Development of a tool to measure the life situation of parents of children with cancer

The aim of this study was to test the validity and reliability of the recently developed Life Situation Scale for Parents (LSS-P) among parents of children with cancer. One hundred and ten parents of seventy-four children and adolescents who visited three paediatric wards in Sweden filled out three instruments: The LSS-P, the Quality of Life Scale and the Family Support Scale. The reliability co-efficient, Cronbach's alpha, was found to be 0.82 for the LSS-P. A factor analysis with orthogonal varimax rotation of 37 items of the LSS-P gave twelve factors. A higher order factor analysis reduced the factors to four (Care, Well-being, Social life and Preparedness), explaining the underlying dimensions to 57.9%. The total LSS-P correlated significantly with the Quality of Life Scale, and the higher order factor Care with the Family Support Scale. The LSS-P discriminated, in some aspects, between two-parent and single parent families and between parents visiting the ward for treatment or check-up. The conclusion is that this first version of the LSS-P was valid and reliable (internal consistency) to a certain extent, but that the instrument should be tested on larger samples and during different phases of the disease.     

Classification and determination of pharmacodynamics of a new antihypoxidotic drug, vinconate, by pharmaco-EEG and psychometry

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study the encephalotropic and psychotropic properties of both orally and intravenously administered doses of vinconate (OC 340)--a new vincamine analogue--were studied in 10 elderly subjects in their sixties by means of quantitative EEG and psychometric analyses. They received at weekly intervals randomized single oral doses of placebo, 40 mg, 80 mg and 160 mg vinconate orally as well as placebo and 30 mg vinconate intravenously. EEG recordings and the monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate and side effects were carried out at the hours 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6. Psychometric tests were performed at the hours 0, 2, 4 and 6. Computer-assisted spectral analysis of the EEG showed a significant CNS effect of vinconate as compared with placebo characterized by a decrease of delta activity, increase of alpha and specifically of alpha-adjacent slow beta activity as well as an acceleration of the centroid of the total activity. Such changes were described previously by us after several other antihypoxidotics and are indicative of improvement in vigilance in the sense of Head (Br. J. Psychol., 14, 125-147). The encephalotropic effect was most pronounced after 160 mg vinconate p.o. followed by 80 mg and 40 mg vinconate orally, which timewise could be observed best in the 6th hour after drug administration. Changes after the i.v. injection of vinconate peaked as early as the 2nd hour post-drug. Psychometric investigations demonstrated only small psychotropic effects, which rarely reached the level of statistical significance as compared with placebo. Generally, the orally administered vinconate induced a trend towards an improvement of psychomotor activity, complex reaction and cognitive function as well as a significant improvement in attention and concentration, while the von Zerssen score increased as compared with placebo. 30 mg vinconate i.v., however, induced an improvement in mood as well as a shortening of reaction time and activation in the after-effect as compared with placebo in addition to a trend towards improvement in psychomotor activity, complex reaction and Pauli test. Evaluation of pulse rate, blood pressure and side effects showed a good tolerance of the drug. The findings are discussed.     

Measurement and Clinical Decision Making: Focus on Instrument Development

Valid and reliable instruments are essential to responsible and accurate diagnosis, planning, and evaluation by professional nurses working independently or collaboratively with other healthcare professionals. The author provides an overview of the instrument development process and emphasizes the importance of measurement as an intrinsic part of the clinical decisionmaking process. Discussion focuses attention on the differences between an index and a scale, both of which are needed as part of assessment protocols. Some differences in strategies required for estimating validity and reliability for scales and indexes are highlighted.     

ALCOHOL-INDUCED BRAIN DAMAGE AND ITS REVERSIBILITY

Adult alcoholics show impairment of memory and new learning that is rapidly reversible with abstinence. Prolonged and intense drinking produces motor impairment and loss of brain volume which are also partially reversible.     

Lithium maintenance treatment of manic-melancholic patients: its role in the daily routine.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the desired and undesired effects of relapse-preventive lithium treatment given routinely to manic-melancholic patients who had accepted the necessity of a strict tablet regime. The evaluation was based upon case record data and various rating scales, and 76 patients took part in the investigation. Our results showed that in 24% of the patients treatment was discontinued. This was due to side effects in 16% and to insufficient effect in 8% of the cases. The suicide risk was not eliminated, and 29% of the patients were receiving additional antidepressive or antimanic treatment at the test day. On the other hand, 78% of the patients rated the relapse-preventive lithium effect as moderate to excellent. Indirect evidence was obtained in support of a stabilizing effect of lithium on the emotional control in bipolar patients. The most frequent complaints during lithium treatment were tremor and increased thirst.     

