Internal Consistency Of Scale Research Articles

Reliability and Validity of the English Version of the AOSpine PROST (Patient Reported Outcome Spine Trauma).

Multicenter validation study. The aim of this study was to translate and adapt the AOSpine PROST (Patient Reported Outcome Spine Trauma) into English, and test its psychometric properties among North-American spine trauma patients. In the absence of an outcome instrument specifically designed and validated for traumatic spinal column injury patients, it is difficult to measure the effect size of various treatment options. The AOSpine Knowledge Forum Trauma initiated a project and developed the AOSpine PROST consisting of 19 items. Patients were recruited from two level-1 North-American trauma centers. For concurrent validity, next to AOSpine PROST also 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) was filled out by patients. Patient characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Floor and ceiling effects as well as the number of inapplicable and missing questions were analyzed for content validity. Cronbach α and item-total correlation coefficients (ITCCs) were calculated for internal consistency. Spearman correlation tests were performed within AOSpine PROST items and in correlation to SF-36. Test-retest reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Factor analysis was performed to explore any dimensions within AOSpine PROST. The AOSpine PROST was translated adapted into English using established guidelines. Of 196 enrolled patients, 162 (82.7%) met the inclusion criteria and provided sufficient data. Content validity showed good results, and no floor and ceiling effects were seen. The internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach α = 0.97; ITCC 0.50-0.90) as well as test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.97). Spearman correlations were good (0.29-0.85). The strongest correlations of AOSpine PROST with SF-36 were seen with the physical components (0.69-0.82; P < 0.001). Factor analysis revealed two possible dimensions (Eigen values >1), explaining 75.7% of variance. The English version of AOSpine PROST showed very good validity and reliability. It is considered as a valuable tool, and has the potential to contribute to the reduction of ongoing controversies in spine trauma care. 2.

Development and validation of a tool to assess the rational use of drugs in Turkish adults

This methodological study was performed to develop a Rational Use of Drugs Scale (RUDS). After defining the scale items and taking expert opinion, 325 adults tested the internal consistency, structure, and criterion validity of the final scale. A literature review was used to generate the initial items. Evaluation by an expert panel established content validity for these items, and pilot testing of the draft tool was performed. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to establish construct validity, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability were calculated. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the RUDS was found to have a structure comprising 1 factor and 21 items, with a total scale variance of 31.99%. The RUDS assessed whether patients used effective, safe, appropriate, and inexpensive drugs. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.84. The RUDS might be a valid and reliable instrument for public health practitioners to assess knowledge, attitude, and behaviors related to drug use.

Technology proficiency self-assessments of teachers becoming professional in the 21st century: A scale adaptation study

In this study, it was aimed to adapt the Technology Proficiency Self-Assessment Scale for 21st Century Learning (TPSA C-21), developed by Christensen and Knezek, into Turkey's conditions. The study sample consisted of 606 teachers working in 58 public schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Bartın province. The original scale had a six-factor structure consisting of 34 items. In the adaptation stage, the Turkish version of the scale was initially created and then retranslated back into the source language. Next, the scale items were evaluated by linguists. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used to determine the construct validity of the scale. As a result of the EFA, some of the items having inappropriate values were excluded from the scale and finally a structure with 24 items and four factors named "E-mail", "WWW", "Integrated Applications", and "Teaching with Technology" was obtained. The results of the CFA showed that the factor structure had adequate fit indexes. For reliability, internal consistency and test-retest correlation coefficients of the whole scale and its sub-dimensions were examined and these values were found to be acceptable. After all, this scale has become a measurement tool that can be used for research which enables educators to make relevant inferences about technology proficiency in 21st century learning.

Validity and Internal Consistency of the Preschool-FLAT, a New Tool for the Assessment of Food Literacy in Young Children from the Training-To-Health Project.

