Development and Reliability Testing of Spanish Language and English Language Versions of the Multidimensional Task Ability Profile

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the: (1) test–retest reliability of the English and Spanish language versions of the Multidimensional Task Ability Profile (MTAP), (2) cross-cultural adaptation of the Spanish language version of the MTAP, and (3) practicality of both versions in terms of time required for administration. The MTAP is a patient-reported outcome measure of physical function that uses a combination of text and pictorial illustrations. Methods An observational study was conducted with a convenience sample of patients with musculoskeletal disorders from three outpatient physical rehabilitation centers. Participants (n = 110) completed the MTAP two times, whereby the second test was completed 24–72 h after the first test. Focus groups were conducted at the end of the study. Correlation analyses were used to assess test–retest reliability and qualitative analyses were used to assess cultural adaptation of the MTAP. Results The English and Spanish versions of the MTAP displayed good test–retest reliability (ICC 2,1 = 0.87–0.97, p < 0.05). Qualitative analyses demonstrated adequate cross-cultural adaptation of the Spanish language version of the instrument. Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that the MTAP has been adequately adapted from its original English version for use with Spanish-speaking individuals. The MTAP in its current form of 50 items is reliable when administered to individuals with musculoskeletal disorders in either English or Spanish.     

The development and reliability of the Cantonese version of the Allen Cognitive Level Screen

The Allen Cognitive Level Screen is a quick screening test to assess the cognitive functions of people with cognitive impairments or psychiatric disabilities. The purposes of the study were to translate the Allen Cognitive Level Screen into Cantonese and to gather evidence of the reliability of the translated version. Translation was performed by three bilingual occupational therapists. A panel of another five bilingual occupational therapists verified the accuracy of translation. Thirty randomly selected Cantonese‐speaking healthcare workers performed the Cantonese version of the Allen Cognitive Level Screen. Results suggested that the test seemed to be accurately translated. Inter‐rater reliability and the test–retest coefficient of the Cantonese version of the Allen Cognitive Level Screen were 0.98 and 0.73 (test–retest interval = 28.3 days) respectively. Future research should be directed towards further exploring the psychometric properties and clinical application of the Cantonese version of Allen Cognitive Level Screen. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.     

Equivalence of Chinese and US–English Versions of the SF-36 Health Survey

This study evaluated the equivalence of Chinese and US–English versions of the SF-36 Health Survey in a convenience sample of 309 Chinese nationals bilingual in Chinese and English living in a US city. Snowball sampling was used to generate sufficient sample size. Internal consistency, test–retest, and equivalent-forms reliability were estimated. Patients were randomized to one of four groups: (1) English version completed first, followed by Chinese version (same occasion); (2) Chinese version completed first, followed by English version (same occasion); (3) English version completed once and then again 1-week later; (4) Chinese version completed once and then again 1-week later. Internal consistency reliability estimates for the Chinese and US–English versions of the SF-36 scales ranged from 0.60 to 0.88; test–retest reliability estimates (1 week time interval) ranged from 0.67 to 0.90. Reliability estimates for corresponding Chinese and US–English SF-36 scales tended to be similar and not significantly different. Equivalent-forms reliability estimates (product–moment correlations) ranged from 0.81 to 0.98. Mean SF-36 scale scores were comparable for both versions of the instrument. This study provides support for the equivalence of the Chinese and US–English versions of the SF-36.     

