Psychologists’ Attitudes Toward EvidenceBased Practices: An Online Study with Child Mental Health Psychologists / Las Actitudes de los Psicólogos Hacia las Prácticas Basadas en la Evidencia (PBE)

Psychologists’ attitudes towards Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) may have an impact in adhering to such practices. The purpose of this study was to analyse the psychometric characteristics of the Portuguese version of the Evidence Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) (Aarons, 2004). This study also aims to characterize the attitudes of psychologists working in the field of child mental health and analyze the differences in these attitudes according to therapeutic approaches and professional experience. A sample of 71 (93% female) Portuguese psychologists (age M = 37.07, SD = 10.68) completed an online assessment protocol that included the EBPAS and a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic information, therapeutic approaches, and professional experience. The results support the construct validity and reliability of the measure. Portuguese psychologists seem to have more favorable attitudes towards EBPs compared to samples from other countries. When evaluating the differences in these attitudes considering the different variables, the results indicate that psychologists adopting a Cognitive-Behavioral orientation and with less years of professional experience show more favorable attitudes towards EBPs. This research contributes to a wider understanding about the factors that may influence psychologists’ attitudes towards EBPs and thus allow for more effective dissemination and implementation efforts. (AU)

Las actitudes de los psicólogos hacia las Prácticas Basadas en la Evidencia (PBE) pueden tener un impacto en la adhesión a dichas prácticas. El propósito de este estudio fue analizar las características psicométricas de la versión portuguesa de la Escala de Actitudes hacia las Prácticas Basadas en la Evidencia (EBPAS) (Aarons, 2004). Este estudio también pretende caracterizar las actitudes de los psicólogos que trabajan en el área de la salud mental infantil y analizar las diferencias en estas actitudes según los enfoques terapéuticos y la experiencia profesional. Una muestra de 71 (93% mujeres) psicólogos portugueses (edad M = 37.07, DP = 10.68) completaron una evaluación online, incluyendo un cuestionario para recoger información relacionada con las características socio-demográficas del psicólogo, su formación académica y experiencia profesional y el EBPAS. Los resultados apoyan la validez de constructo y la fiabilidad de la medida. Los psicólogos portugueses parecen revelar actitudes más favorables hacia los EBP en comparación con las muestras de otros países. Al evaluar las diferencias en estas actitudes considerando las diferentes variables, los resultados indican que los psicólogos que adoptan una orientación cognitivo-conductual y con menos años de experiencia profesional muestran actitudes más favorables hacia las PBE. Esta investigación contribuye a un mayor conocimiento de las variables que pueden influir en las actitudes de los psicólogos hacia las PBE y, por tanto, permite realizar esfuerzos de difusión e implementación más eficaces. (AU)

Cross-Language Validation and the Factor Structure of the Social-Emotional Competence Questionnaire for Pakistani Adolescents.

Background: For the last few years, in the field of school education, social-emotional competencies have been gaining in importance because they result in positive attitudes and adaptation to school (Mella et al., 2021). Objective: The current study was designed to conduct Urdu translation, cross-language validation, and confirmatory factor analysis of the Social-Emotional Competence Questionnaire (SECQ) for Pakistani adolescents. Design: Urdu translation was done using the standard back-translation method. The data for the main study was collected using a non-random sampling method for 910 adolescents who were between 10 to 19 years old. Results: The findings of the pilot study (n = 64) show that the Social-Emotional Competence Questionnaire is a reliable questionnaire, as Cronbach's alpha reliabilities of both versions (English and Urdu) were acceptable (Version 1 α = 0.77; Version 2 α = 0.77). After 15 days, the Pearson product-moment correlation was checked to meet the objective of cross-language validation, which resulted in a high correlation between the two forms (r = 0.88). The original author of the questionnaire had proposed a factor structure consisting of five factors, namely: self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship management, and responsible decision-making. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the present study also confirmed and supported the five-factor structure in comparison to other models for the Urdu version. Conclusion: The Social-Emotional Competence Questionnaire is a reliable and culturally-validated tool for adolescents attending school, which can be used in future research for measuring social-emotional competencies.

