Validation of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory in an Italian Population with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Cross-Sectional Study

Early Neuro-Psychomotor Therapy Intervention for Theory of Mind and Emotion Recognition in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Pilot Study

The aim of the present study is to explore the effect of early neuro-psychomotor therapy to improve theory of mind skills and emotion recognition in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. A pilot study was set up, consisting of in-group training activities based on the neuro-psychomotor approach. Children were evaluated using Neuropsychological Assessment for Child (Nepsy-II), Test of Emotion Comprehension (TEC), and Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). For data analysis, one-sample Wilcoxon signed rank test was used with a significance of p < 0.05. Two children with a developmental language disorder and four children with autism spectrum disorders participated in a 3-month training program. Our findings revealed significant improvement in emotion recognition, as measured with Nepsy-II (p = 0.04), while no statistical improvement was found for theory of mind. Despite the limited sample, early neuro-psychomotor therapy improves emotion recognition skills in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. However, considering the explorative nature of the study, findings should be interpreted with caution.

Behavioral gender differences across Pre-School Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: a cross-sectional study

There is increasing literature showing that the presentation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) could be different according to the sex of the patient. Through the analysis of the Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised interview results of a study group consisting of 56 preschool children diagnosed with ASD potential differences in the presentation of ASD were searched. Variables investigated were verbal abilities, the presence/absence of unusual sensory interests, as well as of echolalia. The results showed significant differences between gender in restricted and repetitive behavior (p < 0.01), in particular for those children who have no unusual sensory interest (p < 0.05) and with minimal verbal ability (p < 0.05). The findings contribute providing evidences on phenotypical differences in preschool children with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Evaluation of test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of the Italian version of the pediatric evaluation of disability inventory in children with down syndrome: A cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

Down Syndrome (DS) is a common genetic disorder caused by trisomy 21. Due to cognitive challenges associated with DS, individuals often experience difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADLs), at levels that can range from mild to significant. This study aimed to measure psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI-I) in the DS population.

METHODS

The PEDI-I was administered to children with DS. The internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's Alpha. Test-retest reliability was demonstrated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots. The concurrent validity was evaluated with the Italian version of the Barthel Index.

RESULTS

The PEDI-I was administered to 54 children with DS. Cronbach's Alpha showed statistically significant values (0.899 -0.986). The ICC confirmed the reproducibility of the scale with a range of (0.988 -1), while Bland-Altman plots showed a smallest detectable change of (0.18-1.63). The Pearson Correlation Coefficient with the Barthel Index showed statistically significant values for all PEDI-I subscales (range 0.75-0.95).

CONCLUSION

The study provides evidence of good test-retest reliability and convergent validity when used in children with DS. Other psychometric proprieties need to be investigated in future studies.

Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Scale A-ONE: An Italian Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose

This study is aimed at validating the A-ONE scale in an Italian population with Central Nervous System (CNS) dysfunction. Material and Methods. Between May and November 2018, people aged between 60 and 90 with CNS dysfunction were recruited in a hospital in Rome, Italy. Patients were observed and evaluated during the activities of daily living. Internal consistency and reliability were evaluated with Cronbach's coefficient alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient, respectively. As measured with Pearson's correlation coefficient, the validity was examined comparing results of the A-ONE with the Barthel index. Responsiveness was evaluated 30 days after the first administration.

Results

A total of 70 people having a diagnosis of neurological disorders were evaluated. The internal consistency showed Cronbach's coefficient alpha ranging from 0.634 to 0.959. The measurement of reliability varied from 0.984 to 0.997 for intrarater and from 0.979 to 0.998 for interrater. Pearson's correlation coefficient between the A-ONE and the Barthel index and the responsiveness showed statistically significant values (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The present study provides preliminary evidence of reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the A-ONE when using elderly people with CNS dysfunction.

Tools to assess the quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

The clinical, social, and economic implications of Parkinson's disease (PD) are significant; disability occurs leading to a low quality of life (QoL). Information on the QoL of patients with PD and studies on the relationship between QoL and motor and cognitive function are necessary for both research and clinical use to make informed decisions in healthcare and rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to determine which scales are most used to assess QoL in patients with PD.

AREA COVERED

A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Two authors independently identified eligible studies based on predefined inclusion criteria and extracted the data. Study quality and the risk of bias were assessed using the COSMIN checklist.

EXPERT OPINION

116 suitable studies were included, and 42 different instruments were identified. The most frequently used scales were the 39-items and 8-items Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) (PDQ-8). These findings suggest further investigation of existing PD outcome measures would benefit patients, researchers, and clinicians. Validated, universal outcome measures are required to allow comparisons across practice; therefore, we recommend that future researchers use a common set of outcome assessments based on the results of this review.

