Construct Validity

We performed two studies. Study 1 was a construct validation of Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition (SCREEN), a 15-item questionnaire for assessing nutritional risk. In Study 2, we examined the test-retest reliability of SCREEN.

Purpose: The disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) questionnaire is a self-administered region-specific outcome instrument developed as a measure of self-rated upper-extremity disability and symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and the construct validity of the DASH questionnaire by establishing its correlation to the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) in industry workers. Also we aimed to investigate whether the DASH can be used as a standardized questionnaire to evaluate the work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in upper extremity in industrial settings and epidemiological studies. Material and methods: The Turkish version's reliability and construct validity were evaluated in 240 industry workers with upper-extremity musculoskeletal complaints. Workers were asked to complete a packet that included the DASH and the SF-36. Test-retest reliability was assessed in all workers who filled in the DASH questionnaire 15 days later. Construct validity was evaluated by comparing the overall and work component DASH scores with SF-36 summary and subscales. Results: The mean DASH score for the textile workers whose duties were confection, dyeing, sewing, quality control and packaging was calculated as 65, 55, 68, 54 and 67, respectively. As a result of this study, pain intensity in shoulder, wrist and hand was significantly associated with the DASH score (po0.05). Internal consistency of the DASH was high (Cronbach alpha 0.91). Test-retest reliability was excellent for the overall DASH (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.92). Moderate correlations (po0.05) were found between the overall and work component DASH and the SF-36 summary scales. Pearson correlation coefficients of the overall and work component DASH to the SF-36 subscales ranged from À0.33 to À0.82. Conclusion: These results support that DASH is a reliable and valid instrument to measure functional disability and investigate the ergonomic risk factors in textile workers with upper-extremity musculoskeletal complaints.

This study developed and tested a theory-based measure of authentic leadership using five separate samples obtained from China, Kenya, and the United States. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a higher order, multidimensional model of the authentic leadership construct (the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire [ALQ]) comprising leader self-awareness, relational transparency, internalized moral perspective, and balanced processing. Structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrated the predictive validity for the ALQ measure for important workrelated attitudes and behaviors, beyond what ethical and transformational leadership offered. Finally, results revealed a positive relationship between authentic leadership and supervisor-rated performance. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

This article describes the development and reliability and validity testing of the Addiction Severity Assessment Tool (ASAT), a brief, 27-item multidimensional self-report measure of problem severity in daily functioning, relational functioning, dysphoric states, dependence severity, recovery skill/self-efficacy, and existential factors for adult substance abuse clients. Items generated for an Alpha version were conceptually and empirically evaluated. A Beta version underwent further empirical evaluation and item selection. Cross validation of the final version examined internal consistency, test-retest reliability, factor structure, and convergent/discriminant and known groups validity. Sensitivity to change was evaluated in a 3-month outcome study. Clients were recruited from inpatient, outpatient and residential substance abuse treatment centers, and a sample of 238 nonpatients were also recruited from community groups. The Beta version was tested with 201 clients, and cross validation involved 242 clients. Well-known standardized, self-report and interview-based comparison measures were used to test convergent/discriminant validity of the ASAT. Reliability coefficients for the six ASAT domains were acceptable. Reasonable convergent/discriminant and known groups, construct validity were demonstrated, along with sensitivity to change of the domain scale scores. The ASAT appears to comprise a useful new tool for assessing clinical outcomes of adult clients in substance abuse treatment.

The present research was developed to examine the conceptualization and measurement of the political skill construct and to provide validation evidence for the Political Skill Inventory (PSI). The results of three investigations, involving seven samples, are reported that demonstrate consistency of the factor structure across studies, construct validity, and criterion-related validity of the PSI. As hypothesized, political skill was positively related to self-monitoring, political savvy, and emotional intelligence; negatively related to trait anxiety; and not correlated with general mental ability. Also, the PSI predicted performance ratings of managers in two samples. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are provided.

Although the use of schema modes in schema-focused therapy (SFT) has been very popular since its introduction, Young's schema mode concept remained largely empirically untested. In order to provide insight into the mode conceptualization of personality disorders (PDs), the current study assessed the relationships between 14 schema modes and all PDs. Relationships between dimensional PD scores and selfreported mode scores were tested in a mixed study group of 489 participants, consisting of axis I and axis II patients, and non-patients. Psychopathology was assessed by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis I and axis II disorders (SCID I and SCID II) or the Structural Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders (SIDP-IV), and modes were assessed by the Schema Mode Inventory. Kendall's partial tau coefficients, controlling each PD-mode correlation for all other PD scores, indicated unique mode profiles for all PDs and corroborated most of the hypothesized PD-mode correlations, supporting the construct validity of the mode model. Nevertheless, the high number of correlations found for some PDs raises concerns about the specificity of the mode model. Implications for both research and therapy are discussed.

The Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy (DANVA) was designed to measure individual differences in the accurate sending and receiving of nonverbal social information. The DANVA consists of four receptive and three expressive subtests that measure nonverbal processing accuracy in children from 6 to 10 years of age. Four propositions were offered to guide the gathering of construct validity data for the DANVA. In support of the propositions, researchers found that DANVA accuracy scores increased with age, were internally consistent and reliable over time, and showed significant relationships with indices of personal and social adjustment and academic achievement but were not related to IQ. Evidence for construct validity was stronger for receptive, as compared to expressive, subtests. Future research should include additional populations of subjects and study of the impact of intensity of emotion being sent or received.

The public value concept is highly popular among practitioners and researchers, yet, to further test and develop the construct it needs more diversity in empirical research. We aim to contribute to future empirical public value research by providing a new public value scale based on Meynhardt’s conceptualization of public value. Conducting two empirical surveys with highly representative samples, we have developed and validated a twelve-item public value scale. Additionally, we applied the scale to empirically test what distinguishes public value from adjacent constructs, such as CSR or reputation, and to examine its explanatory power regarding important client/customer outcomes. The scale will allow future research to test extant public value hypotheses more thoroughly than before by using survey or experimental research designs. Practitioners can use the scale to gain a deeper understanding of public evaluation.

The aim of this research was to identify a small set of indicators of an individual's deprivation that is appropriate for all ethnic groups and can be combined into a single and simple index of individual socioeconomic deprivation in New Zealand. The NZiDep index of socioeconomic deprivation was derived using the same theoretical basis as the national census-based small-area indices of relative socioeconomic deprivation. The index has been created and validated from the analysis of representative sample survey data obtained from approximately 300 Maori, 300 Pacific, and 300 non-Maori, non-Pacific adults. Twenty-eight deprivation-related characteristics, derived from New Zealand and overseas surveys, were analysed by standard statistical techniques (factor analysis, Cronbach's coefficient alpha, item-total correlations, principal component analysis). The index was validated using information on tobacco smoking, which is known to be strongly related to deprivation.

Objective: No outcome measures specific to pulmonary hypertension (PH) currently exist. The aim of the study was to develop health-related quality of life (symptoms and functioning) scales and a quality of life scale that would allow comprehensive, accurate and valid patient-reported outcome assessment in clinical studies. Methods: The content of the Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR) was derived from qualitative interviews conducted with 35 patients. Item reduction was based on the analysis of responses to a postal survey (n=75) and patient interviews (n=15) designed to determine face and content validity. A final postal validation study (n=91) was performed to determine reproducibility and construct validity. Results: The questionnaire was well received by participants who found it to be relevant, comprehensible and quick and easy to complete. Rasch and factor analyses were conducted to ensure unidimensionality of the final CAMPHOR scales; Overall symptoms (made up of Energy, Breathlessness and Mood subscales), Functioning and Quality of life. The CAMPHOR scales had good internal consistency (a=0.90-0.92) and reproducibility (test-retest correlations=0.86-0.92). They also exhibited convergent, divergent and known groups validity. Conclusions: The CAMPHOR is a valuable new instrument for assessing patient-reported outcome in PH clinical trials and routine practice.

The present study describes the development of a new scale to measure Beliefs toward Mental Illness (BMI), which was designed to measure cross-cultural differences in such beliefs as well as to predict treatment-seeking behavior among different cultural groups. A total of 216 students participated in this study (114 Asian students and 102 American students). A series of factor analyses examining construct validity for the BMI revealed that the BMI has three dimensions, including dangerousness, poor social and interpersonal skills, and incurability. Examination of the reliability estimates for each factor revealed moderate to high internal consistency of the BMI. Comparisons between American and Asian students revealed the expected cultural differences in their beliefs toward mental illness and treatment preference.

