Assessing Chinese older adults' suicidal ideation: Chinese version of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale

The psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS-C) were investigated in a sample of 154 Hong Kong Chinese older adults. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, face validity, convergent and divergent validities of the GSIS-C were assessed and all of them were well above acceptable levels. The GSIS-C demonstrated excellent internal consistency including the four subscales and the test-retest reliability of the GSIS-C was also good. In terms of convergent validity, the GSIS-C correlated significantly and positively with depression (assessed by CES-D), loneliness (assessed by Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale), and hopelessness (assessed by Beck 'Hop'elessness Scale). The divergent validity of the GSIS-C was demonstrated by the negative but significant, association between the GSIS-C and two variables including self-rated health status and life satisfaction (assessed by Life Satisfaction Inventory--Version A).     

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for measuring depressive symptoms among the general population in Hong Kong

ObjectivesThe Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) assesses depressive symptoms by self-report, is brief, and was developed to correspond to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria for major depression. This article presents information regarding its reliability and validity and the distribution of scores in a Chinese community sample in Hong Kong.MethodsA total of 6028 participants 15 years or older were recruited using random household sampling. They completed the Chinese version of the PHQ-9, the Happiness Scale, the Chinese Health Questionnaire, and the Short-Form 12-Item Health Survey (SF-12). Information was also gathered on health and health service use.ResultsExploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported a single factor with strong loadings for all 9 items. Multiple-group analyses demonstrated that the structure can be generalized across sex and age groups (ie, adolescents, adults, and individuals 65 years or older). The internal consistency of the PHQ-9 was 0.82. The test-retest reliability over a 2-week interval was 0.76. As expected, the total score of the PHQ-9 was significantly associated with the Chinese Health Questionnaire (r = 0.49) and the Happiness Scale (r = ?0.41). In addition, as expected, the relationship with the physical component subscale of the SF-12 was significantly weaker (r = ?0.27) than for the mental component subscale of the SF-12 (r = ?0.60). Participants with higher scores on the PHQ-9 were more likely to report having been diagnosed with depression by a physician, having chronic illness, using medicine, and using inpatient and outpatient health services. Almost 40% of participants did not report any depressive symptoms (score, 0). Self-reported symptoms at a level that would qualify for a diagnosis of major depressive disorder were provided by 1.7% of the participants.ConclusionsOur data support the reliability and validity of the PHQ-9 in assessing depressive symptoms among the general population in Hong Kong. Its validity against diagnostic interview for major depressive disorder and its sensitivity and specificity should be determined in future studies.     

Assessment of the severity of dementia: validity and reliability of the Chinese (Cantonese) version of the Hierarchic Dementia Scale (CV-HDS)

BACKGROUND: With the rapid growth of the older population, early detection of cognitive deficits is crucial in slowing down functional deterioration of the elderly persons. OBJECTIVES: To examine the validity and reliability of the Chinese (Cantonese) version of the Hierarchic Dementia Scale (CV-HDS) for Chinese older persons in Hong Kong. METHODS: The HDS was translated into Cantonese Chinese. The content and cultural validity were evaluated by six expert panel members. Sixty-two participants with diagnosis of dementia were recruited for evaluation. Inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, internal consistency and concurrent validity were examined. RESULTS: The CV-HDS demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties. inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability were high (alpha = 0.89 and alpha = 0.94 respectively). High value of Cronbach's alpha (alpha = 0.94) demonstrated good internal consistency. The concurrent validity of CV-HDS, through correlation with its scores with that of the Chinese version of Mini Mental Status Examination, was established (ranged from r = 0.58 to r = 0.78, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The CV-HDS is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing severity of cognitive impairment in Cantonese speaking Chinese people with dementia. It facilitates treatment planning to optimize the effects of functional training and rehabilitation. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The validation of a scale to measure cognitive development in Chinese preschool children

The present study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the cognitive sub-test of the Preschool Developmental Assessment Scale (PDAS) for Hong Kong Chinese children. Participants included 378 children (189 boys and 189 girls) aged 3–6 years old, with 324 children with typical development and 54 children with developmental disabilities. They were administered the cognitive sub-test of the PDAS and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Revised (WPPSI-R). The PDAS cognitive sub-test total scores correlated positively with the WPPSI-R scores. It could differentiate children from different age groups, with younger children attaining significantly lower scores than older children. The sub-test could also differentiate children with typical development from those with developmental disabilities, with the latter attaining significantly lower scores. The sensitivity and specificity were around 80%. Internal consistency (KR-20) was .93 and test–retest reliability was .81. The cognitive sub-test of the PDAS was found to be a promising screening tool for the identification of preschool children with developmental disabilities.     

