-
BMC Geriatrics Jan 2014The choice of measure for use as a primary outcome in geriatric research is contingent upon the construct of interest and evidence for its psychometric properties. The... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The choice of measure for use as a primary outcome in geriatric research is contingent upon the construct of interest and evidence for its psychometric properties. The Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI) has been widely used to assess functional limitations and disability in studies with older adults. The primary aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the current available evidence for the psychometric properties of the LLFDI.
METHODS
Published studies of any design reporting results based on administration of the original version of the LLFDI in community-dwelling older adults were identified after searches of 9 electronic databases. Data related to construct validity (convergent/divergent and known-groups validity), test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change were extracted. Effect sizes were calculated for within-group changes and summarized graphically.
RESULTS
Seventy-one studies including 17,301 older adults met inclusion criteria. Data supporting the convergent/divergent and known-groups validity for both the Function and Disability components were extracted from 30 and 18 studies, respectively. High test-retest reliability was found for the Function component, while results for the Disability component were more variable. Sensitivity to change of the LLFDI was confirmed based on findings from 25 studies. The basic lower extremity subscale and overall summary score of the Function component and limitation dimension of the Disability component were associated with the strongest relative effect sizes.
CONCLUSIONS
There is extensive evidence to support the construct validity and sensitivity to change of the LLFDI among various clinical populations of community-dwelling older adults. Further work is needed on predictive validity and values for clinically important change. Findings from this review can be used to guide the selection of the most appropriate LLFDI subscale for use an outcome measure in geriatric research and practice.
Topics: Activities of Daily Living; Aged, 80 and over; Disability Evaluation; Disabled Persons; Geriatric Assessment; Humans; Psychometrics
PubMed: 24476510
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2318-14-12 -
Nursing Open Oct 2023This study aimed to develop the nurses' Work Values Scale (WVS) to determine how important certain values are for nurses and to psychometrically test the scale.
AIM
This study aimed to develop the nurses' Work Values Scale (WVS) to determine how important certain values are for nurses and to psychometrically test the scale.
DESIGN
Instrument development and validation study.
METHOD
A two-phase scale development process comprising item generation, scale improvement and psychometric property evaluation was used. In the first phase, scale items were identified. In the second phase, item and exploratory factor analyses were performed in Study 1, and confirmatory factor analysis, validity verification and reliability verification of the nurses' WVS were performed in Study 2.
RESULTS
As a result of the analysis, a scale of 30 items with four subdomains was developed. In convergent validity and reliability verification, it was shown that the nurses' WVS has acceptable validity and reliability.
NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION
Patients or members of the public were not involved in this study.
Topics: Humans; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Nurses
PubMed: 37518936
DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1950 -
Cancer Nursing 2016The 13-item Symptom Distress Scale (SDS) is a widely used symptom measurement tool, yet a systematic review summarizing the symptom knowledge generated from its use in... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The 13-item Symptom Distress Scale (SDS) is a widely used symptom measurement tool, yet a systematic review summarizing the symptom knowledge generated from its use in patients with advanced cancer is nonexistent.
OBJECTIVES
This was a systematic review of the research literature in which investigators utilized the SDS as the measure of symptoms in patients with advanced cancer.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Web of Science for primary research studies published between 1978 and 2013 that utilized the SDS as the measurement tool in patients with advanced cancer. Nine hundred eighteen documents were found. Applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 21 articles and 2 dissertations were included.
RESULTS
The majority of investigators utilized descriptive, cross-sectional research designs conducted with convenience samples. Inconsistent reporting of SDS total scores, individual item scores, age ranges and means, gender distributions, cancer types, cancer stages, and psychometric properties made comparisons difficult. Available mean SDS scores ranged from 17.6 to 38.8. Reports of internal consistency ranged from 0.67 to 0.88. Weighted means indicated fatigue to be the most prevalent and distressing symptom. Appetite ranked higher than pain intensity and pain frequency.
CONCLUSIONS
The SDS captures the patient's symptom experience in a manner that informs the researcher or clinician about the severity of the respondents' reported symptom distress.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
The SDS is widely used in a variety of cancer diagnoses. The SDS is a tool clinicians can use to assess 11 symptoms experienced by patients with advanced cancer.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Symptom Assessment
PubMed: 26252436
DOI: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000292 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2022This study aimed to develop a questionnaire to assess male and female athletes' perceived weight and shape pressure from coaches and establish its psychometric...
This study aimed to develop a questionnaire to assess male and female athletes' perceived weight and shape pressure from coaches and establish its psychometric properties. Exploratory factor analysis ( = 412 in each female sample 1 and 2) provided evidence for 4 scales for female athletes and 3 scales for male athletes which were confirmed in confirmatory factor analysis ( = 260 in each male sample 1 and 2). For both females and males, KMO testing and Bartlett's test of sphericity indicated that the sampling was adequate and survey items were appropriate for factor analysis. Additionally, all scales for both sexes had strong factor loadings (≥0.65), good Cronbach alpha coefficients (>0.70), and made contextual sense. The magnitude of difference results were indicative of a stable factor structure. Goodness-of-fit indicators were all in the expected direction. Good convergent validity was demonstrated. The questionnaire's excellent psychometric properties and novelty make it a valuable tool for researchers and practitioners. This questionnaire has the potential to identify training needs in coaching staff, as well as to identify athletes who may benefit from support and guidance for effectively coping with pressure from coaches.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Athletes; Surveys and Questionnaires; Mentoring; Factor Analysis, Statistical
PubMed: 36554296
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416416 -
BMC Public Health Jun 2022Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are relatively new tobacco products that are attracting public attention due to their unique features, especially their many flavor...
