Reliability and validity of Kasahara's scale of melancholic type of personality (Typus melancholicus) in a German sample population

We explored the reliability and validity of Kasahara's scale of melancholic type of personality (KMT) in a German sample population. Subjects comprised 66 patients diagnosed with an affective disorder (F3, ICD-10) and 94 controls. Concerning reliability, KMT scores showed internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.65 for patients and 0.67 for controls. The KMT items, except for number 13 in controls, showed significant item-total correlations. In a test-retest procedure, the KMT total score and individual item scores were statistically similar and correlated. These results indicate reliability of the KMT. Concerning validity, KMT scores were significantly higher in patients than in controls. By controlling the effects of age and sex, partial correlation coefficients in a comparison of KMT and Zerssen's F-List (F-List) scores were 0.40 in patients and 0.53 in controls. These results show both the constructive and concurrent validity of the KMT. Sufficient reliability and validity of the KMT were shown in this German sample population to encourage cross-cultural investigation of Typus melancholicus.     

Reliability and validity of the Turkish form of the Somatosensory Amplification Scale

In this study, the authors aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of the Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS) that was developed by Barsky et al. in the Turkish population. The study was carried out with 42 patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Asthma Diseases attending to outpatient Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation and Chest Diseases clinics and 86 healthy students from Karadeniz Technical University. SSAS scores were normally distributed, and had acceptable test-retest reliability (r: 0.73) and internal consistency (alpha, 0.62-0.76). Item to scale correlations varied from 0.10 to 0.72, and most were highly significant. Whereas, one item (item 1) in the control group and one item (item 2) in the patients group had low item-total score correlation (r < 0.15). Criterion related validity of the SSAS was shown with significant correlation between the Symptom Interpretation Questionnaire, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Symptom Check List 90 Revised somatization subscale. The validity analysis of the scale resulted in a very high significant difference (P < 0.01) between the mean SSAS scores of the control and patient's group. Test-retest, internal reliability, and item-total score correlation, discriminating power for specific groups and criterion related validity of the SSAS show that the scale has acceptable reliability and validity for the Turkish population.     

The reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale Form A (DAS-A) in a community sample

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the reliability and validity of the DAS-A in a sample of 308 Chinese adults in Hong Kong. METHOD: The reliability of the DAS-A and its relevant sub-scales was measured using internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and Guttman split-half reliability. Principal components analysis was performed to assess construct validity. Discriminant validity of the DAS-A was performed by examining whether the DAS-A could discriminate between the depressed and the non-depressed subjects in this study. RESULTS: The split-half reliability of the DAS-A was found to be r = 0.87; Cronbach's alpha was 0.945; and item-total correlations ranged between 0.36 and 0.75. Factor analysis revealed three factors that were similar to those that were found in other studies: Performance Evaluation, Need for Approval, and Anaclitic Self-Esteem. Discriminant validity suggested that the DAS-A discriminated successfully between the non-depressed and the depressed groups. Nevertheless, some differences were noticed in the relative strength of the factors and in the distribution of the scale items into the three factors. CONCLUSION: It was hoped that with this type of cross-cultural information, the universality of the constructs of the DAS-A could be reliably demonstrated.     

Validation of the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) and Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) in New Zealand help‐seeking adolescents

Objective

This study examines the reliability and validity of the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) and Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) for measuring depression in New Zealand help‐seeking adolescents.

Method

A sample of 183 adolescents completed the 33‐item MFQ, which includes all 13 items on the SMFQ, at three time points during a trial of a computerized intervention for depression.

Results

Both the MFQ and SMFQ demonstrated good to excellent Cronbach's alphas, moderate to strong item‐total score correlations, moderate to strong correlations with quality of life and anxiety measures, and strong correlations with the clinician‐rated Children's Depression Rating Scale—Revised and the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale 2 at all time points, indicating good reliability and content, convergent, and concurrent validities, respectively. Favoring sensitivity over specificity, the optimal cut‐off value for differentiating depressed from nondepressed cases for the MFQ was ≥28 and for the SMFQ was ≥12. Both instruments demonstrated satisfactory diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity to change.

