Use Of Standardized Assessments Research Articles

Occupational Therapy Discharge Assessment of Elderly Patients from Acute Care Hospitals

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to identify effective discharge assessment tools, examine clinical reasoning skills and use of client-centered practice in discharge planning from acute care hospitals. Methodology included an ethnographic study with a mixed-method design using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The data were organized into main themes and subthemes, coded, and entered on an Excel spreadsheet for analysis. Results indicated that discharge assessment and decision making is a complex issue that is unique to each individual. Nonstandardized functional-based assessment is the most frequently used method in discharge assessment with inconsistency in the use of standardized assessments. Decision making regarding discharge involves the inclusion of multiple factors primarily safety, home support, and patients' performance in daily occupations. The results also indicated inconsistencies in following client-centered practice. Rehabilitation personnel should be offered education and training on the complexity and uniqueness of discharge assessment.

Assessment and Treatment of Co-occurring Eating Disorders in Publicly Funded Addiction Treatment Programs

Publicly funded addiction treatment programs were surveyed to increase understanding of treatment options for persons with co-occurring eating and substance use disorders. Data were collected between 2002 and 2004 from face-to-face interviews with program directors of a nationally representative sample of 351 addiction treatment programs. Half of the programs screen patients for eating disorders; 29% admit all persons with eating disorders, and 48% admit persons with eating disorders of low severity. Few programs attempt to treat eating disorders. Programs that admit and treat patients with eating disorders are more likely to emphasize a medical-psychiatric model of addiction, use psychiatric medications, admit patients with other psychiatric disorders, and have a lower caseload of African-American patients. Generally, patients with co-occurring eating and substance use disorders do not appear to receive structured assessment or treatment for eating disorders in addiction treatment programs. These results highlight the need for education of addiction treatment professionals in assessment of eating disorders.

Methodological approaches in the assessment of interferon‐alfa‐induced depression in patients with chronic hepatitis C – a critical review

In recent years, research on interferon (IFN)-induced depressive symptoms in antivirally treated patients suffering from chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has considerably intensified. Profound scientific knowledge of this complication is of great relevance with regard to adherence, compliance, and premature therapy discontinuation. Presently, there is considerable variability of both, the frequency and extent of IFN-induced depression reported in different cohorts of patients. The aim of the presented study was to systematically review recent literature of research within this field; and particularly (1) to identify to what extent methodological bias contributed to inconsistent results in different studies, (2) to critically appraise methods and results of studies published so far, and (3) to suggest directions for future work, especially with respect to alternative and improved methodological approaches. The results of this critical review suggest that the variability of findings seem to be largely due to different study populations, treatment regimens, methodological approaches, and sometimes arbitrary or at least poorly defined choice of screening instruments for depression, particularly criteria for clinically relevant depression (cut-off criteria). Study designs and methodological approaches to investigate IFN-alfa-induced depression in patients with CHC have been incoherent. Future research in this field needs agreement on the use of standardized assessment of IFN-induced depression in CHC. Furthermore, objective criteria and guidelines for the treatment of IFN-induced depression in these patients are needed in clinical practice.

Managing Memory and Metamemory Impairments in Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury

Managing Memory and Metamemory Impairments in Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury

Chicago Public Schools Evaluate Teaching Methods

Chicago Public Schools Evaluate Teaching Methods

`Treat to Remission' Is Message of STEP-BD Study

`Treat to Remission' Is Message of STEP-BD Study

Interpreting the Difference Between Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test Results

No AccessPerspectives on School-Based IssuesArticle1 Mar 2006Interpreting the Difference Between Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test Results Kathleen T. Williams Kathleen T. Williams Office of Academic Initiatives The College BoardNew York, NY Google Scholar More articles by this author https://doi.org/10.1044/sbi7.1.23 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationTrack Citations ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In References American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education. (1999). Standards for educational and psychological testing..Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association. Google Scholar Carrow-Woolfolk, E. (1999). Comprehensive assessment of spoken language..Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service. Google Scholar Dunn, L. M., & Dunn, L. M. (1997). Peabody picture vocabulary test (3rd Ed.). Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service. Google Scholar German, D. J. (1994). Word finding difficulties in children and adolescents.. In G. P. Wallach & K. G. Butler (Eds.), Language learning disabilities in school-age children and adolescents: Some principles and applications (pp. 323–347). New York: Merrill/Macmillan. Google Scholar Stanovich, K. E. (1986). Matthew effects in reading: Some consequences of individual differences in the acquisition of literacy..Reading Research Quarterly, 21, 360–407. Google Scholar Stone, B. J. (1995). Best practices in the use of standardized assessments..InA. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychol-ogy—III (pp. 841–848). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists. Google Scholar Williams, K. T. (1997). Expressive vocabulary test..Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service. Google Scholar Additional Resources FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 7Issue 1March 2006Pages: 20-23 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in issue: Mar 1, 2006 Metrics Downloaded 76 times Topicsasha-sigsasha-topicsasha-article-typesCopyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2006 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...

