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Ernst G, Amorim MJB, Bottoms M, Brooks AC, Hodson ME, Kimmel S, Kotschik P, Marx MT, Natal-da-Luz T, Pelosi C, Pieper S, Schimera A, Scott-Fordsmand J, Sharples A, Sousa JP, van Gestel CAM, van Hall B, Bergtold M. Intermediate-tier options in the environmental risk assessment of plant protection products for soil invertebrates-Synthesis of a workshop. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024; 20:780-793. [PMID: 37563990 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
The European environmental risk assessment (ERA) of plant protection products follows a tiered approach. The approach for soil invertebrates currently consists of two steps, starting with a Tier 1 assessment based on reproduction toxicity tests with earthworms, springtails, and predatory mites. In case an unacceptable risk is identified at Tier 1, field studies can be conducted as a higher-tier option. For soil invertebrates, intermediate tiers are not implemented. Hence, there is limited possibility to include additional information for the ERA to address specific concerns when the Tier 1 fails, as an alternative to, for example, a field study. Calibrated intermediate-tier approaches could help to address risks for soil invertebrates with less time and resources but also with sufficient certainty. A multistakeholder workshop was held on 2-4 March 2022 to discuss potential intermediate-tier options, focusing on four possible areas: (1) natural soil testing, (2) single-species tests (other than standard species), (3) assessing recovery in laboratory tests, and (4) the use of assembled soil multispecies test systems. The participants acknowledged a large potential in the intermediate-tier options but concluded that some issues need to be clarified before routine application of these approaches in the ERA is possible, that is, sensitivity, reproducibility, reliability, and standardization of potential new test systems. The definition of suitable assessment factors needed to calibrate the approaches to the protection goals was acknowledged. The aims of the workshop were to foster scientific exchange and a data-driven dialog, to discuss how the different approaches could be used in the risk assessment, and to identify research priorities for future work to address uncertainties and strengthen the tiered approach in the ERA for soil invertebrates. This article outlines the background, proposed methods, technical challenges, difficulties and opportunities in the ERA, and conclusions of the workshop. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:780-793. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Ernst
- Bayer AG, CropScience Division, Monheim, Germany
| | - Mónica J B Amorim
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Melanie Bottoms
- Syngenta Ltd., Jealott's Hill International Research Centre, Bracknell, UK
| | - Amy C Brooks
- Cambridge Environmental Assessments, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mark E Hodson
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, UK
| | | | - Pia Kotschik
- German Environment Agency (UBA), Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | | | - Tiago Natal-da-Luz
- Associate Laboratory TERRA, Department of Life Sciences, CFE-Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for the People and the Planet, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Céline Pelosi
- INRAE, Avignon Université, UMR EMMAH, Avignon, France
| | - Silvia Pieper
- German Environment Agency (UBA), Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | | | | | | | - José P Sousa
- Associate Laboratory TERRA, Department of Life Sciences, CFE-Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for the People and the Planet, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Cornelis A M van Gestel
- Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bart van Hall
- Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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McLean CP, Chen Z, Song R, Le J, Fielding J, Sharp G. Development and preliminary validation of a novel eating disorder screening tool for vegetarians and vegans: the V-EDS. J Eat Disord 2024; 12:4. [PMID: 38195575 PMCID: PMC10775595 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-024-00964-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality of all mental illnesses but are associated with low rates of screening and early intervention. In addition, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the use of current standardised screening tools in measuring eating pathology in vegetarians and vegans. With these groups presenting as potential at-risk groups for disordered eating development, the present study aimed to develop and preliminary validate a novel eating disorder screening tool, the Vegetarian Vegan Eating Disorder Screener (V-EDS). METHODS We utilised a mixed-methods approach, comprising four phases. RESULTS A conceptual framework was developed from 25 community, clinician, and lived experience interviews and used to derive a preliminary set of 163 items (Phase 1). Phase 2 piloted the items to establish face and content validity through cognitive debriefing interviews of 18 additional community, clinician, and lived experience participants, resulting in a reduced, revised questionnaire of 53 items. Phase 3 involved scale purification using Item Response Theory in analysis of 230 vegetarians and 230 vegans resulting in a further reduced 18-item questionnaire. Phase 4 validated the screening tool in a large community sample of 245 vegetarians and 405 vegans using traditional psychometric analysis, finding the V-EDS supports a unidimensional factor structure with excellent internal consistency (α = 0.95-0.96) and convergent validity (0.87-0.88), and moderate discriminate validity (0.45-0.55). CONCLUSIONS This study provided strong initial support for the psychometric validity and theoretical assumptions of the novel V-EDS screening tool. The V-EDS has the potential to increase early intervention rates for vegetarians and vegans experiencing eating disorder symptoms, further supporting advocacy and treatment approaches for these expanding dietary groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney P McLean
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Zhibin Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Richard Song
- University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jessica Le
- Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Joanne Fielding
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Gemma Sharp
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Castro N, Hula WD, Ashaie SA. Defining aphasia: Content analysis of six aphasia diagnostic batteries. Cortex 2023; 166:19-32. [PMID: 37295235 PMCID: PMC10560591 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Clear operational definitions of constructs are necessary to ensure that research findings are meaningful and interpretable. In the field of aphasiology, aphasia is often defined to the effect of "aphasia is an acquired language disorder often due to brain injury that affects expressive and receptive language." To contribute to our understanding of the construct of aphasia, we conducted a content analysis of six diagnostic aphasia tests: the Minnesota Test for the Differential Diagnosis of Aphasia, the Porch Index of Communicative Ability, the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination, the Western Aphasia Battery, the Comprehensive Aphasia Test, and the Quick Aphasia Battery. These chosen tests have historical prominence, with several in regular clinical and research use today. We hypothesized that the content of the aphasia tests should be very similar since they all purport to identify and characterize (if present) aphasia, with recognition that there may be some subtle differences in test content stemming in large part to epistemological differences in the test makers' views of aphasia. Instead, we found predominantly weak Jaccard indices, a similarity correlation coefficient, between test targets. Only five test targets were found in all six aphasia tests: auditory comprehension of words and sentences, repetition of words, confrontation naming of nouns, and reading comprehension of words. The qualitative and quantitative results suggest that the content across aphasia tests may be more disparate than expected. We conclude by discussing the implication of our results for the field, including the importance of updating, if necessary, the operational definition of aphasia through conversation with a broad audience of interested and affected people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichol Castro
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, University at Buffalo, United States.
