Reading Ability as an Estimator of Premorbid Intelligence: Does It Remain Stable Among Ethnically Diverse HIV+ Adults?

UNLABELLED: The Wide Range Achievement Test, 3rd edition, Reading Recognition subtest (WRAT-3 RR) is an established measure of premorbid ability. Furthermore, its long-term reliability is not well documented, particularly in diverse populations with CNS-relevant disease. OBJECTIVE: We examined test-retest reliability of the WRAT-3 RR over time in an HIV+ sample of predominantly racial/ethnic minority adults. METHOD: Participants (N = 88) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, including the WRAT-3 RR, on at least two separate study visits. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were computed using scores from baseline and follow-up assessments to determine the test-retest reliability of the WRAT-3 RR across racial/ethnic groups and changes in medical (immunological) and clinical (neurocognitive) factors. Additionally, Fisher's Z tests were used to determine the significance of the differences between ICCs. RESULTS: The average test-retest interval was 58.7 months (SD = 36.4). The overall WRAT-3 RR test-retest reliability was high (r = .97, p < .001) and remained robust across all demographic, medical, and clinical variables (all r's > .92). ICCs did not differ significantly between the subgroups tested (all Fisher's Z p's > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study supports the appropriateness of word-reading tests, such as the WRAT-3 RR, for use as stable premorbid IQ estimates among ethnically diverse groups. Moreover, this study supports the reliability of this measure in the context of change in health and neurocognitive status and in lengthy inter-test intervals. These findings offer strong rationale for reading as a "hold" test, even in the presence of a chronic, variable disease such as HIV.

The Patient Care Monitor-Neutropenia Index: development, reliability, and validity of a measure for chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To provide an initial evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Patient Care Monitor 1.0 Revised-Neutropenia Index (PCM-N), a symptom-based assessment tool designed to measure health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) changes associated with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. DESIGN: Known-groups methodology and self-report instrument validation. SETTING: A large community oncology practice in Memphis, TN. SAMPLE: 424 patients with cancer in four samples. METHODS: All patients in the first three samples were assessed at baseline of chemotherapy administration and at a point analogous to midcycle. The fourth sample underwent a cross-sectional evaluation of the ability of the PCM-N to distinguish patients with febrile neutropenia, severe afebrile neutropenia, and no neutropenia. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: PCM-N score, grade of neutropenia, and febrile status. FINDINGS: Internal consistency reliability and factor analysis supported the single additive scale structure of the 13 items of the PCM-N. The PCM-N demonstrated good known-groups validity and was able to distinguish patients with grades 3-4 neutropenia from those with grades 0-2. The tool also was able to distinguish patients with febrile neutropenia, severe afebrile neutropenia, and no neutropenia. Receiver operating characteristic analyses provided a psychometrically based threshold score. CONCLUSIONS: The PCM-N is a reliable and valid instrument sensitive to changes in HRQOL associated with moderate-to-severe chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses can use the PCM-N as a rapid and cost-effective tool for monitoring symptoms of neutropenia in patients with cancer.

Predicting violence in romantic relationships during adolescence and emerging adulthood: a critical review of the mechanisms by which familial and peer influences operate.

For three decades, researchers have sought to gain a greater understanding of the developmental antecedents to later perpetration or victimization of violence in romantic relationships. Whereas the majority of early studies focused on family-of-origin factors, attention in recent years has turned to additional ecologies such as peer relationships. This review highlights accomplishments of both family and peer studies that focus on violent romantic relationships in an effort to summarize the current state of knowledge. Attention is given to epidemiology and developmental family and peer factors, with special attention given to mechanisms that mediate and/or moderate the relation between family and peer factors and later participation in violent relationships. A critical approach is taken throughout the review in order to identify limitations of previous studies, and to highlight key findings. A case is made for viewing these developmental antecedents as a result of multiple developmental ecologies that is perhaps best summarized as a culture of violence.

Use of the Patient Care Monitor to screen for depression in adult cancer patients interviewed with the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the Patient Care Monitor (PCM1.0) Acute Distress and Despair normalized T scores as indicators of a diagnosis of Major Depression according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID). METHODS: Subjects were 21 adult cancer patients identified by treating community oncologists as having significant emotional distress matched on age, cancer type, treatment history, and sex to 21 patients not having significant distress. All completed e/tablet PCM 1.0 and SCID administered by trained interviewers. Unweighted kappa and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analyses were used to assess scale properties. RESULTS: Agreement between SCID Major Depression and Acute Distress and Despair (T> or =65) were kappa=0.751 and 0.755, respectively. ROC area under the curve values for these two scales were 0.967 (SE+/-0.03) and 0.942 (SE+/-0.03), respectively, with optimal cut points of T=61 and 63, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Under conditions of preselected extreme groups, PCM 1.0 Acute Distress and Despair T scores are reasonable screening indicators of clinical depression in cancer patients. PCM 1.0 provides an efficient method for point-of-care screening of depression in community oncology clinics.