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The Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS), PEDS: Developmental Milestones (PEDS: DM) and PEDS tools (i.e., the PEDS and PEDS:DM combined for use) are parent-reported screening tools frequently used to identify young children requiring early intervention. An ideal screening tool for all contexts would be brief, inexpensive with appropriate test items and good psychometric properties. A scoping review was conducted to review studies that used the PEDS, PEDS:DM, and PEDS tools to screen for the need for further referrals and evaluation through parent report. Thirty articles, ranging from 2003 to 2020, conducted in high-income countries (HICs) and lower-middle income countries (LMICs), were included from the 1,468 records identified. Studies conducted in HICs (n = 19) included screening of special population groups and comparing validated tools. LMIC studies (n = 11) focused on translations, combination of the PEDS tools, validations of tools, and use of an app-based tool (mHealth). High referral rates were obtained with PEDS (23-41%) and PEDS:DM (12-54%) in LMICs where at-risk populations are more prevalent and cultural differences may affect tool validity. A global dearth of research on PEDS:DM and PEDS tools exist; the review highlights factors that influence the validity and impact widespread use of the screening measures, especially in diverse populations and LMICs.

The Online Interaction Learning Model was founded on constructivist learning theory. It is an input-process-output model based on moderating variables, the inputs, which includes all of the characteristics of the courses, the instructors, EFL learners, and the technology. Due to the fact that the studies considering the pivotal role of the Online Interaction Learning Model are scarce in number, this study was conducted to validate a newly-designed questionnaire via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Two hundred fifty-nine Iranian university and higher education institutes EFL learners were asked to participate. The newly-developed questionnaire consisted of 35 items measuring the five constructs of the Online Interaction Learning Model (Course materials, Instructor performance, Learning practices, Student-to-student interaction, and Access to technology). The results from EFA, CFA, and reliability analyses revealed that the new questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument measuring Online Interaction Learning Model. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between each component of the Online Interaction Learning Model and EFL learners' GPA as well as between the total Online Interaction Learning Model and student academic achievement. Male and female EFL learners' scores on the online interaction learning model were quite different from each other.

The present research aimed to conceptualize the construct of Teacher Assessment Identity (TAI) by designing and validating a questionnaire in the Iranian EFL context. In so doing, a tentative scale with 96 items was piloted on 340 novice and experienced Iranian EFL teachers using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA, CFA). The results of the analyses led to the removal of 33 items, leaving the questionnaire with 61 items on a five-point Likert scale. Moreover, the results revealed that the construct of TAI has 12 factors including assessment "knowledge", "beliefs", "attitudes", "skills and confidence", "practices", "use assurance", "feedback", "rubric/criteria", "consistency and consequence", "grading/scoring", "question-types", and "roles". Likewise, the convergent validity and reliability of the instrument to measure the construct of concern was statistically confirmed (p>0.05). The findings have various implications for EFL teachers, teacher trainers, course designers, and language researchers by raising their awareness of assessment identity and its underlying components.

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), or subclinical hallucinations and delusions, are common symptoms among young adults. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Psychotic-Like Experiences Questionnaire for Children (PLEQ-C) in Iranian school students. The study method was cross-sectional, and the population consisted of Iranian school students aged 9-12 years, from whom 455 students were selected through the convenience sampling method. The participants then completed the PLEQ-C, Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief (PQ-B), and Community Assessment of Psychotic Experiences-42 (CAPE-42). The PLEQ-C's psychometric properties were analyzed using the confirmatory factor analysis while the reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha. The convergent validity was assessed using the PQ-B and CAPE-42 measures. The findings showed that the PLEQ-C has satisfactory internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha of 0.83), and the one-factor structure provides a good fit for the observed data. The PLEQ-C was also significantly correlated with the PQ-B and CAPE-42 questionnaires. Given the study findings, it is concluded that the PLEQ-C has good validity for Iranian school students aged 9-12 years and can be used as a reliable and valid measure in psychological evaluations in the Iranian context.

