Separate Items Research Articles

Preschool teachers’ sense of teaching efficacy: scale development and validation

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to develop and validate Preschool Teachers’ Sense of Teaching Efficacy Scale (PTSTES) in the Chinese context. A 22-item self-report measure was developed based on Bandura’s social cognitive theory, Chinese preschool education policies, existing instruments, and one-on-one interviews with preschool teachers. This study has demonstrated that the PTSTES has satisfactory psychometric properties in a sample of 584 Chinese preschool teachers. Findings indicated that the PTSTES was a valid and reliable measure including five aspects of teaching efficacy: teaching preparation, teaching strategy, teaching evaluation, classroom management, and preschool-family cooperation. Rasch Rating Scale Model analysis provided the evidence for the item separation, person separation and item difficulty of the PTSTES. The reliability evidence is calculated by examining internal consistency and item-total correlations. Validity evidence based on test content, internal structure, and relations to other variables was also evaluated, indicating that the PTSTES has good validity. This study contributes to early childhood education by providing researchers and practitioners with an instrument for measuring preschool teachers’ sense of teaching efficacy.

Multicenter Validation of the Ocular Myasthenia Gravis Rating Scale Questionnaire.

Ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG) causes disabling ocular symptoms of ptosis and diplopia, but a validated disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) has not been reported. We sought to validate a novel PROM for OMG, OMG Rating Scale Questionnaire (OMGRate-q), as a measure of visual functioning to support patient-centered care. This was a prospective study of patients aged 18 years and older with OMG receiving care at 3 medical centers (January 2022-October 2023). The 10-item OMGRate-q was administered, and response data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis followed by Andrich rating scale model fitting. Poorly fitting items were eliminated, and the model was refit to produce the final items, item locations, and thresholds. Latent scores (theta) were estimated, test-retest reliability was established with repeat measures, and correlation with other myasthenia gravis PROMs was measured. Of the 134 patients included in the study, 45 (33.6%) were women, 99 (73.9%) were White, and the median age (interquartile range [IQR]) was 64.6 years (52.6-73.9 years). A ptosis-related item showed significant item-trait deviation (p < 0.001) and was kept as a separate factor from the remaining diplopia-related items. After excluding this item, there were no misfitting items. Theta estimation for the diplopia scale ranged from -3.47 to 5.51 with median = -0.53 (IQR -2.33, 0.72). Test-retest reliability of the OMGRate-q diplopia subscale was high (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.95 [95% CI 0.90-0.98]) and of the ptosis item was good (weighted κ = 0.56). No significant differences were observed in OMGRate-q diplopia subscale scores or the ptosis item between the 3 sites (diplopia p = 0.44; ptosis p = 0.32). OMGRate-q scores were moderately to highly correlated with the Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life 15 questionnaire (n = 122; diplopia: r = 0.68, p < 0.001; ptosis: r = 0.48, p < 0.001) and Myasthenia Gravis Impairment Index (n = 130; diplopia: r = 0.76, p < 0.001; ptosis: r = 0.77, p < 0.001). OMGRate-q length was acceptable to most participants (125/130 [96.2%]), and the questionnaire was completed in 80.7 (±45.2) seconds. The OMGRate-q is a valid and reliable disease-specific PROM for OMG that may be used to facilitate patient-centered research and care. However, the OMGRate-q emphasizes the impact of diplopia on visual functioning with a single separate item measuring ptosis. Future studies are needed to determine OMGRate-q responsiveness to disease-state changes and how to add measures of ptosis to this scale or whether a separate measure is needed.

Validation of the Arabic Version of Asthma Numeracy Questionnaire (ANQ) Among Parents of Asthmatic Children: Factor and Rasch Analyses Study.

The increasing global prevalence of asthma necessitates effective disease management, with patients and their families playing a central role. Enhancing health literacy (HL) among caregivers is critical to improving asthma outcomes. This study aimed to validate the Arabic version of the Asthma Numeracy Questionnaire (Ar-ANQ) to address the gap in HL assessment tools for Arabic-speaking populations. A total of 400 parents of children with asthma completed the Ar-ANQ at an outpatient respiratory clinic. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Rasch analysis were employed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the instrument. CFA supported the unidimensional structure of the Ar-ANQ, with excellent model fit indices (χ²/df = 4.6, SRMR = 0.02, CFI = 0.99, GFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.96) and high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.82). Rasch analysis further demonstrated psychometric robustness, with high person and item separation reliabilities (0.74 and 0.99, respectively) and acceptable infit and outfit statistics. The Arabic version of the Asthma Numeracy Questionnaire (Ar-ANQ) is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing health literacy among parents of children with asthma.

