Subscale Correlations Research Articles

Relation of personality traits and decision-making in wheelchair tennis players

Wheelchair tennis, a Paralympic sport in constant growth, requires the extensive use of the cognitive process of decision-making, which is the process of the formation of preferences and the analysis and selection of responses. This process is influenced by many factors, and as personality profiles are also a cognitive component that guides subjects’ actions and behaviours, this study aimed to analyse the personality traits that correlate with the decision-making of wheelchair tennis players. Nine athletes completed the Eysenck Personality Profiler V6 and had their decisions monitored by the Determination Test before a competition. The significance level considered was p ≤ .05, and significant, positive and moderate correlations between the Inverse Efficiency Score (IES) and the psychoticism dimension (r = .684; p = .042) and the anxiety subscale (r = .672; p = .047), and significant, positive and strong correlations between the IES and the irresponsibility subscale (r = .777; p = .014) were identified. In conclusion, wheelchair tennis players with high irresponsibility, anxiety and psychoticism levels tend to show disadvantages in their decision-making quality prior to a competitive moment.

Subscales correlations between MSSS-88 and PRISM scales in evaluation of spasticity for patients with multiple sclerosis

Introduction/Objective. Patient-reported outcomes have been recognized as an important way of assessing health and well-being of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of the study is to determine the correlation between different subscales of Patient-Reported Impact of Spasticity Measure (PRISM) and Multiple Sclerosis Spasticity Scale (MSSS-88) scales in the estimation of spasticity influence on different domains Methods. The study is a cross-sectional observational study. MSSS-88 and PRISM scales were analyzed in five domains (body-function domain, activity domain, participation domain, personal factors/wellbeing domain, and hypothesis). For statistical interpretation of the correlation we performed the Spearman?s ?-test, concurrent validity, divergent validity, and the linear regression model. Results. We found a significant correlation between subscales of evaluated MSSS-88 and PRISM scales for body domains; the highest correlation was between the need for assistance/positioning (NA/P) and walking (W). Spasticity has the weakest correlation with the need for intervention (NI). The presence of pain has a negative impact and significant positive correlation between pain discomfort and NI. In the domain of body function for males, there was a non-significant correlation between muscle spasms and NI. The same applies for social functioning and social embarrassment domains, as well as for emotional health and psychological agitation for personal factors / wellbeing domain. The differences between genders of MS patients persist in different domains; muscle spasms are strong predictors for NI, and body movement is a strong predictor versus W for NA/P. Conclusion. MSSS-88 and PRISM scales can be considered reliable in measuring different domains of disability for MS patients with spasticity. Because it is shorter, quicker, and simple to use, it is concluded that the PRISM scale can successfully compete with and replace the MSSS-88 scale in certain domains.

Validity and reliability of the Turkish Version of the Self-Disclosure Scale among university students

Objective: Self-disclosure plays an active role in the beginning of interpersonal communication, in the formation of intimacy, and in the trust of the communicators each other. In this study, it is aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of Self-Disclosure Scale. Methods: A total of 274 nursing and medical university students were included in this study between May-June 2016. The data were collected using The Sociodemographic Information Form and the Self-Disclosure Scale. Exploratory factor analysis with a varimax rotation was used to examine the construct validity. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach a coefficients and item-total subscale correlations. The stability of the measures was examined through test–retest reliability assessment. Results: As a result of exploratory factor analysis, five factors with 64.45% of the variance explained and an eigenvalue >1 were extracted. Factor loading of items are between 0.53 and 0.86. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient value for the scale is 0.70, and test-retest reliability coefficient value is 0.89. Conclusion: Self-Disclosure Scale is a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate self-disclosure level among university students.