Conclusion

The MFQ and SMFQ are free and simple instruments that can be used to identify depression and measure symptom change in New Zealand help‐seeking adolescents.

     

Measuring depression in Canada's elderly Chinese population: use of a community screening instrument.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability and validity of a 15-item Chinese Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) to measure depression in Canada's elderly Chinese population. METHOD: A random sample of 96 elderly Chinese in a Canadian city was surveyed by telephone. The measure of depression used was the 15-item Chinese version of the GDS. In addition, the physical and mental health of the respondents was assessed by a Chinese version of the SF-12, questions on self-perceived general health, and questions on self-reported illnesses and health concerns. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of depression in the elderly Chinese who participated in this study is approximately 20%, which is much lower than that of elderly Chinese in the United States (US). Cronbach's alpha and split-half reliability coefficients were 0.88 and 0.89 respectively. GDS scores are significantly correlated with the mental health component (r = -0.74) of the SF-12, indicating a strong convergent validity. GDS scores are also correlated with the physical health component of the SF-12 (r = -0.41), self-perceived general health (r = -0.26), and illnesses (r = 0.52), demonstrating concurrent validity. CONCLUSIONS: The 15-item Chinese GDS has good internal consistency and both convergent and concurrent validity. It can help to identify depression among the elderly Chinese, allowing early identification and prevention of this problem. Further research is required to support its use in clinical settings.     

Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children Among Chinese Secondary School Students

The objective of the current study was to develop a Chinese translation of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) [March (1997) Multidimensional anxiety scale for children: Technical manual, Multi health systems, Toronto, ON], and to evaluate its reliability and validity. The original version of the MASC was translated into Chinese (MASC-C) and administered to 1,538 Chinese adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19. In comparison to the American normative sample [March (1997) Multidimensional anxiety scale for children: Technical manual, Multi health systems, Toronto, ON], Chinese adolescents reported significantly higher scores on the subscales of social anxiety and separation anxiety. Girls reported higher levels of anxiety on all subscales than males. Participants between the ages of 16 and 19 reported higher scores on the physical symptoms and harm avoidance subscales. The MASC-C exhibited strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.91 and the mean inter-item correlation coefficient was 0.20) and moderate test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.84 over a one-month interval). MASC scores inter-correlated a small to moderate degree with measures assessing negative life events and depressive symptoms indicating acceptable convergent validity. The results of confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the four-factor structure of the MASC was suitable for the Chinese sample. The four factor structure was also invariant across sex and age. As the Chinese translation of the MASC indicated high levels of reliability and validity, the MASC-C is appropriate for assessing anxiety in Chinese adolescents.     

Study of the uni-dimensionality of the Yesavage-Brinck geriatric depression scale. Comparison between classical methods and Rasch's model]

The authors present a contribution to the french validation of the self-rating questionnaire of the depression in the elderly proposed by Yesavage and Brink (1982), the Geriatric Depression Scale (30 items). This study focusses on the assessment of the homogeneity and of the unidimensionality of this scale. 99 aged women living in old-people homes or attending a geriatric somatic day-hospital, not known to be psychiatrically ill, filled the GDS and were interviewed by either a psychiatrist or by a clinical psychologist. This interview yielded 44 cases of Major Depressive Disorder or of Dysthymia (DSM III). Firstly, we have applied the classical correlational methods of assessment of scale Reliability and Construct Validity: Cronbach's coefficient alpha and item-total correlations (homogeneity) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) without rotation. Then, we have performed a Rasch Model Analysis: this method which belongs to the general frame of Latent Trait Theory relies on a probabilistic model of subject's response to individual questions. In the Rasch model, the response probability of a given subject to a given item is a logistic function of the difference between the item location parameter and the subject location parameter along a single continuous latent dimension. Our results have shown that the Cronbach's alpha was very high (.902) and that the item-total correlations were quite satisfactory (mean .470), thus giving a strong impression of homogeneity (similar to unidimensionality for many authors).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the Chinese version of the self-report health-related quality of life measure for children and adolescents with epilepsy