Fluctuations in Parkinson's disease and personalized medicine: bridging the gap with the neuropsychiatric fluctuation scale.

Background: Neuropsychiatric fluctuations (NpsyF) are frequent and disabling in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). In OFF-medication, NpsyF entail minus neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) like anxiety, apathy, sadness, and fatigue. In ON-medication, NpsyF consist in plus NPS, such as high mood, hypomania, and hyperactivity. Accurate identification of these NpsyF is essential to optimize the overall PD management. Due to lack of punctual scales, the neuropsychiatric fluctuation scale (NFS) has been recently designed to assess NpsyF in real time. The NFS comprises 20 items with two subscores for plus and minus NPS, and a total score. Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the NFS in PD. Methods: PD patients with motor fluctuations and healthy controls (HC) were assessed. In PD patients, the NFS was administrated in both the ON-and OFF-medication conditions, together with the movement disorders society-unified Parkinson disease rating scale parts I-IV. Depression (Beck depression scale II), apathy (Starkstein apathy scale) and non-motor fluctuations items of the Ardouin scale of behaviour in PD (ASBPD OFF and ON items) were also assessed. NFS internal structure was evaluated with principal component analysis consistency (PCA) in both medication conditions in PD patients and before emotional induction in HC. NFS internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. NFS convergent and divergent validity was measured through correlations with BDI-II, Starktein, and ASBPD OFF and ON non motor items. Specificity was assessed comparing NFS global score between the HC and PD populations. Sensitivity was evaluated with t-student test comparing the ON-and the OFF-medication conditions for NFS global score and for minus and plus subscores. Results: In total, 101 consecutive PD patients and 181 HC were included. In PD patients and HC, PCA highlighted one component that explained 32-35 and 42% of the variance, respectively. Internal consistency was good for both the NFS-plus (alpha =0.88) and NFS-minus items (alpha =0.8). The NFS showed a good specifity for PD (p < 0.0001) and a good sensitivity to the medication condition (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The satisfactory properties of the NFS support its use to assess acute neuropsychiatric fluctuations in PD patients, adding to available tools.

Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale: measuring parenting self-efficacy in Portuguese mothers during the first year postpartum.

BACKGROUND: The Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (KPCS) was designed to assess parenting self-efficacy in parents of infants during the first year. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse the psychometric characteristics of the KPCS in Portuguese mothers during the first-year postpartum. METHODS: A sample of 383 mothers were recruited at two public outpatient units in Northern Portugal. Mothers completed the KPCS, a sociodemographic questionnaire, and measures of depressive and anxiety symptoms at least one time between two weeks, three, six and 12 months postpartum. RESULTS: Good fit was found for a factor model with three subscales: parenting, support and child development. The KPCS presented good internal consistency. Regarding the criterion validity of the KPCS, significant effects of mother's age were found on the development subscale and significant associations were found between mother's depressive and anxiety symptoms and the KPCS total scale and subscales. Optimal clinical cut-offs were suggested. CONCLUSION: Findings provided evidence on the psychometric characteristics of the KPCS which can be used to assess parenting self-efficacy in Portuguese mothers during the first-year postpartum, possibly identifying mothers with low parenting self-efficacy.

Three-item loneliness scale: psychometric properties and normative data of the Spanish version.

Loneliness is a common social phenomenon across countries with negative effects in health. Thus, the measurement of loneliness is of paramount importance. The Three-Item Loneliness Scale (TILS) was designed to be used in large-population surveys as a quick measure of loneliness. The aim of this study is to provide a Spanish validation of the TILS. A representative sample of the Spanish population (N = 1951) was used. We analysed the psychometric properties, factor structure, and distribution demographics characteristics of the Spanish TILS. Analyses showed differences regarding age, gender, educational level, employment status, household composition and annual gross income in line with previous literature. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed a unifactorial structure, with significant moderate correlations between the TILS and depression, anxiety, paranoia and well-being, and mild significant correlations with belongingness and mistrust. The internal consistency of the Spanish TILS was good (α = 0.82). Our study indicates that the TILS is a valid and reliable measure of loneliness in the Spanish population. Loneliness is a modern epidemic and a precursor of mental and health problems that reduced the quality of life. Therefore, it is important to have reliable measures of this phenomenon.