Chinese version of the parent-proxy health-related quality of life measure for children with epilepsy: translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and reliability studies

PURPOSE: The goal of this article is to report on the translation and reliability studies of the Parent-Proxy Response Scale of Quality of Life Measure for Children with Epilepsy for Hong Kong Chinese children. METHODS: In phase 1, forward and backward translations, expert panel review, and a series of pilot testing, cognitive interviewing, and pretesting with parents produced a Chinese translation. Content validity of the translated instrument was assessed. In phase 2, internal consistency was evaluated in 40 parents of children with epilepsy aged 8 to 18. Test-retest reliability was studied in 33 parents. RESULTS: The translation was judged to have good content validity by experts and was acceptable to parents. Internal consistency was good (Cronbach alpha=0.71-0.92). Test-retest reliability, determined with the intraclass correlation coefficient, ranged between 0.51 and 0.84. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest acceptable content validity, internal consistency, and reliability of the Chinese version of the Parent-Proxy Response Scale of the Quality of Life Measure for Children with Epilepsy. Studies with larger samples should be performed to further confirm other psychometric properties of the translated instrument.     

Measuring sensory processing patterns of older Chinese people: psychometric validation of the adult sensory profile

The Adult Sensory Profile (ASP) evaluates the sensory experiences of adults in the categories of auditory, visual, taste/smell, touch, movement, and activity level. It generates four sensory processing patterns including low registration, sensation seeking, sensory sensitivity, and sensation avoiding. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of ASP (ASP-CV) for older Hong Kong Chinese adults. Ninety-six participants with normal cognitive functioning and 33 participants with dementia were recruited. All participants were involved in the investigation of internal consistency and construct validity. One sub-sample from each group was selected for test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability respectively. The ASP-CV demonstrated excellent inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability (r = 0.91-0.99 and 0.76-0.88 respectively), and satisfactory internal consistency (alpha = 0.58-0.72). The construct validity of ASP-CV was supported by the known-groups method, in which participants with dementia differed significantly from their healthy counterparts in the patterns of 'low registration' (F(1, 127) = 9.69, p = 0.002), 'sensory sensitivity' (F(1, 127) = 4.63, p = 0.033), and 'sensation avoiding' (F(1, 127) = 15.87, p < 0.001). In conclusion, ASP-CV is reliable and valid to measure sensory processing functions of older Hong Kong Chinese people. Further studies are suggested to examine the factor structure of and the equivalence of self-report and proxy report of ASP-CV.     

Initial validation of the Chinese interRAI Mental Health in people with psychiatric illness

Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the Chinese interRAI Mental Health (MH) among people with psychiatric illnesses. Methods. Study participants were 157 individuals with psychiatric illnesses living in a psychiatric long-term care facility or halfway house in Hong Kong. The authors prepared the Chinese interRAI MH. A panel of bilingual healthcare professionals examined the quality of the translation. The reliability of the 6 scales embedded in the instrument was examined using Cronbach's alphas, intraclass correlations, and Kappa coefficients. Pearson's product moment correlations, Spearman's order correlations, and independent t-tests were used to determine the concurrent and construct validity of the scales. Results and Conclusions. Internal consistency values (α = 0.66–0.95) and test–retest reliability coefficients (ICC = 0.76–0.97; κ = 0.75–1.00) of the scales were found to be satisfactory. All 6 scales correlated significantly with the criterion measures. As expected, 3 scales relating to cognition, activities of daily living (ADL), and instrumental ADL discriminated among individuals living in two types of residential setting. Chinese interRAI MH was found to be a valid and reliable tool useful for the clinicians in Hong Kong.     