Background: The importance of assessing “food literacy” since youth has been highlighted and, to this purpose, valid and consistent instruments are needed. This study aimed to assess the validity and internal consistency of the preschool-FLAT (Food Literacy Assessment Tool). Methods. 505 children from 21 kindergartens, recruited within the Training-to-Health Project in Palermo (Italy), underwent oral sessions and activities on food-related aspects. Their knowledge/skills were recorded in the preschool-FLAT. The following scale measures were assessed: Content validity; internal consistency (Chronbach’s alpha coefficients); construct validity (Structural Equation Modeling—SEM); discriminant validity (intervention subgroup of 100 children vs. control group of 27 children). Results. Acceptable content validity of a 16-items scale and overall adequate internal consistency were revealed: Content validity index (CVI) 0.94, content validity ratio (CVR) 0.88, Chronbach’s alpha 0.76. The SEM revealed a 4-factor model fitting the data well (comparative fit index 0.939, root mean square error of approximation 0.033). Discriminant validity was good (intervention group scoring higher than control, p < 0.001, unpaired Student’s t-test). Conclusion. The preschool-FLAT revealed good psychometric properties, adequate validity and internal consistency. This is the only instrument in the literature specifically targeted to 3–6 years old children that could be effectively used to assess food literacy.

The German Version of the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS-G): Development and Validation Study.

BackgroundThe number of mobile health apps (MHAs), which are developed to promote healthy behaviors, prevent disease onset, manage and cure diseases, or assist with rehabilitation measures, has exploded. App store star ratings and descriptions usually provide insufficient or even false information about app quality, although they are popular among end users. A rigorous systematic approach to establish and evaluate the quality of MHAs is urgently needed. The Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) is an assessment tool that facilitates the objective and systematic evaluation of the quality of MHAs. However, a German MARS is currently not available.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to translate and validate a German version of the MARS (MARS-G).MethodsThe original 19-item MARS was forward and backward translated twice, and the MARS-G was created. App description items were extended, and 104 MHAs were rated twice by eight independent bilingual researchers, using the MARS-G and MARS. The internal consistency, validity, and reliability of both scales were assessed. Mokken scale analysis was used to investigate the scalability of the overall scores.ResultsThe retranslated scale showed excellent alignment with the original MARS. Additionally, the properties of the MARS-G were comparable to those of the original MARS. The internal consistency was good for all subscales (ie, omega ranged from 0.72 to 0.91). The correlation coefficients (r) between the dimensions of the MARS-G and MARS ranged from 0.93 to 0.98. The scalability of the MARS (H=0.50) and MARS-G (H=0.48) were good.ConclusionsThe MARS-G is a reliable and valid tool for experts and stakeholders to assess the quality of health apps in German-speaking populations. The overall score is a reliable quality indicator. However, further studies are needed to assess the factorial structure of the MARS and MARS-G.

Desarrollo y validación de un instrumento observacional para la evaluación del bienestar en personas con demencia desde la perspectiva de la atención centrada en la persona: Listado de Indicadores de Bienestar

IntroductionWithin the context of Person Centred Care, the present paper shows the creation and validation process of an observational tool for the assessment of the wellbeing of people with dementia, from a perspective that seeks to highlight the effects that the physical and social environment have on the person, and how these are reflected in the well-being. MethodsThe List of Wellbeing Indicators (LIBE) was created following an inductive iterative process with professionals from different disciplines, until the validated version was reached. It was then validated in two successive studies with a sample of 79 people with dementia. Discrimination capacity of the scale indicators, internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, and convergent and divergent validity were determined. ResultsAn internal consistency of Cronbach́s alpha 0.81 was obtained. The inter-rater reliability, analysing intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) within the 3 raters, was significant for all the indicators in the tool, with scores between 0.59-1.00. Convergent validity was studied comparing scores in each LIBE indicator with scores in each QUALID indicator, and some significant associations were found between response categories in both tools. For the discriminant validity, the scores obtained in each LIBE indicator were compared with the scores in each PAINAD-Sp item, and no significant associations were found. ConclusionLIBE offers an observational measure of behaviours that can be considered well-being indicators in people with dementia living in residential care. LIBE is a valid and reliable tool that offers a different perspective of measuring a construct that has been infrequently explored in dementia population. Is also an easy to apply tool, with different uses (clinical, intervention, research), and applicable for professionals of several disciplines.

Preliminary Cross-Sectional Validation of the CROPS 14-Item for Juvenile Offenders.

