Assessing the physical violence component of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales when used in heterosexual couples: An item response theory analysis.
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Although there are psychometric evaluations of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2) when applied to heterosexual relationships, none has used item response theory (IRT). To address this gap, the present paper assesses the instrument's physical violence subscale. The CTS2 was applied to 764 women who also responded for their partners. Single dimensionality assumption was corroborated. A 2-parameter logistic IRT model was used for estimating location and discriminating power of each item. Differential item functioning and item information pattern along the violence continuum were assessed. Gender differences were detected in 3 out of 12 items. Item coverage of the latent trait spectrum indicated little information at the lower ends, while plenty in the middle and upper ranges. Still, depending on gender, some item overlaps and regions with gaps could be detected. Despite some unresolved problems, the analysis shows that the items form a theoretically coherent information set across the continuum. Provided the user is aware of possible drawbacks, using the physical violence subscale of the CTS2 in heterosexual couples is still a sensible option. (+info)
User study of a Spanish-language ClinicalTrials.gov prototype system.
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We conducted a user study of monolingual and bilingual Spanish-speaking consumers (n=36) to evaluate a Spanish-language ClinicalTrials.gov prototype. The prototype leverages an existing English-only consumer health resource by combining (1) Spanish-English cross-language information retrieval (CLIR) and (2) English-Spanish document display techniques. We collected user feedback on expectations, usability, and satisfaction. Preliminary results suggest improved online information access by Spanish-speakers. The goal is to develop a general approach for other systems and languages. (+info)
Development and validation of the Portuguese version of the WHOQOL-OLD module.
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OBJECTIVE: The increasing proportion of older adults in the general population and the specific characteristics of this age group show the need for the development of specific instruments to measure quality of life in older adults. The study aimed at describing the development and validation of the Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life for Older Persons (WHOQOL-OLD) module. METHODS: The WHOQOL-OLD instrument was administered in a sample of 424 older adults in the city of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, in 2005. The questionnaire comprises 24 items divided into six facets: sensory abilities; autonomy; past, present and future activities; social participation; death and dying; and intimacy. Besides the WHOQOL-OLD module, the WHOQOL-BREF, BDI and BHS instruments were also applied. The instrument's internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. RESULTS: The instrument showed adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's coefficients ranging from 0.71 to 0.88), discriminant validity (p<0.01), concurrent validity (correlation coefficients ranging from -0.61 to -0.50) and test-retest reliability (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.58 to 0.82). Findings concerning criterion validity need further studies. CONCLUSIONS: The WHOQOL-OLD module is a useful alternative with good psychometric performance in the investigation of quality of life in older adults. (+info)
Brazilian Portuguese Language version of the "Tinnitus Handicap Inventory": validity and reproducibility.
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Tinnitus can greatly impact an individual's life quality and it is very difficult to quantify. AIM: To determine the reproducibility and validity of a Brazilian Portuguese version of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), a self-applicable questionnaire which assesses tinnitus impact on patient's life quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective transversal study. The questionnaire was translated into Portuguese and cross-culturally adapted to the Brazilian environment according to internationally recommended methods. The Portuguese version of the THI was answered by 180 patients who complained of tinnitus. Reproducibility was assessed using the Cronbach's Alpha Calculation; and the validity was assessed by means of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The Portuguese version of the THI showed high internal validity, comparable to the original version. A high correlation was observed between the THI and the BDI. CONCLUSION: The Brazilian Portuguese version of THI is a valid and reproducible tool used to quantify how tinnitus impacts the life quality of those Brazilian patients who complain of this symptom. (+info)
Validity and limitations of the Brazilian version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1).
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OBJECTIVE: To study the concurrent validity of the Brazilian Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1 using as gold standard the clinical diagnoses based on the ICD-10 criteria and the Longitudinal, Expert, All Data (LEAD) procedure. METHOD: The sample was composed of 185 subjects selected at psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric outpatient units, the community, and primary care services. These individuals were intentionally selected according to 9 diagnostic groups. INSTRUMENTS: Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI-core) version 2.1 (paper-and-pencil) administered by 16 trained interviewers. ANALYSIS: concurrent validity of diagnoses of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 12-month. RESULTS: Values found for sensitivity and specificity in each diagnosis were: alcohol-related disorders (79.5%/97.2%); psychoactive substance-related disorders (77.3%/100%); schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (28.6%/93.9%); manic episode and bipolar affective disorder (38.9%/96.4%); depressive disorder (82.5%/ 93.8%); phobic-anxiety disorder (80.6%/93.5%); obsessive-compulsive disorder (18.2%/98.9%); somatoform disorder (41.7%/90.8%); eating disorder (45.5%/100.0%). CONCLUSION: The Composite International Diagnostic Interview proved to be valid for diagnoses of alcohol-related disorders, psychoactive substance-related disorders, depressive disorder and phobic-anxiety disorder. The probable explanations for the poor performance for the other diagnoses were: necessity of some clinical judgement by the lay interviewer; difficulty to use the Probe Flow Chart; interviewees' difficulty of understanding; and lack of mechanisms to certify the veracity of the information. (+info)
Family Burden Interview Scale for relatives of psychiatric patients (FBIS-BR): reliability study of the Brazilian version.