The purpose of this study was to develop a Portuguese version of the Epilepsy Surgery Inventory (ESI-55) and to assess its psychometric properties. Sixty patients with temporal lobe epilepsy related to unilateral mesial temporal sclerosis who underwent presurgical evaluation at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) formed the sample for this study. The psychometric properties of the ESI-55 included: reliability, validity, and responsiveness. Internal consistency was high in all domains (Cronbach's a ranging from 0.76 for Social Function to 0.88 for Physical Function) except Overall Quality of Life (a = 0.45). Test-retest reliability after 1 week was good, with the intraclass correlation coefficient ranging from 0.79 (Energy/Fatigue) to 0.92 (Role Limitations due to Emotional Problems). Interrater reliability ranged from 0.84 (Cognitive Function) to 0.94 (Role Limitations due to Physical Problems). For construct validity, we verified a high correlation between the ESI-55 and Health Assessment Questionnaire-8 for the Physical Function domain (Pearson linear correlation = À0.84), and a moderate correlation for the Pain domain (P = À0.58), but for the other subscales no correlation was detected. Beck Depression Inventory and ESI-55 domains were highly statistically correlated (ANOVA: P < 0.005), but there was no association of the Cognitive Function and Role Limitations due to Memory Problems subscales with neuropsychological evaluation (Pearson coefficient: P > 0.05). With respect to demographic characteristics, a statistically significant correlation was observed for the variable educational level (Student t, P < 0.005) and ESI-55 scores. There was a high correlation between seizure frequency and ESI-55 domains for clinical variables (ANOVA, P < 0.005). Surgical treatment in this series improved health-related quality of life in the seizure-free group in three domains-Health Perception (1.24), Emotional Well-Being (1.32), and Energy/Fatigue (1.48)-as reflected by the standard response mean and the effect size of the sample. Our results support the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the ESI-55 as a measure of health-related quality of life.

This paper explores the link between student achievement and student learning styles in a college microeconomics course, based on the Dunn and Dunn model of learning styles. The Productivity Environmental Survey (PEPS) is utilized to measure learning style preferences for twenty elements. Factor analysis is applied to reduce the multidimensional preferences to a smaller set of common factors that identify analytic, global or indifferent learning styles. The common factors are used as explanatory variables to measure the correlation between student achievement and their learning styles. The empirical methodology developed in this study also provides a test of the internal validity of the Dunn and Dunn model, the construct validity of the PEPS instrument and the predictive validity of the model. The authors explain how the results of the current research could be utilized to more generally enhance student achievement in the instruction of introductory economics and potentially other s...

Objective: Recognizing the prodrome of a first psychotic episode prospectively creates the opportunity of intervention, which could delay, ameliorate or even prevent onset. Valid criteria and a reliable methodology for identifying possible prodromes are needed. This paper describes an instrument, the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS), which has been designed for such a purpose. It has two functions: (i) to assess psychopathology thought to indicate imminent development of a first-episode psychotic disorder; and (ii) to determine if an individual meets criteria for being at ultra high risk (UHR) for onset of first psychotic disorder. This paper describes the pilot evaluation of the CAARMS.Method: Several methodologies were used to test the CAARMS. First, CAARMS scores in a group of UHR young people and the association between CAARMS scores and the risk of transition to psychotic disorder, were analysed. Second, CAARMS scores in a UHR group were compared to a control group. To assess concurrent validity, CAARMS-defined UHR criteria were compared to the existing criteria for identifying the UHR cohort. To assess predictive validity, the CAARMS-defined UHR criteria were applied to a sample of 150 non-psychotic help-seekers and rates of onset of psychotic disorder at 6-month follow-up determined for the CAARMS-positive (i.e. met UHR criteria) group and the CAARMS-negative (i.e. did not meet UHR criteria) group. The inter-rater reliability of the CAARMS was assessed by using pairs of raters.Results: High CAARMS score in the UHR group was significantly associated with onset of psychotic disorder. The control group had significantly lower CAARMS scores than the UHR group. The UHR criteria assessed by the CAARMS identified a similar group to the criteria measured by existing methodology. In the sample of non-psychotic help-seekers those who were CAARMS-positive were at significantly increased risk of onset of psychotic disorder compared to those who were CAARMS-negative (relative risk of 12.44 (95% CI = 1.5–103.41, p = 0.0025)). The CAARMS had good to excellent reliability.Conclusions: In these preliminary investigations, the CAARMS displayed good to excellent concurrent, discriminant and predictive validity and excellent inter-rater reliability. The CAARMS instrument provides a useful platform for monitoring subthreshold psychotic symptoms for worsening into full-threshold psychotic disorder.