A roadmap for assessing the diagnostic usefulness of neurosensory testing and an updated method for exposure assessment among vibration-exposed workers in northern Sweden

ABSTRACT Workers who use handheld vibrating machines such as grinders, hammers and chainsaws expose themselves to hand-arm vibration (HAV). Exposure to HAV may cause injuries to both the neurological and the vascular system. The occupational health services (OHS) in Sweden use a formal guideline for secondary prevention focusing on early detection of vibration-related injuries. The guide includes several screening tools, such as a screening questionnaire, clinical examinations, and laboratory tests. There are no studies, to our knowledge, on the diagnostic value of the separate items on symptoms in the screening questionnaire in relation to the laboratory tests or the clinical examinations performed during a medical examination among patients exposed to HAV. Furthermore, the recently presented ISO standard for HAV measurements (ISO/TR 18,750) has only been tested for vascular injuries and not neurological injuries. This research roadmap aims to evaluate separate items in a screening questionnaire on neurological symptoms in relation to laboratory and clinical tests among HAV exposed workers in the Arctic region of Northern Sweden. It also covers a comparison of the dose-response of the current ISO 5349–1 measurement standard and the new suggested standard ISO/TR 18,750 with the neurosensory outcomes. This manuscript describes the study rationale, design, methods, and significance.

Health-seeking behaviors during an outbreak of acute conjunctivitis in Central India.

To report the health-seeking behaviors of individuals with acute viral conjunctivitis during an outbreak. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in the Raipur district of Chhattisgarh after an outbreak of acute conjunctivitis in July-August 2023. The treatment choices were pharmacies (51.4%), ophthalmologists (21.1%), quacks (non-qualified doctors) (6.8%), general practitioners (1.6%), home remedies (5.2%), and no treatment (13.9%). Treatment preferences were influenced by place of residence (P < 0.001), occupation (P = 0.002), socioeconomic category (P < 0.001), and highest level of education of male (P < 0.001) and female (P < 0.001) members within the household. The overall expenditure was higher when patients sought treatment from quacks (INR 427.27 ± 202.21), followed by ophthalmologists (INR 374.57 ± 251.31) and pharmacies (INR 201.39 ± 102.65) (P < 0.001). Individuals aged 21-40 years (odds ratio [OR]: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.05-1.03, P = 0.055) and those from villages (OR: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.07-0.32, P < 0.001) were less likely to use prophylaxis. Individuals from families with high level of education of male members (OR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.08-7.20, P = 0.039) or large family sizes (OR: 6.27, 95% CI: 2.42-19.09, P = 0.039) were more likely to use prophylaxis. The use of separate items of daily use reduced the risk of spread of conjunctivitis (OR: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.06-0.35, P = 0.035). Several insights into health-seeking behaviors among individuals with conjunctivitis during an outbreak were identified in this study, which can aid public health interventions during future outbreaks.

Mediating effect of respiratory symptoms on the association between residential distance and the quality of life among residents living near waste incineration plants in Dongguan, Southern China

BackgroundLiving near waste incineration plants (WIPs) may have adverse effects on health associated with quality of life (QOL) among local residents. This study was undertaken to measure the QOL of residents living near WIPs in China, identify the association between residential distance from the WIPs and QOL, and assess the mediating effect of respiratory symptoms on the association between residential distance and QOL.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in communities surrounding three municipal WIPs in Dongguan, China. The QOL using the WHOQOL-BREF and respiratory symptoms using the Medical Research Council Questionnaire (MRCQ) on Respiratory Symptoms were measured in 881 residents (454 living 3 km of their local WIP vs. 427 living 3–8 km from the WIP). Differences in respiratory symptoms and QOL in two separate items and four domains were analyzed. The associations of distance with respiratory symptoms and QOL were evaluated by multiple linear regression and logistic regression, respectively. Mediating effect of respiratory symptoms on the association between distance and QOL were tested using mediation analysis.ResultsCompared with the 3–8 km group, residents in the 0–3 km group had significantly lower scores in the physical health domain (β= − 2.02, p = 0.027), social relationships domain (β= − 2.47, p = 0.016) and environment domain (β= − 3.55, p < 0.001). There were no significant associations between distance and psychological domain, overall QOL, and satisfaction with health after adjusting for other variables. Residents in the 0–3 km group were more likely to report respiratory symptoms than residents in the 3–8 km group (OR = 1.46, 95%CI 1.09–1.96, p = 0.011). Respiratory symptoms had a significant effect on physical health (β= − 7.48, p < 0.001), social relationships (β= − 5.02, p < 0.001) and environment domains (β= − 7.28, p < 0.001). Respiratory symptoms fully mediated the association of residential distance on physical health (31.7%), and partially mediated the associations of residential distance on social relationships (18.8%) and environment domains (17.3%).ConclusionsResidential distance from a WIP was significantly associated with QOL, and the association between residential distance and QOL was mediated by respiratory symptoms. Future longitudinal studies on adverse respiratory health effects of exposure to WIP emissions are required using objective assessments.

