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Psychometric Scales (psychometric + scale)
Selected AbstractsValidation of the Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale by comparison with the Short Form 36 scale among psychiatric outpatients with major depressive disorderDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 6 2009Ching-I Hung M.D. Abstract Background: The Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale (DSSS) is a self-administered scale developed for monitoring both depression and somatic symptoms. The aims of this study were to establish the criterion-related validity of the DSSS by testing the correlation between the DSSS and the Short Form 36 (SF-36) scale and to compare the ability of the DSSS and two other scales in predicting the outcome of the SF-36. Methods: The study enrolled 135 outpatients with a major depressive episode, 95 of whom received treatment for 1 month. Four scales were administered and evaluated: the DSSS, the SF-36, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Pearson correlation was used to test correlations among scales. Multiple linear regressions were used to find the scales most effective in predicting the SF-36. Results: The three scales were significantly correlated with most of the SF-36 subscales. The depression and somatic subscales of the DSSS significantly correlated with the mental and physical subscales of the SF-36, respectively. The DSSS and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were better able to predict physical and mental subscales of the SF-36, respectively. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale had a good ability to predict functional impairment. Conclusions: Psychometric scales with appropriate somatic symptoms might be more compatible with both physical and mental dimensions of the SF-36. DSSS proved to be a valid scale for monitoring both depression and somatic symptoms in patients with depression. Future studies should test whether the DSSS is better at predicting the treatment and prognosis of depression than conventional scales for depression. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Discrimination between worry and anxiety among cancer patients: development of a brief cancer-related worry inventoryPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 12 2008Kei Hirai Abstract Objectives: A psychometric scale for assessing cancer-related worry among cancer patients, called the Brief Cancer-Related Worry Inventory (BCWI), was developed. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey for item development was conducted of 112 Japanese patients diagnosed with breast cancer, and test,retest validation analysis was conducted using the data from another prospective study of 20 lung cancer patients. The questionnaire contained 15 newly developed items for cancer-related worry, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, The Impact of Event Scale Revised, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-8. Results: Exploratory factor analysis of the 15 items yielded a 3-factor structure including (1) future prospects, (2) physical and symptomatic problems and (3) social and interpersonal problems. A second-order confirmatory factor analysis identified a second-order factor called cancer-related worry and confirmed the factor structure with an acceptable fit (chi-square (df=87)=160.16, P=0.001; GFI=0.83; CFI=0.92; RMSEA=0.09). The internal consistency and test,retest reliability were confirmed with the lung cancer sample. Multidimensional scaling found that cancer-related worry is separate from anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Conclusion: Our study succeeded in developing and confirming the validity and reliability of a BCWI. The study also confirmed the discriminable aspects of cancer-related worry from anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Confirmatory factor analysis and the factor structure of expagg in context: A reply to forrest et al., 2002AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2004Steven Muncer It has been suggested that confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) can be used to investigate the construct validity of psychometric scales and Forrest et al. [2000] specifically query the factor structure of Expagg using this technique. In this paper we report unsuccessful attempts to confirm the factor structure of three widely used scales using CFA criteria. In the fourth study, a two-factor model of Expagg, which has been derived from previous studies, is tested for fit on new data. The results suggest that from a CFA point of view, Expagg is best considered as two scales measuring expressivity and instrumentality with five items on each scale. This model satisfies four of the five fit criteria (CFI = 90, GFI = .94, RMSEA = .08, ECVI = .44), failing only on the chi square test, a benchmark that has attracted criticism from statisticians. Other concerns are raised about the meaning of CFA results and their importance. Aggr. Behav. 30:146,157, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Frequency of psychiatric disorders in blepharospasm does not differ from hemifacial spasmACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA, Issue 5 2010Fernando Machado Dias Dias FM, Doyle F, Kummer A, Cardoso F, Fontenelle LF, Teixeira AL. Frequency of psychiatric disorders in blepharospasm does not differ from hemifacial spasm. Objective: To compare the frequency of psychiatric disorders and the severity of psychiatric symptoms between patients with blepharospasm (BS) and hemifacial spasm (HS). Methods: BS is a type of primary focal dystonia characterised by recurrent and involuntary eye blinking. HS is a condition with different pathophysiology but similar clinical phenotype. Twenty-two patients with BS and 29 patients with HS participated in this study. They underwent a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation that included a structured clinical interview for current psychiatric diagnosis according to Diagnostic Statistical Manual, fourth edition (DSM-IV) (MINI-Plus) and psychometric scales, including the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS) and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS). Results: BS and HS groups did not differ in most demographic and clinical parameters, such as gender, age and length of symptoms. The frequency of psychiatric disorders and the severity of psychiatric symptoms were similar in both groups. Conclusion: BS does not seem to have more psychiatric disorders than HS. [source] Development of an imaginal provocation test to evaluate treatment for anger problems in people with intellectual disabilitiesCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY (AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THEORY & PRACTICE), Issue 4 2004John L. Taylor Anger and associated aggressive behaviour are significant clinical issues for many people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) that can lead to serious constraints to their liberty, which, in turn, adversely affects their quality of life. There is some evidence to support cognitive,behavioural anger treatment in this client group; however, anger assessment protocols for people with IDs should be diversified. In this regard, a method for anger assessment using imaginal provocation scenes was extended for use with this client population and the context in which treatment takes place. Two studies of the Imaginal Provocation Test (IPT) were conducted: the first with 48 patients examined its internal reliability and concurrent validity with anger psychometric scales; the second investigated whether it was sensitive to change associated with anger treatment in a small outcome study involving men with IDs and histories of offending. The IPT was found to successfully induce anger, be internally reliable, have strong concurrent validity and detect statistically significant changes in anger following anger treatment (N = 9), compared with a routine care waiting-list control group (N = 8). The IPT also had value in highlighting clinical improvements for anger treatment condition participants compared with the control group.,Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] |