The purpose of the study was to compare the psychometric properties of four established pain scales in a population of hospitalized older adults (mean age, 76 years) with varying levels of cognitive impairment. Patients made ratings of current pain three times/day for 7 days. They also made retrospective daily, weekly, and biweekly ratings of usual, worst, and least pain levels over a 14-day period. Ratings were made on four different scales, varying in numeric and verbal demands: a ®ve-point verbal rating scale, a seven-point faces pain scale, a horizontal 21-point (0±100) box scale, and two vertical 21-point (0±20) box scales (measuring pain intensity and pain unpleasantness). The accuracy, reliability, construct validity, postdictive validity, and bias susceptibility of each scale were evaluated. The horizontal 21-point box scale emerged as the best scale with respect to both psychometrics and validity, regardless of mental status. Pain intensity did not vary as a function of mental status. Retrospective estimates of pain varied by mental status: a combination of usual/worst pain was best for cognitively impaired patients, while a combination of usual/least pain was best for unimpaired patients. These ®ndings support the use of the 21-point box scale for pain assessment in older patients, including those with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment. They also support the ability of older, cognitively impaired patients to rate pain reliably and validly.

This study develops a scale, organizational cohesion inventory (OCI), which measures cohesion at the organizational level. The OCI contains six dimensions: employee centripetalism, leader cohesiveness, task cooperation, interpersonal harmony, benefit sharing, and value identification. We conducted three studies to develop and validate the OCI in the Chinese context. In Study 1, we generated and selected scale items, and examined the

Research in blog quality has become increasingly important, as preferences evolve in the way people gain information. For this study, blog quality categories and criteria were derived from metadata analysis and recent literature and then tested in two surveys. Rasch model analysis of responses provides systematic evidence of construct validity for the 11 quality categories and 49 criteria. The first survey, addressed to expert reviewers, supports the content aspect of construct validity, with one modification to a quality category. The second survey, given to blog readers, finds strong agreement with the quality items after the removal of three criteria because of redundancy. The second survey supports the substantive, structural, generalizability, external and consequential aspects of construct validity. These results constitute an important step toward development of a valid and widely applicable blog quality model.

Responses to the CMUQ by parents/primary care givers in this Australian sample indicate that pharmacists are considered an important and reliable source of information on children's medicine • Paediatric medicines use should be a focus of continuing and undergraduate pharmacy education.

The purpose of this project was to determine if subjects with low back pain (LBP) exhibit greater side-to-side weight-bearing (WB) asymmetry compared to healthy control subjects without LBP. This study utilized an observational double cohort design and consisted of 35 subjects with LBP and 31 healthy control subjects. Sideto-side WB asymmetry was calculated as the average of the absolute value of the difference between the right and left lower extremity from three trials. The percentage of the average side-to-side WB asymmetry relative to the total body weight was calculated to normalize expected differences in magnitude of asymmetry based on a subject's total body weight. An 11-point numeric pain rating scale was used to represent the subject's current level of pain. Patients with LBP demonstrated significantly greater normalized side-to-side WB asymmetry than healthy control subjects (8.8% vs. 3.6%, respectively, Po0.001). In patients with LBP, higher magnitudes of side-to-side WB asymmetry were significantly associated with increased pain (r = 0.39, P = 0.021). In conclusion patients with LBP exhibited increased side-to-side WB asymmetry compared to healthy control subjects without LBP. This asymmetry was associated with increased levels of pain. This finding is relevant for planning future studies that will attempt to provide evidence for the construct validity of manipulation by determining if side-to-side WB asymmetry normalizes after a manipulation intervention and if this improvement is associated with improvements in pain and function. r

Purpose -Tests of assumed mediation models are common in research in many disciplines, including managerial psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, organizational behavior, and organizational theory. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to detail experimental design options for conducting such tests in a manner that has the potential to yield results that have high levels of internal and construct validity. Design/methodology/approach -The paper presents a logical analysis of strategies for testing mediation models so as to insure valid inferences about causal relations between variables. Findings -The most appropriate strategy for testing assumed mediation models is research that uses randomized experimental designs. Practical implications -Managers should base their actions on valid evidence about phenomena. More specifically, managerial actions should be predicated on research results that have high levels of internal, construct, and statistical conclusion validity. Thus, this paper encourages managers to base decisions about organizational policies and practices on well-designed experimental research. Originality/value -This paper addresses a number of points about issues involving internal and construct validity in tests of assumed causal models that have not been covered in previous work.