The Child Report of Posttraumatic Symptoms (CROPS) is an effective 26-item trauma assessment tool. Research has indicated a 14-item version of the CROPS for juvenile offenders with improved predictive accuracy for detecting trauma exposure among male offenders and commensurate accuracy for female offenders. However, the 14-item scale has yet to be validated for juvenile offenders with an established trauma measure. Cross-sectional retrospective data of 74 adjudicated youth (59.5% male) from the original CROPS 14-item psychometric study sample were used to examine the factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent and divergent validity of the 14-item scale. Findings indicated strong internal consistency and significant correlations with all scales of an established and more extensive trauma measure for children and adolescents. Findings also revealed a CROPS 12-item model explaining 36.9% of variance. Results supported both convergent and divergent validity, suggesting both the CROPS 14-item and 12-item may be used as valid trauma symptom screeners for juvenile offenders.

Validity of the Brief Resilience Scale and Brief Resilient Coping Scale in a Chinese Sample.

This study presents a cross-cultural examination of the psychometric properties of two commonly used brief self-report resilience scales, the 6-item Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and the 4-item Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS). Five hundred and eleven Chinese university undergraduate students were recruited for this cross-sectional research. Various psychometric evaluation tools were used to evaluate the internal consistency, criterion validity, factorial validity and construct validity of these resilience scales. The results showed that both scales had good criterion validity, with well-established measures of well-being, optimism, self-esteem, self-efficacy and mental health, as suggested in the resilience literature. The BRS (a = 0.71) showed better internal consistency than the BRCS (a = 0.59). The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results also indicated that the BRS, with a two-factor structure, had better construct validity than the BRCS. The CFA results for the BRS met all of the criteria for a good model fit. The BRS was found to have better psychometric properties than the BRCS in the Chinese context. The findings will help researchers to select an appropriate resilience measure when conducting epistemological surveys of Chinese university students or the Chinese diaspora in other contexts.

Development and use of a scale to assess gender differences in appraisal of mistreatment during childbirth among Ethiopian midwifery students.

Mistreatment during childbirth occurs across the globe and endangers the well-being of pregnant women and their newborns. A gender-sensitive approach to mistreatment during childbirth seems relevant in Ethiopia, given previous research among Ethiopian midwives and patients suggesting that male midwives provide more respectful maternity care, which is possibly mediated by self-esteem and stress. This study aimed a) to develop a tool that assesses mistreatment appraisal from a provider’s perspective and b) to assess gender differences in mistreatment appraisal among Ethiopian final-year midwifery students and to analyze possible mediating roles of self-esteem and stress. First, we developed a research tool (i.e. a quantitative scale) to assess mistreatment appraisal from a provider’s perspective, on the basis of scientific literature and the review of seven experts regarding its relevance and comprehensiveness. Second, we utilized this scale, the so-called Mistreatment Appraisal Scale, among 390 Ethiopian final-year midwifery students to assess their mistreatment appraisal, self-esteem (using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), stress (using the Perceived Stress Scale) and various background characteristics. The scale’s internal consistency was acceptable (α = .75), corrected item-total correlations were acceptable (.24 - .56) and inter-item correlations were mostly acceptable (.07 - .63). Univariable (B = 3.084, 95% CI [-.005, 6.173]) and multivariable (B = 1.867, 95% CI [-1.472, 5.205]) regression analyses did not show significant gender differences regarding mistreatment appraisal. Mediation analyses showed that self-esteem (a1b1 = -.030, p = .677) and stress (a2b2 = -.443, p = .186) did not mediate the effect of gender on mistreatment appraisal. The scale to assess mistreatment appraisal appears to be feasible and reliable. No significant association between gender and mistreatment appraisal was observed and self-esteem and stress were not found to be mediators. Future research is needed to evaluate the scale’s criterion validity and to assess determinants and consequences of mistreatment during childbirth from various perspectives.

Révision de l’échelle française de mesure de la sociotropie et de l’autonomie : validation d’une échelle à 20 items mesurant de dépendance sociale de primo-entrants à l’université

