Psychometrically equivalent Russian speech audiometry materials by male and female talkers

Despite the large number of individuals who speak Russian, only a limited number of high-quality speech audiometry materials are available in a standard dialect of Russian. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate speech audiometry materials that can be used to measure word recognition and SRT testing in quiet for native speakers of Russian. Familiar monosyllabic and bisyllabic words were digitally recorded by male and female talkers of Russian and subsequently evaluated by native listeners. Using logistic regression, psychometric functions were then calculated for all words. Selected monosyllabic words were digitally adjusted to create word recognition lists which are relatively homogeneous with respect to audibility and psychometric slope. Speech reception threshold materials were developed by selecting twenty-five bisyllabic words with relatively steep psychometric function slopes (12.1%/dB and 9.9 %/dB) and digitally equating their intensity to match the mean PTA of the native listeners. Digital recordings of the resulting psychometrically equivalent speech audiometry materials are available on compact disc.     

A brief tool to assess capacity to consent for medical care among homeless individuals with problematic substance use: study protocol

Background

Public health care increasingly uses outreach models to engage individuals who are marginalized, many of whom misuse substances. Problematic substance use, together with marginalization from the health care system, among homeless adults makes it difficult to assess their capacity to consent to medical care. Tools have been developed to assess capacity to consent; however, these tools are lengthy and unsuitable for outreach settings. The primary objective of this study is to develop, validate, and pilot a brief but sensitive screening instrument which can be used to guide clinicians in assessing capacity to consent in outreach settings. The goal of this paper is to outline the protocol for the development of such a tool.

Methods/Design

A brief assessment tool will be developed and compared to the MacArthur Competency Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T). As list of 36 possible questions will be created by using qualitative data from clinician interviews, as well as concepts from the literature. This list will be rated by content experts according to the extent that it corresponds to the test objectives. The instrument will be validated with 300 homeless adult volunteers who self-report problematic substance use. Participants will be assessed for capacity using the MacCAT-T and the new instrument. A combination of Classical Test Theory and advanced psychometric methods will be used for the psychometric analysis. Corrected Item-Total correlation will be examined to identify items that discriminate poorly. Guided exploratory factor analysis will be conducted on the final selection of items to confirm the assumptions for a unidimensional polytomous Rasch model. If unidimensionality is confirmed, an unstandardized Cronbach Alpha will be calculated. If multi-dimensionality is detected, a multidimensional Rasch analysis will be conducted. Results from the new instrument will be compared to the total score from the MacCAT-T by using Pearson’s correlation test. The new instrument will then be piloted in real-time by street outreach clinicians to determine the acceptability and usefulness of the new instrument.

Discussion

This research will build on the existing knowledge about assessing capacity to consent and will contribute new knowledge about assessing individuals whose judgment is impaired by substance use.     

Fatigue in Brazilian cancer patients, caregivers, and nursing students: a psychometric validation study of the Piper Fatigue Scale-Revised

Goals of work  The objective of this study was to validate the Piper Fatigue Scale-Revised (PFS-R) for use in Brazilian culture. Patients and methods  Translation of the PFS-R into Portuguese and validity and reliability tests were performed. Convenience samples in Brazil we as follows: 584 cancer patients (mean age 57 ± 13 years; 51.3% female); 184 caregivers (mean age 50 ± 12.7 years; 65.8% female); and 189 undergraduate nursing students (mean age 21.6 ± 2.8 years; 96.2% female); Instruments used were as follows: Brazilian PFS, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS). Main results  The 22 items of the Brazilian PFS loaded well (factor loading > 0.35) on three dimensions identified by factor analysis (behavioral, affective, and sensorial–psychological). These dimensions explained 65% of the variance. Internal consistency reliability was very good (Cronbach’s α ranged from 0.841 to 0.943 for the total scale and its dimensions). Cancer patients and their caregivers completed the Brazilian PFS twice for test–retest reliability and results showed good stability (Pearson’s r ≥ 0,60, p < 0,001). Correlations among the Brazilian PFS and other scales were significant, in hypothesized directions, and mostly moderate contributing to divergent (Brazilian PFS × KPS) and convergent validity (Brazilian PFS × BDI). Mild, moderate, and severe fatigue in patients were reported by 73 (12.5%), 167 (28.6%), and 83 (14.2%), respectively. Surprisingly, students had the highest mean total fatigue scores; no significant differences were observed between patients and caregivers showing poor discriminant validity. Conclusions  While the Brazilian PFS is a reliable and valid instrument to measure fatigue in Brazilian cancer patients, further work is needed to evaluate the discriminant validity of the scale in Brazil.

