Self-efficacy for health-related behaviors among deaf adults

The purpose of this quasi-experimental, pre-post-test study was to test the effectiveness of the Deaf Heart Health Intervention (DHHI) in increasing self-efficacy for health-related behaviors among culturally deaf adults. The DHHI targets modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. A sample of 84 participants completed time-1 and time-2 data collection. The sign language version of the Self-Rated Abilities Scale for Health Practices (SRAHP) was used to measure self-efficacy for nutrition, psychological well-being/stress management, physical activity/exercise, and responsible health practices. Total self-efficacy scores were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the comparison group at time-2, controlling for scores at baseline (F [1, 81] = 26.02, p < .001). Results support the development of interventions specifically tailored for culturally deaf adults to increase their self-efficacy for health behaviors.     

Translation of the multidimensional health locus of control scales for users of American sign language

ABSTRACT This paper describes the translation of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) scales into American Sign Language (ASL). Translation is an essential first step toward validating the instrument for use in the Deaf community, a commonly overlooked minority community. This translated MHLC/ASL can be utilized by public health nurses researching the Deaf community to create and evaluate targeted health interventions. It can be used in clinical settings to guide the context of the provider-patient dialogue. The MHLC was translated using focus groups, following recommended procedures. 5 bilingual participants translated the MHLC into ASL; 5 others back-translated the ASL version into English. Both focus groups identified and addressed language and cultural problems before the final ASL version of the MHLC was permanently captured by motion picture photography for consistent administration. Nine of the 24 items were directly translatable into ASL. The remaining items required further discussion to achieve cultural equivalence with ASL expressions. The MHLC/ASL is now ready for validation within the Deaf community.     

Translation and validation of Caregiving Satisfaction Scale into Korean

The purpose of this study was to establish the equivalence and to examine the psychometric properties of a Korean translation of the Caregiving Satisfaction Scale (CSS). A convenience sample of 44 bilingual Koreans was selected. The Cronbach's alpha for the English and Korean versions were .87 and .90, respectively. There was significant mean difference between items 3 and 12 of the English items and their Korean translations. Pearson's Correlations demonstrated that 13 of the 15 CSS items had significant correlations (r = .35-.75, p < .05) between two versions. The correlation between total scores of both versions was .86 (p < .001). Overall, none of the items would be regarded as having unacceptable numeric properties. According to the fine process for translation, back-translation, and bilingual field test, the Korean version of the CSS appears to have concrete construct validity and reliability for use in measuring caregiver satisfaction in the Korean population.     

Psychometric evaluation of the Spiritual Coping Strategies scale in English,Maltese, back-translation and bilingual versions

BACKGROUND: The little research that has been done on the topic considers spiritual coping as consisting mainly of religious coping strategies. This limits spiritual coping solely to believers. However, it is argued that spiritual coping should address both believers and non-believers. The development of the new Spiritual Coping Strategies (SCS) scale, which consists of both religious and non-religious coping strategies attempts to fill this research gap. Aim. The aim of this article is to discuss the psychometric assessment of the SCS scale designed in four versions, namely English, Maltese, back-translation and bilingual. METHODS: The Likert-type SCS scale comprises 20 items, each represented by the frequency and helpfulness of both religious and non-religious coping strategies. Test-retest of the four versions was conducted between October 1999 and January 2000, with 55 final year nursing students, mean age of 24.5 years, recruited from the same class to facilitate supervision and prevent contamination of results. Test-retest reliability of the scale was investigated by cross-tabulations, Kappa (kappa) measures and Spearman's correlation coefficient. Internal consistency was tested by Cronbach's alpha. The correlation structure was examined by the multivariate techniques of R-type cluster analysis and direct oblimin factor analysis. RESULTS: Cross-tabulations between tests and retests gave highly significant values of chi-squared (P < or = 0.0001) for most items in all versions of the scale. These cross-tabulations also yielded reasonably good values for kappa. Additionally, satisfactory values for Spearman's coefficient of correlation resulted between tests and retests. Twelve frequency variables and 13 helpfulness variables had test-retest correlations in the range 0.5 < or = rs < or = 0.79 in at least three of the versions. Optimum values of Cronbach's alpha were observed for the helpfulness variable in retests namely, 0.81 for the English version, 0.73 for the Maltese version, 0.79 for the back-translation, and 0.82 for the bilingual version. These values were all above the acceptable minimum value of 0.7. The correlation structure identified two factors, namely religious and non-religious coping strategies. Although the two factors together explained only between 33% and 40% of the variance in the different versions, the religious factor had good reliability, with 0.77 < or = alpha < or = 0.82 for the four versions, whilst the non-religious factor also had alpha > or = 0.71 for all versions except the Maltese one, for which alpha = 0.59. CONCLUSION: Therefore, psychometric assessment suggests that the SCS scale, in any of the four versions, is a reliable tool which can be used in future studies on SCS in Maltese patients.     

Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the locomotor capabilities index in adults with lower-limb amputation undergoing prosthetic training

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of both the standard and revised Locomotor Capabilities Index (LCI) in people with lower-limb amputation who undergo prosthetic training. DESIGN: Reliability and validity study. SETTING: Two freestanding rehabilitation centers. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty inpatients with a recent unilateral lower-limb amputation. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable.Main outcome measures The standard LCI and a new version with a 5-level ordinal scale (LCI-5) were tested for internal consistency, test-retest reliability, ceiling effect, and effect size. The construct validity of both versions was analyzed by correlation with the Rivermead Mobility Index, a timed walking test, and the FIM instrument. RESULTS: The Cronbach alpha of both LCI versions was.95. The item-to-total correlations (Spearman rho) ranged from.50 to.87 (P<.0001 for all). The percent agreement and kappa values for the item scores ranged, respectively, from 78.4% to 100% and.58 to 1.00 in the LCI, and from 75.7% to 97.3% and.54 to.96 in the LCI-5. The intraclass correlation coefficient (model 2,1) for the total scores was.98 for both versions; the Bland-Altman plot revealed no systematic trend for either version. Both the LCI and LCI-5 correlated with all criterion measures (rho range,.61-.76), with the LCI-5 showing a larger effect size during the rehabilitation period and a lower ceiling effect. Patients with transtibial amputation were more independent in performing activities than were those with transfemoral amputation; their locomotor capability negatively correlated with age. CONCLUSIONS: Both the LCI and LCI-5 captured the global locomotor ability of people with lower-limb amputation during prosthetic training. The new LCI-5 presents similar and sometimes better psychometric properties than the standard LCI.     

Assessment of pain and disability in patients with chronic neck pain: reliability and construct validity of the Turkish version of the neck pain and disability scale

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to test whether a Turkish version of the Neck Pain and Disability Scale retains its reliability and validity of the original English version. METHODS: Sixty-one patients with chronic neck pain were enrolled in the study. The Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPDS), the Pain Disability Index (PDI) and The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were filled by all subjects. Reliability was determined by internal consistency. Internal consistency was measured by calculating Cronbach's alpha and item-total correlation. Validity was examined by correlating the NPDS scores to the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), PDI and HADS scores. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha value for NPDS was found to be 0.86 and this was statistically significant (p<0.0001). The item-total correlations of NPDS varied between 0.08 and 0.69. The cross-sectional construct validity coefficients were 0.51 for PDI, 0.45 for VAS, 0.35 and 0.33 for Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales. CONCLUSION: Despite its major limitations, our results seem to support previous findings of the English and French versions of the Neck Pain and Disability Scale, indicating that this functional scale is valid and reliable.     