Crosscultural Validation of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised in an Italian Population

Objective

The aims of this study are the translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the Community Integration Questionnaire–Revised (CIQ-R) in Italian in a group of individuals with no clinical evidence of disability.

Methods

The test's internal consistency and validity were assessed by following international guidelines. The test's internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the test's concurrent validity compared with the Short Form-12 (SF-12) health survey.

Results

The CIQ-R was administrated to 400 people with no clinical evidence of disease, impairment, or disability, aged between 18 and 64. Cronbach's α reported a value of 0.82 in the home integration subscale. The test also showed a good test-retest reliability, with an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.78, and a significant correlation between the total score of the CIQ-R and the Physical Component Summary (PCS) of the SF-12 (r = 0.118), between the “social integration” subscale's score and PCS12 (r = 0.121) and between the “Electronic Social Networking integration” subscale's score and PCS12 (r = 0.184), with p < 0.05.

Conclusion

This is the first study to report the results of the translation and validation of the CIQ-R in Italian. The CIQ-R is an important tool for Italian professionals and can be useful in both clinical practice and research for measuring the level of community integration among the healthy population.

A Systematic Review on Clinimetric Properties of Play Instruments for Occupational Therapy Practice

Play is considered the main occupation for children. Pediatric occupational therapists utilize play either for evaluation or intervention purpose. However, play is not properly measured by occupational therapists, and the use of play instrument is limited. This systematic review was aimed at identifying play instruments relevant to occupational therapy practice and its clinimetric properties. A systematic search was conducted on six databases (Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Psychology and Behavioral Science Collection, Scopus, and ASEAN Citation Index) in January 2020. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using Law and MacDermid's Appraisal for Clinical Measurement Research Reports, and psychometric properties of play instruments were evaluated using Terwee's checklist while the clinical utility is extracted from each instrument. Initial search identifies 1,098 articles, and only 30 articles were included in the final analysis, extracting 8 play instruments. These instruments were predominantly practiced in the Western culture, which consists of several psychometric evidences. The Revised Knox Preschool Play Scale is considered the most extensive and comprehensive play instrument for extrinsic aspect, whereas the Test of Playfulness + Test of Environmental Supportiveness Unifying Measure is a promising play instrument for intrinsic aspect on play, where both instruments utilize observation. My Child's Play is a potential questionnaire-based play instrument. However, the current development of play instruments in the occupational therapy field is immature and constantly evolving, and occupational therapists should exercise good clinical reasoning when selecting a play instrument to use in practice.

The Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire (MSISQ-15): validation of the Italian version for individuals with spinal cord injury

STUDY DESIGN

Psychometric study.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to translate and culturally adapt the MSISQ-15 into Italian and to administer it to individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI).

SETTING

Rome's Wheelchair Rugby Team and three spinal units in Italy.

METHODS

Translation and validation of the MSISQ-15 were performed based on international guidelines. The questionnaire, which was in a paper and online format, was administered with the Short Form-12 Health Survey (SF-12) and the Spinal Cord Independence Measure Self-Report.

RESULTS

Sixty-five participants were recruited. Internal consistency coefficient of MSISQ-15 scale, assessed by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.75. Test-retest reliability interclass correlations was, for example, 0.86. The construct validity was calculated and showed statistically significant results in relation to the mental health status investigated with the SF-12.

CONCLUSIONS

The MSISQ-15 is a valid, reliable, and useful questionnaire for investigating how often the symptoms of an SCI interfere with a person's satisfaction or sexual activity.

Impact of Family-Centered Early Intervention in Infants with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Single-Subject Design

Objective

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social skills, and behavior and can present in early childhood. The present study is aimed at investigating the effects of family-centered early intervention on the quality of social interaction and social interaction skills in infants with suspected autism spectrum disorder using a single-subject design.

Method

As a single-subject design study, evaluations were conducted at baseline phase A, intervention phase B, baseline phase A', and follow-up phase. The family-centered early intervention program was implemented during the intervention phase. Family-centered early intervention programs included home environmental modification, play video recording and training, task and feedback, related information training, and question and answer. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised, with Follow-Up and Evaluation of Social Interaction was used for evaluation.

Result

Three participants completed the study. After applying the family-centered early intervention program, the quality of social interaction and social interaction skills of all participants improved. In addition, the risk of autism spectrum disorder in all participants was reduced.

Conclusion

Family-centered early intervention was confirmed to have a positive effect on the improvement of social interaction skills in infants with suspected autism spectrum disorder.