| | - William D Hula
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center and Audiology and Speech Pathology, VA Health Care System, United States; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Sameer A Ashaie
- Think and Speech, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, United States; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, United States
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Shimai S, Urata Y. Development and validation of the Character Strengths Test 24 (CST24): a brief measure of 24 character strengths. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:238. [PMID: 37592357 PMCID: PMC10436548 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01280-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present study aimed to develop and validate the Character Strengths Test 24 (CST24), a simple scale consisting of 24 character strengths represented by one concept word and one sentence each. Three studies were conducted to examine the validation and utility of the CST24 for future research. METHODS Three internet-based surveys were conducted in Japan to investigate the psychometric properties of the CST24. Study 1 comprised 846 adults and focused on test development, including the evaluation of well-being and strengths scales, as well as retest reliability. Study 2 involved 1137 high school students and 1101 college undergraduates, aiming to investigate the factor structure of the CST24 and reaffirm its validity by utilizing happiness and meaning in life scales. In Study 3, 524 working adults participated to explore the scale's potential for future research. This study incorporated various psychological scales, such as value orientation, moral foundation, and work-related scales, to assess the utility of the CST24. RESULTS In Study 1, the CST24 items exhibited a well-distributed response pattern, demonstrating favorable retest reliability and internal consistency. Significant positive correlations were found between the CST24 items and measures of subjective well-being, meaning in life, positive self-compassion, and knowledge or utilization of strengths. Study 2 confirmed the stability of the factor structure across diverse sample groups, consistent with prior studies utilizing larger-scale measures. Study 3 identified both core and peripheral strengths, highlighting specific strengths that made substantial contributions to well-being, value orientation, moral foundation, sense of mission, and work-related indices through multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSION The findings support the reliability and validity of the CST24 as a concise assessment tool for measuring 24 character strengths. Its potential utility for screening and exploratory research warrants attention in future studies, enhancing our understanding of the role of character strengths in various domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Shimai
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansai University of Welfare Sciences, Kahiwara, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Yu Urata
- Center for Student Success Research and Practice, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
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Shappell E, Wagner MJ, Bailitz J, Mead T, Ahn J, Eyre A, Maldonado N, Wallace B, Park YS. The test developer's dilemma: Evaluating the balance of feasibility and empiric performance of test development techniques for repeated written assessments. Med Teach 2023; 45:187-192. [PMID: 36065641 DOI: 10.1080/0142159x.2022.2118042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Written assessments face challenges when administered repeatedly, including resource-intensive item development and the potential for performance improvement secondary to item recall as opposed to understanding. This study examines the efficacy of three-item development techniques in addressing these challenges. METHODS Learners at five training programs completed two 60-item repeated assessments. Items from the first test were randomized to one of three treatments for the second assessment: (1) Verbatim repetition, (2) Isomorphic changes, or (3) Total revisions. Primary outcomes were the stability of item psychometrics across test versions and evidence of item recall influencing performance as measured by the rate of items answered correctly and then incorrectly (correct-to-incorrect rate), which suggests guessing. RESULTS Forty-six learners completed both tests. Item psychometrics were comparable across test versions. Correct-to-incorrect rates differed significantly between groups with the highest guessing rate (lowest recall effect) in the Total Revision group (0.15) and the lowest guessing rate (highest recall effect) in the Verbatim group (0.05), p = 0.01. CONCLUSIONS Isomorphic and total revisions demonstrated superior performance in mitigating the effect of recall on repeated assessments. Given the high costs of total item revisions, there is promise in exploring isomorphic items as an efficient and effective approach to repeated written assessments.[Box: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Shappell
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mary Jo Wagner
- Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - John Bailitz
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Therese Mead
- Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - James Ahn
- Section of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Andrew Eyre
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas Maldonado
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Yoon Soo Park
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Botterman L, De Cock I, Blot SI, Labeau SO. A knowledge test on pressure injury in adult intensive care patients: Development, validation, and item analysis. J Tissue Viability 2022; 31:718-725. [PMID: 36085122 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtv.2022.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pressure injuries are a major problem in critically ill patients, but both students' and intensive care nurses' knowledge about these injuries leaves room for improvement. As no knowledge test is currently available that focuses on pressure injuries in adult intensive care patients, we aimed to develop such tool, establish the content validity, and perform item analysis using Classical test theory. METHODS Test development followed established multiple-choice question-writing guidelines. Content validation used a Delphi procedure including eight international experts. Item analysis (question difficulty and discrimination power, and quality of the distractors) was based on the test results of a convenience sample who completed the test online, based on ready knowledge. RESULTS Four Delphi validation rounds resulted in a 24-item multiple-choice test within seven categories: Epidemiology, Aetiology, Prevention, Classification, Risk factors and risk assessment, Wound care, and Skin care. The content validity index was 0.96. The median score of 12 students and 38 qualified nurses was 12.5/24 (interquartile range 11-14.25; range 4-17; 52%). Least correct answers were in the categories Classification and Wound care. Item analysis revealed several knowledge gaps and misconceptions. CONCLUSIONS The test has excellent content validity. The sample's overall score was low. Item analysis identified various training needs. Future users are recommended to further validate the test and establish its reliability, and to tailor it to their individual context and evaluation requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurien Botterman
- School of Healthcare, Nurse Education Programme, HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Irene De Cock
- School of Healthcare, Nurse Education Programme, HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Stijn I Blot
- School of Healthcare, Nurse Education Programme, HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine & Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Sonia O Labeau
- School of Healthcare, Nurse Education Programme, HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Ghent, Belgium.