Measuring satisfaction with nursing care among hospitalized patients: refinement of a Spanish version

This study was designed to improve the psychometrics of English and Spanish measures of hospitalized patients' satisfaction with nursing care. One hundred Spanish-speaking participants in the northeastern and southwestern United States completed a new 20-item Spanish version; 64 of the same participants also completed the English version. Correlations between item pairs (p < .001, r = .56-.96) and total scores of both versions (r = .92, p < .01), and similar factor structures support equivalence of the two versions. Evidence for construct validity is also presented. Results surpass standards for new instruments and support the utility of this much needed, bilingual measure of inpatient satisfaction with nursing care.     

Assessment of symptom severity and functional status in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: reliability and functionality of the Turkish version of the Boston Questionnaire

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop a Turkish version of the Boston Questionnaire and assess its reliability and validity. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome were included in the study. The Turkish version of Boston Questionnaire was obtained after translation process, and was then administered to subjects twice within seven days. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha and item-total correlation), and reproducibility. Validity was examined by correlating the Boston Questionnaire scores to general health status (Short Form-36), pain severity (Visual Analogue Scale) and pinch and grip strength measures. RESULTS: Reliability of the Turkish version was very good, with high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.82 for symptom severity scale, and 0.88 for functional status scale), and reproducibility (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.60 for symptom severity scale, and 0.77 for functional status scale). The Boston Questionnaire scores were correlated with Visual Analogue Scale, physical functioning, physical role, bodily pain and emotional role subscales of Short Form-36, pinch and grip strength scores to obtain coefficients for external construct validity. CONCLUSION: Adaptation of the Boston Questionnaire for use in Turkey was successful. Our results seem to support previous finding of the English version, indicating that it is valid and reliable.     

Psychometric evaluation of the Spanish and English versions of the spiritual coping strategies scale

The Spiritual Coping Strategies (SCS) Scale measures how frequently religious and nonreligious (spiritual) coping strategies are used to cope with a stressful experience. This study's purpose is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly translated Spanish version of the SCS. A total of 51 bilingual adults completed the SCS in Spanish and English, with 25 completing them again 2-3 weeks later. Internal consistency reliability for the Spanish (r = 0.83) and English (r = 0.82) versions of the SCS in the total sample were good. Test-retest reliability was .84 for the Spanish and .80 for the English version. Spanish and English responses to the SCS items and the resulting score for the subscales and the total scale were not significantly different. Scores on the English and Spanish versions were correlated as expected with time since the stressful event and happiness with family and with spouse or partner, supporting the validity of the Spanish SCS. Study findings support the reliability and validity of the newly translated Spanish SCS.     

Validation of the Spanish Life Support Preference Questionnaire (LSPQ)

Purpose: To translate and validate the Life Support Preference Questionnaire (LSPQ) for use with Spanish-speaking adults, and to further validate the English version of the LSPQ.
Methods: Two samples were included: community-dwelling Hispanic and non-Hispanic adults who were monolingual or bilingual Spanish speakers, and an English-speaking sample, all living in south-central United States. Validation included calculation of internal consistency, stability, and alternate forms reliability estimates for two language versions of the LSPQ. Factorial validity was studied for both language versions and regression and t test analyses were done to explore ethnic differences in selection of the life support choices in the scale.
Findings: Both language versions of the LSPQ showed strongly supportive measurement properties. Differences were found between ethnic groups on four of the item choices, indicating that Hispanics in this sample preferred interventions to actively support life more than did the non-Hispanic adults.
Conclusions: Both the English and Spanish versions of the LSPQ have been validated for use in research and practice. Additional validation will be necessary in other samples.     

Psychometric testing of the Depressive Cognition Scale in Korean adults

This study translated the Depressive Cognition Scale (DCS) from English into Korean and tested the reliability and validity of the scale. Data were from a convenient sample of 795 community-dwelling Korean adults with a self-administered questionnaire. With regard to the reliability estimate, the internal consistency of the Korean version of the DCS (K-DCS) was acceptable, where the Chronbach's alpha is .93 and the average item-to-total correlation r = .760. With regard to the validity estimate, the mean scores of the K-DCS were significantly different according to gender, age, and marital status. A single factor was extracted that accounted for 67.37% of the total variance. The average score of the K-DCS also correlated significantly with the subscales of the Korean version of the Profile of the Mood States Brief Form. These findings suggest that the K-DCS can be used as a reliable and valid measure of depressive cognition among Korean adults.     