Background: Today, methods that enable students to benefit from online programs to the fullest and learn independently and self-directed are of critical importance. Many scales have been developed to measure self-directed learning in the physical classroom. This study was conducted to design and assess the psychometric properties of an instrument to assess learning process in a virtual environment. Materials and methods: A questionnaire for assessing s learning process in a virtual environment was developed following six steps. The process began with a systematic search for related articles. A qualitative study was then conducted to identify self-directed learning strategies and processes in virtual environments. The identified strategies were then compared with those from a literature review, and the scale items were developed accordingly. Expert validation, exploratory factor analysis, and reliability analysis were conducted to ensure questionnaire validity and reliability. This study included online postgraduate students from Iranian medical science universities in 2019. Results: The scale consisted of 5 factors and 44 items. In exploratory factor analysis, five subscales explained 90% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha was 0.91 for the total scale. The interclass correlation coefficient between the test and retest was 0.77. Conclusion: A questionnaire designed to assess learning process in a virtual environment for postgraduate virtual students has reasonable psychometric properties, including reasonable internal reliability and construct validity.

Teacher agency is a pivotal element of professionalism and second/foreign language (L2) education. However, its role in L2 assessment has remained under-researched. Part of this negligence is due to the absence of a validated questionnaire to measure the construct and its underlying components. To address this gap, drawing on the ecological perspective, the present study developed a scale on teacher ecological assessment agency (TEAA) by gleaning data from 539 Iranian EFL teachers. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA, CFA) culminated in 5 components and 32 items in the scale. The components were labelled "Iterational", "Projective", "Teachers' Practical-Evaluative View", "Schools' Practical-Evaluative Effect", and "Professional/Democratic Community's Practical-Evaluative Effect". Furthermore, the convergent validity and reliability of the scale were statistically approved (p > .05). The study presents some implications for EFL teachers, teacher trainers, and assessment policy-makers in that they can understand and highlight the pivotal role of teacher agency in L2 assessment practices.

Individuals are controlled by tests in every advanced society when they want to be admitted in educational courses, to proceed from one stage to the next, or to be given a certificate (Shohamy, 2001b). Accordingly, the present study was carried out to construct and validate educational, social, and psychological consequences questionnaires of English Language Proficiency (EPT) as a high-stakes test in Iran. To achieve the goals, after initial piloting of the item pool, a total number of 252 non-English PhD students completed the final researcher-made questionnaires developed using a comprehensive review of the related literature, experts' opinions, documents, and interviews. A number of statistical procedures were taken to validate the current questionnaires including Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). EFA was utilized to determine the underlying factors of the scale that affect the variables in a data structure without setting any predefined structure to the outcome and to verify the number of factors; subsequently, these results were confirmed in the CFA phase. Ultimately, the results were discussed and implications of the questionnaires were presented as follows.

The present study is conducted to implement the newly developed questionnaire to assess the readiness of academics for Implementation of e-learning programs. The questionnaire was developed and its validity and reliability were evaluated. Then a cross-sectional study was conducted including 907 academics in three categories (faculties, students, and employees) of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Data were analyzed in SPSS-16 using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the implementation of the questionnaire showed a significant relationship between e-learning knowledge and participants' position in the university, as the professors and students had higher levels of this knowledge compared to the university employees (P<0.001). There was a significant relationship between e-learning knowledge and an academic degree in the study subjects (P=0.004). Skills and attitude were also significantly related to the variables of position, academic degree, and place of residence and hours of internet use. Skills, knowledge and attitude were all related to computer and internet access and language used on the internet.

There exists cross-cultural differences in English classes regarding the factors that demotivate students and lead to dropout. The present study, following the guidelines suggested by Rowsell (1992), mainly aimed to design and validate a questionnaire for the reasons for dropout. To do so, the researchers, first, interviewed with 20 translation teachers and experts based on criterion sampling and the results emerged from the interviews were categorized into 16 common themes. Then, the questionnaire items including 28 items were constructed based on the commonalities emerged from the responses, and it was administered to 90 subjects during the two phases of pilot study. The researchers opted for factor analysis to determine the hidden traits of the questionnaire. Initially, PCA extracted 9 factors with eigenvalues greater than 1.0, accounting for 78% of the variance. Out of 28 items, 26 items had loadings of 0.40 or greater on any factor. During the second phase of the pilot study, the questionnaire was administered again to 90 subjects, and this time, PCA extracted 8 factors, accounting for 75% of the variance. Finally, the researchers explored the students' justifications for the major reasons for dropout from English institutes. The study offers practical implications for language teachers and students.

