Terms Of Test-retest Reliability Research Articles

Translation, contextual adaptation, and reliability of the Danish Concept of Pain Inventory (COPI-Adult (DK)) - A self-reported outcome measure.

Pain is a growing concern globally, and an individual and societal burden. Pain science education (PSE) is a promising avenue for managing chronic pain, but targeted PSE is needed. The Concept of Pain Inventory for Adults (COPI-Adult) is a newly developed self-reported outcome measure aimed at targeting PSE. It is currently unavailable in Danish and has unknown reliability. The aims of this study were (1) to translate and contextually adapt to Danish and (2) to determine reliability in terms of test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and measurement error. Step (1) was as follows: a dual panel approach was used to translate, contextually adapt into a Danish version. Step (2) was follows: a heterogenic sample of Danish adults >18 years (n = 150) was included in the test-retest analysis, test interval between 7 and 14 days, both answered via REDCap-link. Based on COSMIN recommendations, the following reliabilities were estimated: the test-retest using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2.1) and internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha level. Measurement error in terms of standard error of measurement (SEM) and smallest detectable change (SDC) were calculated. Step (1) was as follows: the first panel reached 100% consensus on the wording of the COPI-Adult (DK), with no alterations by the second panel. Step (2) was as follows: good to excellent test-retest reliability was found with ICC2.1 value (95% confidence interval) 0.88 (0.84-0.91), excellent internal consistency for the 13-item COPI-Adult (DK) with α = 0.939, SEM of 2.53, and SDC of 7.02. The COPI-Adult (DK) was successfully translated and contextually adapted. It is a reliable questionnaire with excellent internal consistency. The COPI-Adult (DK) shows promise in research and clinical practice.

A Shortened Version of the Reasons for Living Inventory for Older Iranian Adults

Abstract: This psychometric study examined the psychometric characteristics of the shortened version of the Persian-Reasons for Living Inventory for Older Adults (the shortened P-RFL-OA) in a sample of 293 clinical and nonclinical community-dwelling older adults living in Sanandaj, Iran in 2023. We collected the data using the shortened P-RFL-OA Scale, the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI), the Life Satisfaction Index (LSI-Z), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Overall, the shortened P-RFL-OA has acceptable psychometric properties in terms of test-retest reliability, convergent validity with depression and suicidal ideation, and divergent validity with life satisfaction and quality of life. The findings of the present study confirmed that the shortened P-RFL-OA has acceptable psychometric properties for older adults.

Evaluating the reliability of the athlete sleep behavior questionnaire (ASBQ): a meta-analysis of Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient

BackgroundThe Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (ASBQ) was designed to identify maladaptive sleep practices among athletes. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the internal consistency and the test-retest reliability coefficients of the ASBQ.MethodsA systematic search across 10 databases from inception of the ASBQ to August 2023 was performed. Publications that reported estimates of internal consistency and/or test-retest reliability of the ASBQ were included. A random-effects model was employed to estimate the overall reliability measures of the ASBQ.ResultsMeta-analytic results demonstrated a good level of internal consistency within the ASBQ, evidenced by a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.63 to 0.80). This suggests a modest correlation among the questionnaire items, supporting its reliability as an effective measure of sleep behavior. In terms of test-retest reliability, our meta-analysis revealed a very good degree of consistency (ICC = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.87 to 0.89), suggesting that the ASBQ can serve as an instrument for monitoring and evaluating changes in athletes’ sleep behavior over time. No evidence of publication bias was identified.ConclusionWhile the ASBQ demonstrates a moderate level of internal consistency, its test-retest reliability suggests that it can serve as an instrument for longitudinal assessments of athletes’ sleep behavior. Future studies focusing on refining the ASBQ to optimize its internal consistency and validate its applicability across diverse athletic populations are warranted.

Reliability and Correlations Between Overall Severity, Roughness and Breathiness in the Perception of Dysphonic Voices: Investigating Cognitive Aspects.

this study concerns the subjective perception of the quality of the voice, more particularly in the case of dysphonia. Our general objective is to study the perceptual mechanisms, which constitute Hirano's GRBAS multidimensional perceptual rating scale. We tested the reliability of the GRB perceptual scale both in terms of test-retest reliability (intra-listener stability) and in terms of inter-listener agreement. We also studied how listeners process the three different parameters of the scale by varying the perceptual rating conditions of G, R, and B. The three attributes were rated simultaneously in one condition and in isolation in a second condition. The experiment was based on texts read by fifty dysphonic speakers. We selected five listeners specialized in voice assessment to provide perceptual judgments of the voices. Our results show that G is strongly correlated with R and/or B. When the GRB rating process is simultaneous, G is almost equal to the maximum score assigned to the R and/or B parameter (R²=0.97). Conversely, R and B are poorly correlated. While intra-listener variability was limited, inter-judge variability was important even in a homogeneous panel of judges.