The clinical perfectionism questionnaire: psychometric properties of the Italian version in patients with eating disorders.

BACKGROUND: Problematic perfectionism has been traditionally conceptualized as a multidimensional construct, and specific instruments have been developed to capture its various dimensions. However, the Clinical Perfectionism Questionnaire (CPQ) was recently designed to measure a unidimensional construct called "clinical perfectionism", but the questionnaire has not yet been validated in Italian. AIM: This study aimed to propose the Italian version of the CPQ and examine its psychometric properties. METHODS: The CPQ was translated into Italian using translation and back-translation procedures. Then, it was administered to 188 Italian-speaking patients with eating disorders and 126 non-eating disorder group (excluded if the Italian version of the Eating Attitudes Test-26 was ≥ 20). The clinical group also completed the Italian versions of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS), the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good fit for the bifactor structure of the 10-item version. Internal consistency was high for the general clinical perfectionism factor, and test-retest reliability was good. Convergent validity was acceptable for the general clinical perfectionism and 'overvaluation of striving' group factors. The CPQ showed significantly higher scores in patients with eating disorders than in the non-eating disorder group. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the study demonstrated the good psychometric properties of the Italian version of the CPQ, and validated its use in Italian-speaking patients with eating disorders. Although further research is required, the CPQ has promising evidence as a reliable and valid measure of clinical perfectionism in its Italian version. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, Descriptive study.

The development and validation of an academic burnout questionnaire among Moroccan trainee teachers using the maslach burnout inventory-student survey.

BACKGROUND: Stress and burnout syndrome are more common for people who work in professions that include direct contact with humans, such as education and the medical field. To contribute to the prevention of this syndrome, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) has been validated and used in different countries worldwide except for Morocco. The main purpose of this study is to develop and validate a special version of the MBI-SS scale to assess academic burnout among Moroccan trainee teachers during their training period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was carried out to assess the sociodemographic factors and certain stressors of the interviewees as well as the MBI-SS. Two hundred fifty-five trainee teachers of the CRMEF (Regional Centre for Education and Training) participated to assess the validity of the MBI-SS scale in its French version and its three components during the academic year 2020/2021 of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region. The inferential method of data analysis was used by Cronbach's alpha to determine the overall reliability of the instrument as well as the three components of the assessment. After that, exploratory factor analysis was carried out. RESULTS: Sixty five percent of the participant were male, and most of them were between the ages of 20 and 30 years. The results demonstrated a satisfactory psychometric characteristic for its dimensions and validated the 3-dimensional structure of the MBI-SSM, yet they indicate the necessity to remove two items to guarantee their reliability. The Cronbach's alpha value of the MBI-SSM was greater than (0.7). The Cronbach's alpha also showed a good homogeneity for the three dimensions of the MBI-SSM, (0.853) for emotional exhaustion, (0.570) for cynicism, and (0.776) for academic efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the MBI-SSM is determined to be an objective and a valid instrument and can be used to assess academic burnout in the Moroccan context.

Personal Beliefs about Illness Questionnaire-Revised (PBIQ-R): Spanish adaptation in a clinical sample with psychotic disorders.

BACKGROUND: The way people with psychosis psychologically adapt and manage the diagnosis of such a mental disorder has been considered a key factor that contributes to the emergence and aggravation of emotional problems. These beliefs about illness can be very important due to their possible association with stigma and its implications in terms of loss of roles and social status. Given the importance of these personal beliefs about the specific diagnosis of psychosis, the Personal Beliefs about Illness Questionnaire (PBIQ) and PBIQ-R have been developed. AIMS: The present study aims to explore the psychometric characteristics of the Spanish version of the PBIQ-R in a sample of patients with a diagnosis of psychosis-related disorders. METHOD: Participants were 155 patients (54.8% male) of the Public Health Service in Andalusia (Spain). Those who consented to participate filled in the PBIQ-R, the Social Comparison Scale, and the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 to measure emotional symptoms. RESULTS: All dimensions showed adequate internal consistency values: Cronbach's alpha extends between .81 and .88; and McDonald's omega ranges between .87 and .92. The temporal reliability for an interval of 3-4 weeks was high. The correlations between the PBIQ-R dimensions and the other variables included in the study were significant and in the expected direction. The factor analysis of the principal components of the PBIQ-R dimensions revealed a single factor in each of the dimensions that explained 64-74%. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of the PBIQ-R.