Although fairness in assessment practices has gained noticeable attention over the recent years, there has been a long-lasting study to design and validate a questionnaire to measure it from a psychometric perspective. Thus, this study aims to develop and validate a questionnaire with adequate psychometric properties to measure fairness in classroom assessment. Using a random sampling method, two samples of male and female university students for the first pilot (n = 128) and the second pilot (n = 360) were selected from Ayatollah Borujerdi University and Lorestan University. Drawing on the past literature, a pool of items (n = 118) were extracted and subjected to a 12-step systematic procedure, including content analysis and sampling; creating an item bank; running the first pilot; creating item pool one; expert judgment to evaluate the sub-scales; running an interview and think-aloud protocol; running Cronbach's alpha; running the second pilot; running exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and Cronbach's alpha; creating item pool two; expert review; and translation and translation quality check. Findings yielded a 110-item questionnaire with 10 sub-scales: learning materials and practices (18 items); test design (24 items); opportunities to demonstrate learning (8 items); test administration (21 items); grading (11 items); offering feedback (6 items); tests results interpretation (5 items); decisions based on tests results (3 items); test results consequences (4 items); and students' fairness-related beliefs and attitudes (10 items). The hope is that this questionnaire can serve research and educational purposes.

An increased enthusiasm on teacher accountability, in recent times, has led policy makers and teachers to a significant care over evaluating teachers' success. To this aim, a 40-item Teacher Success questionnaire was developed and validated by the application of the Rasch model. The Rasch model is used to decide whether the scores of an instrument are meaningful, significant, and purposive. The test was developed in Persian to be used for Iranian teachers. The Rasch rating scale model for polytomous data was used to examine the psychometric qualities of the scale in terms of dimensionality, use of response category, sample appropriateness, and reliability. The test was administrated to 828 Iranian EFL students. The results revealed that the Rasch model fits the test after deleting 8 items from the scale. Moreover, it is confirmed that the scale enjoyed suitable reliability. This proposes that the questionnaire is potentially valid and can be used as a measure of teachers' success in the Persian language settings.

Test impact, widely recognized as the influence of testing on learning and teaching, affects a set of stakeholders including test takers. This study defines the construct of test impact on test takers and describes the construction and validation of the scale of test impact on test takers (TITT). 410 participants having passed a language test in University Entrance Examination (UEE) were asked to answer the questionnaire containing 64 items. Exploratory factor analysis was applied in the study and yielded evidence for the expected five factor structure of the TITT scale, including the components of test results, test awareness, test experience, test importance, and test sociocognitive effects. The final TITT Scale and its subscales consisting of 56 items demonstrated an acceptable internal consistency and expected levels of stability of the responses across time. Cronbach's alpha was 0.93 for the global TITT scale and between 0.78 and 0.88 for the five subscales. Implications are discussed and suggestions are provided for possible utilization and improvement of the scale, and future validity testing.

Examining the long-term impact of bullying can facilitate using retrospective bullying experiences questionnaire (RBEQ) which provides information regarding bystander, bully and victim through childhood to adolescence. This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of this questionnaire in Iranian samples. A total of 92 male and 283 female university students participated in this study. Factor structure of the questionnaire was investigated by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The results of principal components analyses showed that questionnaires' items in the primary, middle and high school parts consisted of three separate factors: bystander, victim and bully. However, bullying sub-types could not be identified as separate components. Regarding confirmatory factor analyses, the extracted single-factor models revealed optimal goodness of fit indexes and high loading factor. The results of the criterion validity of the RBEQ with the Buss--Perry aggression questionnaire showed positive significant correlations between all factors of the questionnaires. Reliability of the factors of bystander, victim and bully in three educational levels was also confirmed by internal consistency and split-half coefficients. The results indicated that the Persian version of the RBEQ has appropriate validity and reliability in Iranian university students.