Exploring differences and similarities of EQ-5D-3L, EQ-5D-5L and WHOQOL-OLD in recipients of aged care services in Germany.

European countries more than ever face shifts towards aging societies with accompanying challenges for health and aged care services. Economic evaluation has mainly relied on health measures such as EQ-5D across populations and conditions. We want to know how well the EQ-5D performs in the target population to avoid bias to the disadvantage of older adults and care-dependents. Therefore, we aim to explore differences and similarities of EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L in comparison to the old-age specific WHOQOL-OLD instrument in a sample of older adults receiving aged care services. We collected data from n = 329 older adults (≥65 years) receiving aged care services in Germany; the majority was at least 80 years and had varying care needs. We assessed instruments' feasibility, test-retest reliability, instruments' association and sensitivity to known-group differences. In terms of feasibility and test-retest reliability both EQ-5D versions performed better than the WHOQOL-OLD. All measures differentiated well between groups based on aspects of general health and care levels. The analysis of relationship between measures indicated that EQ-5D and WHOQOL-OLD assess partially overlapping, but distinct constructs. We found no clear evidence of superiority of either EQ-5D version over the other. The EQ-5D-5L performed better in terms of test-retest reliability and stronger correlations with WHOQOL-OLD facets. We conclude that using the WHOQOL-OLD alongside EQ-5D in this sample added further information on different aspects of quality of life.

Reliability and Validity of the Turkish Version of the Mini Depression Status Test (MDST-TR)

Abstract: Objectives: Depression is a frequent mental disorder. Easy and fast tools for screening depression are of high relevance. Common screenings require sufficient abilities to understand the information on the questionnaires. For patients with a migration background, these factors can be problematic. Method: The present cross-sectional study was conducted with 329 participants (293 healthy and 36 clinical participants). We analyzed the internal consistency reliability using Cronbach’s α coefficient and the test-retest reliability using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. We determined the cut-off scores using receiver operating characteristics (ROC). Results: MDST shows high construct validity ( r s = −.55, p < .001), satisfying internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s α for overall sample = .76) and good reliability in terms of test-retest reliability ( r s = .55) among Turkish migrants. Discussion: The MDST is a valid screening instrument for depressive symptoms in clinical and healthy Turkish migrants living in Germany.

Feasibility of hearing aid gain self-adjustment using speech recognition.

Personal hearing devices, such as hearing aids, may be fine-tuned by allowing the users to conduct self-adjustment. Two self-adjustment procedures were developed to collect the listener preferred gains in six octave-frequency bands from 0.25 kHz to 8 kHz. These procedures were designed to allow rapid exploration of a multi-dimensional parameter space using a simple, one-dimensional user control interface (i.e., a programmable knob). The two procedures differ in whether the user interface controls the gains in all frequency bands simultaneously (Procedure A) or only the gain in one frequency band (Procedure B) on a given trial. Monte-Carlo simulations suggested that for both procedures the gain preference identified by simulated listeners rapidly converged to the ground-truth preferred gain profile over the first 20 trials. Initial behavioral evaluations of the self-adjustment procedures, in terms of test-retest reliability, were conducted using 20 young, normal-hearing listeners. Each estimate of the preferred gain profile took less than 20 minutes. The deviation between two separate estimates of the preferred gain profile, conducted at least a week apart, was about 10 dB ~ 15 dB.

Examining the Validity and Reliability of Instruments for Measuring the Word-Recognition Accuracy: A Pilot Study

An instrument, either a self-developed, adapted or adopted, is the most important aspects of a research. In the main study, two instruments (1.Word Reading Test Kit and 2.A Reading Text) were adapted from other resources to assess the word-recognition accuracy. It is fundamental to test the validity and reliability of the instrument if it is self developed or adapted from any resources. The aim of this pilot study is to determine the validity and reliability of the two instruments for measuring the word-recognition accuracy. Two groups of samplings were selected. First, a group of 7 expert panels to get their feedback on face validity and content validity. The second was 8 Year 3 pupils to measure their scores for the test-retest reliability. The results showed that both instruments got 100% for 5 out of 8 criteria in the face validity which fell under the excellent category. For the content validity, both instruments obtained a high level of agreement among the 7 expert panels with (CVI =100%) for instrument 1 and (CVI = 98.57%) for instrument 2. In terms of test-retest reliability, the Pearson Correlation was r(8)=0.881 which indicated good reliability for the first instrument. Meanwhile, for the second instrument, the Pearson Correlation was r(8)=0.916. Thus, it indicated excellent reliability. After some minor amendment, the instruments were valid and reliable for data collection in the main study. A pilot study helped to identify the design flaws, gain experience and learn important information prior to undertaking the main study.