ObjectiveSociotropy and autonomy have been described as personality styles promoting the occurrence of stress in individuals. The SAS (for sociotropy-autonomy scale) corresponds to a 60-item instrument devoted to sociotropy and autonomy estimation in various populations. However, the different SAS versions display variations in item scoring, in scale structure and in factor composition. Furthermore, there is a lack of scale invariance analysis. Consistent with a larger work dedicated to understanding contributors of students’ achievement during their trainings, the objective of this study was devoted to a refinement of French SAS item properties and to a measure of scale invariance in order to ensure that the French SAS be a trustable tool to measure sociotropy and autonomy among first- year students. Because a preliminary analysis invalidated several SAS items, a second objective has consisted of the definition and validation of a new scale estimating social dependency in students. MethodsIn all, 2365 students registered in first year of technological training (n=778) and health training (n=1587) were enrolled. They were asked to electronically answer the 60-item French SAS. The responses were collected between October and November 2017 for students registered in technological formation, and between March and April 2018 for health students. Item-score correlation coefficients (ritem-score) and anti-image correlation coefficients (AIC) were calculated for each item, and threshold values (ritem-score>0.3 ; AIC>0.6) were considered as acceptance criteria. Factor analyses were run in order to determine scale structure. Internal consistency was deduced from Cronbach's α, McDonald ω and Great Lower Bound (GLB) coefficients. Convergent and discriminant validities were analysed in considering construct reliability coefficient (CR>0.7), average variance extracted (AVE>0.4), mean shared variance and squared correlation coefficient calculated between two factors, as validity criteria. Configurational, metric and scalar levels of invariance were analysed prior to statistical comparisons of the scores obtained by different subgroups. ResultsIn all, 1223 responses were collected and analysed. GLB and ω coefficients calculated for the full SAS indicated unacceptable internal consistency. Of the 60 items, 40 did not meet the acceptance criteria (i. e. ritem-score<0.3 and AIC<0.6). The remaining items had acceptable psychometric properties, and their composition defined a new scale reflecting the measure of social dependency. The overall scale internal consistency was good (ω=0.83, GLB=0.88). Factor analyses resulted in a replicable 5-factor structure including: need of affection (α=0.74, ω=0.74, GLB=0.77), fear of dropping out (α=0.67, ω=0.68, GLB=0.70), fear of loneliness (α=0.61, ω=0.61, GLB=0.67), attention to others (α=0.69, ω=0.69, GLB=0.71) and worry about the disapproval of others (α=0.71, ω=0.71, GLB=0.74). Discriminant validity was satisfied for all factors. Convergent validity was entirely satisfied for need of affection, fear of dropping out and for attention to others, but it was not optimal for fear of loneliness and worry about the disapproval of others. Invariance measurements identified non-invariant items that were discarded from score calculations. Following statistical comparison, it was observed that female students had higher social dependency and fear of dropping out than males. Furthermore, female students registered in health training had stronger attention to others than did their male equivalents. It was also observed that female health students scored better for social dependency, fear of dropping out, attention to others, and importance of others’ gaze than their technology-educated counterparts. ConclusionThis work has invalidated the use of the overall 60-item French SAS to measure sociotropy and autonomy in first year students. By contrast, the refinement of the French SAS items led to a trustable 20-item instrument to investigate social dependency. Scale invariance characteristics allow confident statistical comparisons between sub-groups. This work shows that first-year female students registered in health or technological trainings exhibit a higher social dependency than males. Furthermore, first-year female health students show more social dependency than their technological counterparts. Because the conditions of recruitment of first-year students in heath formations in France are planned to change in September 2020, future studies will be warranted to analyse their social dependency.

Validity and Reliability of the German Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease (QoL-AD) Self-Report Scale.

The Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease (QoL-AD) scale is a widely used measure of quality of life (QoL) in dementia. Although the instrument has been validated in several languages, the psychometric properties of the German self-report version have not yet been analyzed. This study examines the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity of the German QoL-AD self-report scale. The sample included 30 patients suffering from mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia (19 females; mean age 77.3 years; mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score 19.7 points). To determine test-retest reliability, the QoL-AD self-report scale was re-administered four to seven days apart. For construct validity analysis, the Dementia Quality of Life instrument (DQoL), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), MMSE, and an adapted short form of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) were used. The German QoL-AD self-report scale shows an internal consistency of α= 0.79 and a test-retest reliability of r = 0.75 (p < 0.01). Regarding construct validity, there was a significant positive correlation between the total scores of the QoL-AD and DQoL (r = 0.47, p < 0.05). The analysis revealed no significant correlations with the GDS or the adapted NPI. No association could be observed between the QoL-AD and the MMSE (r = 0.01), confirming divergent validity. The results indicate that the German QoL-AD self-report scale is a suitable instrument for assessing QoL in patients suffering from mild to moderate dementia, thus supporting its use in clinical practice and research.