The present study investigated the initial psychometric properties of the Youth Internalizing (YIBS) and Externalizing Behavior Screener (YEBS) in a sample of Iranian adolescents. The participants of the present study included two independent samples of 676 adolescents attending public elementary and high schools in Arak city, Iran. Findings from confirmatory factor analysis indicated that both measures yielded good data-model fit statistics with strong factor loadings for each first-order factor, and all scales had adequate to strong internal and latent construct reliability coefficients. Concurrent validity analyses demonstrated the moderate-to-large and significant associations between the measures and criterion validity outcomes (e.g., emotional problems, peer problems, and conduct problems), and the scales were moderate-to-largely correlated with well-being indicators (i.e., prosocial behavior and school belonging). Furthermore, the results showed substantial differences between youths classified as externalizing and internalizing cases and non-cases, which were characterized by moderate-to-large effect sizes for each of the concurrent variables. Overall, these outcomes provide initial validity and reliability evidence in favor of the Persian version of the YEBS and YIBS as multidimensional measures of students' emotional and behavioral problems at school.

Emotional intelligence rating tools are not available for children, but mostly for children. So, the present study investigated the measurement and assessment of Emotional Intelligence in children with the age range of 4-8 years old by parents (mothers) through a preliminary research-made questionnaire. This study was based on an exploratory-survey design. The samples of the study were 330 mothers of children (4-8 years), selected from Behbahan city which were selected through a Cluster Random Sampling. After testing with exploratory factorial analysis method, 3 factors with 45 questions were extracted. The results of the confirmatory factorial analysis based on the scores on parental form stated three factors such as : perception and expression of the emotion, emotional understanding and evaluation, and emotional management and regulation; and stated 22.11 percentage of variance in children's emotional intelligence in total.

Teacher in the educational system and the teaching-learning process, as a main leading should need to knowledge and professional skills. Therefore, evaluation of professional development is important. This study aims to design and modify Construction and Validation of professional development questionnaire of teachers. This research based on methodology and data collection procedure was descriptive-surveyed. The population consists of 400 teachers from high in Birjand in the academic year 2013-2014. A sample of 246 was estimated by Krejcie and Morgan. The instrument used in this study is a researcher's questionnaire of teachers' professional development. In order to assess the reliability and validity was used the content and construct validity by using of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha. Results show that the questionnaire has good reliability and validity. According to the results of a factor analysis of the eight factors (components) were identified for professional development of teachers that explains a total of 54/69% of total variance. It can be concluded that the questionnaire would be a suitable tool for the professional development of teachers.

Han's (2009, 2013) selective fossilization hypothesis (SFH) claims that L1 markedness and L2 input robustness determine the fossilizability (and learnability) of an L2 feature. To test the validity of the model, a pseudo-longitudinal study was designed in which the errors in the argumentative essays of 52 Iranian EFL learners were identified and categorized based on a researcher-developed error taxonomy. Next, the learners were provided with implicit and explicit corrective feedback on those errors to see if there existed any errors that would persist despite learners' motivation and the pedagogical intervention to eliminate them from their writing. ANOVA results revealed that the errors in the "pronoun," "word order," "passive voice" and "possessive categories" persisted in the written output of the participants. A sub-classification of errors in the pronoun and possessive categories showed that deletion and redundant addition of subject pronouns, lack of agreement between pronouns and their antecedents, vague or ambiguous pronoun references in the pronoun category, and a wrong use of the apostrophe (') or apostrophe + s ('s) with regular plurals in the possessive category proved most resistant to correction, pointing to their tendency towards becoming fossilized. That tendency, however, could not be accounted for by the SFH.

Curriculum development has always been dealt as one of the most important areas of language learning and teaching by educational institutions. Null curriculum has been viewed as one of the significant kinds of curriculum types which is important due to its absence, being left out or overlooked but should not be disregarded. For this reason, a 48-item questionnaire for null curriculum in ELT with a special focus on twenty-first century skills was developed and validated by the application of the Rasch model. The Rasch model was employed to decide whether the scores of an instrument are purposive, meaningful and significant. Rasch analysis using Winsteps software version 3.73 was used to determine the dimensionality, use of response category, sample appropriateness and reliability of the scale. The test was administered to 80 university instructors teaching at BA level in different universities in Iran. The results revealed that the Rasch model fits the test after deleting six items from the scale and a suitable reliability was confirmed. This indicates that the questionnaire is potentially valid and can be used as a tool for measuring aspects of null curriculum focusing on twenty-first century skills.