The Psychometric Properties in the Chinese Version of the Reasons for Living Inventory and the Relationship with Suicidal Behaviors Among Psychiatric Patients in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

This study examines the reliability, factor structure, convergent, and construct validities of the Mandarin Chinese version of the Reasons For Living Inventory (RFL) among Taiwanese psychiatric patients. Demographical characteristics of patients who hold these adaptive cognitions and differences on the level of endorsement between suicidal and non-suicidal individuals were also investigated. All adult patients that had visited the psychiatric ambulatory clinic or had been admitted to the psychiatric ward in a general hospital in Taiwan over a 3-month period were consecutively invited to complete an inventory that included background information, the Mandarin Chinese versions of the RFL, the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire–Revised (SBQ-R), and the Beck Hopeless Scale (BHS). Of the 254 respondents aged 19 to 65 years, 47.2% had suicidal ideations or attempts within the past year. The original six-factor structure of the American version was confirmed to be acceptable. The Cronbach α was 0.964.Total scores on RFL were inversely and significantly correlated with that from BHS. Multivariate analysis with demographic data and items from SBQ-R revealed that higher scores on the RFL have been associated with married, have children or religious beliefs, fewer past and current suicidal ideations and attempts, fewer histories of suicidal threats, and a less self-reported likelihood of future suicide in our sample. The Mandarin version of the RFL inventory showed acceptable psychometric properties and could distinguish suicidal patients from non-suicidal ones.     

Psychometric performance of the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire in a US sample

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric characteristics of the Juniper Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) in a sample of asthmatics from the USA, employing data from the Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI) validation study. One hundred and sixty-one adults (66 men) undergoing standard care in an asthma clinic participated in the study (mean age=34.7±10.7 years, mean duration of illness=17.3±11.22 years and mean FEV1% predicted=85.6%±17.1%). The internal consistency reliability (?) ranged from 0.90 (environment subscale) to 0.95 (overall score) and the 2 week reproducibility (ICC) ranged from 0.81 (activities subscale) to 0.93 (symptoms subscale). The AQLQ was significantly correlated with an asthma disease severity scale and the Health Utilities Index (p < 0.001). No relationship was found between the AQLQ score and FEV1% predicted. Men reported better overall quality of life (QoL), fewer activity limitations and less environmental exposure than women (p < 0.01), while patients with a high school education or less had more severe asthma and poorer QoL across all subscales (p < 0.001). This may reflect the differential experiences of asthma across gender and socioeconomic groups. The results suggest that the AQLQ may be a useful outcome measure for clinical trials conducted in the USA.     

Eye movements in patients with schizophrenia: visual stimuli,semantic content and psychiatric symptoms

In order to explore a possible association between psychiatric symptoms and eye movements, 32 patients with schizophrenia were examined using an eye mark recorder in combination with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and were compared with 32 controls. Four types of figures were presented to the subjects: geometrical figures, drawings, story drawings, and sentences. Mean eye fixation time was significantly longer and mean eye scanning length was significantly shorter for the patients than for controls, not only in response to the geometric figures, but also in response to the story drawings. Eye fixation time and scanning velocity were positively correlated with degrees of thought disturbance. The number of eye fixations, eye fixation time and scanning velocity were negatively correlated with degree of depressive tendency.     

正性负性情绪量表的中国人群适用性研究

目的：对正性负性情绪量表（PANAS）进行中国人民群的适用性研究。引进情绪两个维度评定的有效工具。方法：调查372名社区人群，使用同质信度，重测信度为检验量表信度指标。使用因素分析的方差极大旋转法检验结构效度。选择SCL-90为效标效度。结果：PANAS所有条目的Cronbach‘sα系数为0.82。正性，负性情绪的Cronbach‘sα系数为分别为0.85和0.83。正，负性情绪的重测信度分别是0.47和0.47。正性情绪各条目的负荷在0.76-0.40之间，平均负荷0.65；负性情绪各条目的负荷在0.75-0.45之间，平均负荷为0.62。负性情绪与SCL-90总症状指数的相关系数是0.65。结论：中文版的PANAS适用中国人群。