PURPOSE: The aim of this validation study was to evaluate the internal consistency (internal reliability) and test-retest reliability (external reliability) of the Chinese version of the self-report health-related quality of life measure for children and adolescents with epilepsy. METHODS: Children and adolescents with epilepsy between the ages of 8 and 18 years were conveniently sampled in two regional hospitals in Hong Kong. They were requested to complete the 25-item questionnaire twice, with a test-retest interval of 10 to 14 days. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were measured with Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the intraclass correlation coefficient, respectively. RESULTS: A sample of 50 patients completed the first questionnaire. Internal consistency was adequate on four of five subscales and marginal in the remaining one. Forty-two subjects repeated the questionnaire. The test-retest reliability was acceptable for all five subscales. CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese version of the health-related quality of life measure for children and adolescents with epilepsy demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Further studies are required to study other psychometric properties such as construct validity and factor analysis.     

A preliminary study of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children mania rating scale for children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE: To construct a mania rating scale designed for children and adolescents. METHODS: Fourteen questions from the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present Episode (K-SADS-P) 1986 version plus a new item assessing mood lability were used to construct a clinician-rated mania rating scale (K-SADS-MRS). Interrater reliability was determined prospectively with 22 patients from a bipolar outpatient clinic. Sensitivity to treatment effects was determined in a separate cohort of 23 patients. RESULTS: Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94) and interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97 between two raters) were high. Convergent validity with the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity scale (bipolar version) was good (r(s)= 0.91, p < 0.001). Treatment responders had significantly greater reduction in K-SADS-MRS scores than nonresponders (-15.6 +/- 8.7 vs. 0.3 +/- 8.8), t(21) = 4.2, p < 0.001. The K-SADS-MRS scores differentiated bipolar patients who had clinically significant manic symptoms from those who did not, with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 81%. CONCLUSION: The K-SADS-MRS shows promise as a rating scale for measuring manic symptom severity in pediatric bipolar patients.     

Reliability and validity of a Norwegian version of the quality of life in epilepsy inventory (QOLIE-89)

PURPOSE: To develop a Norwegian version of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-89) and to confirm its psychometric properties. METHODS: The QOLIE-89 was adapted to Norwegian language through a translation-backtranslation procedure. The assessment included 397 patients with epilepsy. We assessed internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities. Construct validity was assessed by correlating scales with items of the 15D health status questionnaire, and discriminant validity was assessed by comparing scores for known groups. RESULTS: The internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha, 0.76-0.92) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.67-0.96) for the individual domains were acceptable. Spearman's rank correlations between QOLIE-89 domain scores and corresponding 15D single-item scores were high (p, 0.47-0.76), and generally higher than the associations between noncorresponding items. Most QOLIE-89 items discriminated well between patients according to seizure status, psychiatric comorbidity, and working status; less well after antiepileptic drug use and neurologic comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: In this cross-sectional survey, the Norwegian version of the QOLIE-89 was reliable and showed properties supporting construct validity, at a level comparable with the original U.S. version.     

Measuring disability in multiple sclerosis: is the Community Dependency Index an improvement on the Barthel Index?

The Community Dependency Index (CDI) was developed due to concerns that the Barthel Index (BI) was limited as a measure of physical function in community settings. However, no studies have compared the two rating scales within multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to determine whether, in a community-based sample of people with MS, the CDI is a better measure than the BI. BI and CDI data were collected from 90 people with MS. Four measurement properties were compared: scaling assumptions (item mean scores, corrected item-total correlations), acceptability (score distributions, floor/ceiling effects), reliability (Cronbach's alpha) and validity (concurrent, discriminant, group differences, relative validity). Both scales satisfied recommended criteria for scaling assumptions (indicating it was legitimate to report a summed score) and internal consistency reliability (alpha > 0.85). The scales were highly correlated (r = 0.96), indicating they measured the same construct. Both scales demonstrated good group differences validity, but the BI was marginally superior. Notable ceiling effects (BI > CDI) were demonstrated for both scales, particularly in those less disabled. This study sample had relatively minor levels of disability, with over 70% still being independently mobile. In this sample of people with MS, the measurement properties of the BI and CDI examined were very similar, suggesting the CDI does not appear to have achieved its goal of better measurement.     