A Turkish language equivalence of the Exercise of Self-Care Agency Scale

This article is about the pilot test of a Turkish version of the Exercise of Self-Care Agency Scale (ESCA) using a randomized convenience sample of 119 bilingual Turkish adolescents. The instrument was translated into Turkish, back translated, and pilot tested to linguistic equivalence. Bilingual participants were randomly assigned to four groups. Each participant was administered both the English and the Turkish versions of the scale but in different order at 5-week intervals. The results show that the Turkish version of the ESCA was linguistically equal to the English form. Test-retest correlations were acceptably high (r = .80 to .90). Internal consistency of the total scale of the ESCA was adequate, with an alpha coefficient of .89 for the Turkish version and .88 for the English version. Further research in the development of this translated form would need to demonstrate its applicability and generalizability to monolingual Turkish adolescents.     

Psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Depressive Cognition Scale in Brazilian adults with diabetes mellitus

Identifying depressive cognitions in Brazilians with diabetes can be important step to prevent the development of clinical depression, which is negatively associated with diabetes self-management. This study focused on the psychometric testing of the Portuguese version of the Depressive Cognition Scale, the Escala Cognitiva de Depress?o (ECD), among 82 Brazilian adults with diabetes mellitus. The questionnaire was assessed for internal consistency, homogeneity, and construct validity using factor analysis and convergent validity assessment with the Portuguese version of the Beck Depression Inventory, the Inventário de Depress?o Beck (IDB). Cronbach's alpha for the ECD was .88. The homogeneity of the instrument was supported by item-to-total correlations between .30 and .70. Factor extraction generated only one factor with eigenvalues greater than 1, which is consistent with the English version. The ECD's total score had a weak but significant correlation with the IDB's total score (r = .24, p < .05), indicating convergent validity. Evidence for the reliability and construct validity of the ECD was provided by this study. This scale has the potential to become a useful screening tool for depressive cognitions among Brazilians with diabetes.     

Development and validation of the Human Activity Profile into Chinese language: lessons in determining equivalence

The Human Activity Profile (HAP), and associated Dyspnea Scale, is a self-report instrument for assessing levels of human activity. Although it has been used in studies examining the levels of activity in people, it is limited to people who are only able to understand English. However, many countries are multicultural with significant numbers of people whose native language is not English. This study sought to demonstrate the equivalence between the Chinese and English versions of the HAP and Dyspnea scales. Thirty-five bilingual university students completed both the Chinese and English versions of each questionnaire. There was 89% and 85% agreement between items across the HAP and Dyspnea Scale questionnaires, respectively. Although the psychometric evaluations suggested there was equivalence between the Chinese and English versions of both the HAP and Dyspnea Scale, lessons have been learnt regarding the different written forms of Chinese.     

MobileASL: intelligibility of sign language video over mobile phones

For Deaf people, access to the mobile telephone network in the United States is currently limited to text messaging, forcing communication in English as opposed to American Sign Language (ASL), the preferred language. Because ASL is a visual language, mobile video phones have the potential to give Deaf people access to real-time mobile communication in their preferred language. However, even today's best video compression techniques can not yield intelligible ASL at limited cell phone network bandwidths. Motivated by this constraint, we conducted one focus group and two user studies with members of the Deaf Community to determine the intelligibility effects of video compression techniques that exploit the visual nature of sign language. Inspired by eye tracking results that show high resolution foveal vision is maintained around the face, we studied region-of-interest encodings (where the face is encoded at higher quality) as well as reduced frame rates (where fewer, better quality, frames are displayed every second). At all bit rates studied here, participants preferred moderate quality increases in the face region, sacrificing quality in other regions. They also preferred slightly lower frame rates because they yield better quality frames for a fixed bit rate. The limited processing power of cell phones is a serious concern because a real-time video encoder and decoder will be needed. Choosing less complex settings for the encoder can reduce encoding time, but will affect video quality. We studied the intelligibility effects of this tradeoff and found that we can significantly speed up encoding time without severely affecting intelligibility. These results show promise for real-time access to the current low-bandwidth cell phone network through sign-language-specific encoding techniques.     

