Psychometrics

Regional changes in cerebral blood flow in patients with chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and subclinical hepatic encephalopathy were investigated in the present study using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Twenty patients with cirrhosis, 11 patients with chronic hepatitis, and nine healthy controls were included in the study. Cerebral SPECT were obtained for all patients. The percentages of cerebral blood flow of 14 regions to the cerebellar blood flow were determined. Only the patients with cirrhosis underwent psychometric evaluation: visual evoked potentials (VEP) measurements and electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings along with blood levels of albumin, bilirubin, and ammonia were measured and prothrombin time was determined in cirrhotic patients. These patients were classified according to the Child-Pugh classification. Among cirrhotic patients, six had abnormal results in VEP studies, 11 in psychometric tests and with six in EEG evaluation. Any abnormality in psychometric tests and/or VEP studies is taken as the main criterion; subclinical hepatic encephalopathy was detected in 12 of 20 patients. According to SPECT results in patients with subclinical encephalopathy, a statistically significant decrease in cerebral blood flow in right thalamus and nearly significant decrease in left thalamus were observed. Regional blood flow was significantly higher in the frontal lobes of patients with cirrhosis when compared with healthy controls. Similarly, cerebral blood flow in frontal and cingulate regions was significantly higher in patients with chronic hepatitis than in healthy controls. There was no relationship between cerebral blood flow and blood levels of ammonia or Child-Pugh score, in cirrhotic patients. Significant changes in cerebral blood flow may be present in chronic liver diseases and the authors suggest that the measurement of changes in cerebral blood flow might be useful in detecting subclinical hepatic encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: Addiction is a context specific but common and devastating condition. Though several evidence-based treatments are available, many of them remain under-utilized, among others due to the lack of adequate training in addiction medicine (AM). AM Training needs may differ across countries because of difference in discipline and level of prior AM training or contextual factors like epidemiology and availability of treatment. For appropriate testing of training needs, reliability and validity are key issues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the AM-TNA Scale: an instrument specifically designed to develop the competence-based curriculum of the Indonesian AM course.METHODS: In a cross-sectional study in Indonesia, Ireland, Lithuania and the Netherlands the AM-TNA was distributed among a convenience sample of health professionals working in addiction care in The Netherlands, Lithuania, Indonesia and General Practitioners in-training in Ireland. 428 respondents completed the AM-TNA scale. To assess the factor structure, we used explorative factor analysis. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's Alpha, ANOVA determined the discriminative validity.RESULTS: Validity: factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure: One on providing direct patient treatment and care (Factor 1: clinical) and one factor on facilitating/supporting direct patient treatment and care (Factor 2: non-clinical) AM competencies and a cumulative 76% explained variance. Reliability: Factor 1 α = 0.983 and Factor 2: α = 0.956, while overall reliability was (α = 0.986). The AM-TNA was able to differentiate training needs across groups of AM professionals on all 30 addiction medicine competencies (P = .001).CONCLUSIONS: In our study the AM-TNA scale had a strong two-factor structure and proofed to be a reliable and valid instrument. The next step should be the testing external validity, strengthening discriminant validity and assessing the re-test effect and measuring changes over time.Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Τranslation and validation of the Kuopio University Hospital Job Satisfaction Scale. Nurses' job satisfaction is crucial for the smooth functioning of the health-care system. A Greek translation of the scale was made and administered to 126 psychiatric nurses; 60 filled it out again after 15 days. The structural validity and internal consistency of the scale were also studied. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were also conducted. A total of 69 (54.8%) of the participants were male and the majority (72.2%) were <40 years old. The exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor scale: Leadership, Working environment, Motivating factors and Team spirit (Cronbach alpha: 0.71-0.88). These factors were not identical to the factors of the Finnish version of the scale. The four-factor model created marginally fits the data and exhibits far better indices. Pearson correlation and intraclass correlation coefficient were near to 1, indicating the scale's high reliability. The scale's properties were very satisfactory indicating that the scale is a reliable measure of job satisfaction. The Greek version of the Kuopio University Hospital Job Satisfaction Scale can be recommended to measure nurses' job satisfaction in Cyprus and Greece.

Although it is well established that action contexts can expand the perceived durations of action-related events, whether action contexts also impact the subjective duration of events unrelated to the action remains an open issue. Here we examined how the automatic implicit reactions induced by viewing task-irrelevant, real moving objects influence tactile duration judgments. Participants were asked to make temporal bisection judgments of a tactile event while seeing a potentially catchable swinging ball. Approaching movement induced a tactile-duration overestimation relative to lateral movement and to a static baseline, and receding movement produced an expansion similar in duration to that from approaching movement. Interestingly, the effect of approaching movement on the subjective tactile duration was greatly reduced when participants held lightweight objects in their hands, relative to a hands-free condition, whereas no difference was obtained in the tactile-duration estimates ...