P103 Analysis of cumulative life course impairment in tertiary psoriasis care: insights from the initial delivery of the DermCLCI-r questionnaire in an English cohort

Abstract Chronic diseases such as psoriasis place an ongoing and aggregate burden on patients throughout their life, leading to a negative life-changing impact on decisions and opportunities in patients’ lives. This phenomenon is known as Cumulative Life Course Impairment (CLCI), yet no tools which measure CLCI in a standardized way in patients exist. The DermCLCI-r questionnaire is a novel 25-item questionnaire assessing the impact of psoriasis over the whole course of a patients’ disease journey. This questionnaire is undergoing simultaneous validation in German and English language between centres in Germany and England in a 1-year longitudinal study against existing quality of life tools. This study explores CLCI measured in psoriasis patients from a large tertiary psoriasis clinic in England at the initial assessment with the DermCLCI-r questionnaire and correlates it with clinical and quality of life data. The English data (n = 98) showed 60.2% male; mean age, 51.37 years; mean, 27.98 years since psoriasis diagnosis; mean age of diagnosis, 23.0; mean psoriasis area and severity index (PASI), 3.3; 94% on systemic therapy; 44% PASI &amp;gt; 2; mean DLQI 5.1. 55.1% of patients reported experiencing at least one life-changing experience due to their disease, with a mean number of 4.35 life-changing experiences per patient. The most common life-changing experiences were ‘feeling stressed by the disease’ (31.6%), ‘nervousness, anxiety or tenseness’ (27.6%), ‘impairments regarding choice of clothing’ (26.5%), ‘effort with the treatment of the disease’ (26.5%) and ‘limitations in physical performance’ (25.5%). Ongoing cumulative life stress was experienced by 65.3% of patients, with a mean of 5.53 separate items contributing to their current disease burden. Relevant items in the DermCLCIr tool correlated significantly with total DLQI score, e.g. ‘impairments in quality of life’ (0.568), ‘feeling stressed by the disease’ (0.519), and ‘limitations in physical performance’ (0.492), P &amp;lt; 0.001 respectively. CLCI significantly impacts the majority of patients in tertiary psoriasis care and has contributed to multiple ongoing and life-changing experiences in this patient group; the DermCLCI-r questionnaire is able to identify these. The ability to detect CLCI could allow earlier conservative or therapeutic management of life-changing elements of the psoriasis disease experience, and could potentially reduce the negative personal and social impact of psoriasis. Completion of the longitudinal validation study will further assess the accuracy of the DermCLCI-r questionnaire in aiding clinical decision-making on the holistic management of psoriasis patients.