Evaluation of an Online Version of the CFT 20-R in Third and Fourth Grade Children.

There is growing demand for digital intelligence testing. In the current study, we evaluated the validity of an online version of the revised German Culture Fair Intelligence Test (CFT 20-R). A total of 4100 children from the third and fourth grades completed the online version using a smartphone or tablet. Subsequently, 220 of these children also completed the paper-pencil (PP) version. The internal consistency and construct validity of the online version appeared to be acceptable. The correlation between the raw scores and school grades in German and mathematics was slightly lower than expected. On average, the raw scores for the PP version were revealed to be higher, which was probably due to a learning effect. At the item level, the results show small differences for the subtests Series and Matrices, possibly caused by small differences in the presentation of the items. The correspondence between the versions did not depend on children's levels of impulsivity or intelligence. Altogether, the results support the hypothesis that the online version of the CFT 20-R is a valid measure of general fluid intelligence and highlight the need for separate norms.

The Development and Psychometric Characteristics of the "Virtual Identity of Social Media Users" Test.

Introduction: Modern society is characterized by the widespread use of social media, which provides users with communication, leisure, work, and study opportunities. With the growth of such opportunities, more time is being spent online. These circumstances explain why we developed a test entitled the Virtual Identity of Social Media Users (VISCMU). Objective: To develop and test the psychometric characteristics of the VISMU test. Design: The research methods included theoretical analysis, modeling, expert assessments, questionnaires, and statistical analysis. The research sample was comprised of 285 users of VKontakte and other social media. Results: The results of factor analysis proved the acceptability of the three scales identified in the test. Expert assessments showed that the test had sufficient face and content validity. The scales were characterized by optimal indicators of internal consistency, homogeneity, and discriminatory power. The test-retest reliability values demonstrated that the test indicators were stable. Statistically significant differences in the parameter measuring virtual identity in groups with different levels of success in adult life justified a sufficient level of criterion validity. The correlation between the test scales and the components of the factor structure of the modified test "Who am I online?" indicated its compliance with construct validity norms. Positive connections between virtual identity and Internet addiction, smartphone addiction, aggressiveness, hostility, and negative relationships with vitality, indicated sufficient convergent validity. The test has been standardized and specified. Conclusion: The test was aimed at measuring the extent to which a person's virtual identity would reveal the specific characteristics of its impact on the individual's personal development.

Exploration of psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Core Young Person's Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (YP-CORE).

There is an increasing need of outcome measures for young people suitable to evaluate treatments and routine settings. However, measures must show suitable psychometric characteristics for such use. This is the first psychometric evaluation of the Italian version of the Core Young Person Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (YP-CORE). Data are reported for a clinical sample, aged 11-17 (n=175) and non-clinical sample, aged 11-17 (n=206). Analyses included acceptability, confirmatory factor analysis, internal reliability, influence of gender and age on cutoff scores and reliable change. The YP-CORE acceptability was good, with a very high completion rate (98.7% fully completed). Internal consistency was good: the overall Cronbach's alpha value (α) equal to 0.75 (95% confidence interval=0.69-0.80). The measure was sensitive to change (Cohen dz=1.35). The Italian version of the YP-CORE showed acceptable psychometric properties is suitable for use in services for young people as a change/outcome measure.

Psychometric validation of the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Desire/Arousal/Orgasm.