Barthel index in a Middle-East country: translation, validity and reliability

BACKGROUND: In Iran, a Middle-East country, no disability scale has been translated and validated for use in stroke clinical trials. This study was designed to translate the Barthel Index and make its Persian translated form valid and reliable. METHODS: All items of the Barthel Index were translated into Persian. Also, the Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) was also translated to Persian. Telephone interview was used as the method of data acquisition. Two interviewers were chosen for this means in order to accelerate data gathering and measure interrater agreement. Samples were selected from Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center's Stroke Registry Unit, a WHO collaborating center in the center of Iran. All the patients were registered as stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). These patients were inhabitants of Isfahan Province who had suffered from stroke or ICH between 12 and 24 months before data acquisition. Chronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity with MRS, interrater agreement and item analysis were done for the translated questionnaire. RESULTS: Translated questionnaires were filled by interview from 459 stroke patients. Their mean age was 68.11 +/- 11.59 years. 243 of them were male (52.9%). Cronbach's alpha was 0.9354. Spearman's correlation coefficient between translated Barthel Index scores and MRS scores was -0.912. Spearman's correlation coefficient between 2 scores, to determine test-retest reliability was 0.989. Concordance correlation to determine interrater agreement was 0.994. All corrected item-total correlations were greater than 0.5. CONCLUSIONS: The Persian translated version of the Barthel Index is a reliable and valid questionnaire for use in stroke clinical trials.     

The Spanish version of the FibroFatigue Scale: validation of a questionnaire for the observer's assessment of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To examine some of the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the FibroFatigue Scale (FFS). METHODS: FFS was administered to 120 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Internal consistency was evaluated by using Cronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability with weighted kappa and construct validity by correlations among FFS, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The interrater reliability was tested using analysis of variance with patients and raters as independent factors. RESULTS: Internal consistency (alpha) was .88, test-retest reliability was .91, and interrater reliability was .93. Significant correlations were obtained between overall FFS and the FIQ (.55, P<.01), the EQ-5D (-.48, P<.01) and the HADS depression subscale (.25, P<.01), but not with the HADS anxiety subscale. CONCLUSION: These results support the reliability and validity of the data obtained with the Spanish version of the FSS.     

Development of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory for Adolescents: The QOLIE-AD-48

PURPOSE: We report the development of an instrument to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adolescents with epilepsy. METHODS: A sample of 197 English-speaking adolescents (aged 11-17 years) with epilepsy completed a test questionnaire of 88 items. Also included were mastery and self-esteem scales to assess external validity. A parent simultaneously completed an 11-item questionnaire to evaluate the child's HRQOL. Both adolescent and parent questionnaires were repeated in 2-4 weeks. Demographic information and information pertaining to seizures were collected at baseline along with assessment of systemic and neurologic toxicity. RESULTS: The QOLIE-AD-48 contains 48 items in eight subscales: epilepsy impact (12 items), memory/concentration (10), attitudes toward epilepsy (four), physical functioning (five), stigma (six), social support (four), school behavior (four), health perceptions (three), and a total summary score, with higher scores indicating better HRQOL. Internal construct validity was demonstrated in a single-factor solution for the eight dimensions. All correlations were statistically significant at p < 0.05 level. Internal consistency reliability estimated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.74 for the summary score and ranged from a low of 0.52 (three-item Health Perceptions Scale) to 0.73-0.94 for the other individual scales. Good test-retest reliability was found for the overall measure (0.83). Summary score correlations with the two external validity scales, self-efficacy and self-esteem were 0.65 and 0.54, respectively. Statistically significant differences in summary scores indicating that HRQOL was increasingly better for adolescents as seizure severity decreases (no seizures = 77+/-13, low = 70+/-17, high = 63+/-17) were found among seizure-severity groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data describe the development of a robust instrument to evaluate HRQOL in adolescents with epilepsy. Empiric analyses provide strong evidence that the QOLIE-AD-48 is both a reliable and valid measure for adolescents with epilepsy.     