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Mielke I, Breil SM, Amelung D, Espe L, Knorr M. Assessing distinguishable social skills in medical admission: does construct-driven development solve validity issues of situational judgment tests? BMC Med Educ 2022; 22:293. [PMID: 35440029 PMCID: PMC9020047 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03305-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social skills are important for future physicians and are therefore increasingly considered in selection processes. One economic assessment method from which different social skills can be inferred are Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs) in which applicants are asked to rate behavioral responses in context-relevant situations. However, traditional SJTs have so far failed to distinctively measure specified constructs. To address this shortcoming in the medical admission context, we applied a construct-driven approach of SJT development in which test development was deductively guided by agency and communion as target constructs. METHOD The final version of the construct-driven SJT includes 15 items per construct with three behavioral responses. Medical school applicants (N = 1527) completed the construct-driven SJT, a traditional SJT, and an aptitude test under high-stakes condition as part of their application. A subsample (N = 575) participated in a subsequent voluntary online study with self-report measures of personality and past behavior. RESULTS The proposed two-factor structure and internal consistency of the construct-driven SJT was confirmed. Communal SJT scores were positively associated with self-reported communal personality and communal behavior, yet effects were smaller than expected. Findings for agentic SJT scores were mixed with positive small associations to self-reported agentic personality scores and agentic behavior but unexpected negative relations to communal self-reported measures. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that construct-driven SJTs might overcome validity limitations of traditional SJTs, although their implementation is challenging. Despite first indicators of validity, future research needs to address practical points of application in high-stakes settings, inclusion of other constructs, and especially prediction of actual behavior before the application of construct-driven SJTs for selection purposes in medical admission can be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ina Mielke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, N30, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Simon M Breil
- Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Dorothee Amelung
- Office of Student Affairs, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lia Espe
- Division of Medical Teaching and Education Research, Göttingen University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mirjana Knorr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, N30, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
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Obadia T, Nekkab N, Robinson LJ, Drakeley C, Mueller I, White MT. Developing sero-diagnostic tests to facilitate Plasmodium vivax Serological Test-and-Treat approaches: modeling the balance between public health impact and overtreatment. BMC Med 2022; 20:98. [PMID: 35300700 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02285-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eliminating Plasmodium vivax will require targeting the hidden liver-stage reservoir of hypnozoites. This necessitates new interventions balancing the benefit of reducing vivax transmission against the risk of over-treating some individuals with drugs which may induce haemolysis. By measuring antibodies to a panel of vivax antigens, a strategy of serological-testing-and-treatment (PvSeroTAT) can identify individuals with recent blood-stage infections who are likely to carry hypnozoites and target them for radical cure. This provides a potential solution to selectively treat the vivax reservoir with 8-aminoquinolines. METHODS PvSeroTAT can identify likely hypnozoite carriers with ~80% sensitivity and specificity. Diagnostic test sensitivities and specificities ranging 50-100% were incorporated into a mathematical model of vivax transmission to explore how they affect the risks and benefits of different PvSeroTAT strategies involving hypnozoiticidal regimens. Risk was measured as the rate of overtreatment and benefit as reduction of community-level vivax transmission. RESULTS Across a wide range of combinations of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, PvSeroTAT was substantially more effective than bloodstage mass screen and treat strategies and only marginally less effective than mass drug administration. The key test characteristic determining of the benefit of PvSeroTAT strategies is diagnostic sensitivity, with higher values leading to more hypnozoite carriers effectively treated and greater reductions in vivax transmission. The key determinant of risk is diagnostic specificity: higher specificity ensures that a lower proportion of uninfected individuals are unnecessarily treated with primaquine. These relationships are maintained in both moderate and low transmission settings (qPCR prevalence 10% and 2%). Increased treatment efficacy and adherence can partially compensate for lower test performance. Multiple rounds of PvSeroTAT with a lower performing test may lead to similar or higher reductions in vivax transmission than fewer rounds with a higher performing test, albeit with higher rate of overtreatment. CONCLUSIONS At current performance, PvSeroTAT is predicted to be a safe and efficacious option for targeting the hypnozoite reservoir towards vivax elimination. P. vivax sero-diagnostic tests should aim for both high performance and ease of use in the field. The target product profiles informing such development should thus reflect the trade-offs between impact, overtreatment, and ease of programmatic implementation.
