scores across the six dimensions, with higher scores indicating greater competency in pain management. The scale’s Cronbach’s α was 0.974 (dimension-specific values ranging from 0.863 to 0.935) and a test–retest reliability of 0.871. The content validity index (CVI) of the scale was 0.965. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed that the six-factor model explained 67.50% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated good model fit, with average variance extracted (AVE) values ranging from 0.659 to 0.811 and composite reliability (CR) between 0.909 and 0.973, confirming good convergent validity. The square roots of the AVE values exceeded the inter-factor correlations, indicating good discriminant validity. In the nationwide survey, the average PMCSN score among 1,500 nurses was 101.27 ± 20.97. Nurses with higher education levels scored higher (F = 14.173, p < 0.01), as did those working in Eastern regions (F = 24.632, p < 0.01) and tertiary hospitals (T = -5.476, p < 0.01).ConclusionsThe PMCSN is a valid and reliable tool for assessing nurses’ pain management competencies. It provides a standardized approach for evaluation and guides targeted interventions to improve competency. Regional and hospital-level disparities highlight the need for enhanced training in underdeveloped areas and collaboration between hospitals to promote balanced healthcare resources.

Preliminary development of a professional interest scale for high school students

Preliminary development of a professional interest scale for high school students

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards blockchain potential for digital marketing: scale development and validation

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards blockchain potential for digital marketing: scale development and validation

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Developmental Delay among High-risk Preterm NICU Graduates – A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: Preterm and low birth weight neonates are vulnerable to developing neurodevelopmental handicaps more frequently compared to their term counterparts. Neurodevelopmental delay is multifactorial and is likely a consequence of an immature brain, perinatal risk factors, and environmental exposures. The study objective was to determine the prevalence of developmental delay in high-risk preterm infants and also to determine the risk factors for delay in development. Material and Methods: The study was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Pediatrics of a tertiary care medical college hospital from October 2021 to October 2022. Infants born as high-risk preterm neonates who required neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay in the early neonatal period were included in the study at the corrected age of 1 year after informed parental consent. Infants whose parents did not consent to the study were excluded from the study. Details of maternal, neonatal, and perinatal risk factors were noted in a pro forma. All infants included in the study were part of the follow-up program in the high risk newborn follow-up clinic and were assessed for growth and development periodically. A detailed neurological examination was done. During the follow-up of high-risk neonates, clinical assessment tools like Amiel-Tison angles were used. Details regarding the passive tone and active tone were documented in the follow-up card and reviewed. Early intervention was planned if tone abnormalities were identified. Developmental screening was done using the Trivandrum developmental screening test. Only trivandrum developmental screening test (TDSC) was used in screening, and confirmatory tests such as Bayley and developmental assessment scale for Indian infants (DASII) were not used in the study center. Although TDSC is not a confirmatory test, in a resource-limited setting, it may help to identify infants with delays in development early and refer them to a higher center. The prevalence of developmental delay was expressed in proportion with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Risk factors were determined by bivariate, followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. P &lt; 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The present study included infants who were high-risk preterm NICU graduates, of whom 57.2% were male. 22.7% of neonates had birth weight &lt;1750 g. The prevalence (95% CI) of developmental delay was 18 % (12.2–27.6%). There were 18% neonates with gross motor delay, 13% with delay in fine motor development, 18% with delayed language development, and 14% with delay in social and adaptive milestones. By multivariate analysis, it was found that among the neonatal risk factors, apnea and birth weight &lt;1.75 kg were independent risk factors for developmental delay. Conclusion: High-risk preterm NICU graduates are at risk of neurodevelopmental delay, and we observed an 18% prevalence of delay. Periodic follow-up and early intervention of babies with risk factors such as apnea and birth weight &lt;1.75 kg is necessary.

Developmental Patterns in Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Preschool Children

Background: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) encompass an inclusive group of conditions that appear during the developmental period but continue to persist in adulthood, ranging from particular difficulties to a global impairment of social, cognitive, and emotional functioning. The developmental trajectories associated with these conditions are highly heterogeneous. This study aimed to analyze and compare developmental and adaptive profiles of preschool-aged children with different NDDs to better characterize their developmental trajectories. Methods: We analyzed data from the initial global evaluation of 196 children with NDDs (aged 20 to 71 months), enrolled in three subgroups: 108 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 52 with language disorder (LD), and 36 with mixed specific developmental disorder (MSDD). A comprehensive neuropsychiatric evaluation was performed using standardized tools (Griffiths-III, ADOS-2, VABS-II, and ADI-R), and the parents completed the DP-3 and the CBCL 1½-5. Results: Our results showed that all NDDs exhibited poor psychomotor skills, with children with ASD being the most impaired, although their profiles were comparable to those of MSDD in communication and motor areas. CBCL’s pervasive developmental problem scale has been shown to provide relevant information for distinguishing children with ASD. Furthermore, DP-3 and VABS-II measure highly differentiated developmental profiles of each diagnostic group. Conclusions: Our results highlighted the importance of including parents’/caregivers’ perspectives in defining children’s functioning and the possibility of using DP-3 as a screening tool for different neurodevelopmental disorders.