Reliability and validity of a measure of role functioning among people with psychiatric disabilities

Aim: The aim was to investigate the reliability and validity of the Socially Valued Role Classification Scale (SRCS), a domain‐specific measure of role functioning designed for use with community residents with psychiatric disabilities. Test–retest reliability, concurrent validity, face validity, consumer and clinician acceptability and utility were examined. Methods: Sixty community residents with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder participated in this study where the SRCS was administered by telephone. Results: Test–retest reliability showed good or very good agreement for subscale scores (intraclass correlations (ICCs): 0.78–0.89) and for items capturing amount of participation in domain‐specific activities (ICC: 0.67–1.00). Greater variation was observed for items capturing assistance required with activities (κ: 0.40–0.75), and standard of activities performed (κ: 0.43–1.00). Concurrent validity was supported by moderate to very good associations in the directions expected. Face validity, user acceptability and utility in telephone interviews were adequate. Conclusions: These findings add to previous psychometric evidence and support the continued development of the SRCS for use in community mental health settings. The SRCS has promising utility for occupational therapists involved in psychiatric rehabilitation outcome measurement.     

Adaptation and validation of a brief DSM-5 based psychiatric rating scale for childhood and adolescent mental health in Uganda: the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory-Progress Monitor (CASI-PM)

ABSTRACT

We describe the process of locally adapting and validating the international psychiatric symptom screening instrument, the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory-Progress Monitor-parent version (CASI-PM-P) for use among youth in the sub-Saharan African setting of Uganda. To do this we used a methodology similar to that employed by the developers of this instrument. These analyses were undertaken among both a clinical sample (1,339 HIV positive children and adolescents attending HIV care services in central and south-western Uganda) and a standardised sample (consisting of 323 HIV negative children and adolescents attending government schools in central Uganda). Pearson’s correlations, Cronbach’s alpha and analyses of variance were used to assess the reliability and validity of the adapted instrument. On item selection, 18 (64%) of the 28 psychiatric symptom items in the derived instrument showed large to moderate item-to-total minus item correlations. There was concordance on 17 (61%) of the psychiatric symptom items between the original version of the CASI-PM-P and the Uganda version. The selected psychiatric variable items in the derived version of the CASI-PM-P showed stability across age groups (children and adolescents), time (baseline and 6 months) and samples (clinical sample and standardised sample). The instrument showed good construct validity. In conclusion, the 29-item CASI-PM-P can, therefore, be used in the sub-Saharan African setting to screen for and monitor the progress of psychiatric symptoms among youth. However, the selection of the specific variable items to constitute a local version of the CASI-PM-P should be guided by local adaptation and validation studies.     

Pilot study of the inpatient rehabilitation – scales of therapeutic occupation

The IR – SOTO is a self-help instrument that assists the occupational therapist in evaluating the adherence of an inpatient rehabilitation facility to an occupational approach to therapy. The IR – SOTO focuses on individualization of therapy, holism, naturalistic occupations, documentation of occupation and communication of occupational therapy principles. A series of practitioner panels provided feedback on the content validity of early versions of the instrument. Pilot testing of the revised instrument (a 62-item survey using seven-point Likert scales) was carried out using a mailed survey (n = 138) to nine inpatient rehabilitation facilities in different areas of the United States. The pilot version of the IR–SOTO was internally consistent, with alpha = 0.91. The overall mean score across items and across subjects of 5.48 on a seven-point scale (sd = 0.52) indicates some adherence to an occupational approach to therapy. The scores of one facility were significantly lower than five of the other facilities. Continued revision of the instrument to enhance reliability and validity is recommended, with testing of test–retest reliability as a priority. The IR–SOTO holds promise for measuring a facility's approach to the use of occupation as therapy in inpatient rehabilitation. Copyright © 1998 Whurr Publishers Ltd.     