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Shomeil SHUSHTARI S, FATAHI F, ROUHBAKHSH N, SAKI N, JALAIE S, NEGIN E, TAVAKOLI M, kARIMI M. Development and psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of the Phoneme Recognition Test: A central auditory processing measure. Iran J Child Neurol 2022; 16:79-93. [PMID: 36204444 PMCID: PMC9531190 DOI: 10.22037/ijcn.v15i4.28648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Objectives The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Phoneme Recognition Test (P-PRT) in normal subjects and cochlear implant (CI) users. Material & Methods This study includes developing the Persian phoneme recognition test (PRT), determining its validity and reliability, and comparing the results of a control group versus CI users. The test reliability was examined through a test-retest with an approximately five-week interval. In the present survey, 363 subjects were investigated in three stages. The face validity evaluation stage was conducted on 40 subjects. The psychometric properties of the P-PRT were evaluated in 323 individuals (225 normal subjects and 98 CI users). The test-retest reliability was examined in all the 225 subjects in the control group and 40 CI users. Results The results confirmed the face validity of the P-PRT. No significant differences were observed between the two genders in terms of performance in the P-PRT. Significant differences were observed between the control and CI groups. Evaluating the test-retest reliability suggested perfect reliability (r>0.9) in both groups. Significant differences were observed in the P-PRT between the adults and the 7-year-old subjects compared to other age groups. Conclusion The P-PRT can be used as a valid and reliable test for clinically evaluating phoneme recognition abilities and monitoring the rehabilitation progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Shomeil SHUSHTARI
- Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Musculoskeletal rehabilitation research center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Farzaneh FATAHI
- Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nematallah ROUHBAKHSH
- Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nader SAKI
- Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hearing Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Shohreh JALAIE
- Department of physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ehsan NEGIN
- Psychology Musculoskeletal rehabilitation research center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mojtaba TAVAKOLI
- Businesses administration, audiologist, Khuzestan cochlear implant center, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Majid kARIMI
- Businesses administration, audiologist, Khuzestan cochlear implant center, Ahvaz, Iran
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Wieck C, Scheibe S, Kunzmann U. Development and validation of film stimuli to assess empathy in the work context. Behav Res Methods 2021. [PMID: 34100203 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-021-01594-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of research suggests that empathy predicts important work outcomes, yet limitations in existing measures to assess empathy have been noted. Extending past work on the assessment of empathy, this study introduces a newly developed set of emotion-eliciting film clips that can be used to assess both cognitive (emotion perception) and affective (emotional congruence and sympathy) facets of empathy in vivo. Using the relived emotions paradigm, film protagonists were instructed to think aloud about an autobiographical, emotional event from working life and relive their emotions while being videotaped. Subsequently, protagonists were asked to provide self-reports of the intensity of their emotions during retelling their event. In a first study with 128 employees, who watched the film clips and rated their own as well as the protagonists’ emotions, we found that the film clips are effective in eliciting moderate levels of emotions as well as sympathy in the test taker and can be used to calculate reliable convergence scores of emotion perception and emotional congruence. Using a selected subset of six film clips, a second two-wave study with 99 employees revealed that all facet-specific measures of empathy had moderate-to-high internal consistencies and test–retest reliabilities, and correlated in expected ways with other self-report and test-based empathy tests, cognition, and demographic variables. With these films, we expand the choice of testing materials for empathy in organizational research to cover a larger array of research questions.
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Granocchio E, Gazzola S, Scopelliti MR, Criscuoli L, Airaghi G, Sarti D, Magazù S. Evaluation of oro-phonatory development and articulatory diadochokinesis in a sample of Italian children using the protocol of Robbins & Klee. J Commun Disord 2021; 91:106101. [PMID: 33894654 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The Italian version (Granocchio et al., 2019) of the protocol proposed by Robbins and Klee (1987) allows the assessment of structure of the vocal tract, oromotor and oro-phonatory ability, and articulatory diadochokinesis in children. The aim of this study was to collect the first normative sample of Italian children. METHODS We measured the total structural score (TSS), total functional score (TFS), oral function score (OFS), phonatory function score (PFS), maximum phonation time (MPT), speed of monosyllable repetition (SMR), and speed of polysyllable repetition (SPR) in 191 typically developing Italian children aged 2.6-6.11 years. RESULTS Like the finding observed in the original protocol, there were no significant age-related changes in TSS, but the correlation was observed for TFS, OFS, PFS, MPT, SMR and SPR. The Inter-observer agreement was "good" or "excellent" for all scores except for SPR that was "moderate". CONCLUSIONS The increase in oro-motor, oro-phonatory and diadochokinetic abilities confirmed the progressive maturation of these functions with age. The protocol can therefore be considered a useful instrument to classify speech sound disorders (SSDs) by excluding alterations in anatomical structures and evaluate the motor impairment. This normative sample of Italian children allows to use these measures for diagnostic purposes in young Italian speakers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Granocchio
- Language and Learning Disorders Service, Development Neurology Unit, Fondazione I.R.R.C.S. Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Stefania Gazzola
- Language and Learning Disorders Service, Development Neurology Unit, Fondazione I.R.R.C.S. Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Maria Rosa Scopelliti
- Language and Learning Disorders Service, Development Neurology Unit, Fondazione I.R.R.C.S. Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | | | - Gloria Airaghi