Background: Treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) is complex, requiring multifaceted lifestyle change or regulation and, for many, self-regulation of insulin levels in the blood. Historically, daily insulin treatment has been viewed as burdensome to patients, prompting newer formulations and improved delivery methods. Objective: This multicenter, clinical study was designed to develop a conceptually sound, clinically meaningful, and psychometrically valid measure of insulin treatment satisfaction, applicable to a wide range of insulin therapies. Methods: A 3-phase iterative process was employed to develop and validate the Insulin Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (ITSQ): (1) conceptual development of items, (2) preliminary validation among patients with DM, and (3) confirmatory validation among patients with DM. Results: The ITSQ was validated with 170 patients in phase 2 and 402 patients in phase 3. Confirmatory factor analysis produced a 5-factor, 22-item instrument assessing regimen inconvenience, lifestyle flexibility, glycemic control, hypoglycemic control, and satisfaction with the insulin delivery device. Results for reliability and construct validity of the final version were consistent in both samples of patients treated with insulin, with different data collection methods. Internal consistency (using Cronbach α coefficient) of the subscales ranged from 0.79 to 0.91. Test-retest reliability (using Spearman rank correlation coefficients) ranged from 0.63 to 0.94. ITSQ scores showed moderate to high correlation with related measures of treatment burden. The ITSQ differentiated among insulin delivery methods, glycosylated hemoglobin values, the number of times the patient required assistance administering insulin, and insulin adherence. Conclusion: In our study samples, the ITSQ appeared to be conceptually and psychometrically sound and applicable to a wide range of insulin therapies.

The purpose of this work was to assess the psychometric properties of the German Translation of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory, QOLIE-31. Internal consistency, construct and criterion validity, and responsiveness were tested in 509 patients with epilepsy who were administered the questionnaires at application or at admittance to the epilepsy center Bethel. Construct validity was tested in patients with different seizure frequencies and different degrees of tolerability of antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy (adverse effects). The scales Epilepsy-Related Fears und Restrictions in Daily Life due to Epilepsy were used as criterion measures. Test-retest reliability (long-term stability) and responsiveness of the questionnaire were analyzed in subgroups of patients who responded to the questionnaires a second time (n ‫؍‬ 256). Cronbach's ␣ of the QOLIE-31 was 0.94 and varied between 0.76 and 0.90 for the seven subscales. The correlations of the QOLIE with Epilepsy-Related Fears and Restrictions in Daily Life revealed high correlations between Epilepsy-Related Fears and the QOLIE subscale Seizure Worry (r ‫؍‬ 0.81, P < 0.01) and the total score (r ‫؍‬ 0.62, P < 0.01) and between Restrictions in Daily Life and the QOLIE subscale Social Functioning (r ‫؍‬ 0.71) and the total score (r ‫؍‬ 0.70, P < 0.01). Seizure frequency had a significant effect especially on the QOLIE subscales Social Functioning, Seizure Worry, and Overall QOL, whereas tolerability of AED therapy affected especially the subscales Medication Effects, Overall QOL, and Energy-Fatigue. The test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient) was 0.79 for the overall score and varied between 0.59 and 0.78 for the seven subscales. The German Translation of QOLIE-31 is a reliable and valid questionnaire with which to assess QOL in patients with epilepsy and is conceptually similar to the English version. It is a sensitive questionnaire with respect to seizure frequency and tolerability of antiepileptic drug treatment.

Objective: Sleepiness and fatigue are conceptually distinct but pervasively confounded in research, measurement instruments, clinical settings, and everyday spoken language. The purpose of the present study was to construct two scales that represent unconfounded measures of sleepiness and fatigue, using widely used questionnaires. Method: Four questionnaires purporting to measure sleepiness [Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS); Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)] or fatigue [Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS); Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS)] were administered, as well as a battery measuring sleep, psychological, and health functioning variables, to three samples: 19 individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome, 14 with narcolepsy, and 11 normal control subjects. Results: Analyses revealed two distinct sets of items (six sleepiness and three fatigue items) that were combined into two scales. These newly formed scales are only minimally correlated and represent separate constructs that have reasonably distinctive patterns of association. Findings were replicated and validated in a sample of 128 older individuals complaining of daytime sleepiness and/or fatigue. Conclusions: We conclude that (a) it is possible to derive empirically distinct sleepiness and fatigue scales from existing, commonly used self-report instruments, (b) the Empirical Sleepiness Scale is limited to the experience of daytime sleep tendency, while (c) the Empirical Fatigue Scale is associated more broadly with insomnia, psychological maladjustment, and poorer perceived health function. The important clinical implication of the new Empirical Sleepiness and Fatigue Scales is in the ability to identify bsleepiness which is not fatigue,Q a construct closely related to primary sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome, for which there is both available and effective treatment. D