The Utility of Clinicians Ratings of Anxiety Using the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS)

Clinician ratings of anxiety hold the promise of clarifying discrepancies often found between child and parent reports of anxiety. The Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS) is a clinician-administered instrument that assesses the frequency, severity, and impairment of common pediatric anxiety disorders and has been used as a primary outcome measure in several landmark treatment trials. However, no data on nonanxious youth have been published. The purpose of this study was to address this gap by examining clinician’s ratings of anxiety on the PARS in a volunteer sample of youth without anxiety disorders (n = 84; ages 7–12; 51% female, 75% Caucasian). The nonanxious sample was comprised of youth with (At-risk; n = 36) and without (Healthy; n = 48) anxious parents. Data were also used to evaluate the reliability (i.e., internal consistency), convergent, and divergent validity of the clinician-rated PARS. In addition, a receiver operating curve analysis was used to determine optimum cut off scores indicative of clinical levels of anxiety by comparing PARS scores between these nonanxious youth and a clinically anxious sample (n = 77) randomized in the Research Units of Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) anxiety study (RUPP 2001). Results indicated that anxious and nonanxious youth were significantly different on all PARS severity items. Optimum cutoff scores of 11.5 (5-item total score) and 17.5 (7-item total score) discriminated youth with and without anxiety disorders. Cronbach alphas for the Healthy and At-risk sample were .90 and .91 and .75 and .81 for the 5- and 7-item total PARS scores respectively, supporting the measure’s internal consistency among nonanxious youth. PARS total scores were positively correlated with other measures of anxiety (i.e., the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders) for the At-risk but not Healthy subsample. PARS scores were not significantly correlated with depressive symptoms (i.e., Children’s Depression Inventory). Overall, findings support the utility of clinician’s assessments of anxiety symptoms for nonanxious youth. Using the PARS can help facilitate determining whether a child’s anxiety level is more similar to those with or without an anxiety disorder.     

Adaptation,Update and Validation of the General Nutrition Questionnaire in a Portuguese Adolescent Sample

This article describes the adaptation of the adult Portuguese version of the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ) for adolescents, and its validation. Respondents were 1,315 adolescents, who completed the questionnaire in two phases. A subsample of 73 adolescents was used to measure test–retest reliability. Concurrent validity was tested using a sample of 32 dietetic students. The adapted version showed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.92), test–retest reliability (R = 0.71) and concurrent validity (U = 22766.0; p < .01). Adolescents’ nutrition knowledge can now be assessed with a valid and reliable instrument. Future validation works of this or others questionnaires for children and elderly are warranted.     

Anxiety and Depressive Disorders Are Associated with Smoking in Adolescents with Asthma

PurposeTo evaluate the association between mental health indicators (including meeting criteria for one or more DSM-IV [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—fourth edition] anxiety or depressive disorders) and susceptibility to smoking or current smoking among youth with asthma and to evaluate the impact of smoking on asthma symptoms and self-management.MethodsWe conducted telephone interviews with a population-based sample of 11- to 17-year-old youth and their parents (n = 769). Interview content included questions on smoking behaviors, asthma symptoms and treatment, externalizing behavior, and a structured psychiatric interview to assess DSM-IV anxiety and depressive disorders.ResultsFive percent of youth were smokers and 10.6% indicated that they were “susceptible to smoking.” Smoking was more common among youth with mental health disorders. Anxiety/depressive disorders were present in 14.5% of nonsmokers, 19.8% of susceptible nonsmokers, and 37.8% of smokers. After controlling for important covariates, youth with more than one anxiety and depressive disorder were at over twofold increased risk for being a smoker. Similarly, for each one-point increase in externalizing disorder symptoms, youth had a 10% increase in likelihood of being a smoker and a 4% increase in risk for “susceptibility to smoking.” Youth who were smokers reported more asthma symptoms, reduced functioning due to asthma, less use of controller medicines, and more use of rescue medications.ConclusionsComorbid mental health disorders are associated with increased risk of smoking in youth with asthma. Smoking is associated with increased asthma symptom burden and decreased controller medication use. Interventions for youth with asthma should consider screening for and targeting these behavioral concerns.     