Съвременен атомистичен модел на изкуството. Част трета

The Contemporary Atomistic Model of Art sought represents an ontogenetic process of creation, communication and perception of the artwork in the environment that surrounds us and that is within us. Instead of immutable wholes (holism), we have infinite sets of processes of connection and disconnection, merging and splitting of “nuclei” (atomism) where interactions are clearly visible. Through art, thought of as the porous structure of society with permeable sites of relation, each image and each material form of an artwork is only a connective element with values and other forms that are transferable in society. This is a principle of dynamic connection in which form is a kind of representation and a potential condition of exchange. The in-between zone has been distinguished, bearing its own traditions and recognizing both the connectedness as well as the separate items that are connected. Fluid culture atomism (fluid atomism) is where we observe the dynamics in interactions in an ever-changing structure that is itself made up of separated atomic units briefly grouped into more complex molecular formations, with all the connections between them being impermanent and temporary. Both the internal structures and the state of the whole change. The interactions of individual units are a key factor in the analysis of processes in art. These processes are embedded in perishable, dynamically transforming networks of ‘private’ art worlds, the sum of which is not the Universal World but a momentary state in an ever-changing system. The relationship between the individual artist and the overall system of organized artistic life passes through interactions of a socialpsychological type in organized temporary groups of artists. This article discusses the possible relations between the field of social psychology and art. Emphasis is placed on the aspects of innovative artistic inquiry, discussed as the singular and the unique in art as opposed to the established order. Innovation in art is juxtaposed with innovation in social bonding as a social psychological problem of creativity. Individual creativity is compared to the creativity of groups and the particularities of the creative processes inherent to individual artists. Such an interpretation develops further the idea of an art world seen as impermanent and dynamically changing networks of ‘private’ art worlds. Among the autonomous zones defined by the individual and the group are found shared zones through which polar differences are harmonized. Individual artistic innovation is juxtaposed with innovative practices that are formed through the action of the groups.

Analysis of biology midterm exam items using a comparison of the classical theory test and the Rasch model

In biology learning, test instruments are essential for assessing students' understanding of complex concepts. A test instrument is a crucial factor in learning evaluation; however, its implementation remains minimal. This descriptive quantitative study aims to analyze the quality of test items using the classical approach in terms of validity, reliability, difficulty index, discrimination power, distractor effectiveness, and the Rasch model analysis. The data consists of 30 multiple-choice questions from a biology midterm exam administered to 40 students. Classical test data analysis uses Microsoft Excel, while Rasch model analysis uses Winsteps software. The validity test results from both approaches show 14 valid questions and 16 invalid ones. The reliability scores are 0.619 (adequate) for the classical approach's Cronbach's Alpha, 0.85 (good) for the Rasch model, and 0.65 (weak) for personal reliability. The classical test theory and the Rasch model categorize item difficulty into four levels. The classical approach produces five categories for item discrimination, while the Rasch model identifies three groups based on the item separation index (H=3.45) and two groups based on respondent ability (H=1.96). Distractor effectiveness shows 93.3% functional distractors in the classical test and 80% in the Rasch model. The Rasch model offers greater precision in measuring student ability and detecting bias. Both models should be integrated for comprehensive item analysis. Future tests should focus on improving invalid items and the quality of distractors.

Psychometric properties of a COVID-19 health literacy scale in a sample of German school principals applying Rasch analysis

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, health literacy was found to be an asset to manage health-related information. The HLS-COVID-Q22 has been developed to measure COVID-19 health literacy. External validation needs to be assessed in different populations to verify the questionnaire’s functioning. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the HLS-COVID-Q22 in a sample of German school principals.MethodsThe sample consisted of 2187 German school principals who completed the HLS-COVID-Q22 online from April to March 2021. The data was analyzed using Rasch analysis, applying the Partial Credit Model for polytomous data. Dimensionality, item fit statistics and rating scale functioning was tested. Values for item difficulty and person ability as well as reliability indices were computed.ResultsUnidimensionality could be confirmed. The rating scale categories worked as intended, participants used every rating step category. Generally, item fit was verified. One item showed potential misfit but could remain in the questionnaire as excluding the item did not reduce reliability. A person separation index of 3.41 and person reliability of 0.92 showed excellent differentiation between COVID-19 health literacy levels. Furthermore, the values for item separation of 20.08 and item reliability of 1.0 indicate good construct validity.ConclusionsThe German version of the HLS-COVID-Q22 appears to be a reliable measurement tool for the target population. Evidence for construct, statistical and fit validity was collected. Future studies need to test additional types of validity like convergent and divergent validity to further evaluate the questionnaire. Moreover, the psychometric properties of the translated versions of the HLS-COVID-Q22 should be compared using Rasch analysis.