Stressful events that disrupt the assumptive world can force people to make cognitive changes to accommodate these highly stressful experiences. As fundamental assumptions are reestablished, many people report changes and experiences that reflect posttraumatic growth (PTG). The present research describes the development of the Core Beliefs Inventory (CBI), a brief measure of disruption of the assumptive world developed for use in applied research and clinical settings. Three studies, two using college samples (Study 1, n=181 and Study 2, n=297 time 1; 85 time 2) and the third using leukemia patients (Study 3, n=70 time 1; 43 time 2), assessed the utility of the CBI to predict PTG in both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. Relationships between the CBI and measures of self-reported PTG and well-being indicate that the CBI has construct validity, acceptable test-retest reliability, and very good internal consistency. The CBI may be a useful tool in investigating predictions about the effects of stressful experiences on an individual's assumptive world, PTG, and successful adaptation.

Existing measures for functional assessment do not adequately address the relationship between cognitive impairment and function. The Schizophrenia Outcomes Functioning Interview (SOFI) was developed to measure community functioning related to cognitive impairment and psychopathology. Following review of existing measures and discussion with experts, caregivers, and patients, content was generated for four domains: 1) living situation; 2) IADLs; 3) productive activities; and 4) social functioning. The final SOFI was constructed with items informing domain scores, and an interviewer-completed global rating for each domain. Psychometric characteristics of the SOFI were evaluated in a sample of 104 community residing patients with schizophrenia and their informants. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in a subsample of patient-informant dyads using ICC; all values were N 0.70 for both patient-interviews (SOFI-P) and informant-interviews (SOFI-I). Inter-rater reliability ICCs ranged from 0.50 to 0.79 on a different sub-sample. The SOFI demonstrated adequate construct validity based on correlations with the PSP (range 0.58 to 0.76; p b 0.0001) and the QLS (p b 0.001). Some correlations between SOFI and PETiT scores were low to moderate (p b 0.05). Discriminant validity was supported based on SOFI score comparisons for patient groups based on PANSS and BACS scores (p b 0.05); SOFI scores differed between borderline and moderately ill patients as measured by the CGI-S (p b 0.05). The SOFI expands on existing measures and more comprehensively captures functioning of patients in the real world than other performance-based (proxy) measures. The SOFI has good evidence supporting reliability and construct validity, and may be a useful measure of functional outcomes in schizophrenia.

This article reports on the development and validation of the Distance from Privilege (DFP) measures. Items for the measures were developed on theoretical grounds. The primary sample consisted of 292 undergraduates with various majors from a Midwestern University and a Historically Black University in the south. One of the measures is the DFP-Resources scale which consists of 11 items with two factors described as social capital and economic resources. The other measure is the DFP-Status scale that has 10 items and one factor. Results revealed that the DFP consists of two measures with good internal consistency and construct validity. Each measure accounts for a sufficiently high proportion of the overall variance and has moderately high stability over time.

This paper describes the development and preliminary validation of a scale to assess perceived self-efficacy to complete culturally and age-appropriate life tasks (Self-Efficacy for Life Tasks, or SELT) among male veterans of Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom; OEF) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom; OIF). The SELT scale was developed for this population in a multistage process that included: 1) semistructured interviews inquiring about expectations of self among OEF/OIF veterans; 2) content analysis to inductively derive a list of priority life tasks; 3) item development; 4) field-testing; and 5) preliminary instrument validation. Forty-one veterans completed the final instrument along with measures of anxiety and depression symptoms, positive and negative social support, and postdeployment life stressors. We tested two scoring methods, one using a simple mean and one a weighted mean. Using either scoring method, SELT had statistically significant negative correlations with anxiety, depression, and being separated from partner, as well as strong positive correlations with postdeployment social support. These findings support the construct validity of the SELT scale in the population of male OEF/OIF veterans. Future research examining the relationship between SELT and long-term outcomes using longitudinal designs will be needed to assess predictive validity.