Psychometric properties of a motor skill checklist for 3- to 5-year-old children

Background Early identification of children with developmental co‐ordination disorder is important. Teachers may be very useful in this identification process. The objective of this study was to develop a motor skill checklist (MSC) for 3‐ to 5‐year‐old children to be completed by teachers, and to establish the psychometric properties of this new instrument. Methods An MSC of 28 functional items was constructed in close consideration with clinical experts and teachers. In regular schools, 366 pre‐school children were rated with the MSC by their teachers (n= 111). To determine test–retest reliability, each teacher completed 4 weeks later the MSC again for one randomly selected child. In 22 classes with two teachers sharing the job, both teachers were asked to fill in the questionnaire. A subgroup of children was also tested with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M‐ABC; n= 122). All teachers were invited to complete a questionnaire to evaluate the MSC. Results The internal consistency of the MSC was high. The test–retest reliability was good. Inter‐rater reliability was adequate except in the 5‐year‐old children. There was a strong correlation between the checklist and the M‐ABC, establishing concurrent validity. Most teachers judged the MSC as easy or rather easy to complete. Conclusions The MSC is a reliable, valid and useful instrument to identify and assess young children with motor difficulties.     

Reliability, construct and criterion validity of the KIDSCREEN-10 score: a short measure for children and adolescents’ well-being and health-related quality of life

Background

To assess the criterion and construct validity of the KIDSCREEN-10 well-being and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) score, a short version of the KIDSCREEN-52 and KIDSCREEN-27 instruments.

Methods

The child self-report and parent report versions of the KIDSCREEN-10 were tested in a sample of 22,830 European children and adolescents aged 8–18 and their parents (n = 16,237). Correlation with the KIDSCREEN-52 and associations with other generic HRQoL measures, physical and mental health, and socioeconomic status were examined. Score differences by age, gender, and country were investigated.

Results

Correlations between the 10-item KIDSCREEN score and KIDSCREEN-52 scales ranged from r = 0.24 to 0.72 (r = 0.27–0.72) for the self-report version (proxy-report version). Coefficients below r = 0.5 were observed for the KIDSCREEN-52 dimensions Financial Resources and Being Bullied only. Cronbach alpha was 0.82 (0.78), test–retest reliability was ICC = 0.70 (0.67) for the self- (proxy-)report version. Correlations between other children self-completed HRQoL questionnaires and KIDSCREEN-10 ranged from r = 0.43 to r = 0.63 for the KIDSCREEN children self-report and r = 0.22–0.40 for the KIDSCREEN parent proxy report. Known group differences in HRQoL between physically/mentally healthy and ill children were observed in the KIDSCREEN-10 self and proxy scores. Associations with self-reported psychosomatic complaints were r = ?0.52 (?0.36) for the KIDSCREEN-10 self-report (proxy-report). Statistically significant differences in KIDSCREEN-10 self and proxy scores were found by socioeconomic status, age, and gender.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the KIDSCREEN-10 provides a valid measure of a general HRQoL factor in children and adolescents, but the instrument does not represent well most of the single dimensions of the original KIDSCREEN-52. Test–retest reliability was slightly below a priori defined thresholds.     

The Development of Adolescent and Young Adult Participation Sort – Taiwanese Version

The purpose of this pilot research was to translate the Adolescent and Young Adult Participation Sort into Taiwanese (AYAPS‐T), an assessment tool measuring the activity participation and the self‐identified barriers of youth transitioning into adulthood. The study included five phases: translation, cultural adaptation, taking photographs, field testing for content validity and pilot testing of test–retest reliability. A literature review, expert review and translation with back‐translation were conducted for the initial activities. The activities were then edited on the basis of the feedback of 23Taiwanese youth for content validity. Test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.91) of the AYAPS‐T reported by 22 Taiwanese youth was high. With the activities designed to meet the developmental needs of young adults, the methodology of sorting photographs, the barrier list to identify possible obstacles and some psychometric properties established, the AYAPS‐T serves as a reliable and valid tool to identify engagement of young adults in their occupations. Because of the nature of a pilot study, results are limited by a small sample size and limited evidence of psychometric properties. Psychometric properties such as interrater reliability and internal consistency as well as construct validity and concurrent validity need to be tested on a larger sample size. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development and Retest Reliability of a German Version of the Sexual Behaviour Questionnaire (SBQ-G)