Culturally Responsive Teaching Knowledge and Practices of Online Faculty

Cultural differences between faculty and their students can create important challenges that affect the quality and efficacy of online teaching and learning. The objectives of this study were to: (a) create and pilot test an assessment for online faculty to measure culturally responsive teaching knowledge (CRT) and culturally responsive educational practices (CREP) in teaching and advising students of color, military students, LGBTQ students, religious minority students, and international students; (b) describe participants’ CRT knowledge, value, and CREP; and (c) examine differences between their knowledge and their practices. The combined pilot and main study sample was comprised of 47 completed surveys. Internal consistency reliability was high for all subscales (.895-.970); subscale intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from .526-.833. The pilot round revealed strong face and content validity. Campbell-Fiske multitrait-multimethod matrix generated evidence of construct validity. Within-group comparisons of subscale scores using Wilcoxon Signed-ranks test revealed some significant differences between perceived knowledge and practice. Mann Whitney U test did not reveal significant differences in subscale scores or overall score by sector, degree level taught, or gender. The results have important implications for faculty training, professional development, mentoring, and support. Faculty who teach online who understand and value culturally responsive pedagogy and have the knowledge and skills to implement best practices in meeting the needs of diverse learners will enhance both teaching and learning. Culturally responsive knowledges and practice are particularly important as online programs are becoming ubiquitous across traditional institutions of higher education and their core faculty are teaching an increasingly diverse student body.

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Croatian Short Version of the Empathy Quotient

The Empathy Quotient (EQ, Baron-Cohen & Wheelwright, 2004) measures empathy as an ability to identify what someone else is thinking and feeling, and to respond to their thoughts and feelings with an appropriate emotion. Although the questionnaire was developed in order to be sensitive to empathy deficits as a part of psychopathology, it is often used in other areas of psychological research as well. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the short version of the translated Empathy Quotient (EQ-28) that has psychometric superiority over the original version (Lawrence et al., 2004). Data was collected on-line on a convenient sample (N = 115; 81 female and 34 male) with a mean age of 31.30 (SD = 7.49), within a larger study. The results of the principal component analysis showed a clear three-factor solution consistent with the structure proposed by Lawrence et al. (2004). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients indicated high internal consistency of the Cognitive Empathy and the Emotional Reactivity subscales, unlike the Social Skills subscale. The correlations of the EQ-28 subscales and the relevant subscales of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (Davis, 1983) provided information about the convergent validity of the Cognitive Empathy and the Emotional Reactivity subscales, while the correlations with measures of altruism (measured by HEXACOPI-R, Lee & Ashton, 2004) and the Dark Triad (Jones & Paulhus, 2014) showed the theoretically expected relationships between the given constructs. On the basis of the results of this preliminary study it can be concluded that the Croatian version of the EQ-28 has satisfactory metric characteristics and represents a good measure of cognitive and affective empathy, but these results should be replicated on a larger and more gender balanced sample. Keywords: Empathy Quotient, psychometric properties, Croatian version

Validity and reliability of the Neonatal Discharge Assessment Tool

To investigate the reliability and validity of the Neonatal Discharge Assessment Tool (N-DAT) designed to assess risk factors related to infants' and parents' readiness for discharge to home. The sample was composed of 238 high-risk preterm infants, born at gestational age of 24 to 37 weeks, and their parents. High scores on the N-DAT indicated higher risk for discharge of preterm infants and their parents. Psychometric analyses of the N-DAT included content validity, internal consistency reliability, and construct validity. Content validity of the N-DAT items was supported by experts (content validity index = .98). Internal consistency reliability was supported by a Cronbach's alpha for the total instrument of .94. N-DAT total and subscale score correlations ranged from .42 to .89. Known-groups analysis indicated that infants born at <31 weeks' gestation and infants who were rehospitalized during 8 weeks after discharge had significantly higher N-DAT total and subscale scores than infants born at ≥31 weeks or not rehospitalized. Also, mothers who reported experiencing problems with infant care at home had significantly higher N-DAT Competencies subscale scores than mothers who did not report problems. The N-DAT is a reliable and valid instrument to evaluate the risks related to discharge of preterm infants so that nurses can provide parents with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources they need prior to discharge.