PURPOSE: Report the test-retest reliability, construct validity, minimum clinically important difference (MCID), and minimal detectable change (MDC) for the Neck Disability Index (NDI). STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Cohort study of patients presenting to outpatient physical therapy clinics. PATIENT SAMPLE: Ninety-one subjects with a primary complaint of neck pain, with or without concomitant upper extremity (UE) symptoms, who were participants in a randomized clinical trial. OUTCOME MEASURES: NDI and the 15-point Global Rating of Change (GRC) self-report measures. METHODS: All subjects completed the NDI at baseline and at a 3-week follow-up. Additionally, subjects completed the GRC scale, which was used to dichotomize patients into improved or stable groups. Changes in the NDI were used to assess test-retest reliability, construct validity, MCID, and MDC. RESULTS: Test-retest reliability was moderate for the NDI (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.19-0.84). For the NDI, the MCID was 7.5 points and the MDC was 10.2 points. CONCLUSIONS: The NDI appears to demonstrate adequate responsiveness based on statistical reference criteria when used in a sample that approximates the high percentage of patients with neck pain and concomitant UE referred symptoms. Because the MCID is within the bounds of measurement error, a 10-point change (the MDC) should be used as the MCID. Ó

Purpose-The overall purpose of this research is to further the understanding of how future marketing managers in Egypt and the UK perceive creativity barriers. The paper also examines the construct validity of the barriers to creativity scale in an Arab non-Western context. Design/methodology/approach-A sample of 125 respondents was used to achieve the research purpose. Respondents completed a 17-item instrument designed to assess barriers to creativity in business organizations. Findings-Discriminant analysis results showed that Egyptians differ from British with respect to their attitudes towards organizational creativity barriers. t-test procedure confirmed also that gender and age have significant effects on the attitudes towards creativity barriers. Originality/value-This study has provided some insights into the factors associated with organizational creativity barriers in Egypt and the UK. The more is known of how future managers perceive creativity barriers, the more quickly and efficiently creativity can be stimulated.

A new measure of motivation toward education has been developed in French, namely the Echelle de Motivation en Education (EME). The EME is based on the tenets of self-determination theory and is composed of 28 items subdivided into seven sub-scales assessing three types of intrinsic motivation (intrinsic motivation to know, to accomplish things, and to experience stimulation), three types of extrinsic motivation (external, introjected, and identified regulation), and a motivation. The purpose of this investigation was to cross-culturally validate in English the EME. The EME was translated in English through appropriate methodological procedures and completed by university students. Results revealed that the English version of the scale renamed the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), has satisfactory levels of internal consistency (mean alpha value = .81) and temporal stability over a one-month period (mean test-retest correlation = .79). In addition, results of a confirmatory factor an...

BackgroundArthropathy is one of the earliest and most common manifestations of hereditary haemochromatosis with a significant impact on quality of life. Although its radiographic features are well known, there is no assessment tool for their evaluation.ObjectiveTo develop and validate a novel scoring system for the evaluation of radiographic features of haemochromatosis arthropathy.MethodsA dichotomous scoring system assessing four radiographic features of haemochromatosis arthropathy and a 4-grade scale reflecting severity of radiographic change have been developed. Standard radiographs (hand, wrist, knee and ankle) of 170 subjects (116 male, 54 female) with genetically confirmed haemochromatosis and laboratory signs of iron overload were assessed by three readers and construct validity, feasibility and cross-sectional reliability (intrareader and inter-reader) were assessed.ResultsIntrareader and inter-reader reliability as assessed by percentage pairwise agreement and Cohen&#39;s...

The authors constructed and validated an instrument that assesses attitudes toward the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), a law that protects the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. The Disability Rights Attitude Scale (DRAS) demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity with 2 samples of university students (N-421). Reliability analysis resulted in Cronbach's alphas of .91 (Sample 1) and .90 (Sample 2). Principal-components factor analysis indicated that the DRAS essentially consists of 1 factor that accounted for 27% (Sample 1) and 31% (Sample 2) of the total variance. Construct validity analysis resulted in predicted, significant positive correlations with other relevant measures. A stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that sex, ethnicity, and prior contact with people with disabilities were significant predictors of attitudes toward the law. The DRAS provides a psychometrically sound means of assessing attitudes toward disability rights that may encourage or impede implementation of the ADA. The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA; 1991) of 1990 is the most comprehensive civil rights law for individuals with disabilities to date. Modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the ADA is intended to have a significant impact on the working and living environments of those with disabilities (Johnson & Baldwin, 1993). This law is composed of five titles designed to remove barriers in the areas of employment (Title I), state and local government services (Title II), private and public accommodations and services (Title HI), and telecommunications (Title IV). Title V of the ADA (miscellaneous provisions) encompasses an array of issues, such as nonprotection for those actively using illegal drugs. Overall, the ADA aims at fully including individuals with disabilities in society. Many individuals are required to comply with the ADA, including employers,