Identifying and Assessing Depression in Prelingually Deaf People: A Literature Review

IDENTIFYING AND ASSESSING DEPRESSION is essential to ensuring access to appropriate treatment and services. Unfortunately, limited literature exists on identifying and assessing depression in prelingually deaf people. In a literature review, the authors critically examined relevant published studies. The earliest reported information on depression in deaf people was found in historical studies that descriptively evaluated specialist psychiatric services for deaf people. These studies did not accurately reflect the prevalence of depression; reasons for this are discussed. Issues regarding assessment of depression in deaf people, such as communication, use of interpreters, and use of standardized assessments, are examined. Studies that have attempted to overcome these challenges are reviewed, including studies using modified versions of written questionnaires designed for hearing people and studies in which standardized questionnaires were translated and administered in sign. Advantages and disadvantages of different methods are highlighted; recommendations for future research are made.

Guidelines Abstracted from the Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Stroke Rehabilitation

To assist facilities in identifying those evidence-based processes of poststroke care that enhance measurable patient outcomes. The guideline(s) should be used by facilities (hospitals, subacute-care units and providers of long-term care) to implement a structured approach to improve rehabilitative practices and by clinicians to determine best interventions to achieve improved patient outcomes. The guideline considers five elements of poststroke rehabilitation care: interdisciplinary teams; use of standardized assessments; intensity, timing, and duration of therapy; involvement of patients' families and caregivers in decision-making; and educational interventions for patients, families, and caregivers. Evidence, benefits, harms, and recommendations for each of the five designated elements and specific annotated recommendations for poststroke managements are presented separately. The overall guideline considers improvement in functional status measures as the primary outcome. Achieving community-dwelling status and preventing complications, death, and rehospitalization are also important outcomes. Costs are not specifically addressed. The Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense (VA/DoD) Stroke Rehabilitation Working Group consisted of 28, largely VA and military hospital, representatives of medical and allied professions concerned with stroke diagnosis, management, and rehabilitation. Nine additional members with similar credentials served as the editorial committee. Technical consultation was contracted from ACS Federal Health Care, Inc., and the Center for Evidence-Based Practice, State University of New York-Upstate Medical University, Department of Family Medicine conducted evidence appraisal. Consensus was achieved over several years of facilitated group discussion and iterative evaluation of draft documents and supporting evidence. The guideline was prepared under the auspices of the VA/DoD. No other source of support was identified in the document, or supporting documents.

Reading the word should be connected with reading the world: a lesson from Wordsworth and Hardy

Today's educational environment forms the stage for a host of debates, many of which centre on the use of standardized assessment in the classroom. With this push towards standardization, less time is being devoted to incorporating ‘experiential’ knowledge, or that knowledge which comes from hands‐on, travel, natural and other worldly experiences, into the learning environment. William Wordsworth and Thomas Hardy, two somewhat unlikely sources of educational insight, do have a pertinent message to add to this ongoing educational discussion. The two authors, through their personal experiences and through their literary works, draw from and examine the roles of formal education and the functions of various facets of knowledge in education. They exemplify the importance of finding a balance between formal educational experiences and informal avenues of education. Both men remind society that without the incorporation of experiential knowledge into the educational experience, students cannot reach the full potential of their intellectual, emotional, spiritual and social growth. Through an examination of the lives and works of Wordsworth and Hardy, the importance of non‐formal, non‐standardized experiences is reasserted at a time when it is of utmost importance to evaluate the components that make up modern education.

A new staging system for idiopathic retinal periphlebitis.