- Language and Learning Disorders Service, Development Neurology Unit, Fondazione I.R.R.C.S. Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Daniela Sarti
- Language and Learning Disorders Service, Development Neurology Unit, Fondazione I.R.R.C.S. Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Santina Magazù
- Language and Learning Disorders Service, Development Neurology Unit, Fondazione I.R.R.C.S. Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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Zeinoun P, Iliescu D, El Hakim R. Psychological Tests in Arabic: A Review of Methodological Practices and Recommendations for Future Use. Neuropsychol Rev 2021. [PMID: 33772410 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-021-09476-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Mental health research among Arabic speakers is increasing, and with it the need to assess psychopathology of Arabic-speaking populations, including natives, refugees, and immigrants. However, major challenges include the unavailability of appropriate Arabic tools, and the difficulty of judging whether available tools are appropriate. Critical judgment of psychometric tools is important, because they are used for high stake decisions such as clinical outcomes and diagnoses. We identified Arabic-language tests that measure constructs related to mental illness and health, critically analyzed their methodologies, and provided broad recommendations for future research. We conducted a systematic search query using four online databases and followed step-wise exclusions. We identified 115 articles published between January 1998 and August 2019 which produced 138 Arabic tests to screen or diagnose or plan treatment for psychological disorders. More than 80% of tests were translated or adapted from English using methods that are not comparable with the latest standards. Methods of establishing validity, reliability, and equivalence, were also limited, with one quarter not reporting reliability, and the majority using only one source of validity evidence. There is much room for improvement when making decisions about translation or adaptation designs, as well as conducting and reporting psychometric evidence.
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Boutillier C, Jeanrenaud L, Gilles JL, Bouche L, Cotting JQ. Healthcare Students on Placements: a Cyclical Quality Method for Satisfaction Assessments. Med Sci Educ 2020; 30:1427-1435. [PMID: 34457810 PMCID: PMC8368566 DOI: 10.1007/s40670-020-01048-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV, Switzerland) is a university hospital with more than 11,000 employees who perform clinical, research and teaching roles. It was ranked in March 2019 among the ten best hospitals in the world according to the magazine Newsweek. The education scheme of the CHUV includes the practical training of more than 1700 young people, in particular from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO). This research and development, carried out in collaboration with the University of Teacher Education of State of Vaud (UTE Vaud), has enabled the creation and implementation of a cyclical method for evaluating the satisfaction of HES-SO healthcare students at CHUV. The method created and tested-the Cycle of Construction and Quality Control for Satisfaction Evaluations (CCQCSE)-comprises nine stages: Issues, Analysis, Design, Items, Information, Collection, Processing, Feedback and Adjustment. It was designed with the help of a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals (CHUV) and experts in education sciences (UTE Vaud) as part of a master's thesis (Kaeser 2018) directed by our research team. A 4-month pilot phase allowed more than 250 placement students' satisfaction levels to be collected with respect to ten aspects of the practical training scheme, and provided diagnostic feedback. Identifying strengths and areas for improvement has significantly helped with the development of a quality policy for student training at the institution. CCQCSE is now considered as a robust method in line with the quality measures already in place at CHUV. In particular, it encouraged those responsible for the practical training to reflect on their mentoring practices. Beyond the context of CHUV and the mentoring of healthcare students on placements, the CCQCSE model could be transferred to other sectors in which training placements are offered, opening up new avenues of collaborative research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Boutillier
- Haute École Pédagogique du Canton de Vaud (University of Teacher Education of State of Vaud), Avenue de Cour 33, CH1014, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Luc Jeanrenaud
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (Lausanne University Hospital), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Luc Gilles
- Haute École Pédagogique du Canton de Vaud (University of Teacher Education of State of Vaud), Avenue de Cour 33, CH1014, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laurence Bouche
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (Lausanne University Hospital), Lausanne, Switzerland
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Casanova T, Black C, Rafiq S, Hugill-Jones J, Read JCA, Vancleef K. The impact of active research involvement of young children in the design of a new stereotest. Res Involv Engagem 2020; 6:29. [PMID: 32518689 PMCID: PMC7276065 DOI: 10.1186/s40900-020-00194-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although considered important, the direct involvement of young children in research design is scarce and to our knowledge its impact has never been measured. We aim to demonstrate impact of young children's involvement in improving the understanding of a new 3D eye test or stereotest. METHODS After a pre-measure of understanding was taken, we explored issues with the test instructions in patient and public involvement (PPI) sessions where children acted as advisers in the test design. Feedback was collected via observations, rating scales and verbal comments. An interdisciplinary panel reviewed the feedback, discussed potential changes to the test design, and decided on the implementation. Subsequently, a post-measure of understanding (Study 1-2) and engagement (Study 3) was collected in a pre-post study design. Six hundred fifty children (2-11.8 years old) took part in the pre-measure, 111 children (1-12 years old) in the subsequent PPI sessions, and 52 children (4-6 years old) in the first post-measure. One hundred twenty-two children (1-12 years old) and unrelated adults took then part in a second series of PPI sessions, and 53 people (2-39 years old) in the final post-measure. Adults were involved to obtain verbal descriptions of the target that could be used to explain the task to children. RESULTS Following feedback in Study 1, we added a frame cue and included a shuffle animation. This increased the percentage of correct practice trials from 76 to 97% (t (231) = 14.29, p < .001), but more encouragements like 'Keep going!' were needed (t (64) = 8.25, p < .001). After adding a cardboard demo in Study 2, the percentage of correct trials remained stable but the number of additional instructions given decreased (t (103) = 3.72, p < .001) as did the number of encouragements (t (103) = 8.32, p < .001). Therefore, changes in test design following children's feedback significantly improved task understanding. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates measurable impact of involvement of very young children in research design through accessible activities. The changes implemented following their feedback significantly improved the understanding of our test. Our approach can inform researchers on how to involve young children in research design and can contribute to developing guidelines for involvement of young children in research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Therese Casanova
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH UK
- Present address: NHS Business Services Authority, Stella House, Goldcrest Way, Newcastle, NE5 8NY UK
| | - Carla Black
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH UK
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Professional Services, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH UK
| | - Sheima Rafiq
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH UK
- Present address: Children’s Acute and Ongoing Needs Service, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Nye Bevan House, Maclure Rd, Rochdale, OL11 1DR UK
| | - Jessica Hugill-Jones
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH UK
- Present address: York Trials Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, YO10 5DD UK
| | - Jenny C. A. Read
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH UK
| | - Kathleen Vancleef
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4HH UK
- Present address: Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Anna Watts Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG UK
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Raymond MR, Stevens C, Bucak SD. The optimal number of options for multiple-choice questions on high-stakes tests: application of a revised index for detecting nonfunctional distractors. Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract 2019; 24:141-150. [PMID: 30362027 DOI: 10.1007/s10459-018-9855-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Research suggests that the three-option format is optimal for multiple choice questions (MCQs). This conclusion is supported by numerous studies showing that most distractors (i.e., incorrect answers) are selected by so few examinees that they are essentially nonfunctional. However, nearly all studies have defined a distractor as nonfunctional if it is selected by fewer than 5% of examinees. A limitation of this definition is that the proportion of examinees available to choose a distractor depends on overall item difficulty. This is especially problematic for mastery tests, which consist of items that most examinees are expected to answer correctly. Based on the traditional definition of nonfunctional, a five-option MCQ answered correctly by greater than 90% of examinees will be constrained to have only one functional distractor. The primary purpose of the present study was to evaluate an index of nonfunctional that is sensitive to item difficulty. A secondary purpose was to extend previous research by studying distractor functionality within the context of professionally-developed credentialing tests. Data were analyzed for 840 MCQs consisting of five options per item. Results based on the traditional definition of nonfunctional were consistent with previous research indicating that most MCQs had one or two functional distractors. In contrast, the newly proposed index indicated that nearly half (47.3%) of all items had three or four functional distractors. Implications for item and test development are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R Raymond
- National Board of Medical Examiners, 3750 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Craig Stevens
- National Board of Medical Examiners, 3750 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - S Deniz Bucak
- National Board of Medical Examiners, 3750 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Abstract
Background The purpose of the present study is to develop the Moral Identity Test (MIT) which measures the moral identity of primary school children. Methods The present study was designed as survey research and 516 primary school children were included in the sample. Data were analysed with corrected item-total correlation, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), internal consistency analysis, convergent validity analysis, and item response theory (IRT). Results As a result of the data analysis, it was found that the MIT consists of one construct with ten items and its internal consistency coefficient is .93. Conclusions It was concluded that the MIT can generate reliable and valid results in measuring the moral identity of primary school children whose ages vary between 7 and 11 years. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s41155-019-0120-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerem Coskun
- Department of Primary Education, Artvin Coruh University, Sehir Kampusu, 08000, Artvin, Turkey.
| | - Cihan Kara
- Department of Primary Education, Artvin Coruh University, Sehir Kampusu, 08000, Artvin, Turkey
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Abstract
During psychophysical testing, a loss of concentration can cause observers to answer incorrectly, even when the stimulus is clearly perceptible. Such lapses limit the accuracy and speed of many psychophysical measurements. This study evaluates an automated technique for detecting lapses based on body movement (postural instability). Thirty-five children (8-11 years of age) and 34 adults performed a typical psychophysical task (orientation discrimination) while seated on a Wii Fit Balance Board: a gaming device that measures center of pressure (CoP). Incorrect responses on suprathreshold catch trials provided the "reference standard" measure of when lapses in concentration occurred. Children exhibited significantly greater variability in CoP on lapse trials, indicating that postural instability provides a feasible, real-time index of concentration. Limitations and potential applications of this method are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pete R Jones
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK.
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK.
- City University of London, London, UK.