Sustainable Human Resource Training: A study of Scale Development and Validation

In the contemporary world, organizations are expected to introduce human resource management (HRM) practices which foster organizational sustainable development. The latter is based on the integration of environmental, social, and economic goals. Moreover, HRM practices should contribute to the common good. HR training has been found as a means to transfer sustainability theory into practice. However, to be called sustainable, HR training should not only promote employees’ sustainability-oriented behaviours but also be internally sustainable and contribute to common good. Such an approach has not been represented in previous research. Therefore, this study aims to develop a sustainable HR training construct. An exploratory sequential mixed method approach was adopted to develop and validate the measurement scale of sustainable HR training. Data were collected from employees working in different industries of Poland. This study established the second-order construct of sustainable HR training, which comprises equal training opportunities, long-term oriented training, integrated approach to training, focus on well-being, environmental-oriented training, and team building as its first-order dimensions. It also confirmed the nomological validity of the newly developed scale based on its relationship with a company’s sustainable performance. The current research enriched the sustainable HRM literature by offering a high-order sustainable HR training construct. Practitioners and policy makers may employ the designed scale in spurring HR training practices along with enhancing their sustainable performance.

Prehospital scale to differentiate intracerebral hemorrhage from large-vessel occlusion patients: a prospective cohort study

Evaluating scales to detect large vessel occlusion (LVO) could aid in considering early referrals to a thrombectomy-capable center in the prehospital stroke code setting. Nevertheless, they entail a significant number of false positives, corresponding to intracranial hemorrhages (ICH). Our study aims to identify easily collectible variables for the development of a scale to differentiate patients with ICH from LVO. We conducted a prospective cohort study of stroke code patients between May 2021 and January 2023. Patients were evaluated with CT/CT-Angiography at arrival. We compared clinical variables and vascular risk factors between ICH and LVO patients. Out of 989 stroke code patients, we included 190 (66.7%) LVO cases and 95 (33.3) ICH cases. In the multivariate analysis, headache (odds ratio [OR] 3.56; 1.50–8.43), GCS < 8 (OR 8.19; 3.17–21.13), SBP > 160mmHg (OR 6.43; 3.37–12.26) and male sex (OR 2.07; 1.13–3.80) were associated with ICH, while previous hypercholesterolemia (OR 0.35; 0.19–0.65) with LVO. The scale design was conducted, assigning a score to each significant variable based on its specific weight: +2 points for SBP > 160, + 1 points for headache, + 1 points for male sex, + 2 points for GCS < 8, and − 1 points for HCL. The area under the curve was 0.82 (0.77–0.87). A score ≥ 4 exhibited a sensitivity of 0.10, a specificity of 0.99, a positive predictive value of 0.21, and a negative predictive value of 0.98. We present the development of a prehospital scale to discriminate between ICH and LVO patients, utilizing easily detectable variables in the prehospital setting.

Supplemental Material for The Index of Consensual Sexual Sadism (ICSS): Scale Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Nomological Network Comparisons With Everyday Sadism

Supplemental Material for The Index of Consensual Sexual Sadism (ICSS): Scale Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Nomological Network Comparisons With Everyday Sadism

Measuring Chinese inclusive teachers’ beliefs about teaching students with disabilities: scale development and validation

ABSTRACT Existing measurements of inclusive teachers’ beliefs have encountered challenges related to reliability and validity when applied in different contexts. This study aimed to develop and validate the Inclusive Teachers’ Beliefs Scale (ITBS) to investigate teaching belief constructs and their influence on teacher efficacy in Chinese elementary classrooms. A total of 725 teachers participated in the completion of the ITBS and the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices scale. The analyses extracted and verified the three-factor structure of the ITBS (i.e. beliefs about inclusive instruction, students with disabilities, and teachers themselves) and demonstrated satisfactory reliability. Moreover, beliefs about students with disabilities significantly predict teacher efficacy factors, mediated by beliefs about inclusive instruction.