Development of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale: Validity and Reliability Study

Objective: It is suggested that the psychological and emotional reactions that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to serious psychiatric disorders in the long run. This study aims to establish the validity and reliability of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale developed for measuring emotions and behaviors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The sociodemographic form, COVID-19 Phobia Scale developed by the researchers, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Health Anxiety Scale were applied in the study conducted through a web-based survey method. Results: An item-total analysis was performed as the first step of the study that was conducted with 1243 participants. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed the final version of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale to comprise four subscales made up of 22 items, where the subscales were termed as worry, mood, reassurance seeking/precaution, and avoidance. The internal consistency of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale measured by the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.84. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the COVID-19 Phobia Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Health Anxiety Scale. Conclusion: The COVID-19 Phobia Scale is a valid and reliable scale that can be used to measure emotions and related behavioral changes.

The pest-management attitude (PMA) scale: a unidimensional and versatile assessment tool

Abstract ContextPest species are a widespread environmental and biodiversity threat and understanding people’s attitudes towards managing pests is critical for nature conservation. Attitudes towards pest species and their management are often contextually dependent on the species and location, and no domain-free measure is currently available. This prevents straightforward comparisons of studies and generalisation of attitudes towards pest species globally. AimUndertake initial psychometric tests of a unidimensional pest-management attitude (PMA) scale in three community samples from the two largest cities of New Zealand. The PMA scale comprises statements intentionally absent of specific reference to pest species or pest-management methods, and avoids terminology that has the potential to become outdated, as a result of evolving management methods and technology or the emergence of new pests. This broad focus aims to enable the ongoing use of the scale, within differing geographical contexts. MethodTwo studies tested the psychometric properties of the PMA scale. Tests comprise assessing the scales dimensionality through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and measurement equivalence across samples. Internal consistency was tested through Cronbach’s α, and demographic and context-specific measures were used to validate the scale using correlation measures. ResultsExploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the nine-item, one-factor model of the PMA scale in Study 1 (n=1190). Measurement and structural invariance of the one-factor model was confirmed across two distinct samples in Study 2 (n=739 and 705). Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alphas=0.73 to 0.81) and criterion-related validity of the PMA scale was supported in both studies, with greater PMA scores being associated with membership of a conservation or environmental organisation, active participation in conservation over the past 12 months, active actions for pest control, and not owning a pet. ConclusionsResults demonstrated high construct and criterion validity of the PMA scale, which might have powerful global utility as a context-independent measure of attitudes to pest species and their management. ImplicationsThrough generalising the social components of pest management, regardless of target species or method, there is potential to unify global studies in pest management.

Are we accurately evaluating depression in patients with cancer?

Depression remains poorly managed in oncology, in part because of the difficulty of reliably screening and assessing for depression in the context of medical illness. Whether somatic items really skew the ability to identify "true" depression, or represent meaningful indicators of depression, remains to be determined. This study utilized item response theory (IRT) to compare the performance of traditional depression criteria with Endicott's substitutive criteria (ESC; tearfulness or depressed appearance; social withdrawal; brooding; cannot be cheered up). The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), ESC, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were administered to 558 outpatients with cancer. IRT models were utilized to evaluate global and item fit for traditional PHQ-9 items compared with a modified version replacing the 4 somatic items with ESC. The modified PHQ-9 ESC scale was the best fit using a partial credit model; model fit was improved after collapsing the middle 2 response categories and removing psychomotor agitation/retardation. This improved model showed satisfactory scale precision and internal consistency, and was free from differential item functioning for gender, age, and race. Concurrent and criterion validity were supported. Thus, as many have speculated, utilizing the ESC may result in more accurate identification of depressive symptoms in oncology. Depressed mood, anhedonia, and suicidal ideation retained their expected properties in the modified scale, indicating that the traditional underlying syndrome of depression likely remains the same, but the ESC may provide more specificity when assessing patients with cancer. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Development of livelihood difficulties assessment scales for clinicians

