Eating attitude tests in arabic: psychometric features and normative data

The study presents the psychometric properties and normative data for an Arabic translation of the Eating Attitudes Test. A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select females students from Grades 7-12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Completed the Eating Attitudes Test and their heights and weights were measured. The total sample size was 1271 students, 67.8% of whom completed the questionnaire enough to perform a factor analysis. The Eating Attitudes Test positive rate was 24.6% and more Eating Attitudes Test positive cases had longer contact with the West and were able to speak a Western language. The overall internal consistency of the questionnaire was good. Seven factors were extracted but six of them were interpretable accounting for 47.2% of the total variance. Weight measures had a positive correlation to the dieting factors but a negative correlation to the social pressure to eat factor. Like other translations, the Eating attitudes Test in Arabic yielded a high false positive rate but using weight measurements or a higher cut-off point might be helpful in improving the sensitivity of the test

arabic self-reporting questionnaire [SRQ] as a psychiatric screening instrument in medical patients

The self-reporting questionnaire was originally developed by the WHO in order to screen for psychiatric disorders. To assess the validity of the Arabic self-reporting questionnaire [SRQ] as a screening instrument for psychiatric morbidity in a sample of Saudi medical patients. All patients referred for endoscopy underwent a semi-structured interview, and were then asked to fill out the SRQ. One hundred and sixty-six males and 126 females were included in the study. Sixty percent of the subjects were identified by the SRQ as psychiatric cases, compared to 48.6% identified using the psychiatric interview. A cut-off point between six and seven, was found to yield a sensitivity of 93%, a specificity of 70%, and a misclassification rate of 19%. Females had more psychiatric morbidity than males. The validity indices and receiver operating characteristic [ROC] analysis support the usefulness of the SRQ as a cost-effective screening instrument for psychiatric morbidity in a two-stage large population research

Awareness and knowledge of Saudi university students about drug dependence

To find out the most likely acceptable and effective methods of treatment and prevention of drug dependence in Saudi Arabia A sample of the population at risk representing students of King Saud University was surveyed Instruments and Design: A questionnaire designed specifically for this study was distributed to 1000 students, of whom 74% responded. The most frequently cited source of information was media services and the most preferred prevention and treatment methods were religious in nature. To use media services especially television to reach the population at risk for drug awareness programmes To include drug education in the school curriculum and to involve religious leaders to place the drug education programme in a religious context that seems more acceptable to both the clinical and non-clinical population