BACKGROUND
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are relatively new tobacco products that are attracting public attention due to their unique features, especially their many flavor options and their potential as an alternative to cigarettes. However, uncertainties remain regarding the determinants and consequences of e-cigarette use because current research on e-cigarettes is made more difficult due to the lack of psychometrically sound instruments that measure e-cigarette related constructs. This systematic review therefore seeks to identify the instruments in the field that are designed to assess various aspects of e-cigarette use or its related constructs and analyze the evidence presented regarding the psychometric properties of the identified instruments.
METHODS
This systematic review utilized six search engines: PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and EMBASE, to identify articles published in the peer-reviewed journals from inception to February 2022 that contained development or validation processes for these instruments.
RESULTS
Eighteen articles describing the development or validation of 22 unique instruments were identified. Beliefs, perceptions, motives, e-cigarette use, and dependence, were the most commonly assessed e-cigarette related constructs. The included studies reported either construct or criterion validity, with 14 studies reporting both. Most studies did not report the content validity; for reliability, most reported internal consistencies using Cronbach's alpha, with 15 instruments reporting Cronbach's alpha > 0.70 for the scale or its subscales.
CONCLUSIONS
Twenty-two instruments with a reported development or validation process to measure e-cigarette related constructs are currently available for practitioners and researchers. This review provides a guide for practitioners and researchers seeking to identify the most appropriate existing instruments on e-cigarette use based on the constructs examined, target population, psychometric properties, and instrument length. The gaps identified in the existing e-cigarette related instruments indicate that future studies should seek to extend the validity of the instruments for diverse populations, including adolescents. Instruments that explore additional aspects of e-cigarette use and e-cigarette related constructs to help build a strong theoretical background and expand our current understanding of e-cigarette use and its related constructs, should also be developed.
Topics: Adolescent; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Humans; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Tobacco Products
PubMed: 35668485
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13510-4 -
Brain and Behavior Apr 2022Personality is one of the important etiological factors of psychological factors. In this regard, one of the important factors in the success of people's social and...
INTRODUCTION
Personality is one of the important etiological factors of psychological factors. In this regard, one of the important factors in the success of people's social and psychological life is the light triad personality. They are a combination of sympathy, compassion, and humanity. On the basis of results of the research, it is not possible to trust the psychometrics characteristics of tools; it is necessary to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of these tools. Meanwhile, the aim of the present study is the evaluation of psychometrics characteristics of light triad personality in nurses.
METHODS
The statistical population includes all nurses who were employed in the summer and autumn of 2020 in private centers and hospitals affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The sample of this study was 245 nurses who were selected by convenience sampling. To analyze the data, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson correlation, total question-score correlation, and reliability analysis were used by using SPSS and LISREL software.
RESULTS
The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the three-factor structure of the light triad personality questionnaire. The findings of the convergent validity of the light triad personality questionnaire were evaluated and confirmed via its simultaneous implementation by the Social Health and Emotional Sympathy Questionnaires and its divergent reliability was confirmed by the Machiavellian Questionnaire. The reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was obtained for the factors of sympathy, compassion, philanthropy, and totality by using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, 0.83, 0.75, 0.70, and 0.92, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Finally, with regard to the desired validity and reliability coefficients, ease of implementation, scoring, interpretation, and explanation, as well as a short time to answer, it can be said that light triad personality questionnaires were qualified for use in psychological research to measure the rate of light triad personality.
Topics: Factor Analysis, Statistical; Humans; Nurses; Personality; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35229488
DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2514 -
Hormone Research in Paediatrics 2023Adolescence is a period of stressful physiological and psychosocial changes. Exposure to chronic stress can cause specific structural and functional changes in an... (Review)
Review
Adolescence is a period of stressful physiological and psychosocial changes. Exposure to chronic stress can cause specific structural and functional changes in an organism, which can be appraised objectively. Some of these alterations are an expected reaction of the body in its attempt to adapt to a stressful situation, while others are signs of possible disease development. The aim of this review was to present the most widely used methods of stress evaluation in adolescence research. Primary biomarkers associated with different biological systems, such as the stress hormones glucocorticoids, and catecholamines, as well as the available methods of extraction and assessment of each biomarker, are presented. This work also includes secondary outcomes, which can also provide an estimation of an individual's stress level. Also, most available psychometric instruments of stress, constructed to address specifically this period of life, are presented and discussed. In addition, this paper addresses possible confounding factors that may affect stress measurements, which should be taken under consideration when conducting stress research. To objectively evaluate stress, it is of great importance for a researcher to be familiar with the condition under examination and its representative stress indices. Adequate evaluation of adolescents with the selection of proper psychometric tests and biological markers can help design targeted interventions aiming to prevent or reverse the effects of physical and mental stressors that occur during adolescence, effects that can be carried into adulthood with detrimental consequences.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Psychometrics; Biomarkers; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 35124668
DOI: 10.1159/000522387 -
Clinical Interventions in Aging 2014The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) is one of the most commonly used assessment scales for assessing symptoms in people with dementia and other neurological disorders.... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) is one of the most commonly used assessment scales for assessing symptoms in people with dementia and other neurological disorders. This paper analyzes its conceptual framework, measurement mode, psychometric properties, and merits and problems.