To develop and standardize a universally acceptable new staging system for idiopathic retinal periphlebitis (Eales disease). A new staging system was established and standardized based on standard terminology and features. Idiopathic retinal periphlebitis was classified as peripheral and central types. Peripheral disease consisted of four stages. Stage 1 is periphlebitis of small (1a) and large (1b) caliber vessels with superficial retinal hemorrhages. Stage 2a denotes capillary nonperfusion and 2b neovascularization elsewhere/of the disc. Stage 3a is classified as fibrovascular proliferation and 3b vitreous hemorrhage. Stage 4a is traction/combined rhegmatogenous retinal detachment whereas 4b is rubeosis iridis, neovascular glaucoma, complicated cataract, and optic atrophy. A total of 253 cases of idiopathic retinal periphlebitis (mean age, 24.7 +/- 4.7 years, all male) presenting at this tertiary care center were classified prospectively according to the new staging system, by two independent observers (interobserver correlation = 0.7). The new staging system was consistent, simple, and easy to recall. Peripheral and central types of idiopathic retinal periphlebitis were found in 94.07% and 5.93% of cases, respectively. The new staging system also defined the severity of the disease. Vitreous hemorrhage was found to be the commonest presenting feature (51.68%), whereas traction/combined rhegmatogenous detachment was found in 5.88% of cases. The new staging system is useful in classifying and assessing the severity of disease. Management strategy can also be defined according to the stage of the disease. It is designed to promote the use of standard assessment with applications to clinical management and research.

The use of outcome measures to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of antipsychotic medication: a comparison of Thorn graduate and CPN practice.

Assessing the tolerability and efficacy of treatment with antipsychotic medication is a vital part of mental health care. Research has suggested that many side-effects go undetected by clinicians and there is a need to use standardized assessment tools to ensure that treatments are comprehensively evaluated. The training of Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPNs), who provide much of patients' care, should focus on enhancing skills in using such assessments. This study aimed to examine differences in the use of standardized assessments of antipsychotic side-effects and psychopathology by CPNs and Thorn graduates who had received additional training in delivering psychosocial interventions. A questionnaire was sent to 240 Thorn graduates and CPNs practising in England, with an overall adjusted response rate of 54%. Thorn graduates reported using significantly more standardized assessments of side-effects and psychopathology than CPNs. A trend in both groups towards the use of measures that relied on patient self-report of side-effects was observed. This study identified important deficiencies in current CPN practice. A programme of targeted training may be a more realistic and efficient method of enhancing medication management practices in large numbers of CPNs compared to the more expensive and time-consuming Thorn programme.

Assessment practices of Irish occupational therapists: a study

Assessment is a key component of the occupational therapy intervention process. Standardized assessments provide objectivity to this process. It is important that, in addition, these assessments reflect the client-centred philosophy of the profession. This article addresses key issues regarding the use of standardized assessments, and reports on the results of a study investigating the assessment practices of a group of Irish occupational therapists. The purpose of this article is to identify the attributes of standardized assessments and to question their place within the practice of occupational therapy. Occupational therapy philosophy stresses the importance of a client-centred approach to intervention, where the client's problems, needs and priorities are determined by the client or by the therapist in collaboration with the client or care giver. Many of the current standardized tests lack this client-centred approach. This article looks at current assessment practices among a group of Irish occupational therapists and suggests some future directions worth considering to optimize the use of standardized assessments.

Does the Composite International Diagnostic Interview underdiagnose the eating disorders?

A study was undertaken to assess the procedural validity of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) for the diagnosis of eating disorders. The CIDI was administered to 44 patients consecutively admitted to an eating disorders unit. CIDI-generated diagnoses were compared with clinical diagnoses documented in patient files. Discrepancies between diagnoses were examined in detail. A significant level of disagreement was apparent, particularly for anorexia nervosa patients. A large number of patients with symptoms requiring inpatient treatment did not reach criteria using CIDI's diagnostic algorithm. Considerable difficulties remain in the use of standardized assessments, such as the CIDI, to diagnose eating disorders. While presenting features of the illness, for example, ego syntonic nature of the illness, secrecy, and denial, may be part of the reason, the questions used by the CIDI appear to be in need of some refinement.

Assessment Education in Marriage and Family Counseling

Recent research reports that marriage andfamily clinicians describe the use of standardized assessment as "of little importance." However these results contradict the potential advantages of the use of standardized measures for clients, clinicians, and the therapeutic process. This contrast may be explained by the hypothesis that students use what they are taught, prompting a review of assessment course curricula.