Psychometric evaluation of a COVID-19 health literacy scale applying Rasch analysis

Abstract Background Assessing health literacy in times of the COVID-19 pandemic is vital, since health literacy has been highlighted as a personal resource for managing health information. The HLS-Covid-Q22 questionnaire was developed to measure self-reported COVID-19 health literacy in adults. It has been used and validated, mainly using confirmatory factor analysis, in some studies with different target groups. However, several comprehensive validation studies are needed to ensure the feasibility of a novel measurement tool. In the current study, Rasch analysis has been chosen, as this analysis transforms the categorical responses of the items of the HLS-Covid-Q22 into linear measures. Methods The psychometric properties of the HLS-Covid-Q22 were evaluated in a sample of 2187 German adults applying Rasch analysis. The data is from the German COVID-HL school survey that was generated by employing an online survey in school principals during the third infection wave from March to April 2021 in four federal states. Applying the Partial Credit Model for polytomous data, the responses to the HLS-Covid-Q22 items were transformed into linear measures, unidimensionality was tested and several indices to assess the quality of the measurement tool were computed. Results Unidimensionality of the questionnaire could be confirmed. The rating scale steps worked as intended. Participants used every rating category. Item fit could be verified. High reliability indices were found with a person separation index of 3.41, person reliability of .92, item separation of 20.08 as well as item reliability of 1.0. Conclusions The HLS-Covid-Q22 appeared to be a reliable and valid questionnaire which has not been validated by applying Rasch analysis before. Even though Rasch analysis is already a well-established validation method in other disciplines, it should be used to evaluate other health literacy questionnaires more often to gain comprehensive insights into the intended functioning of measurement tools. Key messages • The HLS-Covid-Q22 questionnaire appears to be a valid and reliable measurement tool. • Rasch analysis is an appropriate method to evaluate the psychometric properties of likert-type rating-scale questionnaires.

Under the surface: paranoid and unusual thought content are associated with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in adolescents entering psychiatric care

ABSTRACT Background Psychotic Like Experiences (PLEs), suicidal ideation, and depressive symptoms are related and common symptoms in adolescents treated in psychiatric services. However, more granular analysis of the associations between the two types of symptoms is sparse. This study aims to investigate the associations between self-reported PLEs and depressive symptoms on a sub-scale and item level, among adolescents attending secondary level psychiatric care. Methods The sample included 328 adolescents (aged 13–18 years) attending adolescent psychiatry outpatient units of the Helsinki University Hospital. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the BDI-1A (total score and separate Suicidal Ideation item score). PLEs were assessed with the PQ-B and analysed as sum scores for the sub-scales Sensory Distortion, Grandiosity, Disorganised Speech, Paranoia, and Unusual Thoughts. Results High scores on PQ-B subscales Paranoia and Unusual Thoughts were both independently associated with more depression and suicidality. Item analysis showed that the associations between PLEs and depression were driven by two PQ-B Paranoia subscale items, and one Unusual Thoughts subscale item. Discussion The findings suggest that the association between PLEs and depressive symptoms is driven by paranoid experiences and unusual thought content. Professionals in psychiatric care should expect this type of co-occurrence.

Arabic Translation and Rasch Validation of PROMIS Anxiety Short Form among General Population in Saudi Arabia.

This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and psychometrically validate the PROMIS Anxiety Short Form 8a item bank into Arabic for the general population of Saudi Arabia. The PROMIS Anxiety Short Form was translated according to the FACIT group method. Second, psychometric validation was conducted on a convenience sample of 322 participants (mean age, 26 ± 10.4 years; predominantly female) from the general population in Saudi Arabia. Rasch analysis (Winsteps® version 5.6.1) was used to examine category functioning, item fit, the person separation index, item difficulty, unidimensionality, and local dependency. Translation and cultural adaptation demonstrated that most of the items were culturally suitable and conveyed the same underlying concepts as the original scale. The five response categories of the scale satisfied the category functioning criteria, and all items fit the underlying construct, with the exception of one item that demonstrated a misfit. The item difficulty demonstrated poor targeting for the sample population; however, the person separation index and reliability were good (2.67 and 0.88, respectively) and no local dependency was noted. The Arabic translation of PROMIS-A SF8a demonstrated good structural validity and psychometrics, making it a valuable tool for screening anxiety in Arabic-speaking populations. The application of this outcome measure shows promise for healthcare professionals and patients alike, as it contributes to the provision of high-quality care and formulation of appropriate treatment plans.