A German version of the Sexual Behaviour Questionnaire (SBQ-G) is a short self-rating instrument covering the four domains of sexual function using colloquial words. Frequency of sexual dysfunction was counted and chance-corrected retest reliability was calculated. Eleven women and 12 men participated. Reception of the SBQ-G was favourable and more females than males reported at least moderate sexual dysfunction. Sexual arousal and ability to enjoy sex showed the lowest retest stability. The SBQ-G is a recommendable clinical instrument with high practicability and satisfactory retest reliability. However, gender differences and a high variability of sexual functioning in healthy subjects should be kept in mind.     

Assessment of suicidal behaviour in general practice

AIM: To assess the prevalence of suicidal behavior (wish to die, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts) and to determine the characteristics of suicide attempters in primary care, including screening for major mental disorders. METHOD: A Hungarian urban general practitioner's district with 1248 inhabitants was screened for suicidal behavior as well as for major mental disorders. All the patients (n=382) who visited their general practitioner within a two-week period were asked to participate. 277 patients completed the Prime-MD questionnaire, an easy-to-use diagnostic instrument developed for general practitioners to recognize the most common psychiatric disorders, like depressive (major depressive disorder, minor depressive disorder), anxiety (panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder), somatoform, eating and alcohol related disorders. Detailed data about suicidal thoughts and attempts were also collected by the structured questions of MINI-Plus diagnostic interview. RESULTS: Prevalence of suicide attempts in primary care was 2.9%. 9% of the patients had either suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts in the previous month. Suicidal patients were more ready to use psychotropic drugs, they assessed their health status more poorly, and had more mental symptoms than the control group (non-suicidal patients). 60% of suicidal patients and 11.5% of the investigated population had a current depressive episode. Beside depressive symptoms, anxiety disorders and alcohol problems were also more common among suicidal patients. The rate of previous psychiatric treatments was also higher in suicidal patients, who generally visited their general practitioners less frequently than non-suicidal patients. According to multivariate logistic regression, suicidal patients are more ready to take antidepressants, they tend to have more previous psychiatric treatments and suicidal attempts, and they visit their general practitioners less frequently and have a current depressive episode. CONCLUSION: Suicidal behavior and mental disorders are frequent in primary care. Since almost every tenth patient visiting their general practitioner has suicidal thoughts or depressive or anxiety disorder, the recognition of suicide risk and mental disorders is very important in primary care. As for preventing suicides, the diagnosing and treating of mental disorders -especially affective disorders- are very important for general practitioners. In addition to pharmacotherapy, psychotherapies are also important in treating patients in crisis situations, or with suicidal thoughts or depressive disorder. The modified Prime-MD questionnaire can be an effective, easy-to-use method in the hand of the general practitioners to identify suicidal risk and to recognize the most common mental disorders in the average population.     

Reliability and validity of Japanese versions of KIDSCREEN-27 and KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaires

Objective

This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of Japanese versions of the KIDSCREEN-27 (J-KIDSCREEN-27) and KIDSCREEN-10 (J-KIDSCREEN-10) questionnaires, which are shorter versions of the KIDSCREEN-52 (J-KIDSCREEN-52).