MP31-17 VALIDATING THE BLADDER UTILITY SYMPTOM SCALE (BUSS): A NOVEL PATIENT REPORTED OUTCOME QUALITY OF LIFE MEASURE FOR ALL PATIENTS WITH BLADDER CANCER

You have accessJournal of UrologyGeneral & Epidemiological Trends & Socioeconomics: Practice Patterns, Quality of Life and Shared Decision Making III1 Apr 2016MP31-17 VALIDATING THE BLADDER UTILITY SYMPTOM SCALE (BUSS): A NOVEL PATIENT REPORTED OUTCOME QUALITY OF LIFE MEASURE FOR ALL PATIENTS WITH BLADDER CANCER Nathan Perlis, Kirstin Boehme, Munir Jamal, Karen Bremner, Shabbir Alibhai, Antonio Finelli, Paul Ritvo, Murray Krahn, Rushi Gandhi, and Girish Kulkarni Nathan PerlisNathan Perlis More articles by this author , Kirstin BoehmeKirstin Boehme More articles by this author , Munir JamalMunir Jamal More articles by this author , Karen BremnerKaren Bremner More articles by this author , Shabbir AlibhaiShabbir Alibhai More articles by this author , Antonio FinelliAntonio Finelli More articles by this author , Paul RitvoPaul Ritvo More articles by this author , Murray KrahnMurray Krahn More articles by this author , Rushi GandhiRushi Gandhi More articles by this author , and Girish KulkarniGirish Kulkarni More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2016.02.1270AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Accurately measuring health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) is paramount in bladder cancer (BC) because patients face diverse treatment modalities with unique morbidities. A patient-reported outcome (PRO) metric validated to measure overall HRQOL for ALL BC patients does not exist. The purpose of this study was to generate a patient-driven, succinct, global HRQOL questionnaire valid and responsive for BC. METHODS Questions were created by a panel of experts based on a conceptual framework of global HRQOL in BC informed by literature review, patient focus groups and expert interviews. The Bladder Utility Symptoms Scale - psychometric (BUSS-P) was pilot tested with experts and patients using cognitive methods until saturation was reached. To determine BUSS-P validation and reliability, field testing was performed at both an academic and community hospital, the University Health Network (Toronto, ON) and Trillium Health Partners (Mississauga, ON), respectively. We used purposive sampling to accrue 117 BC patients. All BC stages (Ta to metastatic disease) were included with patients receiving all forms of treatment including intravesical therapy, surgery, radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy. Patients completed the BUSS-P and 5 other HRQOL instruments (FACT-Bl, BCI, EQ-5D, SF-36, TTO). Whole and subscale Spearmans rank correlations (rs), as well as comparisons of BUSS-P scores across known-groups were used to assess construct validity. To assess reliability, patients repeated the questionnaires at 4 weeks. RESULTS The BUSS contains 10 questions covering generic and BC-specific domains. In field testing, BUSS-P exhibited high whole scale correlation with FACT-Bl (rs=0.82, p<0.0001) and EQ-5D (rs=0.67, p<0.0001). Similarly, BUSS-P demonstrated substantial-to-high subscale correlations with EQ-5D (emotional: rs=0.71, p<0.01), FACT-Bl (physical: rs=-0.70, p<0.0001), and BCI (urinary issues: rs=-0.62, p<0.01). Median BUSS scores (M) were also significantly different (p<0.01) across patients with differing disease severity: non-muscle invasive BC (M=85.0), cystectomy (M=76.2), and metastatic BC patients (M=66.7). There was excellent test-retest reliability (ICC 0.78). Greater than 95% of respondents completed all BUSS questions, suggesting a comprehensible questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that the BUSS is a valid PRO to measure HRQOL among BC patients and is useable for patients regardless of treatment exposure including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. © 2016FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 195Issue 4SApril 2016Page: e426 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2016MetricsAuthor Information Nathan Perlis More articles by this author Kirstin Boehme More articles by this author Munir Jamal More articles by this author Karen Bremner More articles by this author Shabbir Alibhai More articles by this author Antonio Finelli More articles by this author Paul Ritvo More articles by this author Murray Krahn More articles by this author Rushi Gandhi More articles by this author Girish Kulkarni More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Nursing Home Staff Intentions for Learned Communication Skills: Knowledge to Practice.