School bullying is a significant public health problem and a widespread type of school violence. Empirically validated evaluation scales are needed for use in research and practice to explain the nature and scope of adolescent bullying. The current study investigated the multilevel factor structure and measurement invariance of the Olweus bullying, victimization, and perpetration scales across gender and school types on a random sample of 1,558 Iranian adolescences. Although results indicated adequate goodness of fit for the one-factor and four-factor structures in both scales, it seems like the four-factor structure is more appropriate for use in within-level (students) and the one-factor for between-level (school). In addition, measurement invariance analyses showed that configural, metric, and scalar invariance were established across gender and school types. These findings provide psychometrical support for the use of the Olweus bullying, victimization, and perpetration scales in Iranian adolescents.

The aim of the present research is to investigate a comparison between the effect of cooperative learning teaching method and lecture teaching method on students' learning and satisfaction level. The research population consisted of all the fourth grade elementary school students of educational district 4 in Shiraz. The statistical population included 120 students (60 female and 60 male) of fifth grade elementary school that were selected randomly. The research method was semi-experimental and the research tools included a 40-item exam aimed at evaluating the students' learning level and also a questionnaire aimed at measuring student's satisfaction level that included 25 items. Validity was calculated by asking 14 educational science professors and 12 members of the board of education to examine the content of the items. The reliability of the test was confirmed through retesting (r = 0.88). For data analysis, t-test and variance analysis were used by utilizing SPSS software. The results showed that the cooperative learning teaching method has a higher effect on students learning than the lecture teaching method. Also the results showed that the cooperative learning method results in higher satisfaction in students that the lecture teaching method. Female students had higher satisfaction and learning levels in cooperative learning teaching method than male students did.

In the body of literature on listening strategies to EFL learners, what seems to be lacking is that the focus is on teaching listening strategies to learners with little attention to their listening comprehension problems. No local research has been conducted on the nature of the Iranian tertiary level students' EFL listening comprehension problems or strategies. Therefore, no instrument is available to investigate these constructs. This paper reports the findings of a study that made an attempt to develop and test an instrument that will aid researchers identify students' specific listening problems and listening strategy repertoire. The instrument was developed by integrating and validating the available instruments in the related literature. The two developed questionnaires were: the Listening Comprehension Problems Questionnaire (LCPQ) and the Listening Strategy Use Questionnaire (LSUQ). Problems related to designing and testing this instrument is shared and the modifications made to it are presented. The instrument is expected to be useful for researchers interested to study the area of EFL listening in a similar setting.

The washback effect of high-stakes tests has been explored in different countries and various educational contexts. Washback generally refers to the influence of testing on teaching and learning (Alderson & Wall, 1993). This paper which is a part of a larger study seeks to report the perceptions and attitudes of Iranian pre-university English teachers towards the effect of Iranian National University Entrance Exam (hereafter the INUEE) on teachers' English teaching and learners' English learning. The participants were 6 female pre-university English teachers from two pre-university schools in the city of Ahwaz, Iran. To investigate their perceptions and attitudes towards the INUEE, a validated questionnaire was administered to the teachers and a semi-structured interview was also conducted in order to gain richer information, and to shed more light on the data collected through their questionnaires. The respondents answered questions on whether the test motivated the students to learn English, whether the INUEE evaluated students' academic knowledge, etc. The descriptive and qualitative analysis of the data revealed that teachers' perceptions towards the test were mixed. Two teachers held positive views about the test and four other teachers held negative perceptions about this high-stakes test. The findings of this study could be pedagogically significant to policy-makers, test designers, teachers, and students.

The study scrutinized the probable interaction between using cognitive test-taking strategies, reading proficiency, and reading comprehension test performance of Iranian postgraduate students, who studied English as a foreign language. The study also probed the extent to which the participants' test performance was related to the use of certain cognitive test-taking strategies. The participants were 343 MA students, who took an English reading comprehension test and answered a test-taking strategy questionnaire. The gathered data were subjected to a set of parametric statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics, factorial, and regression analyses. The results showed that the participants at the high level of reading proficiency used comprehending and retrieval strategies more frequently than did the participants at the intermediate and low levels. The findings reflected that 33% of the variance in the test performance was due to the use of cognitive test-taking strategies. Thus, the observed scores cannot account for the actual language ability of test takers. The findings can help language teachers gain a better understanding of the strategic process of test taking and improve the validity of language tests. In addition, the findings can assist language teachers in interpreting test scores from a different angle to make a sound judgment about the actual ability of language learners and decrease error of measurement. The findings also recommend language teachers to pay systematic attention to the linguistic and strategic aspects of language learning and adopt their teaching approaches to the needs of language learners to improve their reading ability.