Validation of a revised visual analog scale for premenstrual mood symptoms: results from prospective and retrospective trials.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have demonstrated that visual analog scales (VASs) are valid and reliable instruments for measuring the severity of premenstrual symptoms. Most of these studies, though, predate the introduction of DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Our objective was to assess the reliability and validity of VASs that were revised to better reflect the DSM-IV definition of PMDD. METHODS: Concurrent information from the well-validated Premenstrual Tension Syndrome-Observer (PMTS-O) rating scale was used to evaluate the revised VASs. Data from 4 randomized controlled trials (n = 1208) evaluating the efficacy of paroxetine for the treatment of PMDD were used. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to evaluate the internal consistency of the core VAS mood items. Pearson's correlation between scores from the 2 scales was used to assess reliability. RESULTS: The internal consistency among the core VAS mood items (Cronbach's alpha > 0.90 across trials) was high. Luteal VAS scores and corresponding PMTS-O scores were moderately correlated at baseline (P < 0.01). Luteal VAS change scores and corresponding PMTS-O change scores were strongly correlated (P < 0.01). These results did not differ regardless of whether the PMTS-O data were collected prospectively or retrospectively. CONCLUSION: The revised VASs, which approximate the current DSM-IV definition of PMDD, provide a valid and reliable measure of the severity of premenstrual symptoms when evaluated against the validated PMTS-O scale. Our results also suggest that, whether observers assessed severity of PMDD symptoms retrospectively or prospectively using the PMTS-O scale, the correlations with the patient-reported VAS scores were comparable.     

Self-reports on mental health problems of youth with moderate to borderline intellectual disabilities

OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which the Youth Self-Report (YSR) can be used to assess emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents with intellectual disabilities (IDs). METHOD: In 2003, 281 11- to 18-year-olds with IDs (IQ > or =48) completed the YSR in an interview, and in 1993, 1,047 non-ID adolescents completed the YSR themselves. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The ID sample was split into lower (IQ 48-69) and higher (IQ > or =70) IQ groups. Cronbach's alpha values of the YSR scales and (intraclass) correlation coefficients between and within YSR and CBCL scale scores were calculated to determine parent-adolescent agreement and YSR construct validity, which were compared between samples. Mean YSR scale scores were compared between adolescents with ID with and without psychiatric symptoms. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha, parent-adolescent agreement, and indications of construct validity were about similar in all samples, although discriminant validity was somewhat weaker in the lower IQ group. Mean scale scores were 1.5 to 2.0 times higher for ID adolescents with psychiatric symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The YSR seems applicable in youth with an IQ > or =48. Further research is needed to refine and confirm these findings and the factor structure of the YSR in adolescents with ID and to differentiate between adolescents with moderate and mild IDs.     

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale

Abstract The reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (JY-BOCS) were determined by 20 raters for 12 Japanese patients with obsessive compulsive disorder at four institutions. Interrater reliability for the total JY-BOCS score was excellent, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was high (ICC = 0.960). Internal consistency was also excellent (Cronbach's α= 0.889). Concurrent and discriminant validity of the JY-BOCS was examined by comparing the scores on the JY-BOCS with those on the Maudsley Obsessional Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and scales for depression and anxiety. A slight correlation was found between scores on the JY-BOCS and MOCI, but no significant correlations were found between scores on the JY-BOCS and those on scales for depression or anxiety.     

