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Purpose: The present paper presents developments and advanced practical applications of Rasch's theory and statistical analysis to construct questionnaires for measuring a person's traits. The flaws of questionnaires providing raw scores are well known. Scores only approximate objective, linear measures. The Rasch Analysis allows you to turn raw scores into measures with an error estimate, satisfying fundamental measurement axioms (e.g., unidimensionality, linearity, generalizability). A previous companion article illustrated the most frequent graphic and numeric representations of results obtained through Rasch Analysis. A more advanced description of the method is presented here. Conclusions: Measures obtained through Rasch Analysis may foster the advancement of the scientific assessment of behaviours, perceptions, skills, attitudes, and knowledge so frequently faced in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, not less than in social and educational sciences. Furthermore, suggestions are given on interpreting and managing the inevitable discrepancies between observed scores and ideal measures (data-model "misfit"). Finally, twelve practical take-home messages for appraising published results are provided. The current work is the second of two papers addressed to rehabilitation clinicians looking for an in-depth introduction to the Rasch analysis. The first paper illustrates the most common results reported in published papers presenting the Rasch analysis of questionnaires. The present article illustrates more advanced applications of the Rasch analysis, also frequently found in publications. Twelve take-home messages are given for a critical appraisal of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity of the Swedish versions of PROMIS-29 and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Dyspnea (FACIT-Dyspnea) instruments in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). In a cross-sectional study, consecutive SSc patients completed a paper-based survey. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Test–retest reliability was tested employing weighted Kappa (Kw) and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Construct validity was evaluated by hypotheses testing using RAND-36, MRC Dyspnea score, Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire (SHAQ) and clinical measurements. Forty-nine patients (86% female; 73% limited cutaneous SSc) completed the survey. The mean disease duration was 11 years and mean SHAQ was 0.5. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were good with the exception of PROMIS-29 anxiety. PROMIS-29, FACIT-Dyspnea, and Functional limitation showed strong correlations to corresponding RAND-36 domains (|rs|=0.67 to −0.85). Relevant PROMIS-29 domains, FACIT-Dyspnea and Functional limitation correlated strongly to SHAQ and VAS overall disease severity (|rs|=0.60 to −0.75). Ceiling effects (>15%) were found in six PROMIS-29 domains and in both FACIT-Dyspnea and Functional limitations. Four (4/5) hypotheses were confirmed. PROMIS-29 and FACIT-Dyspnea meet the requirements for reliability and have adequate construct validity in Swedish patients with SSc. PROMIS-29v2 and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Dyspnea (FACIT-Dyspnea) Index are patient outcome measures that gain increasing interest for the evaluation of patient with rheumatologic diseases. PROMIS-29v2 and FACIT-Dyspnea Index meet the requirements for reliability and have adequate construct validity compared to legacy measures in Swedish patients with systemic sclerosis. Translation and validation of PROMs is important for studies of rare diseases in multi-center collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construct of fragility of happiness, which is not a theory-driven construct, refers to the idea that happiness is fleeting and can simply turn into unhappiness. This study investigated for the first time the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Fragility of Happiness Scale (FOHS) among university students, focusing on its internal consistency, factor structure, discriminant validity, convergent validity and predictive validity. Data were collected from two student samples (online sample, n = 228; paper-pencil sample, n = 200). Participants completed measures of fragility of happiness, fear of happiness, externality of happiness and life satisfaction either as online questionnaires or a paper-pencil version of the questionnaires. FOHS demonstrated good internal consistency. Results of exploratory and confirmatory yielded a one-factor model. The results also supported convergent, divergent and predictive validity. These results suggest that the FOHS is a reliable and valid instrument among Turkish university students. It can be used for research purposes and in clinical practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While video games can be helpful in personal development, participating in certain gaming activities may lead to negative effects such as video game addiction. The overuse of computer games, which can lead to reduced quality of life and affect a person's practical skills. Around 3% of adolescents suffer from Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), there is currently no universally accepted psychometric method. The AICA-S scale was applied to results from 3,901 respondents aged between 11 and 19. During the 2017/2018 school year, a battery of questionnaires in "pen and paper" form was administered to students at primary schools and secondary schools. The respondents were selected from all the regions of the Czech Republic through a random stratified selection to ensure that the respondents were an accurate representation of students across the Czech Republic. The results were obtained using statistical methods such as ANOVA, chi-square tests and t-tests. These results affirm the psychometric quality of AICA-S and note the prevalence of IGD among Czech adolescents. Based on our results, 0.8% of our respondents fulfilled the criteria for an IGD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the importance of the stigma construct for the rehabilitation of people with severe mental illness, there are still no scales that offer a measurement for public stigma in Spanish with good psychometric properties. The aim of this paper is to refine and improve an existing scale to measure public stigma towards people with severe mental illness among the Spanish population. We also intended to decrease the number of items in order to facilitate its applicability. 402 college students (73% women) responded to the attributional questionnaire (AQ27) in two subsamples. Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis with high cutoffs were conducted. The convergent validity with the resource allocation questionnaire was also tested. We have obtained a parsimonious tool, with 14 items and four factors, and some reliable psychometric indexes and convergent validity. The factors obtained were dangerousness-fear, lack of solidarity, coercion and avoidance. These results improve the findings from other studies that try to validate the AQ27 in other languages. We discuss the different factors that should be considered in the estimation of public stigma and the necessity to implement programmes to reduce it to enable recovery. Since the public stigma of mental illness is an obstacle to recovery and rehabilitation, reliable instruments are needed to assess it. A parsimonious instrument in Spanish with good psychometric characteristics for measuring public stigma is obtained. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, a questionnaire of 14 items is obtained. Four factors constitute the instrument: "dangerousness-fear", "coercion", "lack of solidarity", and "avoidance". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neo-Kohlbergian approach to moral reasoning development maintains that intermediate concepts lie between bedrock moral schemas and professional codes of ethics and deal with issues of confidentiality, competence, informed consent, allocation of resources and professional autonomy (Rest et. al, 1999b). Intermediate concepts provide concrete guides for behavior, they contrast general moral schemas that are concerned with issues of fairness, justice and equality. This paper outlines the development and testing of a prototype Intermediate Concept Measure for teachers (TICM). Results indicate that the TICM has respectable psychometric properties and assesses a construct in the moral domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]