Supplemental Material for Development and Validation of an MMPI-3 Antagonism Scale

Supplemental Material for Development and Validation of an MMPI-3 Antagonism Scale

Development of the children's primitive reflex integration assessment scale

ObjectiveNon-integrated primitive reflexes (PRs) in children can lead to issues in motor function and psychological wellbeing, while prior studies have shown correlations between PR integration and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. However, measurement methods for PR integration remain unestablished. Therefore, in the present study, we describe the development of a measurement scale for PR integration, a novel assessment tool to evaluate PR integration in children.MethodsCombining a literature review, practical experience, and results of specialized group discussions, a preliminary draft of the Children's Primitive Reflex Integration Measurement Scale (CPRIMS) was formulated. Employing a convenience sampling method, participants were selected from first and second-grade students in three primary schools in Liaoning province, Shenyang city, from May to July 2023. Item Discrimination Method (IDM), Critical Ratio Method (CRM), and Internal Consistency Coefficient Method (ICCM) were used for item analysis of pilot testing data. For formal testing data, Cronbach's α assessed the reliability of the scale, while fit indices such as chi-square value/degrees of freedom (χ2/df), Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), and Comparative Fit Index (CFI), along with tests of construct validity, evaluated the scale's validity.ResultsOverall, 555 participants were selected, 234 children with a mean age of 7.59 ± 0.71 years participated in the pilot testing, while 321 children with a mean age of 7.73 ± 0.71 years participated in the formal testing. CPRIMS comprises seven dimensions and seventeen items, including the Moro reflex (MR), Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR), Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR), Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR), Spinal Galant Reflex (SGR), Spinal Perez Reflex (SPR), and Landau Reflex (LR), explaining 88.2% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good model fit (χ2/df = 1.631, RMSEA = 0.044, NFI = 0.950, CFI = 0.980, IFI = 0.932, TLI = 0.972). Cronbach's α coefficients for the seven dimensions ranged from 0.730 to 0.945, demonstrating strong reliability.ConclusionCPRIMS, which includes dimensions such as MR, ATNR, STNR, TLR, SGR, SPR, and LR, demonstrates strong reliability and validity, indicating that this measure could serve as a reliable and effective tool for assessing the integration levels of PRs in children aged 6 to 9 years old.

Redefining social intelligence through self-efficacy and personal autonomy: Development and validation of the efficient social intelligence scale

ABSTRACT Background Over the years, scholars have conceived and operationalized social intelligence in several ways that were mostly inclined toward social compliance. The current research emphasized the role of subjectivity, self-efficacy, and personal autonomy in social intelligence in addition to the traditional aspects of social intelligence such as knowledge about social norms and maintaining healthy social relationships. The objective of the current research was to develop and validate a new scale on social intelligence, focusing more on self-efficacy and personal autonomy. The scale was labeled as Efficient Social Intelligence Scale—ESIS. Methods The ESIS was developed and validated in a series of four phases by involving 744 conveniently selected participants (Mage = 23 years, SD = 6.18; women = 55.5%). The ESIS was evaluated through rigorous statistical procedures involving internal consistency, exploratory & confirmatory factor analyses, and convergent & discriminant validity. Results The ESIS was found to be a highly reliable and valid instrument having nine items and four sub-scales. Indicators such as Cronbach’s alpha (0.830), average item-total correlation (r = 0.614; p < .001), average item-scale correlation (r = 0.913; p < .001), comparative fit index (0.990), Tucker-Lewis index (0.983), root mean square error of approximation (0.045), standardized root mean square residual (0.027), convergent validity with TROMSO social intelligence scale (r = 0.562; p < .001), and discriminant validity with psychosocial illness (r = -0.200; p < .001) established the reliability and validity of the PS. Additionally, men reported significantly higher levels of social intelligence as compared to women (Men = 82.82%; Women = 81.19%; p < .05; Cohen’s d = 0.184). Conclusion The ESIS redefines social intelligence to emphasize personal autonomy and subjective fulfillment within social interactions.

Patient Satisfaction in 112 Emergency Health Services: Scale Development and Validation

Patient Satisfaction in 112 Emergency Health Services: Scale Development and Validation

Neighborhood Commercial Circle Environmental Factors for Generation Z Visitors: Scale Development and Validation

A new phenomenon has emerged among Generation Z (born after 1995) in China, who often spend their leisure time in the core streets or public spaces near their communities. These recreational areas are called neighborhood commercial circles (NCCs). However, few studies have investigated the environmental factors of NCCs that motivate Generation Z visitors to visit most frequently. This study applies an exploratory sequential mixed research design to create a measurement scale for understanding these environmental factors. Through semi-structured interviews with 32 Generation Z visitors and a survey with 334 participants in five cities in China, a measurement scale of 15 items related to five environmental factors (physical design, ambience, consumption, entertainment, and facility services) of NCCs is developed. The construct validation and scale refinement are performed via an exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. This study contributes to leisure research by providing a context-specific measurement scale for future research.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes after infant heart surgery for congenital heart disease: a hospital-based multicentre prospective cohort study from India

BackgroundNeurodevelopmental disability is a common long-term concern following surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD). Little information is available from low-resource environments where the majority of children with CHD are born....

Effect of home environment on neuropsychiatric development in preterm infants discharged from NICU at 18 months corrected age

BackgroundThere have been numerous intervention studies focusing on the development of preterm infants, but there has been limited investigation into the home environment as a determinant of developmental outcomes in...