Staff education is critical to improving nursing home dementia care practice. However, a lag in translation to practice is a barrier to improving care. As part of a clinical trial testing effects of a communication intervention on behaviors of residents with dementia, participant-reported likelihood of using learned skills in practice was evaluated in relation to organizational and individual factors in 10 nursing homes. The authors hypothesized that organizational and individual factors would influence staff intention to use new skills in practice. Pre-and post-training comparisons confirmed that staff gained knowledge about communication effectiveness. Staff reported high likelihood for using skills in practice based on modified Duke Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) Scale scores. Care organization was correlated with total DOI scores (r = 0.82, p < 0.01). DOI subscales correlations to organizational and individual attitudes are reported. Evaluating quality improvement interventions in relation to translation to practice is essential in today's nursing home environment.

Development of the Chinese version of the Hospital Autonomy Questionnaire: a cross-sectional study in Guangdong Province

ObjectiveWe aimed to develop a questionnaire for quantitative evaluation of the autonomy of public hospitals in China.MethodAn extensive literature review was conducted to select possible items for inclusion in the...

The Turkish Adaptation of the QSD-R in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Questionnaire on Stress in Diabetes Patients-Revised (QSD-R) and adapt it to the Turkish language for possible clinical use with diabetic patients in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). A forward and backward translation was done by native speakers and professionals in the field. Translation consistency was reached and a pilot study confirmed that the level of comprehension of the Turkish version of the QSD-R. The study was conducted with 500 participants, over the age of 18 years of age with a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes at two state hospitals located in the TRNC. Twenty-two faulty questionnaires were removed and 478 questionnaires were examined. Multiple exploratory factor analyses using principal components analysis with varimax rotation resulted in the removal 7 items from the original questionnaire leaving a total of 38 items and yielded seven factors. Initial reliability analysis was found to be .939; however, after the items were removed, reliability analysis for the entire scale was found to be .843, which suggests that the QSD-R-TR is a reliable instrument. Validity for the QSD-R-TR was analyzed by conducting a discriminant validity analysis. QSD-R-TR subscale correlations were below <.70 which suggests that discriminant validity exists. Findings from this study suggest that the QSD-R-TR is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used in clinical practice with Turkish speaking diabetes patients in TRNC.

An exploratory factor analysis of the Parenting strategies for Eating and physical Activity Scale (PEAS) for use in Hispanic mothers of adolescent and preadolescent daughters with overweight

Existing measures of feeding and physical activity parenting strategies have not been validated for use among Hispanic mothers of adolescent and preadolescent daughters with overweight. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factor structure of the Parenting strategies for Eating and Activity Scale (PEAS) among 134 Hispanic mothers (Mage=38.81, SD±6.34) of adolescent and preadolescent daughters with overweight. Results from this exploratory study revealed that a three-factor structure (Limit Setting, Monitoring, and Discipline) and a 13-item revised PEAS measure might be better suited for use with this population. The revised Limit Setting, Monitoring, Discipline, and total subscales had good reliability (α=0.89, α=0.88, α=0.90, and α=0.87, respectively) and the subscale inter-item correlations were strong. To assess the concurrent validity, the revised PEAS subscales were correlated with both subscales of the Behavioral Strategies to Reduce Fat and Increase Fiber (Parent Report) in a subset of the sample (n=78). The Monitoring and Discipline subscales were found to be correlated with the Behavioral Strategies to Reduce Fat (r=.36 and r=.27, p<.05, respectively) and Increase Fiber (r=.40 and r=.35, p<.01, respectively) subscales. However, the revised PEAS Limit Setting subscale was not correlated with either Reduce Fat or Increase Fiber strategy. Taken together, these results indicated some degree of concurrent validity. Results from this study should be cross-validated using confirmatory factor analysis approaches.