BACKGROUND: For the treatment of female sexual dysfunction, the most relevant outcome measures are patient-reported treatment effects and changes in symptoms, underscoring the need for reliable, validated patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric characteristics (validity and reliability) of the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Desire/Arousal/Orgasm (FSDS-DAO) PRO measure, which was adapted from the validated FSDS-Revised (FSDS-R) questionnaire and added 2 questions involving arousal and orgasm. METHODS: Psychometric analyses were based on the data from a multicenter phase 2b dose-finding study that compared the safety and efficacy of bremelanotide versus placebo and were conducted in the evaluable modified intent-to-treat population (N = 325) from that study. Psychometric evaluation of the new items in the FSDS-DAO included confirmatory factor analyses, tests of internal consistency and test-retest reliability, examinations of convergent and discriminant validity, and determination of responsiveness. The validity of the FSDS-DAO was evaluated based on previously developed instruments, including the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), General Assessment Questionnaire (GAQ), Women's Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction (WITS-9), and Female Sexual Encounter Profile-Revised (FSEP-R). RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the FSDS-DAO items fit very well (Bentler's comparative fit index of 0.929). Cronbach's α for the FSDS-DAO total score was ≥ 0.91 at Visits 1, 2, 5, and 12, demonstrating adequate internal consistency reliability. Test-retest reliability was acceptable with an intra-class coefficient of 0.61 and a Spearman's correlation coefficient score of 0.62 between Visits 1 and 2 (4 weeks). Acceptable construct validity was demonstrated by significant correlations with related PRO scales in the expected directions and magnitude. For example, participants reporting the worst levels of sexual function on the FSFI also showed the worst FSDS-DAO scores at Visits 5 and 12. The FSDS-DAO total score was responsive to change. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence supports the validity and reliability of the FSDS-DAO for assessing sexually related distress in women with female sexual arousal disorder and/or hypoactive sexual desire disorder; the addition of the arousal and orgasm items did not impact the validity and reliability of the measure. Clinical Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01382719.

Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS): psychometric characteristics of a Spanish adaptation in a clinical population.

BACKGROUND: The Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) is an instrument that can be easily applied for routine evaluation of the impact of mental disorders on patient functioning. In spite of the interest in its use, there is very little information available on its psychometric characteristics and even less in Spanish. AIMS: The objective of this study was to analyse its psychometric characteristics. METHOD: The sample consisted of 441 patients treated in a community mental health unit. They filled out the WSAS and two psychopathology measures, one for anxiety and the other for depression. Fifty-five of them, chosen at random, were asked to fill out the scale again a second time to explore its temporal reliability. RESULTS: The scale showed high internal consistency, a single factor that explained 60.4% of the variance, and temporal reliability of .78 for the total score. Significant correlations were found between the WSAS scores and the psychopathological measures, as well as significant differences between those working and those on leave. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm the validity and reliability of the scale and support its possible use for routine evaluation of the functional impact of mental disorders.

Comparison of Psychometric Characteristics for Five Versions of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire in Teenagers Sample.

Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) is a self-report measure of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness with five versions in recent studies. There are five versions of INQ. But results from studies using different versions are quite different. Current suicide behavior among teenagers has attracted much attention. But which version is more suitable for teenage samples is still uncertain. It is important to compare the potential differences in different versions of INQ to identify the most psychometrically available version to predict teenagers' acquired capability for suicide and provide them with timely help to reduce teenagers' suicide rates. This study compared the construct validity, internal consistency, validity, and average test information of each version in the sample of teenagers. Results showed the 10-item version provided the most average test information in both thwarted belongingness subscale and perceived burdensomeness subscale, and the INQ-10 is more suitable for teenage samples.

The Baby Care Scale: A Psychometric Study With Fathers During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period.