MobileASL: Intelligibility of sign language video over mobile phones

For Deaf people, access to the mobile telephone network in the United States is currently limited to text messaging, forcing communication in English as opposed to American Sign Language (ASL), the preferred language. Because ASL is a visual language, mobile video phones have the potential to give Deaf people access to real-time mobile communication in their preferred language. However, even today's best video compression techniques can not yield intelligible ASL at limited cell phone network bandwidths. Motivated by this constraint, we conducted one focus group and two user studies with members of the Deaf Community to determine the intelligibility effects of video compression techniques that exploit the visual nature of sign language. Inspired by eye tracking results that show high resolution foveal vision is maintained around the face, we studied region-of-interest encodings (where the face is encoded at higher quality) as well as reduced frame rates (where fewer, better quality, frames are displayed every second). At all bit rates studied here, participants preferred moderate quality increases in the face region, sacrificing quality in other regions. They also preferred slightly lower frame rates because they yield better quality frames for a fixed bit rate. The limited processing power of cell phones is a serious concern because a real-time video encoder and decoder will be needed. Choosing less complex settings for the encoder can reduce encoding time, but will affect video quality. We studied the intelligibility effects of this tradeoff and found that we can significantly speed up encoding time without severely affecting intelligibility. These results show promise for real-time access to the current low-bandwidth cell phone network through sign-language-specific encoding techniques.     

Reliability and validity of a Swedish language version of the Resilience Scale

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Swedish language version of the Resilience Scale (RS). Participants were 142 adults between 19-85 years of age. Internal consistency reliability, stability over time, and construct validity were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha, principal components analysis with varimax rotation and correlations with scores on the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). The mean score on the RS was 142 (SD = 15). The possible scores on the RS range from 25 to 175, and scores higher than 146 are considered high. The test-retest correlation was .78. Correlations with the SOC and the RSE were .41 (p < 0.01) and .37 (p < 0.01), respectively. Personal Assurance and Acceptance of Self and Life emerged as components from the principal components analysis. These findings provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the Swedish language version of the RS.     

Spanish translation of the role checklist.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to create a Spanish version of the Role Checklist that is content valid and reliable and to demonstrate usefulness of a translation method. METHOD: A modified version of the translation method of Hachey, Jumoorty, and Mercier was used to translate the English Role Checklist into Spanish. The English and Spanish versions were then evaluated for test-retest reliability at a 2-week interval, using 14 bilingual college students. RESULTS: The intralanguage correlation was .907 for Part I and .798 for Part II. CONCLUSION: A content valid and reliable Spanish version of the Role Checklist was created, using replicable translation methods.     

Psychometric properties of Spanish versions of the FACES II and Dyadic Adjustment Scale

Although Hispanic Americans are one of the fastest growing ethnic populations in the United States, use and psychometric testing of Spanish versions of two instruments commonly used to measure quality of the couple's relationship and family functioning, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) and the FACES II, have not been reported. The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the newly translated Spanish version of these two instruments. In this bilingual sample of 78 adults, internal consistencies were acceptable (.72 to .77 for the FACES II; .67 to .93 for the DAS) and test-retest correlations were high (.80 to .88 FACES II; .79 to .87 DAS). Correlations between the Spanish and English versions were also high (.87 to .94 FACES II; .91 to .99 DAS). Psychometric findings support the reliability and validity of the Spanish versions of these newly translated measures.