Methods

The present analyses are based on a pre-existing dataset of the J-KIDSCREEN-52 validation study, including 1564 children and adolescents aged 8–18 years and their 1326 parents. All were asked to complete the J-KIDSCREEN and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) questionnaires. Test–retest reliability was assessed with Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) in a one-way random effects model, and internal consistency reliability was measured using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Agreement between child and parent scores was evaluated using ICCs in a two-way mixed effects model. To assess concurrent validity, a sub-sample of 535 parents evaluated their child’s mental health status using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Results

For children, test–retest ICCs were ≥0.60 and Cronbach’s alpha ≥0.70 for every dimension of both instruments. Correlations of corresponding dimensions between the J-KIDSCREEN-27 or -10 and the PedsQL were acceptable. For parents, test–retest ICCs were ≥0.60, Cronbach’s alpha ≥0.70, and ICCs between child and parent scores ≥0.41 in every dimension of both instruments. In multivariate logistic regression models, after adjusting for confounders, lower health-related QOL in every dimension of both instruments, except Physical Well-being, was significantly associated with higher odds ratios for borderline and clinical ranges of the SDQ.

Conclusion

The child/adolescent and parent/proxy versions of the J-KIDSCREEN-27 and J-KIDSCREEN-10 demonstrated acceptable levels of reliability and validity.

     

Perceptions of Racism in Children and Youth (PRaCY): properties of a self-report instrument for research on children's health and development

Experiences of racial discrimination have been demonstrated to be related to racial and ethnic disparities in mental and physical health and healthcare. There has been little study, however, of the relationship between racism and health in children, and few psychometrically valid and reliable instruments to measure Perceptions of Racism in Children and Youth (PRaCY) exist. This paper reports on the development and testing of such an instrument, the PRaCY.

Development of the instrument began with open-ended qualitative interviews, from which a proto-questionnaire was created. The questionnaire gathered information on the prevalence, attribution, emotional responses, and coping responses to 23 situations identified by participants in the qualitative phase. The proto-questionnaire was administered to 277 children between the ages of 8 and 18 years (38% Latino/a, 31% African-American, 19% multiracial/multicultural, 7% West Indian/Caribbean, and 5% Other). Item analysis resulted in two developmentally appropriate 10-item instruments (one for ages 7–13, another for ages 14–18). Internal consistency reliability was strong (alpha=0.78 for both versions of the instrument). Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated good fit for both versions (younger-Comparative Fit Index (CFI): 0.967, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA): 0.047; older-CFI: 0.934, RMSEA: 0.056). Differential item functioning analyses demonstrated no group-specific biases in item response. PRaCY scores were appropriately associated with higher depressive symptom scores and elevated anxiety scores in the younger sample.

Results indicate that the PRaCY is a valid and reliable instrument that measures perceptions of racism and discrimination in children and youth aged 8–18 from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds.     

A troubled youth: Relations with somatization, depression and anxiety in adulthood

BACKGROUND: Childhood experiences profoundly affect later functioning asan adult. Family practitioners are well-placed to discover thelinks between childhood troubles and later somatization, depressionor anxiety. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to study the interrelation of somatization, depressiveand anxiety disorders in frequently attending patients in generalpractice; to investigate whether these problems are relatedto a childhood history of illness experiences, deprivation,life events and abuse; and to determine the independent contributionsof these childhood factors to the prediction of adult somatization,depressive and anxiety disorders. METHODS: One hundred and six adult general practice patients with highconsultation frequency were studied. Somatization was operationalizedas a more comprehensive version of DSM-III-R somatization disorder(5 complaints; SSI 5/5). For depression (ever depressive and/ordysthymic) and anxiety (panic, phobias and/or generalized anxiety)DSM-III-R criteria were used. Using a structured questionnairewe assessed illness experiences, deprivation of parental care,abuse (sexual/physical) and other life events before age 19. RESULTS: The overlap between somatization, depression and anxiety waslargely accounted for by 16 patients with a triple problem:somatization and depression and anxiety. Somatization was specificallyrelated to deprivation, depression to other life events. Abuse(prevalence 16%) independently predicted psychiatric problemsin general. Youth experiences before age 12 were most important. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of triple problems suggests a need to reconsiderconcepts like somatic anxiety and anxious depression. The specificityof the relation between deprivation and somatization and ofthe relation between other life events and depression indicatesthat distinct causal mechanisms (in youth) contribute to theseproblems. Keywords. Parental deprivation, child abuse, somatoform disorders, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders.     