The Baby Care Scale (BCS) was designed to assess the involvement of father in infant care during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This study aimed to examine the psychometric characteristics of the BCS - antenatal (BCS-AN) and BCS - postnatal (BCS-PN) versions. A sample of 100 primiparous fathers completed the BCS-AN and/or the BCS-PN and self-reported the measures of anxiety and depressive symptoms and of father-infant emotional involvement during pregnancy and the postpartum period, respectively. Good internal consistency was found for both the BCS-AN and the BCS-PN. A two-factor model was found for both versions of the instrument: (1) household tasks and (2) infant care tasks. The BCS-AN and BCS-PN subscales revealed good internal consistency. Higher scores on the BCS-AN predicted higher scores on the BCS-PN. Significant associations were found among the BCS (BCS-AN and BCS-PN), depressive and anxiety symptoms, and father-infant emotional involvement, revealing good criterion validity. This study suggested that both the BCS-AN and the BCS-PN are reliable multidimensional self-report measures that assess the involvement of father in infant care during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Parental feeding practices across child's weight status: Evidence of the Italian validation of the Child Feeding Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to assess the psychometric proprieties of the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) in Italian mothers. DESIGN: Mothers completed the Italian version of the CFQ, and children's anthropometric data were collected. Construct validity of the CFQ was assessed by comparing three different models: (a) a seven correlated factors model in which all items were analysed; (b) a seven correlated factors model with composite items based on the Restriction factor and (c) an eight correlated factors model with a separate Reward factor. Measurement invariance using BMI categories and gender was evaluated. Furthermore, discriminant validity with group comparison was performed between BMI categories and gender. SETTING: Italy. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1253 6-year-old Italian children (53·9 % male) attending elementary school (1st grade) and their mothers (mean age = 38·22 years; sd = 4·89) participated in this study. RESULTS: The eight-factor model with a separate reward factor provided the best fit for the data. The strict invariance of the CFQ across child BMI categories and gender was confirmed. The CFQ internal consistency was acceptable for most subscales. However, two subscales showed no adequate values. As expected, the CFQ scales showed significant differences between BMI categories, while no gender-related differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicated the Italian version of the CFQ to be factorially valid for assessing parental feeding practices of 6-year-old children across BMI categories. Future research should address low internal consistency in some of the CFQ subscales.

Image qualities and mood variability: Evaluating the utility of an imagery survey for bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Imagery appears to play an important role in mood variability, a core symptom of patients suffering from bipolar disorder. The present study aimed to explore the validity and reliability of an online self-report measure of imagery, the Dutch Imagery Survey (DImS). The DImS is an adaptation of the Imagery interview used in research on imagery in mental disorders. The present study additionally explored the ability of the DImS to detect relationships between self-reported imagery and subsequent mood and subsequent behaviour. METHOD: 135 students completed the DImS and additional mental imagery and mood questionnaires. For re-test reliability, 42 students completed the survey again within two days. RESULTS: Internal consistencies and test-retest scores of the five scales of the DImS were reasonable. Imagery Quality correlated with Emotions, and to a lesser degree with Behaviour. Positive Appraisals correlated with Positive Emotions, Negative Appraisals with Negative Emotions, and Positive appraisals with Behaviour. Frequency of Imagery, Imagery Quality and Positive Appraisals correlated with elevated mood. Imagery Quality and Negative Appraisals correlated with low mood. The DImS took approximately 15 min to complete. LIMITATIONS: Re-test reliability was limited due to participants changing their dominant image. Results need to be replicated in a clinical sample. CONCLUSIONS: Psychometric findings with the DImS appeared reasonable and consistent and showed that, in line with other recent studies, imagery is related to current mood and to both self-perceived emotion and subsequent behaviour. These findings suggested that the DImS is suitable to study the role of imagery in bipolar mood variability.

Improved Detection and Evaluation of Depression in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: Validity and Reliability of Screening (PHQ-2) and Diagnostic (BDI-FS-Fr) Tests of Depression in Chronic Kidney Disease.