CULTURAL ADAPTATION AND VALIDATION OF THE LOW ENERGY AVAILABILITY IN FEMALES QUESTIONNAIRE (LEAF-Q)

ABSTRACT Introduction: Low energy availability, amenorrhea and osteoporosis make up the Female Athlete Triad observed in physically active females and athletes. The Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q) was created with the purpose of identifying female athletes at risk for the Female Athlete Triad. Objective: To translate and culturally adapt the LEAF-Q for Brazilian Portuguese and validate it in a group of Brazilian athletes. Methods: The first stage of the study consisted of translation, cultural adaptation and content validation of the questionnaire in 20 athletes. In the second stage, for the test-retest reliability analysis and the construct validation, the final adapted version was applied in a sample of 127 athletes from various sports disciplines, 54 of whom responded to the questionnaire on a second occasion. For the test-retest reliability analysis, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated and the paired t-test, McNemar’s test and Bland-Altman plot were carried out. The construct validation modeled by known or contrasted groups was carried out by comparing the mean LEAF-Q scores of group 1 (athletes who practiced weight-sensitive sports) with those of group 2 (athletes who practiced team sports) using the Student’s t test. Results: The Brazilian version of the LEAF-Q showed excellent test-retest reliability, with an ICC of 0.92. The construct validity by known or contrasted groups was confirmed after demonstrating that athletes who practiced weight-sensitive sports had a higher LEAF-Q mean score than athletes who practiced team sports (p≤0.05). Conclusion: The Brazilian version of the LEAF-Q is an important tool, which presented textual and cultural adequacy, proved to be reliable in terms of test-retest reliability, and presents evidence of validity to investigate the risk of the triad. Level of evidence II; Diagnostic Studies – Investigating a diagnostic instrument .

Validating the Persian version of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific quality of life-revised instrument

Background: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Specific Quality of Life-Revised (ALSSQOL-R) encompasses 50 items which assess quality of life (QOL) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in six major domains. This study aims to translate the ALSSQOL-R into Persian and evaluate its reliability and validity among Iranian patients. Methods: ALSSQOL-R was translated by the standard multi-step forward-backward method. Content validity was calculated using item content validity index (I-CVI). Three items in the “intimacy” domain were deleted considering Iranian culture. Cronbach’s alpha was used for all 6 dimensions to calculate the internal consistency reliability. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with one-month interval. Concurrent validity was measured by the validated version of 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. Results: Sixty-three patients with ALS were enrolled in the study. I-CVI was 70%, promoted to 85% after modifications (acceptable). Regarding internal consistency reliability, Cronbach’s alpha in all six domains was 0.70 and total Cronbach’s alpha was 0.89 which is assumed as good. In terms of test-retest reliability, ICC [95% confidence interval (CI)] was 0.91 (91%) and Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was 0.90 (P < 0.001), all indicating an excellent reliability. The concurrent validity was established based on a strong correlation with SF-36 (r = 0.744, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings show that the modified Persian version of ALSSQOL-R is a valid and reliable QOL questionnaire which can be used for Iranian patients with ALS in both clinical and research settings.