Assessment of daily profiles of ADHD and ODD symptoms, and symptomatology related to ADHD medication, by parent and teacher ratings

DAYAS is a new two-part rating scale that assesses: (1) ADHD and ODD symptoms (externalising symptom ratings) and (2) symptomatology potentially related to ADHD medication (potentially medication-related symptoms) in real-world settings at different time periods throughout a normal school day. Data from a proof-of-concept study and two observational trials (Medikinet(?) retard [methylphenidate] and the Equasym XL(?) [methylphenidate] OBSEER study) evaluated: (1) validity of weekly externalising symptom ratings using DAYAS, in place of daily ratings; (2) reliability and internal consistency of DAYAS ratings for externalising symptoms and potentially medication-related symptoms; and (3) convergent and divergent validity of the externalising symptom ratings with existing validated scales. From the proof-of-concept study, daily scores by period of day and during the whole day correlated strongly with equivalent weekly scores (r = 0.83-0.92). Internal consistency of externalising symptom rating scales calculated from pooled data were acceptable or good by period of day (Cronbach's alpha = 0.68-0.90) and very high for whole day scores (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88-0.95). Internal consistency of the rating scale for potentially medication-related symptoms was also good for both teacher and parent ratings. From OBSEER data, correlations between FBB-ADHD total symptom scores and ratings on both parent and teacher versions of DAYAS were high (r = 0.73 and r = 0.84, respectively). Correlations between DAYAS and SDQ were highest for the SDQ subscales hyperactivity and conduct problems and substantially lower for pro-social behaviour, peers and emotional problems. The DAYAS rating scale had good internal consistency, and DAYAS scores correlated well with existing validated scales and the SDQ subscales hyperactivity and conduct problems. Weekly DAYAS scores (whole day and by period of day) could be considered a suitable replacement for daily assessment scores.     

Measuring quality of life in multiple sclerosis: not as simple as it sounds

Data from a clinical study presented an opportunity to examine the psychometric properties of the Leeds Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life scale (LMSQoL), which has undergone limited psychometric evaluation. LMSQoL and Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQoL-54) data were collected from 90 people with multiple sclerosis (MS) living in the community. Standard psychometric methods to examine data quality, scaling assumptions, scale to sample targeting, reliability, validity, and responsiveness were employed. The LMSQoL satisfied criteria for data quality (no missing data), scaling assumptions (item-total correlations: 0.24-0.56), reliability (Cronbach's alpha: 0.71), and demonstrated responsiveness (effect size: 0.34). Correlations between the LMSQoL and MSQoL-54 physical (range: -0.02 to -0.50) and emotional subscales (range: -0.38 to -0.65) were similar; the magnitude and pattern was not consistent with predictions based on the construct purported to be measured by the LMSQoL. The LMSQoL satisfied many psychometric criteria in this small study, however, it was difficult to interpret the validity data. From this, two fundamental measurement issues are highlighted. Firstly, current methods of examining rating scales provide only circumstantial evidence of validity; secondly, health-rating scales should be developed on the basis of clear conceptual definitions.     

Psychometric properties of the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised for individuals with autism spectrum disorder in Japan

Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) constitute a core symptom of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) is a widely used questionnaire administered by parents or caregivers to assess RRBs in individuals with ASD. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the RBS-R Japanese Version (RBS-R-J). The ASD and non-ASD groups comprised 274 and 36 participants, respectively. We examined corrected item-total correlation, Cronbach's alpha, and RBS-R-J scores of different diagnostic groups, as well as correlations between RBS-R-J scores and intelligence quotient (IQ), autistic symptoms, adaptive/maladaptive functioning, aberrant behaviors, and sensory processing. All items showed moderate corrected item-total correlations. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .93. We found significant differences in the mean RBS-R-J scores of the low-functioning ASD group and the intellectual disabilities group, and of low-functioning and high-functioning ASD groups. RBS-R-J scores negatively correlated with IQ and scores on the Sensory Profile (Japanese version) and Adaptive Behavior Composite of the Maladaptive Behavior Index of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-Second Edition (VABS-II; Japanese version), but positively correlated with scores on the peak and current symptoms subscales of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders Autism Society Japan Rating Scale, the VABS-II, and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community (Japanese version). From these results, we conclude that RBS-R-J showed good reliability, diagnostic validity, and convergent validity, indicating that it is a reliable, valid instrument for use among ASD individuals in clinical and research settings.