OBJECTIVE: Depression is underdiagnosed and thus undertreated. This study aimed to validate the French version of the PHQ-2 (Patient Health Questionnaire-2) and BDF-FS-Fr (Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen-France) on patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) living in France. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 109 patients of the Centre universitaire de maladies rénales, Centre Hospi-talier Universitaire (CHU) de Caen (37 patients with CKD on pre-dialysis and grafting stage, 36 grafted patients, and 36 dialyzed patients). STATISTICAL APPROACH: Test parameters and statistical aspects of assessing diagnostic and screening tests were used, including knowledge of and ability to calculate, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, diagnostic odds ratios, and the use of ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curves. RESULTS: PHQ-2 and BDI-FS-Fr statistical parameters for depression tested very positively and had a satisfactory AUC (area under the curve). The PHQ-2 had a satisfactory AUC > 0.70, sensitivity > 0.60, and specificity > 0.80. The BDI-FS-Fr had a satisfactory area under the curve (0.859) with sensitivity (83%) and specificity (0.859); and internal consistency (α = 0.668). The PHQ-2 and BDI-FS-Fr showed good internal and external validity of structure, construct validity, criterion validity, discriminant validity, internal consistency, and factorial validity. CONCLUSION: The French versions of the PHQ-2 and BDI-FS have highly favorable psychometric properties. These instruments are valid self-assessment tools for screening and evaluating depression, its intensity, and its evolution. The PHQ-2 and BDI-FS-Fr thus have very good psychometric properties and are useful tools for researchers and practitioners. Regarding clinical practice in the hospital, clinicians and nurses can use the PHQ-2 to screen quickly for depression during routine consultations, during hospitalization, and in dialysis centers. The 7 items of the BDI-FS-Fr enable us to assess the depressive state, thereby avoiding a false diagnosis of depression among CKD patients in a clinical setting.

[Validation of the German translation of the ASAS health index : A questionnaire to assess functioning and health in patients with spondyloarthritis]. / Validierung der deutschen Version des ASAS-Gesundheitsindex : Ein Fragebogen zur Erfassung von Funktionsfähigkeit und Gesundheit bei Patienten mit Spondyloarthritis.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was the validation of the German translation of the ASAS Health Index (ASAS HI), which measures functioning and health in patients with axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis (SpA). METHOD: Patients with SpA who fulfilled the ASAS classification criteria for axial (axSpA) or peripheral SpA (pSpA) were included in this study. Constuct validity of the ASAS HI was tested by using Spearman's correlation coefficients. Reliability was analyzed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) in patients with stable disease. In patients requiring an important therapeutic change because of unacceptable high disease activity, the sensitivity to change was analyzed using standardized response mean (SRM). RESULTS: A total of 171 patients (57.9% male, age 44.4 ± 13.0 years) were included. The internal consistency was high with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.83. The reliability (n = 63) was good (ICC = 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90-0.96). The sensitivity to change of the ASAS HI was low for a relatively small number of cases (n = 33) with a SRM of -0.27 but showed a good ability to discriminate between various stages of disease activity and physical functioning. DISCUSSION: We showed that the German translation of the ASAS HI provide good psychometric properties to assess functioning and health in patients with SpA. This reliable and sensitive to change questionnaire therefore enables the assessment of disease-specific global functioning and severity in patients with all forms of SpA.

Psychometric testing of the short-form Chinese version of the self-management for adolescents with type 1 diabetes scale.

Self-management among adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is poorer than in other age groups during childhood. A valid and reliable short-form scale to measure self-management in adolescents with T1D is prudent for enhancing their self-management in clinical settings. We used a cross-sectional design to develop a short-form Chinese version of the Self-Management of Type 1 Diabetes for Adolescents Scale (C-SMOD-A) and test its psychometric characteristics. Two hundred adolescents with T1D were recruited from four hospitals in Taiwan through convenience sampling. Content validity, exploratory factor analysis, and corrected item-total correlations were used to shorten the 52-item C-SMOD-A. Confirmatory factor analysis, criterion-related validity, and reliability testing were used to examine the psychometric characteristics of the short-form C-SMOD-A. Finally, the 23-item C-SMOD-A (C-SMOD-A-23) with five inter-correlated factors was developed. Glycated hemoglobin levels were significantly associated with each subscale of the C-SMOD-A-23 with correlation coefficients ranging from -0.18 to -0.31. The composite reliability and test-retest reliability of the five subscales ranged from 0.70 to 0.88 and from 0.78 to 0.93 respectively. Accordingly, the C-SMOD-A-23 has acceptable validity and reliability to measure five specific domains of self-management for adolescents with T1D. Health-care providers could use the C-SMOD-A-23 as a clinical reference to assess specific domains of self-management and provide interventions to enhance self-management for adolescents with T1D.