Good Convergent Validity (good + convergent_validity)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


The development and validation of the Indigenous Risk Impact Screen (IRIS): a 13-item screening instrument for alcohol and drug and mental health risk

DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 2 2007
CARLA M. SCHLESINGER
Abstract The study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Indigenous Risk Impact Screen (IRIS) as a screening instrument for determining (i) the presence of alcohol and drug and mental health risk in Indigenous adult Australians and (ii) the cut-off scores that discriminate most effectively between the presence and absence of risk. A cross-sectional survey was used in clinical and non-clinical Indigenous and non-Indigenous services across Queensland Australia. A total of 175 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from urban, rural, regional and remote locations in Queensland took part in the study. Measures included the Indigenous Risk Impact Screen (IRIS), the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire (LDQ). Additional Mental Health measures included the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ). Principle axis factoring analysis of the IRIS revealed two factors corresponding with (i) alcohol and drug and (ii) mental health. The IRIS alcohol and drug and mental health subscales demonstrated good convergent validity with other well-established screening instruments and both subscales showed high internal consistency. A receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was used to generate cut-offs for the two subscales and t-tests validated the utility of these cut-offs for determining risky levels of drinking. The study validated statistically the utility of the IRIS as a screen for alcohol and drug and mental health risk. The instrument is therefore recommended as a brief screening instrument for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. [source]


A validity and reliability study of assessment and screening for sustained withdrawal reaction in infancy: The Alarm Distress Baby scale,

INFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 5 2001
Antoine Guedeney
Sustained withdrawal behavior in infancy is an important alarm signal to draw attention to both organic and relationship disorders. A withdrawal scale, the Alarm Distress Baby scale (ADBB), for infants between 2 and 24 months of age was built. This article describes the construction of the scale and the assessment of its psychometric properties. The ADBB has good content validity, based on the advice of seven experts. The scale has good criterion validity: first, as a measure of the infant's withdrawal reaction, with a very good correlation between nurse and pediatrician on the ADBB (rs = 0.84), and second, as a screening procedure for detecting the developmental risk of the infant. The cutoff score of 5 with a sensitivity of 0.82 and a specificity of 0.78 was determined to be optimal for screening purposes. The scale has good construct validity, with good convergent validity with both the Spitz (1951) and the Herzog & Rathbun (1982) lists of symptoms of infant depression (rs = 0.61 and 0.60, respectively). Exploratory factor analysis showed two different factors, consistent with the scale's construct. Reliability was satisfactory with good internal consistency for both subscales (the Cronbach , = 0.80 for the first subscale and 0.79 for the second) and for the global scale (, = 0.83). The test-retest procedure showed good stability over time (rs = 0.90 and 0.84 for the two different raters). The scale could be used in different clinical settings, provided a sufficient level of social stimulation is given to the infant in a relatively brief period of time. The scale can be used by nurses and psychologists or by medical doctors after a short period of training. © 2001 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health. [source]


Distinguishing between task and contextual performance for nurses: development of a job performance scale

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2007
Jaimi H. Greenslade
Abstract Title.,Distinguishing between task and contextual performance for nurses: development of a job performance scale Aim., This paper is a report of a development and validation of a new job performance scale based on an established job performance model. Background., Previous measures of nursing quality are atheoretical and fail to incorporate the complete range of behaviours performed. Thus, an up-to-date measure of job performance is required for assessing nursing quality. Methods., Test construction involved systematic generation of test items using focus groups, a literature review, and an expert review of test items. A pilot study was conducted to determine the multidimensional nature of the taxonomy and its psychometric properties. All data were collected in 2005. Findings., The final version of the nursing performance taxonomy included 41 behaviours across eight dimensions of job performance. Results from preliminary psychometric investigations suggest that the nursing performance scale has good internal consistency, good convergent validity and good criterion validity. Conclusion., The findings give preliminary support for a new job performance scale as a reliable and valid tool for assessing nursing quality. However, further research using a larger sample and nurses from a broader geographical region is required to cross-validate the measure. This scale may be used to guide hospital managers regarding the quality of nursing care within units and to guide future research in the area. [source]


Adolescent Drug Abuse Diagnosis (ADAD) vs.

JOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 5 2006
Adolescents (HoNOSCA) in clinical outcome measurement, Health of Nation Outcome Scale for Children
Abstract Background, The Adolescent Drug Abuse Diagnosis (ADAD) and Health of Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA) are both measures of outcome for adolescent mental health services. Aims, To compare the ADAD with HoNOSCA; to examine their clinical usefulness. Methods, Comparison of the ADAD and HoNOSCA outcome measures of 20 adolescents attending a psychiatric day care unit. Results, ADAD change was positively correlated with HoNOSCA change. HoNOSCA assesses the clinic's day-care programme more positively than the ADAD. The ADAD detects a group for which the mean score remains unchanged whereas HoNOSCA does not. Conclusions, A good convergent validity emerges between the two assessment tools. The ADAD allows an evidence-based assessment and generally enables a better subject discrimination than HoNOSCA. HoNOSCA gives a less refined evaluation but is more economic in time and possibly more sensitive to change. Both assessment tools give useful information and enabled the Day-care Unit for Adolescents to rethink the process of care and of outcome, which benefited both the institution and the patients. [source]


The Male Sexual Quotient: A Brief, Self-Administered Questionnaire to Assess Male Sexual Satisfaction

THE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2007
Carmita H.N. Abdo MD
ABSTRACT Introduction., Sexual satisfaction is an important aspect of overall life satisfaction. The Male Sexual Quotient (MSQ) was designed to provide a versatile, user-friendly instrument to measure various aspects of male sexual function and satisfaction. Aim., Assess responses to the MSQ in men with sexual dysfunction (SD). Methods., Items for inclusion in the MSQ were developed through interviewing 612 randomly recruited men in São Paulo, Brazil, about factors considered to influence sexual quality of life. Validation of the MSQ was conducted in two phases in men with and without SD. Main Outcome Measure., The correlation between patients' total MSQ score and scores on the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM). Results., The resulting MSQ questionnaire contains 10 items that address sexual function and satisfaction and is scored on a 100-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater sexual function and satisfaction with such function. Patients' scores on the MSQ were positively correlated with scores on the SHIM (r = 0.86; P < 0.0001). Scores on MSQ item 8, which assesses ejaculatory control, indicated that 46% of patients may have premature ejaculation (PE). The mean time for patients to complete the MSQ was 11 minutes. Conclusions., The MSQ is a brief, comprehensive, and easily self-administered tool designed to help men identify aspects of their sexual experience that could be improved through partner dialogue, physician consultation, and appropriate treatment. MSQ scores correlated well with SHIM scores, and scores were inversely related to the severity of erectile dysfunction or PE and other male SDs. These preliminary findings suggest that the MSQ possesses good convergent validity. Nearly half of men reported problems with ejaculatory control, indicating an association between PE and other SD. Further validation of the MSQ in a double-blind trial is needed. The MSQ may aid in decision making for the treatment of SD. Abdo CHN. The Male Sexual Quotient: A brief, self-administered questionnaire to assess male sexual satisfaction. J Sex Med 2007;4:382,389. [source]


The post-traumatic embitterment disorder Self-Rating Scale (PTED Scale)

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY (AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THEORY & PRACTICE), Issue 2 2009
Michael Linden
The present study introduces the Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder Self-Rating Scale (PTED Scale), which asks for prolonged and disabling embitterment reactions in the aftermath of negative life events. The PTED Scale was administered to four independent samples of patients and normals. Internal consistency and test,retest reliability were high. Factor analysis indicated a two-factor solution, accounting for 55.25% of the total variance. The PTED Scale discriminated significantly between patients who had been classified according to clinical judgement as suffering from pathological embitterment. Correlations with related instruments demonstrated good convergent validity. Data obtained from a non-clinical sample indicated a prevalence of clinically relevant embitterment in the general population of about 2.5%. The PTED Scale is a reliable and valid measure for embitterment as an emotional reaction to a negative life event. Furthermore, results demonstrate that reactive embitterment in connection to a negative life event is a prevalent phenomenon among clinical and non-clinical populations.,Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]