METHOD
All articles discussing the psychometric properties and factor structure of the NPI were searched for in Medline via Ovid. The abstracts of these papers were read to determine their relevance to the purpose of this paper. If deemed appropriate, a full paper was then obtained and read.
RESULTS
The NPI has reasonably good content validity and internal consistency, and good test-retest and interrater reliability. There is limited information about its sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and, in particular, responsiveness. Merits of the NPI include being comprehensive, avoiding symptom overlap, ease of use, and flexibility. It has problems in scoring (no multiples of 5, 7, and 11) and, therefore, analysis using parametric tests may not be appropriate. The use of individual subscales also warrants further investigation.
CONCLUSION
In terms of its content and concurrent validity, intra- and interrater reliability, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency, the NPI can be considered as valid and reliable, and can be used across different ethnic groups. The tool is most likely unable to deliver as good a performance in terms of discriminating between different disorders. More studies are required to further evaluate its psychometric properties, particularly in the areas of factor structure and responsiveness. The clinical utility of the NPI also needs to be further explored.
Topics: Aged; Alzheimer Disease; Dementia; Geriatric Assessment; Humans; Neuropsychological Tests; Observer Variation; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 25031530
DOI: 10.2147/CIA.S63504 -
PloS One 2022There is no specific tool for measuring the professional resilience of emergency nurses. Therefore, the present study aimed to design and psychometrically evaluate a new...
BACKGROUND
There is no specific tool for measuring the professional resilience of emergency nurses. Therefore, the present study aimed to design and psychometrically evaluate a new tool named the emergency nurses' professional resilience tool.
METHOD
This mixed-method sequential exploratory study was conducted in two phases: (1) item generation using literature review and evaluation of the results of a qualitative study and (2) psychometric evaluation of the developed scale. The face, content, and construct validity (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis), reliability (internal consistency, relative, and absolute), and accountability were assessed in the population of Iranian nurses (N = 465) during March 2019-June 2020.
RESULTS
The tool designed for assessing the professional resilience of Iranian nurses included 37 items. The average scale content validity index (S-CVI/Ave) was equal to 0.94. The exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors, including professional competencies, emotional-cognitive characteristics, external support, in addition to behavioral and cognitive strategies, and explained 75.59% of the whole variance. Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation were 0.915 and 0.888, respectively. Construct validity for five factors was established with acceptable model fit indices [Chi-square/df = 1336.56/619, p < .001]; [Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.96]; [Non-Normed Fit Index [NNFI] = 0.96]; [Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.074 and 90 Percent Confidence Interval = (0.069; 0.080)]; and [SRMR = 0.095].
CONCLUSIONS
According to the findings of the current study, the emergency nurses' professional resilience tool can be used by healthcare managers as a valid and reliable scale to evaluate the professional resilience of nurses to designate them as nurses working in emergency and disaster situations.
Topics: Humans; Iran; Nurses; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35671289
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269539 -
Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine May 2021To describe data completeness, targeting and reliability of the Swedish version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure Self-Report (s-SCIM-SR).
OBJECTIVE
To describe data completeness, targeting and reliability of the Swedish version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure Self-Report (s-SCIM-SR).
DESIGN
Translation and reliability study.
SUBJECTS
Programme participants (n = 48) and peer mentors (n = 42) with spinal cord injury enrolled in the INTERnational Project for the Evaluation of "activE Rehabilitation" (inter-PEER).
METHODS
The translation process was based on guidelines/recommendations, and involved expert competence, including consumers. The s-SCIM-SR was distributed online, once for programme participants and twice for peer mentors.
RESULTS
Sixty-nine individuals (77%) obtained a total score. Most missing data were found in the items Respiration and Using the toilet. Cronbach's alpha for the full scale was 0.89, for Self-care 0.92, for Respiration and sphincter management 0.37 and for Mobility 0.86. The intraclass correlation coefficient was excellent for all subscales and the full scale. Measures of variability showed high sensitivity to changes and Bland Altman analyses revealed no systematic changes between evaluation points.
CONCLUSION
These results support the data completeness, targeting and reliability of the Swedish version of the SCIM-SR. However, some problems were found in the subscale Respiration and sphincter management. The s-SCIM-SR can be considered psychometrically sound and suitable to assess physical independence among persons with spinal cord injury in Swedish community settings.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Self Report; Spinal Cord Injuries; Sweden; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
PubMed: 33948671
DOI: 10.2340/16501977-2839