Objectives Poverty is a well-known major social determinant of health. Poverty has been conceptualized as multidimensional livelihood difficulties that include material deprivation, financial difficulties, and social isolation. Through their clinical practice, some health care institutions have tried to address social risks among patients. However, standardized assessment tools that can detect patients' livelihood difficulties are not well established. The aims of this study were to develop brief screening tools to assess patients' livelihood difficulties, and to examine the validity and reliability of these tools in Japanese health care institutes.Methods We used secondary data from a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. The respondents of the survey were adult patients from five hospitals belonging to Japan Health Promoting Hospitals and Service Networks. The questionnaire included 25 questions that assessed patients' poverty. An iterated principal factor analysis with Promax rotation was performed and scales to assess patients' livelihood difficulties were developed. This was followed by an examination of the scales' validity and internal consistency using standardized Cronbach's alpha. Further, we built brief assessment tools by selecting questions that showed high factor loading.Results A total of 265 participants were included in the study. The response rate was 75.1%. The results of factor analysis suggested that data was affected by patients' financial difficulties and social isolation. Eight questions on the financial difficulty scale and five questions on the social isolation scale showed factor loadings greater than 0.40. The standardized Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.88 for the financial difficulty scales and 0.74 for the social isolation scales. Finally, a brief assessment tools that included two questions from each scale was developed.Conclusion This tool may be used as a screening tool for patients' livelihood difficulties in the health records of each clinic/hospital, and may help patients effectively receive integrated medical and social care. In order to use this scale in practice, under a well-established community-based integrated care system, it may be necessary to establish a standardized scoring system and diagnostic threshold to verify the generalizability of the scale at healthcare institutes with different characteristics.

Prospective Validity of the Suicide Cognitions Scale Among Acutely Suicidal Military Personnel Seeking Unscheduled Psychiatric Intervention.

Background and Aim: The Suicide Cognitions Scale (SCS) was developed to assess a broad range of suicide-related cognitions. Research to date supports the scale's factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity. The present study tested the scale's prospective validity for suicide attempts among 97 military personnel presenting to an emergency department or psychiatric outpatient clinic for an unscheduled walk-in evaluation. Method: Cox regression and receiver operator characteristic analyses were conducted to test the prospective validity of the SCS. Results: Results supported the prospective validity of the SCS (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.69) and indicate the scale's performance is comparable to an empirically supported measure of suicide ideation (AUC = 0.75). The SCS performance was not reduced by removing items containing the word suicide. Limitations: Homogeneous sample comprised of US soldiers, predominantly male, with recent suicidal ideation. Conclusion: Results support the SCS as an indicator of subsequent risk for suicidal behavior when used in acute care settings, and suggest the scale's performance is similar to more traditional suicide risk screening methods that depend on honest self-disclosure of suicidal thoughts.

Measurement Properties of Sabogal's Familism Scale: Findings from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) Sociocultural Ancillary Study.

Familism is a central Hispanic/Latino cultural value that emphasizes close, supportive family relationships and prioritizing family over the self. One of its best-known measures is Sabogal's Familism Scale (Sabogal, Marin, Otero-Sabogal, VanOss Marin, & Perez-Stable, 1987). Although widely used, this scale's measurement properties are not well understood. This study addressed that gap by examining the factor structure, factorial invariance, convergent and discriminant validity, and internal consistency of Sabogal's Familism Scale using data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) Sociocultural Ancillary Study. A diverse population-based sample of Hispanics/Latinos (N = 5,313) completed measures that were administered via interview in English or Spanish. Confirmatory factor analyses (n = 5,310) revealed that a three-factor model (familial obligations, perceived support from the family, family as referents; Sabogal's original three factors) fit the data well and did not vary across English and Spanish language groups (i.e., factorial invariance). Convergent and discriminant validities were also established; familism correlated positively with other Hispanic/Latino cultural values (simpatía, fatalism) and correlated negatively with U.S. acculturation. Internal consistency was acceptable. Sabogal's Familism Scale is recommended for continued use in the study of familism in U.S. Hispanics/Latinos.

The movement disorder society nonmotor rating scale: Initial validation study.