Validation of the Mandarin versions of CAP and SIR

ObjectivesThe present study aims to develop the Mandarin versions of Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) and Speech Intelligibility of Rating (SIR), verify their reliability and validity, and establish standardized values of the Mandarin CAP and SIR. In doing that it will provide an effective tool for evaluating the auditory skills and speech production of Mandarin-speaking hearing-impaired children. MethodsThe preliminary Mandarin versions of the CAP and SIR were determined using the back-translation method and then administered to 191 cases aged 0–6 years. A pre-test was conducted on the Mandarin-speaking hearing children, and according to the pre-test and data analysis, the questionnaires were perfected. Formal questionnaires were administered to 103 Mandarin speakers aged 0–6 years, to get the test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability. A test was conducted on 60 Mandarin-speaking children aged 0–2 years and 60 Mandarin-speaking children aged 3–6 years to get the criterion validity of the CAP and SIR. A total of 5059 Mandarin-speaking typically hearing children aged 0–6 years in China were finally selected for the CAP and SIR assessment to calculate the CAP and SIR scores for each age group. ResultsPre-test data showed a strong positive significant correlation between age and the scores of CAP and SIR, respectively (r1 = 0.817, p < 0.01; r2 = 0.836, p < 0.01). In terms of test-retest reliability, the two CAP scores were significantly and positively correlated (r = 0.981, p < 0.01), and the two SIR scores were also significantly and positively correlated (r = 0.983, p < 0.01). With regard to the inter-rater reliability, the two CAP scores (r = 0.983, p < 0.01), and the two SIR scores (r = 0.997, p < 0.01) were both significantly and positively correlated. As for the criterion validity, CAP and the two efficacy scores were highly significantly correlated (r = 0.721, p < 0.01) and a significant positive correlation (r = 0.283, p < 0.05); along the same lines SIR and the two efficacy scores were both highly significantly correlated (r1 = 0.698, p1<0.01; r2 = 0.428, p2 < 0.01). Standardized values (Mean CAP and SIR scores of each age group) of the Mandarin CAP and SIR were provided. ConclusionThe Mandarin versions of the CAP and SIR are reliable and valid as tools to assess the hearing and speech ability in Mandarin-speaking children. The Mandarin standardized values are helpful to monitor the rehabilitation outcome of hearing-impaired children.

Well-being of Older People (WOOP): Quantitative validation of a new outcome measure for use in economic evaluations.

There is a need for comprehensive measures to evaluate the benefits of health and social care services for older people. The newly developed Well-being of Older People measure (WOOP) aims to capture all aspects that older people find important to their well-being. This study explores the validity and test-retest reliability of the WOOP. Between December 2017 and January 2018, an online survey was used to retrieve data from 1113 people aged 65 years and older in the Netherlands. Regression analyses on Cantril's Ladder scores were conducted to explore the relative importance of the items of the WOOP. Dimensionality was checked using exploratory factor analysis. Convergent and discriminant validity were investigated by relating the WOOP to several measures of health and well-being. Test-retest reliability was examined using data from 269 respondents that participated in a second online survey, distributed one week after the first. The items of the WOOP were significantly associated with Cantril's Ladder scores. When regressed simultaneously this was still true for all but the 'social contacts' item and one level of the 'acceptance and resilience' item. The dimensionality analysis revealed three factors, of which two included items of the WOOP and the EQ-5D-5L and the third only items of the WOOP. The WOOP correlated moderately to highly with physical health, and (very) highly with (mental) health and well-being measures. The test-retest reliability in terms of ICC was high, whereas the kappa for the items was fair to good, except for two items. Overall, the WOOP seems to capture aspects relevant to the well-being of older people adequately, and the results of first validity and reliability tests were satisfactory. Before the WOOP can be used in economic evaluations, further validation in a variety of health and social care settings is recommended, and utility weights need to be determined.

Quantifying Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters with HoloLens in Healthy Adults and People with Parkinson's Disease: Test-Retest Reliability, Concurrent Validity, and Face Validity.

Microsoft’s HoloLens, a mixed-reality headset, provides, besides holograms, rich position data of the head, which can be used to quantify what the wearer is doing (e.g., walking) and to parameterize such acts (e.g., speed). The aim of the current study is to determine test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and face validity of HoloLens 1 for quantifying spatiotemporal gait parameters. This was done in a group of 23 healthy young adults (mean age 21 years) walking at slow, comfortable, and fast speeds, as well as in a group of 24 people with Parkinson’s disease (mean age 67 years) walking at comfortable speed. Walking was concurrently measured with HoloLens 1 and a previously validated markerless reference motion-registration system. We comprehensively evaluated HoloLens 1 for parameterizing walking (i.e., walking speed, step length and cadence) in terms of test-retest reliability (i.e., consistency over repetitions) and concurrent validity (i.e., between-systems agreement), using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland–Altman’s bias and limits of agreement. Test-retest reliability and between-systems agreement were excellent for walking speed (ICC ≥ 0.861), step length (ICC ≥ 0.884), and cadence (ICC ≥ 0.765), with narrower between-systems than over-repetitions limits of agreement. Face validity was demonstrated with significantly different walking speeds, step lengths and cadences over walking-speed conditions. To conclude, walking speed, step length, and cadence can be reliably and validly quantified from the position data of the wearable HoloLens 1 measurement system, not only for a broad range of speeds in healthy young adults, but also for self-selected comfortable speed in people with Parkinson’s disease.