Development and validation of the Medication-Related Consultation Framework (MRCF)

Objectives

To develop and test a framework for evaluating the consultation skills of practitioners undertaking medication-related consultations.

Methods

Key components of medication-related consultations were identified through a literature review and compiled to form an initial consultation skills framework. This was iteratively refined through consultation with experts (n = 21) to form the Medication-Related Consultation Framework (MRCF). Psychometric testing was undertaken by analyzing pharmacists’ (n = 10) assessment of fifteen pre-recorded simulated consultations.

Results

The MRCF consisted of 46 consultation behaviors, grouped into five sections. Performance was rated at individual behavior, framework section and global consultation levels. The MRCF discriminated between good, satisfactory and poor consultations at the global rating level (p < 0.01) with good test-retest reliability (rho = 0.59-0.95) and moderate inter-assessor reliability (Kendall's W = 0.67). There was also good internal consistency for the five sections (Cronbach's alphas = 0.58-0.97).

Conclusions

The MRCF demonstrated good psychometric properties at the global and section rating levels. Some inconsistencies in assessors’ ratings of individual consultation behaviors were indentified, which may represent a future training need.

Practice implications

The MRCF provides healthcare professionals with a patient-centered consultation structure, serving to identify medication-related needs and potentially support adherence. It also allows the quality of a practitioner's consultation to be evaluated.     

大学生自我中心调查问卷初步编制及心理测量学检验

目的介绍大学生自我中心调查问卷的编制并进行心理测量学的分析。方法通过533名大学生的数据对大学生自我中心进行信效度分析。结果大学生自我中心调查问卷显示出较好的效度和一定的信度;量表总的内部一致性系数为0.704,问卷的重测信度为0.839。结论大学生自我中心调查问卷的信度分析在可接受的范围内;内容效度、结构效度和效标效度良好。     

大学生性心理健康特点的定量研究

目的了解大学生性心理健康特点。方法使用《大学生性心理健康问卷》对1700名大学生进行调查。结果问卷总均分为2.14±0.34,性认知和性态度的均分为2.45±0.35和1.93±0.56。总分及性态度男生得分低于女生（t=5.48和8.70,P〈0.01）;总分及性认知高年级得分低于低年级（t=1.99,P〈0.05）;性认知城市学生得分显著低于乡镇学生（t=2.02,P〈0.05）;总分（F=8.12,P〈0.01）及各因子（F=11.31,P〈0.01;F=3.09,P〈0.05）理解支持组得分最低。不同父母态度组别的男、女生得分均存在显著差异（F=4.50和3.96,P〈0.05）,且都是理解支持组得分最低。不同父母态度组别的低年级学生得分也存在显著差异（F=6.04,P〈0.01）,其中中立组得分最低。结论男生、高年级学生、父母理解支持的学生性心理更为健康。     

Quantifying cannabis use with the Timeline Followback approach: A psychometric evaluation

Background

In the absence of a standardized cannabis unit, self-report instruments are inadequate for accurate quantification of cannabis use. The study extends the feasibility of using a cannabis substitute to reliably and validly measure quantity of cannabis use.

Method

Ninety-eight adult Australian cannabis users (M age = 27.98, SD = 11.10; 65.31% male) completed a 90-day Timeline Followback interview regarding their cannabis use, utilizing the cannabis substitute Marijuanilla to report on quantity of use. Ninety-two of these individuals completed the interview at two time-points, and 56 of these participants had collaterals corroborate their cannabis use reports.

Results

Inter-rater reliability was excellent, while test–retest reliability was good to excellent. Intra-class correlation coefficients between participant and collateral reports, while similar to previous research, were unacceptable. Quantity of cannabis use statistically significantly added to frequency of use in predicting cannabis problems and dependence severity. Concurrent and discriminant validity were established with single-item and positive impression management measures, respectively. In addition, Marijuanilla appeared similar to one specimen of street seized cannabis, but not to two others. Importantly, participants’ cravings to use cannabis did not increase as a result of using the cannabis substitute to report on their cannabis use.

Conclusions

These data suggest that utilizing Marijuanilla to facilitate the reporting of grams of cannabis use may be reliable and valid; however, such comprehensive assessment may only be necessary for clinical trials and epidemiological studies, which rely on precise estimates of cannabis use.