The influence of gender on the expression of COPD has received limited attention. Quality of Life (QoL) has become an important outcome in COPD patients. The aim of our study was to explore factors contributing to gender differences in Quality of Life of COPD patients. In 146 men and women with COPD from a pulmonary clinic we measured: Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), age, smoking history, PaO2, PaCO2, FEV1, FVC, IC/TLC, FRC, body mass index (BMI), 6 minute walk distance (6MWD), dyspnea (modified MRC), degree of comorbidity (Charlson index) and exacerbations in the previous year. We explored differences between genders using Mann-Whitney U-rank test. To investigate the main determinants of QoL, a multiple lineal regression analysis was performed using backward Wald's criteria, with those variables that significantly correlated with SGRQ total scores. Compared with men, women had worse scores in all domains of the SGRQ (total 38 vs 26, p = 0.01, symptoms 48 vs...

During the last few years, burnout has gained more and more attention for its strong connection with job performance, absenteeism, and presenteeism. It is a psychological phenomenon that depends on occupation, also presenting differences between sexes. However, to properly compare the burnout levels of different groups, a psychometric instrument with adequate validity evidence should be selected (i.e., with measurement invariance). This paper aims to describe the psychometric properties of the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) version adapted for workers from Brazil and Portugal, and to compare burnout across countries and sexes. OLBI's validity evidence based on the internal structure (dimensionality, reliability, and measurement invariance), and validity evidence based on relationships with other variables (work engagement) are described. Additionally, it aims presents a revision of different OLBI's versions-since this is the first version of the instrument developed simultaneously for both countries-it is an important instrument for understanding burnout between sexes in organizations. Data were used from 1,172 employees across two independent samples, one from Portugal and the other from Brazil, 65 percent being female. Regarding the OLBI internal structure, a reduced version (15 items) was obtained. The high correlation between disengagement and exhaustion, suggested the existence of a second-order latent factor, burnout, which presented measurement invariance for country and sex. Confirmatory factor analysis of the Portuguese OLBI version presented good goodness-of-fit indices and good internal consistency values. No statistically significant differences were found in burnout between sexes or countries. OLBI also showed psychometric properties that make it a promising and freely available instrument to measure and compare burnout levels of Portuguese and Brazilian employees.

The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Neutropenia (FACT-N) is a neutropenia-specific questionnaire to assess patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of FACT-N among cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN). This prospective, cross-sectional study included multi-ethnic Asian cancer patients. Patients completed the questionnaires within seven days after diagnosed with CIN. Eligible patients completed either the English or Chinese version of the EuroQol 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D) and the FACT-N once, according to their language preference. The reliability was evaluated by using Cronbach's alpha (α). The known-group validity was assessed based on patient's Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, neutropenia grade, and experience of fever. The convergent validity was evaluated by contrasting the FACT-N subscales with the EQ-5D domains. Multiple linear regression models w...

There is conflicting evidence on the effect of chemotherapy and psychosocial distress on perceived cognitive changes in cancer patients. To compare the severity of perceived cognitive disturbance in Asian breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and those not receiving chemotherapy, and identify clinical characteristics associated with perceived cognitive disturbances. A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted at the largest cancer center in Singapore. Breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and not receiving chemotherapy completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), and Beck Anxiety Inventory to assess their perceived cognitive functioning, health-related quality of life, and anxiety, respectively. Multiple regression was conducted to delineate the factors associated with perceived cognitive disturbances. A total of 85 breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and 81 not receiving chemotherapy were recruited. Chemotherapy patients experienced more fatigue (QLQ-C30 fatigue scores: 33.3 vs 22.2 points; p = 0.005) and moderate-to-severe anxiety (21.9% vs 8.6%; p = 0.002) compared to non-chemotherapy patients. Non-chemotherapy patients reported better perceived cognitive functioning than those who received chemotherapy (FACT-Cog scores: 124 vs 110 points, respectively; p < 0.001). Chemotherapy and endocrine therapy were strongly associated with perceived cognitive disturbances (p < 0.001 and 0.021, respectively). The interacting effect between anxiety and fatigue was moderately associated with perceived cognitive disturbances (β = -0.29; p = 0.037). Chemotherapy and endocrine treatment were associated with significant cognitive disturbances among Asian breast cancer patients. Psychosocial factors could be used to identify cancer patients who are more susceptible to cognitive disturbances in the clinical setting.

To compare the effectiveness of the Injury Severity Score (ISS) and New Injury Severity Score (NISS) in predicting mortality in pediatric trauma patients. NISS, the sum of the squares of a patient's three highest Abbreviated Injury Scale scores (regardless of body region), were calculated for 9,151 patients treated at four regional pediatric trauma centers and compared with previously calculated ISS values. The power of the two scoring systems to predict mortality was gauged through comparison of misclassification rates, receiver operating characteristic curves, and Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit statistics. Although there were significant differences in mean NISS and ISS values for each hospital, differences in the predictive abilities of the two scoring systems were insignificant, even when analysis was restricted to the subgroup of patients with severe or penetrating injuries. The significant differences in the predictive abilities of the ISS and NISS reported in studies of adult trauma patients were not seen in this review of pediatric trauma patients.