Chinese version of the Physical Resilience Scale (PRS): reliability and validity test based on Rasch analysis

BackgroundPhysical resilience is known to minimize the adverse outcomes of health stressors for older people. However, validated instruments that assess physical resilience in older adults are rare. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to translate the Physical Resilience Scale (PRS) into Chinese and to validate its psychometric properties in a population of community-dwelling older adults following SARS-CoV-2 infection.MethodsThis study used a cross-sectional design and translated the Physical Resilience Scale into Chinese. A total of 426 older adults who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection were chosen for assessment through convenience sampling. The measurement data were analyzed using the Rasch analysis.ResultsRasch analysis indicates that the Physical Resilience Scale demonstrates excellent reliability, validity, and unidimensionality. The Infit MNSQ and Outfit MNSQ of each entry were 0.77 ~ 1.19, and the degree of fit of each entry to the scale was good. Person and item separation reliability support the internal consistency of the studied samples and PRS items.ConclusionsThe Physical Resilience Scale has good reliability and is suitable for the assessment of physical resilience tests in older people. However, the overall difficulty of the scale is not suitable for older adults of all ability ranges, and it is possible to add higher and lower difficulty items and adjust the difficulty spacing between items in a later study.

DRGNN: Disentangled representation graph neural network for diverse category-level recommendations

Graph neural networks (GNNs) have significantly advanced recommender systems (RecSys) by enhancing their accuracy in complex collaborative filtering scenarios. However, this progress often comes at the cost of overlooking the diversity of recommendations, a factor in user satisfaction. Addressing this gap, this paper introduces the disentangled representation graph neural network (DRGNN). DRGNN integrates diversification into the candidate generation stage using two specialized modules. The first employs disentangled representation learning to separate item preferences from category preferences, thereby mitigating category bias in recommendations. The second module, focusing on positive sample selection, further reduces category bias. This approach not only maintains the high-order connectivity strengths of GNNs but also substantially improves the diversity of recommendations. Our extensive validation of DRGNN on three comprehensive web service datasets, Taobao, Amazon Beauty and MSD, shows that it not only matches the state-of-the-art methods in accuracy but also excels in achieving a balanced trade-off between accuracy and diversity in recommendations.

A framework for modeling and simulating blockchain-based supply chain traceability systems

Traceability improves supply chain operations transparency, benefiting the overall performance and the end customer perception. Blockchain technology is a promising alternative to create robust traceability systems, as it promotes trust and supports information sharing based on data immutability. Despite the hype surrounding blockchain technology and the vast literature in the field, the effectiveness and efficiency of blockchain-based supply chain traceability systems remain uncertain across multiple industry sectors, due to the lack of empirical evidence. Considering its characteristics, simulation is a valuable tool to evaluate the performance of supply chain management processes and technology alternatives. However, a structured guide to support the building process of simulation models regarding blockchain in the supply chain is still missing, making it hard for modelers to create realistic simulation models. Thus, this work proposes a novel methodological framework with guidelines to develop HS models regarding supply chain traceability capable of integrating the main blockchain concepts for managerial purposes. Scenarios with different granularity levels may be designed through the combination of both discrete-event and agent-based simulation paradigms. The proposed approach integrates concepts and terminologies from foundational references, including the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model and the Global Traceability Standard (GTS). In addition, it is anchored on the ADACOR holonic architecture for the agentification process. Following the Design Science Research methodology, a proof-of-concept application is presented, based on a real-scale industrial case of a lobster supply chain from Canada. Results obtained reflect the framework's versatility to assist the development of a hybrid simulation model, as traceability is explored through the perspectives of time to react, item separation, temporal screening, and blockchain participation rate.

Validity and reliability of the Yonsei lifestyle profile-active, balance, connection, diversity.

Lifestyle, defined as a way of living resulting from an individual's deliberate choices, is a crucial factor in improving and maintaining health. Consequently, the measurement and analysis of lifestyle are of significant importance. This study aims to validate the validity and reliability of the Yonsei Lifestyle Profile-Active, Balance, Connection, Diversity (YLP-ABCD) in measuring health-related lifestyles. Data were collected from 300 participants aged 55 and older using the YLP-ABCD. To analyse the validity and reliability of the YLP-ABCD, analysed using frequency, descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, and Rasch model analysis. The results indicate that the YLP-ABCD, which consists of 35 items, demonstrates unidimensionality and local independence. The Rasch model confirmed the suitability of the 5-point Likert scale for the factors, excluding subfactors Balanced and Unbalanced. The item fit criteria (0.5 < MNSQ < 1.5) were met for all items. The distribution of the respondents' abilities suggests the need for additional items to measure their ability levels. Both the item and respondent separation indices and their reliabilities were satisfactory. This study confirmed the utility of the YLP-ABCD as a valuable tool for measuring and understanding the multifaceted diversity of lifestyles. Therefore, by utilising YLP-ABCD to quantitatively measure health lifestyles, we anticipate contributing to improvements in human health and quality of life.