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OBJECTIVE: Psychiatric deinstitutionalization resulted in greater involvement of families in daily care of patients. Family caregivers burden has been described by international researches. In Brazil very few studies investigated family burden with validated scales, perhaps due to the restrict availability of scales to measure this construct. The present study examined the reliability of the Brazilian version of the Family Burden Interview Schedule. METHOD: Scale reliability was assessed through its internal consistency and temporal stability. A sample of 243 family caregivers of psychiatric patients attending public outpatient services were interviewed with the scale. Socio-demographic data were collected with a standardized form. A sub-sample of 42 relatives participated in a re-test, after 3 weeks, for assessment of the scale temporal stability. RESULTS: Cronbach alpha coefficients ranged from 0.58 to 0.90 for global and domains scores. Pearson correlation coefficients and intra-class correlation coefficients for test and retest ranged from 0.54 to 0.90. DISCUSSION: Results for internal consistency were similar to the original scale. Four subscales presented alpha coefficients superior to the original ones. The temporal stability cannot be compared because this analysis was not performed for the original scale. CONCLUSION: The Brazilian version of the scale had good psychometric properties of temporal stability and internal consistency. (+info)
Spanish-language version of the MedRisk Instrument for Measuring Patient Satisfaction With Physical Therapy Care (MRPS): preliminary validation.
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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: An instrument that provides valid measurements of satisfaction with physical therapy care for Spanish-speaking patients will enhance communication and ensure their representation in quality assurance analyses and research on health care disparities. The purpose of this investigation was to provide preliminary information on the factor structure, group- and individual-level reliability, and criterion-referenced validity of measurements obtained from a Spanish-language version of the MedRisk Instrument for Measuring Patient Satisfaction With Physical Therapy Care (MRPS). SUBJECTS: A total of 203 Spanish-speaking patients in the New York City area participated in this study. METHODS: Consenting subjects completed a 20-item MRPS after discharge from outpatient physical therapy care. Several translators performed "forward" and "backward" translation of the MRPS, followed by consensus agreement on item structure. Factor structure was investigated using item-correlation and exploratory factor analysis. Group-level reliability for single test administration was assessed using the Cronbach alpha, and individual-level reliability was assessed by calculating the standard error of the measure (SEM). Concurrent validity was tested by comparing the item scores and mean scores of factors to global measures of satisfaction. RESULTS: The means of individual item scores (1-5) ranged from 3.22 for "I did not wait too long" to 4.80 for "My therapist treated me respectfully." There were no sex-based differences in item scores. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a 2-factor solution: a 7-item "external" factor and a 3-item "internal" factor. The correlations (r) of the mean scores from these factors with the 2 global measures ranged from .59 to .82. The SEM was 0.16 for the internal factor and 0.25 for the external factor. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The underlying factor structure of the Spanish-language version of the MRPS was identical to the English-language version. Our findings provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of measurements obtained from the Spanish-language version of the MRPS. Further study is needed to assess the stability of these findings in other samples. As with English-speaking patients, Spanish-speaking patient's satisfaction with physical therapy care is most strongly linked to the professional behavior of the clinician. (+info)
Translation and validation of brief patient health questionnaire against DSM IV as a tool to diagnose major depressive disorder in Indian patients.
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CONTEXT: Depression is frequently encountered in the primary care setting but is often unrecognized and hence untreated. There is a need for a uniform user-friendly screening instrument for depression for primary healthcare personnel in India. AIMS: Translation and validation of the brief patient health questionnaire (BPHQ) as a screening tool for depression in major Indian languages. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study conducted at 18 sites, in psychiatric and general clinics. The English version of the BPHQ was translated into 11 Indian languages. The translations were reviewed by experts and volunteers and proofread for the final translated BPHQ. The validation exercise included more than 3000 subjects. A psychiatrist and a psychiatry social worker / coordinator conducted the study under the supervision of the principal investigator. For each language, the presence or absence of major depressive disorder (MDD) as diagnosed with the help of a patient-completed BPHQ and the psychiatrist DSM-IV diagnosis was matched. The kappa coefficient was used as a measure of inter-observer agreement between the two diagnostic methods. RESULTS: Seven languages failed the primary validation exercise. These translations were reviewed and the updated versions, after proofreading were re-run for validation. The self-administered BPHQ was successfully translated and validated for diagnosis of MDD against DSM-IV diagnosis made by a psychiatrist, in English, Hindi, Marathi oriya, Malayalam, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali and Tamil. CONCLUSIONS: BPHQ is a simple, quick and reliable instrument, which facilitates rapid and accurate diagnosis of depression in the primary care setting in our country. (+info)