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Twisk D, Wesseling S, Vlakveld W, Vissers J, Hegeman G, Hukker N, Roelofs E, Slinger W. Higher-order cycling skills among 11- to 13-year-old cyclists and relationships with cycling experience, risky behavior, crashes and self-assessed skill. J Safety Res 2018; 67:137-143. [PMID: 30553416 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In the Netherlands, young cyclists are extremely vulnerable in traffic, which may partly be due to their still underdeveloped higher-order cycling skill. So far, knowledge on their actual level of skill is lacking. Using a computerized test battery mimicking real-life risky traffic conditions, this study assessed the level of higher-order cycling skill in children 11 and 12 years of age and tested the hypothesis that these skills show caveats. Furthermore, factors potentially influencing the development and impact of these skills were studied, such as cycling experience, risky road behavior, crash involvement, and self-assessed skill. METHOD A total of 335 students (49% female) completed computerized tests on hazard perception, gap acceptance, blind spot strategies, and priority decisions in traffic, and completed questionnaires on cycling experience, risky cycling behavior, crashes, and self-assessment of cycling skill. RESULTS On the hazard perception test, one-third of the participants missed at least half of the number of hazards. They made errors in about 50% of the priority decisions, accepted critical gaps when crossing the road, and conversely rejected safe gaps; only 1% of the participants identified all blind spots of a truck correctly, while 69% made unsafe decisions when interacting with trucks in traffic scenarios. Overall, in complex traffic situations performance was worse than in simple ones. The hypothesis of lack of skills was therefore accepted. However, the study failed to demonstrate consistent relationships between subtest performance and cycling experience, risky behavior, crashes, and self-assessed skill, which weakens the theoretical assumptions concerning the subtests. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that children at the end of primary school are still lacking elementary skills for safe cycling, calling for measures to accelerate skill development. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Test batteries are essential tools for systematically monitoring skill development in cyclists, evaluating education programs, and for guiding the development of effective road safety education. The next step is the validation of such batteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divera Twisk
- Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety - QLD, Queensland University of Technology, K Block, 130 Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia.
| | - Simone Wesseling
- Institute for Road Safety Research (SWOV), Bezuidenhoutseweg 62, 2594 AW, The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | - Willem Vlakveld
- Institute for Road Safety Research (SWOV), Bezuidenhoutseweg 62, 2594 AW, The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | - Jan Vissers
- Royal HaskoningDHV, Laan 1914 no 35, 3818 EX, Amersfoort, the Netherlands.
| | - Geertje Hegeman
- Royal HaskoningDHV, Laan 1914 no 35, 3818 EX, Amersfoort, the Netherlands.
| | - Nikki Hukker
- Royal HaskoningDHV, Laan 1914 no 35, 3818 EX, Amersfoort, the Netherlands.
| | - Erik Roelofs
- Centraal Instituut toetsontwikkeling (CITO), Amsterdamseweg 13, 6814 CM, Arnhem, the Netherlands.
| | - Wilma Slinger
- CROW, Hora plantsoon 18, 6717 LT, Ede, the Netherlands.
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Jänsch S, Bauer J, Leube D, Otto M, Römbke J, Teichmann H, Waszak K. A new ecotoxicological test method for genetically modified plants and other stressors in soil with the black fungus gnat Bradysia impatiens (Diptera): current status of test development and dietary effects of azadirachtin on larval development and emergence rate. Environ Sci Eur 2018; 30:38. [PMID: 30370193 PMCID: PMC6182620 DOI: 10.1186/s12302-018-0167-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few suitable and standardized test methods are currently available to test the effects of genetically modified plants (GMP) on non-target organisms. To fill this gap and improve ecotoxicological testing for GMP, we developed a new soil ecotoxicological test method using sciarid larvae as test organisms. RESULTS Bradysia impatiens was identified as a candidate species. Species of the genus Bradysia occur in high numbers in European agroecosystems and B. impatiens can be reared in the laboratory in continuous culture. A functional basic test design was successfully developed. Newly hatched larvae were used as the initial life stage to cover most of the life cycle of the species during the test. Azadirachtin was identified as a suitable reference substance. In several tests, the effects of this substance on development time and emergence rate varied for different temperatures and test substrates. The toxicity was higher at 25 °C compared to 20 °C and in tropical artificial soil compared to coconut fiber substrate. CONCLUSIONS AND OUTLOOK Results suggest that the developed test system is suitable to enter a full standardization process, e.g., via the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Such a standardization would not only assist the risk assessment of GMP, but could include other stressors such as systemic pesticides or veterinary pharmaceuticals reaching the soil, e.g., via spreading manure. The use of sciarid flies as test organisms supports recommendations of EFSA, which stressed the ecological role of flies and encouraged including Diptera into test batteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Jänsch
- ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Böttgerstr. 2-14, 65439 Flörsheim, Germany
| | - Johannes Bauer
- ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Böttgerstr. 2-14, 65439 Flörsheim, Germany
| | - David Leube
- ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Böttgerstr. 2-14, 65439 Flörsheim, Germany
| | - Mathias Otto
- Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), Konstantinstr. 110, 53179 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jörg Römbke
- ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Böttgerstr. 2-14, 65439 Flörsheim, Germany
| | - Hanka Teichmann
- Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), Konstantinstr. 110, 53179 Bonn, Germany
| | - Karolina Waszak
- ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Böttgerstr. 2-14, 65439 Flörsheim, Germany