A general population study of the Chinese Whiteley-7 index in Hong Kong

Objective

To examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese seven-item Whiteley Index (WI-7) in the general population of Hong Kong.

Methods

A random community-based telephone survey of 3014 respondents aged 15–65 was conducted using a fully structured questionnaire that included the WI-7, 15-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), and items about the frequency of health service use, perceived helpfulness of doctors, level of satisfaction with doctors, and sociodemographic variables. A sub-sample of 199 respondents was re-interviewed to assess test–retest reliability.

Results

The WI-7 exhibited satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.73) and stable one-month test-retest reliability. The most commonly endorsed item was “worrying a lot about one's health” (55.7%), followed by “worrying about getting the disease oneself if it is brought to his/her attention” (48.7%) and “bothered by many different pains and aches” (33.9%). Age, gender, and monthly family income significantly predicted WI-7 score. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a 2-factor structure was superior to a 1-factor structure in fitting the data. WI-7 total score was positively associated with PHQ-15 somatic distress, SDS impairment, number of healthcare visits, lower levels of perceived helpfulness of doctors and of satisfaction with doctors.

Conclusion

The Chinese WI-7 exhibits satisfactory reliability and internal validity in a general population. It is a promising tool for the empirical examination of health anxiety which is a common experience with a mostly typical epidemiological profile among Chinese people in Hong Kong.     

Chinese version of the Parent-Proxy Health-Related Quality of Life Measure for Children with Epilepsy: Translation,cross-cultural adaptation,and reliability studies

PurposeThe goal of this article is to report on the translation and reliability studies of the Parent-Proxy Response Scale of Quality of Life Measure for Children with Epilepsy for Hong Kong Chinese children.MethodsIn phase 1, forward and backward translations, expert panel review, and a series of pilot testing, cognitive interviewing, and pretesting with parents produced a Chinese translation. Content validity of the translated instrument was assessed. In phase 2, internal consistency was evaluated in 40 parents of children with epilepsy aged 8 to 18. Test–retest reliability was studied in 33 parents.ResultsThe translation was judged to have good content validity by experts and was acceptable to parents. Internal consistency was good (Cronbach α = 0.71–0.92). Test–retest reliability, determined with the intraclass correlation coefficient, ranged between 0.51 and 0.84.ConclusionsOur data suggest acceptable content validity, internal consistency, and reliability of the Chinese version of the Parent-Proxy Response Scale of the Quality of Life Measure for Children with Epilepsy. Studies with larger samples should be performed to further confirm other psychometric properties of the translated instrument.     

Psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the Stigma Scale: examining the complex experience of stigma and its relationship with self-esteem and depression among people living with mental illness in Hong Kong

BackgroundStigma of mental illness is a global public health concern, but there lacks a standardized and cross-culturally validated instrument for assessing the complex experience of stigma among people living with mental illness (PLMI) in the Chinese context.AimThis study examines the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the Stigma Scale (CSS), and explores the relationships between stigma, self-esteem and depression.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with a community sample of 114 Chinese PLMI in Hong Kong. Participants completed the CSS, the Chinese Self-Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, the Chinese Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Chinese Patient Health Questionnaire-9. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify the underlying factors of the CSS; concurrent validity assessment was performed via correlation analysis.ResultsThe original 28-item three-factor structure of the Stigma Scale was found to be a poor fit to the data, whereas a revised 14-item three-factor model provided a good fit with all 14 items loaded significantly onto the original factors: discrimination, disclosure and positive aspects of mental illness. The revised model also displayed moderate to good internal consistency and good construct validity. Further findings revealed that the total stigma scale score and all three of its subscale scores correlated negatively with self-esteem; but only total stigma, discrimination and disclosure correlated positively with depression.ConclusionThe CSS is a short and user-friendly self-administrated questionnaire that proves valuable for understanding the multifaceted stigma experiences among PLMI as well as their impact on psychiatric recovery and community integration in Chinese communities.