Best-worst scaling improves measurement of first impressions

A common goal in psychological research is the measurement of subjective impressions, such as first impressions of faces. These impressions are commonly measured using Likert ratings. Although these ratings are simple to administer, they are associated with response issues that can limit reliability. Here we examine best-worst scaling (BWS), a forced-choice method, as a potential alternative to Likert ratings for measuring participants’ facial first impressions. We find that at the group level, BWS scores correlated almost perfectly with Likert scores, indicating that the two methods measure the same impressions. However, at the individual participant level BWS outperforms Likert ratings, both in terms of ability to predict preferences in a third task, and in terms of test-retest reliability. These benefits highlight the power of BWS, particularly for use in individual differences research.

Validity and reliability of hindi translated version of Montreal cognitive assessment in older adults.

To evaluate the validity and reliability of Hindi version of Montreal cognitive assessment (H-MoCA) as a screening tool to detect mild cognitive impairment among older adults of India. The study was conducted in three phases, namely content validation of H-MoCA reliability estimation, internal consistency and test- retest reliability. Qualitative and quantitative validation through expert review resulted in modification of H-MoCA which was tested on purposive sample of 30 subjects, and analysis was done for internal consistency reliability, then the scale was re-administered to the same group to establish test-retest reliability. Internal consistency was reported in terms of Cronbach's alpha (α) and test-retest reliability in terms of intra class correlation coefficient (ICC). Qualitative review and Content validation ratio (Lawshe) validate the content of H-MoCA with CVR of 0.99. The scale has good internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha (α) = 0.64 and high test-retest reliability, intra class correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.87. Thus the Hindi translated version of MoCA is a valid and reliable tool for detecting mild cognitive impairment.

Biomechanical System Versus Observational Rating Scale for Parkinson\u2019s Disease Tremor Assessment

There is a lack of evidence that either conventional observational rating scale or biomechanical system is a better tremor assessment tool. This work focuses on comparing a biomechanical system and the Movement Disorder Society–sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale in terms of test-retest reliability. The Parkinson’s disease tremors were quantified by biomechanical system in joint angular displacement and predicted rating, as well as assessed by three raters using observational ratings. Qualitative comparisons of the validity and function are made also. The observational rating captures the overall severity of body parts, whereas the biomechanical system provides motion- and joint-specific tremor severity. The tremor readings of the biomechanical system were previously validated against encoders’ readings and doctors’ ratings; the observational ratings were validated with previous ratings on assessing the disease and combined motor symptoms rather than on tremor specifically. Analyses show that the predicted rating is significantly more reliable than the average clinical ratings by three raters. The comparison work removes some of the inconsistent impressions of the tools and serves as guideline for selecting a tool that can improve tremor assessment. Nevertheless, further work is required to consider more variabilities that influence the overall judgement.

Validity and Responsiveness of the Single Alpha-numeric Evaluation for Shoulder Patients

Background: There is an ever-increasing demand for widespread implementation of patient-reported outcomes. However, adoption is slow owing to limitations in clinical infrastructure and resources within busy orthopaedic practices. Prior studies showed the single alpha-numeric evaluation (SANE) score to correlate at a single point in time with the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. However, no study has validated the SANE in terms of test-retest reliability, responsiveness, or clinical utility. Purpose: To validate SANE with the ASES across a sample of patients with common orthopaedic shoulder diagnoses. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Patients undergoing rotator cuff repair (n = 77), total shoulder replacement (n = 55), or physical therapy (n = 80) for signs and symptoms of subacromial impingement syndrome (n = 61) or adhesive capsulitis (n = 19) were administered the SANE and ASES at baseline and again at their 3-month follow-up from initial care or surgery (N = 212, mean ± SD age = 52.6 ± 1.2 years, n = 145 women). Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1) and standard error of the measurement (SEm) were used to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the SANE and the validity between the SANE and ASES scores. Analysis of variance (treatment group × time) was used to evaluate the responsiveness to treatment, and a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to establish the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the SANE as compared with the ASES (α = .05). Floor and ceiling effects were evaluated as the percentage of patients who scored the highest or lowest score on each tool. Results: The SANE demonstrated good pretreatment reliability (ICC2,1 = 0.84, SEM = 3.8), similar to the ASES (ICC2,1 = 0.82, SEM = 3.4). The SANE also showed good agreement with the ASES before and after treatment across all treatment groups (rotator cuff repair, ICC2,1 = 0.85, SEM = 3.4; total shoulder replacement, ICC2,1 = 0.72, SEM = 5.2; physical therapy: ICC2,1 = 0.82, SEM = 2.9). The SANE and ASES displayed similar responsiveness after treatment, with similar mean change and SD within each treatment group. The receiver operating characteristic curve revealed an area under the curve of 0.79 (SE, 0.62; P < .001) and a cutoff of 15% on the SANE, with a sensitivity of 85% to establish the MCID. Acceptable and similar floor and ceiling effects were observed for the ASES (4%) and SANE (9%). Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the SANE is valid for a range of common shoulder diagnoses to assess patient outcomes across operative and nonoperative treatment for shoulder complaints. The MCID of 15% is similar to that of the ASES (11%), suggesting that the SANE is a simple and efficient tool to assess treatment effects for shoulder disorders. Future studies are warranted to confirm these results and compare across other body parts and diagnoses.