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Johannesen JK, Fiszdon JM, Weinstein A, Ciosek D, Bell MD. The Social Attribution Task - Multiple Choice (SAT-MC): Psychometric comparison with social cognitive measures for schizophrenia research. Psychiatry Res 2018; 262:154-161. [PMID: 29453033 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The Social Attribution Task-Multiple Choice (SAT-MC) tests the ability to extract social themes from viewed object motion. This form of animacy perception is thought to aid the development of social inference, but appears impaired in schizophrenia. The current study was undertaken to examine psychometric equivalence of two forms of the SAT-MC and to compare their performance against social cognitive tests recommended for schizophrenia research. Thirty-two schizophrenia (SZ) and 30 substance use disorder (SUD) participants completed both SAT-MC forms, the Bell-Lysaker Emotion Recognition Task (BLERT), Hinting Task, The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT), Ambiguous Intentions and Hostility Questionnaire (AIHQ) and questionnaire measures of interpersonal function. Test sensitivity, construct and external validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency were evaluated. SZ scored significantly lower than SUD on both SAT-MC forms, each classifying ~60% of SZ as impaired, compared with ~30% of SUD. SAT-MC forms demonstrated good test-retest and parallel form reliability, minimal practice effect, high internal consistency, and similar patterns of correlation with social cognitive and external validity measures. The SAT-MC compared favorably to recommended social cognitive tests across psychometric features and, with exception of TASIT, was most sensitive to impairment in schizophrenia when compared to a chronic substance use sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason K Johannesen
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Research Service, West Haven, CT, USA; Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Joanna M Fiszdon
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Research Service, West Haven, CT, USA; Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Andrea Weinstein
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - David Ciosek
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Research Service, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Morris D Bell
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Research Service, West Haven, CT, USA; Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT, USA
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Abstract
This study examined the effect of age at completion of an autism screening test on item failure rates contrasting older (>20 months) with younger (<20 months) toddlers in a community primary care sample of 73,564 children. Items related to social development were categorized into one of three age sets per criteria from Inada et al. (Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 4(4):605-611, 2010). Younger toddlers produced higher rates of item failure than older toddlers and items in both of the later acquired item sets had higher probability rates for failure than the earliest acquired item set (prior to 8 months). Use of the same items and the same scoring throughout the target age range for autism screening may not be the best strategy for identifying the youngest toddlers at risk for autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond Sturner
- Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Barbara Howard
- Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Paul Bergmann
- Foresight Logic, Inc., Saint Paul, MN, USA
- PrairieCare Institute, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Lydia Stewart
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Aperribai L, Alonso-Arbiol I, Balluerka N, Claes L. Development of a screening instrument to assess premenstrual dysphoric disorder as conceptualized in DSM-5. J Psychosom Res 2016; 88:15-20. [PMID: 27521647 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed at developing and validating a screening instrument to assess premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) based on DSM-5 criteria, which is not yet available. METHODS The Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Questionnaire for DSM-5 (Cuestionario del Trastorno Disfórico Premenstrual - DSM-5), a 25-item questionnaire to assess PMDD was developed and completed in Spanish by 2820 women (Age M=23.43; SD=7.87). Exploratory factor analysis (N=1410) and confirmatory factor analysis (N=1410) were performed in randomly selected subsamples. Empirical evidence of construct validity was obtained via a multitrait-multimethod approach (N=118). Additional validity evidence was provided by associating PMDD with Neuroticism. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were checked. RESULTS Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded a bi-dimensional structure. The first dimension, called Dysphoria, included dysphoric symptoms and weight gain; the second dimension, Apathy, referred to apathetic and physical symptoms. Both dimensions displayed good internal consistency coefficients (Dysphoria's ordinal alpha=0.88; Apathy's ordinal alpha=0.84), and moderate temporal stability. The multitrait-multimethod analysis showed that convergent coefficients were higher than discriminant coefficients. Furthermore, a positive relationship between Neuroticism and PMDD was observed. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that the instrument is valid and reliable to assess PMDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leire Aperribai
- Department of Educational Psychology and Pedagogy, Begoñako Andra Mari Teacher Training University College, BAM, Bilbao, Spain.
| | - Itziar Alonso-Arbiol
- Department of Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Nekane Balluerka
- Department of Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Laurence Claes
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Sakthong P, Sonsa-Ardjit N, Sukarnjanaset P, Munpan W, Suksanga P. Development and psychometric testing of the medication taking behavior tool in Thai patients. Int J Clin Pharm 2016; 38:438-45. [PMID: 26942440 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-016-0275-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The previous Thai version of the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (8-item MMAS) showed poor sensitivity and unacceptable internal consistency reliability. OBJECTIVES To develop and test the psychometric properties of a new medication taking behavior measure for Thai patients (MTB-Thai) including practicality, reliability and validity. METHODS This study was conducted with adult outpatients regularly taking any medicines for at least three months from three university hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand, between July 2014 and March 2015. The study was approved by the Ethical Committees of the three hospitals. Practicality was assessed by administration time and the percentage of missing data. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were evaluated employing Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), respectively. Validity was evaluated with content, construct, convergent and known-groups validity. RESULTS Of 1156 patients, the 6-item MTB-Thai had an average administration time of 2 min and no missing data. It showed good Cronbach's alpha value of 0.76 and excellent ICCs of 0.83. The MTB-Thai showed good content validity with the item level and scale level of content validity indexes greater than the acceptable levels of 0.8 and 0.9, respectively. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed the MTB-Thai had two domains including unintentional and intentional domains. The MTB-Thai correlated well with the overall medication adherence scale with a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.62 (p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the MTB-Thai were 76, 35, 55 and 57 %, respectively. CONCLUSION The MTB-Thai was practical, reliable and valid in assessing mediation taking behaviors in Thai patients with chronic diseases.
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