... Joan Liverpool Morehouse School of Medicine ... promote con-flicting definitions of femininity that cause Black women to reject the tra-ditional female roles of passivity and emotional and economic dependence, encouraging women to be self-sufficient (Aldridge, 1991; Boyd ...

The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of a modified Malaysian version of the Medication Adherence Reasons Scale (MAR-Scale). In this cross-sectional study, the 15-item MAR-Scale was administered to 665 patients with hypertension who attended one of the four government primary healthcare clinics in the Hulu Langat and Klang districts of Selangor, Malaysia, between early December 2012 and end-March 2013. The construct validity was examined in two phases. Phase I consisted of translation of the MAR-Scale from English to Malay, a content validity check by an expert panel, a face validity check via a small preliminary test among patients with hypertension, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Phase II involved internal consistency reliability calculations and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA verified five existing factors that were previously identified (i.e. issues with medication management, multiple medications, belief in medication, medication availability, and the patient's forgetfulness and convenience), while CFA extracted four factors (medication availability issues were not extracted). The final modified MAR-Scale model, which had 11 items and a four-factor structure, provided good evidence of convergent and discriminant validities. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was > 0.7, indicating good internal consistency of the items in the construct. The results suggest that the modified MAR-Scale has good internal consistencies and construct validity. The validated modified MAR-Scale (Malaysian version) was found to be suitable for use among patients with hypertension receiving treatment in primary healthcare settings. However, the comprehensive measurement of other factors that can also lead to non-adherence requires further exploration.

Introduction: The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) has not been tested for the psychometric properties in Belarusian population. In this regard conducting psychometric assessment of the HAM-D used in Belarusian population has special importance. The aim of this study was to investigate and improve the psychometric properties of the HAM-D applying in Belarusian population through Rasch analysis. Methods: Data from 551 Belarusian patients with confirmed diagnosis of depression were used in this study. The Partial Credit Model was used in the psychometric analysis. Results: The analysis of item-person map showed disagreement between distributions of person measures and item categories. Only 8 items had appropriate values of Rasch fit-indexes. I have improved the psychometric properties of the HAM-D. Five items with bad values of fit-indexes were recombined into two new items. New items were added to the remaining 8 items with acceptable fit-indexes values and then Rasch analysis was repeated. All items showed adequate construct validity. The person separation index (PSI) for original HAM-D was 2.32. The person reliability was 0.84. Reliability analysis of the final model included 10 items showed higher estimates: the PSI was 3.61, the number of strata rose to 5.14, the person reliability was 0.93. Conclusion: This study revealed that the HAM-D applied in Belarusian population has several psychometric problems. After removing invalid items and changing score rules of bipolar items psychometric properties of the scale were improved. Declaration of Interest: None.

Despite showing acceptable psychometric properties, the criterion validity of the original Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (FiRST) has been called into question for including insufficiently challenging comparison groups. Consequently our objective was to validate a Spanish version of the FiRST including pain disorders more analogous to fibromyalgia. The FiRST was translated following international standards. Internal consistency and temporal stability were assessed. The ability of the FiRST global score as a screening tool for fibromyalgia (criterion validity) was assessed by logistic regression analysis. To determine the degree to which potential confounders might affect the criterion validity of the FiRST (divergent validity), it was reassessed by hierarchical multivariate logistic regression, entering demographics in a first step, followed by pain, anxiety and depression, catastrophizing, disability and the FiRST global score in a last step. The final sample comprised 257 patie...

Social scientific measurement is much desired and much criticized. In this dissertation I evaluate one of the main approaches to social scientific measurement that has nevertheless been virtually ignored by philosophers – the psychometric approach. Psychometric measures are typically used to measure unobservable attributes such as intelligence and personality. They typically take the form of questionnaires or tests and are validated by statistical tests of properties such as reliability and model-fit. My thesis is two-fold. In the first, more critical part, I argue that psychometric instruments normally fail to fulfil plausible criteria for adequate measurement. To make this argument, I define and defend a conception of quantitative representation necessary for measurement. My definition is grounded in the Representational Theory of Measurement but avoids the main critiques this theory has faced. I then show that the typical psychometric process of measure validation fails to produce evidence of such quantitative representation. The upshot is that although a quantitative interpretation of psychometric data is common, it is largely unwarranted. In the second part, I argue that psychometric instruments are nonetheless apt for various other purposes. This argument hinges on a new outlook on how concepts should be formed for psychometric purposes. Philosophers have traditionally thought that concepts should cohere with intuitions and/or pick out so-called natural kinds, while many psychometricians argue that concepts should pick out real as opposed to constructed attributes. I argue that, when it comes to social scientific measurement, it is much more important to focus on the usefulness of the concept, where usefulness can take on different meanings in different contexts. Building on the defended outlook on concept formation, I show what useful functions psychometric instruments can serve even when they fail at quantitative representation.