A sport-specific measure of moral disengagement was developed in 2 studies. In Study 1, a 59-item questionnaire was developed and tested with 308 athletes from 5 team sports. A series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) testing different models suggested the model that best fitted the data had 6 first-order factors that could be represented by 1 second-order factor. Study 2 involved 305 athletes from the same 5 sports. CFA confirmed the 6-factor, second-order structure for the final 32-item measure. Results from Study 2 supported the construct validity of the scale, providing evidence for the factorial, concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity. The Moral Disengagement in Sport Scale (MDSS) is proposed as a valid and reliable measure of moral disengagement for use in the sport context.

This study determined the reliability and validity of a branching treadmill protocol in predicting V O 2 max. Thirtyseven, apparently healthy individuals (19 women and 18 men); volunteered to participate. On 2 separate testing days, each subject underwent maximal exercise testing using the protocol developed. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that the percentage of age-predicted maximum heart rate (APMHR) achieved at stage 3, speed and grade at stage 3, and APMHR accounted for 89% of the variance in V O 2 max. The 4 predictor variables were statistically significant (p Ͻ 0.01), and the standard error of the estimate was 4.56 ml·kg Ϫ1 ·min Ϫ1 . Results indicate that health and fitness professionals can incorporate this protocol into their practices for the purpose of predicting V O 2 max for their clients outside the laboratory environment. Furthermore, our results indicate that using the proposed regression model is reliable and has received preliminary construct validity support. . Development of a branching submaximal treadmill test for predicting V O 2 max. J. Strength Cond. Res. 15(3):302-308. 2001.

Introduction and hypothesis A study was conducted to validate a constipation questionnaire based on the Rome III criteria. Methods Women attending outpatient clinics completed a constipation questionnaire based on the Rome III Criteria. The internal reliability, the test–retest as well as the content and construct validity of the questionnaire were evaluated. Results Two hundred one women were studied. Of the women, 28% (56/201) reported constipation but only 14% of these (8/56) could be defined as constipated accordingly to the Rome III Criteria. Nine percent of women (13/145) who did not report constipation were classified as constipated accordingly to the Rome III Criteria. The questionnaire had good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.85 and ICC of 0.85). However, the questionnaire did not have significant construct validity with patients’ self-report of constipation, stool frequency and stool form (Pearson chi-square P > 0.05). Conclusions The Rome III Criteria questionnaire is a reliable and reproducible tool but does not appear to be a valid instrument in diagnosing constipation.

To date, hardly any evidence is available on the quality of adult education programs for vulnerable adults. Evaluation instruments or models mostly focussed on regular education and less on programs of adult education aiming to enhance social inclusion. This study presents a first exploration of the construct validity of a newly developed instrument, called the SIT-instrument (social inclusion after transfer) for the evaluation of educational programs for vulnerable adults and their impact on increasing social inclusion. The sample consisted of 308 respondents belonging to the target-group of vulnerable adults. The results of the validation study indicate a reliable instrument consisting of elements of a learning-environment for ''vulnerable'' adults influencing 4 specified categories of social inclusion. ß

This study examined the psychometric aspects of a verbal pragmatic rating scale. The scale contained six pragmatic features (i.e., Conciseness, Lexical Selection, Quantity, Relevancy, Specificity, and Topic Maintenance) based on Grice's cooperative principles. Fifteen right brain-damaged (RBD), 15 left brain-damaged (LBD), and 16 healthy normal control (NC) right-handed adult participants produced narratives while recollecting emotional and nonemotional experiences. Naive raters evaluated each pragmatic feature for appropriateness on a 5-point Likert scale. When reliability was examined, the overall internal consistency of the pragmatic scale was extremely high (α ϭ .96). Factor analysis was conducted to examine the theoretical relations among the six pragmatic features. Three meaningful factors involving discourse content, conceptual unity, and parsimony were identified. Findings are discussed in light of Grice's model and the construct validity of the scale.