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the KIDSCREEN-52 health-related quality of life questionnaire for children/adolescents and parents/proxies

Objectives

The present study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of KIDSCREEN-52 (J-KIDSCREEN-52), a generic questionnaire used to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among children/adolescents and parents/proxies.

Methods

We conducted a school-based study, in which 1564 children and adolescents aged 8–18 years and their 1326 parents participated from five schools. They were asked to complete two questionnaires (the J-KIDSCREEN-52 and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL)), and the Oslo 3-Item Social Support (OSS-3) scale. Internal consistency reliability was measured using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Test–retest reliability was assessed by the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) in the one-way random effects model in sub-samples taken approximately three to four weeks apart. Agreement between the ratings of the child and parent was evaluated using the ICC in the two-way mixed effects model among 681 pairs.

Results

For the overall sample, Cronbach’s alpha values of 10 dimensions were ≥0.70, except for one dimension. Test–retest ICCs were ≥0.60 for nearly all dimensions. Correlation coefficients between the J-KIDSCREEN-52 and the PedsQL dimensions indicated a reasonable convergent validity. Parent ratings corresponded well with child ratings (ICC = 0.38–0.62). Statistically significant differences in mean T scores were dependent on gender for seven dimensions, age group for all dimensions, and health status for two dimensions.

Conclusions

The J-KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaires child/adolescent and parent/proxy versions demonstrated acceptable levels of reliability and validity.     

Development of the Diabetes Family Adherence Measure (D–FAM)

The objective of this research was to develop and validate the Diabetes Family Adherence Measure (D–FAM), a comprehensive and up-to-date tool designed for the assessment of adherence-related parenting behaviors for youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Further, this article outlines an empirical approach for scale design. First, experts reviewed a battery of potential items to create a preliminary version of the D–FAM. Subsequently, 165 youth with T1D and their families completed an initial administration. A parsimonious measure resulted, consisting of 19 items with 4 additional validity items. Factor analysis identified supportive, coercive, control, and monitoring subscales. D–FAM factors were generally associated with both adherence and health status (HbA1c [glycosolated hemoglobin]), as well as with extant scales of family functioning. Strong internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and construct-convergent reliability were obtained. This initial evaluation of the D–FAM suggests utility for efficient evaluation of family functioning related to adherence and glycemic control for research and clinical purposes.     

Comparison of interactive voice response (IVR) with paper administration of instruments to assess functional status,sexual function,and quality of life in elderly men

Purpose

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures are essential for assessing subjective patient experiences. Interactive voice response (IVR) data collection provides advantages for clinical trial design by standardizing and centralizing the assessment. Prior to adoption of IVR as a mode of PRO administration in the Testosterone Trials (TTrials), we compared IVR to paper versions of the instruments to be used.

Methods

IVR versions of the FACIT-Fatigue scale and Psychosexual Daily Questionnaire, Question 4, were developed. In one pilot study, IVR versions of these scales were compared to paper versions in 25 men ≥ 65 years at each of two clinical sites. In another study, IVR versions of the SF-36 Vitality Scale (SF-36), Positive and Negative Affect Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire were evaluated in comparison with previously validated paper versions in 25 men at two clinical sites. Both paper and IVR versions of each instrument were administered in counterbalanced order, and test–retest reliability was evaluated by repeated administration of the test. Bland–Altman plots were used to assess the degree of agreement. Test–retest correlations for each measure were also determined.

Results

Satisfactory agreement was observed between IVR and paper versions of each study measure. Specifically, linear and highly positive associations were observed consistently across the study for IVR and paper versions of all study measures. These ranged from r = 0.91–0.99. Test–retest reliability for all measures was acceptable or better (r = 0.70–0.90).

Conclusions

The IVR versions of TTrials endpoints in these two studies performed consistently well in comparison with paper versions.