Linguistic and cultural validation of symptom questionnaire for visual dysfunctions (SQVD) for psychometric analysis in the Chinese context.

The Spanish scale symptom questionnaire for visual dysfunctions (SQVD) was sinicized and tested for reliability and validity in the Chinese context, employing both classical measurement theory and item response theory. A meticulous translation was conducted using the modified Brislin translation model, with input from experts for cross-cultural debugging and in-depth review. Following a pre-survey study, the Chinese version of the SQVD was finalized. A convenience sampling method was used to select 270 patients from the target group and 252 valid questionnaires were successfully collected. The Rasch model was employed to assess response category functionality, fit statistics, unidimensionality, person and item reliability, separation, targeting, and differential item functioning. Classical test theory was applied to evaluate internal consistency and retest reliability, supplemented by correlation analysis. Job characteristic curves were also plotted to assess diagnostic accuracy. The Chinese SQVD conformed to a unidimensional structure with excellent reliability and validity. Person and item reliabilities were 0.85 and 0.99, respectively, indicating, high stability. Person and item separation indices were 2.37 and 11.54, respectively, signifying strong differentiation ability. Retest reliability was 0.917, further emphasizing the stability of the scale. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.908 (95% CI: 0.854, 0.962), with a cutoff value of 7.5 and Youden index of 0.733, highlighting the scale's high diagnostic accuracy. The translated and culturally adapted Chinese SQVD demonstrated excellent psychometric properties. With streamlined items, short assessment time, and high efficiency, the scale is a stable and reliable clinical tool for detecting a variety of conditions related to refractive, regulatory, and binocular vision dysfunction.

Invariance of comparisons: Separation of item and person parameters beyond Rasch models

The Rasch model is the most prominent member of the class of latent trait models that are in common use. The main reason is that it can be considered as a measurement model that allows to separate person and item parameters, a feature that is referred to as invariance of comparisons or specific objectivity. It is shown that the property is not an exclusive trait of Rasch type models but is also found in alternative latent trait models. It is distinguished between separability in the theoretical measurement model and empirical separability with empirical separability meaning that parameters can be estimated without reference to the other group of parameters. A new type of pairwise estimator with this property is proposed that can be used also in alternative models. Separability is considered in binary models as well as in polytomous models.

The Psychometric Assessment of GRIT using Rasch Measurement Model for Vernacular Students Setting

In facing a competitive global landscape and an uncertain future, fostering a national character rooted in grit emerges as a critical necessity. Grit stands out as a multifaceted trait encompassing perseverance of effort and consistency of interest over an extended period. The innovative and groundbreaking research that contributes new insights to the field by improving the validity and reliability on quality of items in assessing grit for vernacular setting among Tamil students who rarely explored. Hence, this study will focus on the setting of vernacular students consist of Tamil National Type Primary School (SJKT) in Negeri Sembilan. The study aimed to test whether grit measurement items have good psychometric properties in the context of SJKT students based on Rasch analysis. Two grit constructs have been applied in this study such as perseverance and interest. The survey with quantitative approach was applied. Cluster sampling technique was used to select a total of 93 SJKT students studying in Year 6 from two districts in Negeri Sembilan. The total of 11 from 12 items met the requirements of Rasch’s statistical modelling using WINSTEPS 3.68.2 software. This psychometrics properties also reports on the strength of items through graphical analysis such as Wright Map. Person reliability shows the reading of 0.78 and item reliability shows of 0.84. Meanwhile, person separation is at 1.88 and item separation at 2.32 proved that items and persons can be categorized by the difficulty and ability. Cronbach Alpha shows the reading of 0.89 for internal consistency evidence. An implication of this is the possibility to generate more difficult items for SJKT students to measure grit and expand the impact of grit measurement that only focus on psychology part, but also the psychometric field. It is recommended that future studies can be conducted to examine the suitability of items using few other new settings such as Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK), Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) and private primary schools in Negeri Sembilan with larger samples. Future study for these items could be used as a self and peers -assessment for the self-improvement purpose in grit.