Fibromyalgia Impact and Mindfulness Characteristics in 4986 People with Fibromyalgia

A growing body of literature suggests that mindfulness techniques may be beneficial in fibromyalgia. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of six trials indicated improvement in depressive symptoms and quality of life, calling for increased rigor and use of standardized measures in future trials. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between mindfulness [as measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ)] and fibromyalgia impact [as measured by the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR)]. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with adults diagnosed with fibromyalgia from a national fibromyalgia advocacy foundation e-mail list. A total of 4986 respondents represented all 50 states in the United States and 30 countries. FIQR scores demonstrated moderate to severe fibromyalgia with the majority of subjects (59%) scoring ≤60. Scores on the FFMQ subscales ranged from 20.8 to 27.3, with highest scores for the observe subscale. All subscale correlations were small to moderate and indicated that more severe fibromyalgia impact was associated with less mindfulness except in the observe scale (r = .15, P > .000). No clinical or demographics explained as much variance in the FIQR total as any of the mindfulness subscales. Fibromyalgia patients experience symptoms that may be alleviated by mindfulness interventions. Baseline values for the observe subscale of the FFMQ were unexpectedly high. Further research is needed to know if this may be due to non-mindful observations and should be noted when the FFMQ is used in fibromyalgia clinical trials.

Attitudes towards vital signs monitoring in the detection of clinical deterioration: scale development and survey of ward nurses.

To develop and determine the psychometrics properties of an instrument (V-scale) and to explore nurses' attitudes towards vital signs monitoring in the detection of clinical deterioration in general wards. Scale development with psychometric testing and a descriptive quantitative survey. Tertiary acute care hospital. A total of 614 general ward nurses. Principal component analysis revealed a 16-item instrument in a five-factor solution (key indicators, knowledge, communication, workload and technology) that explained 56.27% of the variance. The internal consistency was sufficient with Cronbach's alpha of 0.71 and strong item subscale correlations (0.56-0.89). The test-retest reliability was adequate with an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) of 0.85. Many nurses (56.9%) erroneously perceived blood pressure changes as the first indicator of deterioration, and 46% agreed that an altered respiratory rate was the least important indicator. Most nurses (59.8%) also reported relying on oxygen saturation to evaluate respiratory dysfunction, and 27.4% indicated that they make quick estimates of the respiratory rate. Current practices for vital signs monitoring were considered to be time consuming (21.0%) and overwhelming (35.3%). Nurses' attitudes were most significantly influenced by whether they had a degree qualification followed by whether they worked in a general ward with a specialty and had >5 years of experience. This exploratory study provides evidence for the psychometric properties of the V-scale. It reveals a need for continuous professional development to improve ward nurses' attitudes towards vital signs monitoring. Vital signs monitoring needs to be prioritized in workload planning.

Development of a reliable, valid measure to assess parents' and teachers' understanding of postural care for children with physical disabilities: the (UKC PostCarD) questionnaire.

Previous research has highlighted lack of knowledge, understanding and confidence among parents and teachers responsible for the postural care of children with physical disability. Interventions designed to improve these qualities require a reliable and validated tool to assess pre- and post-intervention levels. Currently, however, no validated measure of postural care confidence (i.e. self-efficacy) exists. Hence, the aim of this research was to develop a reliable and valid questionnaire to assess parents' and teachers' confidence, alongside knowledge and understanding of postural care - the Understanding Knowledge and Confidence in providing POSTural CARe for children with Disabilities (UKC PostCarD) questionnaire. Items were developed by a multidisciplinary team and designed to map onto the content of 'An A-to-Z of Postural Care'. Parents, teachers and therapists assessed items for face validity. Scale reliability was then assessed using Cronbach's alpha and known-group validity was assessed by comparing scores of an 'expert' group (physiotherapists and occupational therapists) with those of a 'non-expert' group (with no formal training in postural care). The total scale and all three subscales (understanding and knowledge, confidence and concerns) demonstrated adequate reliability (α > 0.83) and subscale correlations formed a logical pattern (understanding and knowledge correlated positively with confidence and negatively with concerns). Experts' (n = 111) scores were higher than non-experts' (n = 79) for the total scale and all subscales (P < 0.001). Findings support the reliability and validity of the UKC PostCarD questionnaire as a measure of understanding, knowledge and confidence in providing postural care for children with disabilities.