The Movement Disorder Society-sponsored Nonmotor Rating Scale is an update of the existing Parkinson's disease Nonmotor Symptoms Scale modified to address some limitations in Nonmotor Symptoms Scale scoring, structure, and symptom coverage. PD patients were recruited from movement disorder centers in an international, multicenter study. The Movement Disorder Society Nonmotor Rating Scale, consisting of 13 domains plus a subscale for nonmotor fluctuations, was rater administered, along with the Nonmotor Symptoms Scale and other clinical assessments. Standard reliability and validity testing were conducted. Four hundred and two PD patients were recruited (mean age ± standard deviation, 67.42 ± 9.96 years; mean age at PD onset ± standard deviation, 59.27 ± 10.67 years; median Hoehn and Yahr stage 2 (interquartile range 2-3). Data quality was satisfactory for all Movement Disorder Society Nonmotor Rating Scale domains except sexual (6.7% missing data). There were no floor or ceiling effects for the Movement Disorder Society Nonmotor Rating Scale and nonmotor fluctuations total score; domains had no ceiling effects, but some floor effects (13.5%-83.5%). The Movement Disorder Society Nonmotor Rating Scale and nonmotor fluctuations total score internal consistency were acceptable (average Cronbach's alpha, 0.66 and 0.84, respectively); interrater reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient, >0.95); for test-retest reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.84 for the Movement Disorder Society Nonmotor Rating Scale and 0.70 for Movement Disorder Society nonmotor fluctuations total score, and precision was excellent for the Movement Disorder Society Nonmotor Rating Scale (standard error of measurement, 25.30) and fair for nonmotor fluctuations (standard error of measurement, 7.06). Correlations between Movement Disorder Society Nonmotor Rating Scale score and the corresponding Nonmotor Symptoms Scale and Movement Disorder Society UPDRS scores were high. There were no significant sex or age effects. The Movement Disorder Society Nonmotor Rating Scale score increased with increasing PD duration, disease severity, and PD medication dose (all P < 0.001). The Movement Disorder Society Nonmotor Rating Scale is a valid measure for measuring the burden of a wide range of Nonmotor Rating Scale scores, including nonmotor fluctuations, in PD patients. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

IWorkHealth: An instrument to identify workplace psychosocial risk factors for a multi-ethnic Asian working population.

ObjectiveThe current study aimed to develop iWorkHealth, a valid and reliable self-administered instrument which identifies workplace psychosocial risk factors in Singapore.MethodsThe survey was conducted among 2718 employees who were primarily salaried workers and working in five companies from the healthcare, banking and finance, and legal sectors in Singapore. Factor extraction and item reduction were conducted using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Mokken scale analysis (MSA). Construct validity, internal consistency and convergent validity of the final scale were confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), Cronbach's alpha and Pearson correlation coefficients, respectively. Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes model was used to detect Differential Item Functioning (DIF).ResultsEFA and MSA identified a five-factor solution (job demand, job control, employee and management engagement, supervisor support and colleague support) for the 27 items iWorkHealth instrument. CFA demonstrated that the five-factor model fitted the data with high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.79 to 0.92). The convergent validity was shown through significant association with existing scales—high job demand was significantly associated with high burnout and depression, while high job control, employee and management engagement, supervisor support and coworker support were significantly associated with low burnout and depression. Ten items were detected with significant DIF, but impact was minimal on the associations between socio-demographics factors and iWorkHealth subscales.ConclusionsThe findings provided evidence that the iWorkHealth instrument which comprises 27 items in five domains of psychosocial risk at the workplace is a reliable and valid instrument that could be used to measure and compare the level of psychosocial risk factors across companies and industries in Singapore.

Perinatal incontinence: Psychometric evaluation of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form and Wexner Scale.

The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) and the Wexner Scale have been included in the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement core outcome set during pregnancy and childbirth, to measure urinary and anal incontinence. The reliability and validity of these instruments have not been fully evaluated in maternity populations. The aim of this study was to conduct a psychometric evaluation of the ICIQ-UI SF and Wexner Scale. Consecutive pregnant women (n = 309) who booked for care at one Australian birth facility between August 2017 and April 2018 completed the online surveys. Women who screened positive for urinary and/or anal incontinence were administered the ICIQ-UI SF and/or Wexner Scale during pregnancy ( <27 and 36-weeks) and postpartum (6 and 26-weeks). Scale internal consistency, construct validity, and responsiveness were evaluated. In women with urinary incontinence, the ICIQ-UI SF demonstrated good internal consistency during pregnancy (baseline and 36 weeks) and 6-weeks postpartum (mean inter-item correlation: 0.47, 0.39, and 0.46, respectively), recorded significant change across three time-points, and was sensitive to group differences in age and obesity during pregnancy. Wexner Scale was unsuitable for psychometric analysis due to insufficient numbers of women with anal incontinence. The ICIQ-UI SF is a valid and reliable instrument to measure urinary incontinence during pregnancy and postpartum. The findings support the inclusion of the ICIQ-UI SF in the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement core outcome set for use during the perinatal period. Psychometric analysis of the Wexner Scale in larger maternity populations is recommended.