The Development of the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire: Original, Expanded, Brief, and Pediatric Versions.

One of the key requirements of a reliable case definition is the use of standardized procedures for assessing symptoms. This article chronicles the development of the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ) to assess symptoms of the major chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) case definitions. The original questionnaire has been modified and expanded over time to more fully capture symptoms from various adult case definitions, and a brief as well as pediatric version have also been developed. The DSQ has demonstrated very good psychometric properties in terms of test-retest reliability and sensitivity/specificity, as well as construct, predictive, and discriminant validity. The DSQ allows for a clear characterization of a patient's illness and allows scientists and clinicians to improve diagnostic reliability and validity when employing case definitions of ME and CFS.

Arabic Translation, Validation and Cultural Adaptation of the 7-Item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale in Two Community Samples.

Depression is a common mental disorder, the severity of which is frequently assessed via interview-based clinical scales such as the 7-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-7). The current study aimed to translate and examine the validity of an Arabic version of the HAMD-7 scale. This study took place between February and March 2016 in the Psychiatry Department of King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The HAMD-7 scale was translated into Arabic using forward and backward translation methods. A total of 153 Arabic speakers were recruited to test the translated scale, including 57 medical students and 96 members of the general public. The Arabic version of the HAMD-7 scale was completed by trained investigators during face-to-face interviews with the participants. In order to assess convergent validity, participants also completed an Arabic version of the self-assessed Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale. Subsequently, the test-retest reliability of the translated HAMD-7 scale was evaluated two weeks later during a second interview. Overall, HAMD-7 scores were positively correlated with PHQ-9 scores (r = 0.633-0.749). Moreover, the translated HAMD-7 scale proved to be reliable in terms of test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient: 0.807; P <0.001). With regards to internal consistency, the Cronbach's α values ranged between 0.607-0.756. The Arabic HAMD-7 scale was found to be reliable and valid among two samples of Arabic speakers in Saudi Arabia. However, further research among Arab-speaking patients diagnosed with depression is needed in order to establish its usefulness in assessing the severity of depressive symptoms.

Validation of the Dyspnea Exertion Scale of Breathlessness in People With Life-Limiting Illness

BackgroundAlthough chronic breathlessness is common in life-limiting illnesses, validated feasible instruments to measure functional impact of the symptom in this population are scarce. We aimed to validate the Dyspnea Exertion Scale (DES) compared with the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) breathlessness scale for test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and responsiveness in people with life-limiting illness. MethodsA total of 188 participants, 66% males, with chronic breathlessness, mostly (70%) because of chronic pulmonary disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) self-reported evening scores of mMRC, DES, Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group during nine days. ResultsAbout 44% (n = 81) scored the highest score on mMRC indicating a ceiling effect not seen with DES. Both scales had moderate-to-good test-retest agreement (89% DES; 84% mMRC; P < 0.001 for both). Analyses for concurrent validity showed that higher DES and mMRC scores were correlated with higher NRS breathlessness intensity scores and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scores throughout the nine days. In longitudinal analyses, DES (r = 0.30; P < 0.001) was more responsive to change in NRS score during nine days than the mMRC (r = 0.16; P = 0.03). ConclusionCompared with mMRC, DES had comparable or better measurement properties in terms of test-retest reliability and concurrent validity and could be used as a discriminative tool in this population, but both scales are too insensitive to change to be used as an outcome in clinical trials.