Assessing Symptoms Experienced by Patients With Cancer

Patients with cancer experience multiple symptoms during their disease trajectory, all of which have the potential to cause significant distress and interference with patient quality of life. In order to adequately manage cancer-related symptoms, nurses caring for patients with cancer need to fully understand each patient’s symptom experience. The purpose of this study was to identify the symptom profile of patients being treated for cancer and to validate a new symptom assessment tool for use with persons with cancer. A sample of 234 sequential patients with a variety of cancers was accrued over 18 months in a community medical center and a regional cancer center. Consenting patients completed the newly developed Cancer Symptom Scale (CSS), the Multidimensional Quality of Life–Cancer scale, and a demographic data form. A subset of patients completed the CSS a second time with a short delay. Descriptive statistics were used to report the symptom data, and Pearson correlations and Cronbach’s α were used to evaluate the validity and reliability. The sample had slightly more women (55.6%) than men and was predominantly white (82.9%) and married (63.2%). The most common types of cancer reported were leukemia, breast, lymphoma, and colorectal cancer. The mean age of the sample was 60.4 years. Fatigue and feeling drowsy affected more than half of the sample. Feeling irritable (mean, 7.3), having problems with sex (mean, 6.6), and sweats (mean, 6.3) had the highest intensity mean scores, whereas feeling irritable (mean, 6.7) and diarrhea (mean, 6.4) caused the most distress. Most frequently occurring symptoms were problems with urination (mean, 6.9) and problems with sex (mean, 6.9). Symptoms causing the most interference with life were diarrhea (mean, 6.0) and feeling irritable (mean, 5.7). Correlation of CSS subscales with the Multidimensional Quality of Life–Cancer scale (r = −0.34 to −0.56; P = .000) at the hypothesized level supported construct validity. Test-retest reliability (r = 0.74-0.81) and internal consistency (α = .73-.74) were excellent. Patients have multiple symptoms that are intense, distressing, and frequent and cause interference with their lives, and all have an impact on the overall quality of their lives. Thus, nurses should use comprehensive and validated tools to assess these multiple symptoms in order to be able to manage them. The CSS is a valid and reliable tool that is useful in assessing multiple dimensions of multiple symptoms in patients with cancer. Further studies of its validity and reliability are warranted.

Persepsi tubuh dan gangguan makan pada remaja

Background: There can no longer be any doubt that adolescents do indeed have body esteem problems. Several types of research seem to suggest that this wrong behavior caused by some negative perceptions as a result of dissatisfaction with the body and a person’s level of self-confidence. Therefore they often do misperceptions of his/her body that can lead to wrong dietary behavior. It’s related to the development of more severe body image and eating-related problems.Objective: This study determined the relationship of body image perception and eating disorders in adolescents.Method: A cross-sectional study was applied in this study. The subjects were 120 new students majoring in a nutritional program in Bogor Agricultural University (IPB). They completed a questionnaire measuring appearance evaluation, appearance orientation, body areas satisfaction, overweight preoccupation, self-classified weight and eating disorders. Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scale (MBSRQ-AS) method is used to assess body image perception and Eating Attitude Test 40 (EAT-40) to predict eating disorders.Results: Descriptive analysis showed nutritional status were categorized as normal (83.3%), overweight (10.0%), obesity (4.2%) and thin (2.5%). With MBSRQ-AS method, most of the adolescents have appearance evaluation (80.0%), appearance orientation (99.2%), body areas satisfaction (80.8%), self-classified weight (71.7%) were categorized as negative, whereas overweight preoccupation (57.5%) were categorized as positive. There was (7.8%) female subject with eating disorders with more risk or have attitude the desire to eat continuously and can’t stop eating (2-3 times a month).Conclusion: Statistically using a significance level (α=5%) obtained a significant correlation between body image perception in overweight preoccupation subscale with eating disorders. However, there were no significant correlations for other subscales.

Where are the strongest associations between autistic traits and traits of ADHD? evidence from a community-based twin study.

Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) regularly co-occur. Twin studies increasingly indicate that these conditions may have overlapping genetic causes. Less is known about the degree to which specific autistic traits relate to specific behaviours characteristic of ADHD. We hence tested, using the classical twin design, whether specific dimensional autistic traits, including social difficulties, communication atypicalities and repetitive behaviours, would display differential degrees of aetiological overlap with specific traits of ADHD, including hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention. Parents of approximately 4,000 pairs of 12-year-old twins completed the Childhood Autism Spectrum Test and Conners’ Parent Rating Scale. These measures were divided into subscales corresponding to different types of autistic and ADHD behaviours. Twin model fitting suggested that the degree of genetic overlap was particularly strong between communication difficulties and traits of ADHD (genetic correlations = .47−.51), while repetitive behaviours and social difficulties showed moderate (genetic correlations = .12−.33) and modest (.05−.11) genetic overlap respectively. Environmental overlap was low across all subscales (correlations = .01−.23). These patterns were also apparent at the extremes of the general population, with communication difficulties showing the highest genetic overlap with traits of ADHD. These findings indicate that molecular genetic studies seeking to uncover the shared genetic basis of ASC and ADHD would benefit from taking a symptom-specific approach. Furthermore, they could also help to explain why studies of the communication abilities of individuals with ASC and ADHD have produced overlapping findings.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00787-014-0666-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Independent Validation of the Japanese Version of the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL for Patients With Advanced Cancer

ContextAlthough the psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 15-Palliative Care (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL) have been examined previously, that study had several limitations, for example, small sample size. ObjectivesTo examine the validity and reliability, including test-retest reliability, of the Japanese version of EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL for cancer patients with metastasis or recurrence. MethodsA cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire was administered to cancer patients who were being treated on an oncology inpatient ward, in an oncology outpatient clinic, and in seven inpatient palliative units in Japan, from August 2007 to March 2008. ResultsData from a total of 312 cancer patients were analyzed. The proportion of missing values was less than 4% for all items. The factor structure was reproduced identically with the original EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL, English version. The correlation of subscales showed a reasonable matrix. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.76 to 0.86, and intraclass correlation coefficients, which indicate test-retest reliability, ranged from 0.52 to 0.77. All subscales, especially physical functioning, fatigue, and pain, were significantly correlated with self-reported Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status. ConclusionThe Japanese version of EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL has sufficient validity, acceptable reliability, and feasibility for patients with advanced cancer.

Reliability and Validity of a French Version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory

In the context of traumatic stress, the dominant discourse has mainly focused on distress, thus undermining the role that eustress has in traumatic experiences. One of the few exceptions to this has been the research on posttraumatic growth, which has generated much interest since its beginning. There is an increasing interest in posttraumatic growth in various cultures and hence an expansion of the measure, the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), into various languages. This article is the first to perform a rigorous investigation of the psychometric properties of the PTGI, including the scale and subscale reliability, inter-item and subscale correlations, and using a CFA approach. The properties are established with a French translation using two populations of caregivers: those bereaved by HIV/AIDS and parents who are caring for a child with a life-limiting illness. These properties were determined for both the original 21 item scale as well as the shortened version.

Delinquency in Emerging Adult Females: The Importance of Callous-Unemotionality and Impulsivity

Delinquent behavior has consistently been shown to be related to adverse outcomes later in life, ranging from educational difficulties to mental health problems and even premature mortality. Although previous studies have found social, family, and personality factors all contribute to delinquency, the majority of these studies have focused on either male or clinical samples. The current study goes beyond past research by examining how the subscales of callous-unemotional traits and impulsivity relate to emerging adult delinquency in females (N = 155) in a non-clinical population. Undergraduate student participants completed self-report measures of delinquency, impulsivity, and callous-unemotional traits as part of a larger test battery. As expected, general callous-unemotionality and impulsivity were positively correlated with delinquency; however, follow-up analyses revealed that only Callousness and Motor Impulsiveness subscales were significantly correlated with delinquency. All remaining subscale correlations were nonsignificant. A post-hoc backward stepwise regression analysis supported the correlational results, as Callousness and Motor Impulsiveness were the only significant predictors of delinquency. Limitations of the current study and future areas of research are also discussed.