Due to the unquestionable roles of technology in language classes, it might be necessary to use computers in assessing language knowledge. This study aimed to examine how computers may be used to assess language ability of [English for Specific Purposes] ESP students. Sixty computer-major university students at Abadan University are the participants of this study. They have taken an ESP course for a four-month academic term. To measure these participants' ESP knowledge, two types of tests were used: a final achievement test based on course content, and a computer-assisted test based on [target language use] TLU domain. The study used a computer-assisted test to highlight the validity of the final achievement test. This study also investigated ESP students' perception of computer-supported assessment and highlighted some obstacles that may hinder e-supported activities in an Iranian context. Regarding the findings, the study points to the possibility of using computer-assisted assessment as an alternative to the present a mainstream testing system.

The study of student's attitude towards e-learning can in many ways help managers better prepare in light of e-learning for the future. This article describes the process of the development of an instrument to measure university students' attitude towards e-learning. The scale was administered to 200 University students from two countries (India and Iran). The 83-item attitude towards e-learning scale was developed on six domains as Perceived usefulness; Intention to adopt e-learning; Ease of e-learning use; Technical and pedagogical support; E-learning stressors; Pressure to use e-learning. (Contains 5 tables.)

Understanding and measuring levels of academic integrity within higher education institutions across the world is an important area of study in the era of educational internationalization. Developing a cross-cultural measure will undoubtedly assist in creating standardization processes and add to the discourse on cross-cultural understanding on what constitutes honest and dishonest action in the higher education context. This study has used a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analytical procedures to validate a previously published questionnaire, namely the cross-cultural academic integrity questionnaire (CCAIQ). Inspection of response distributions was also undertaken. Primary participants in this study were from Iran (n = 216), and secondary reference participants were from New Zealand (n = 366) and Nigeria (n = 330). The findings indicate that a revised questionnaire (CCAIQ-2) better represents the data obtained from all three regions. Three CCAIQ-2 domains are proposed: cheating, collusion and complying. However, the response distributions (skewness and kurtosis) indicated differences among the three groups, further suggesting that the theoretical constructs developed through factors analysis may not represent equivalence in terms of cross-cultural understanding. This research will inevitably create international debate on the measurement of integrity and how this measurement process can be used to establish internationally recognized and accountable educational regulations.

Background: Management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) as a chronic disease requires treatment adherence such as controlling the blood glucose level and adopting a healthy lifestyle. The present study aimed to develop and psychometrically evaluate a questionnaire based on the Pender's Health Promotion Model (HPM) to measure treatment adherence and the associated factors among T2D patients. Methods: The present study was conducted in qualitative and the quantitative phases between March 2022 and March 2023. The participants were T2D patients visiting Shahid Mohammadi hospital Diabetes Clinic in Bandar Abbas in the south of Iran. The first draft of items was extracted from the qualitative phase. The present study used interviews with T2D patients, item construction, validity and reliability evaluation of the instrument, and the relevant statistical analyses. It emphasized the significance of content, face, and construct validity, along with reliability testing using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest method. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, V16 and AMOS, V23. Results: A 97-item questionnaire was developed through the qualitative phase and, after content validity, it was reduced to 86 items. Five items were removed in face validation, and after the test-retest method, 79 items were retained. The confirmatory factors analysis confirmed a 65-item model with appropriate fitness of data. Cronbach's alpha coefficient showed an acceptable reliability of the diabetes treatment adherence questionnaire (α = 0.92). Conclusion: The questionnaire developed based on the HPM model provides a standard and comprehensive measurement of the degree of adherence to treatment and the associated factors among Iranian T2D patients. This is especially valuable in the Iranian healthcare context, where effective management of chronic diseases such as diabetes is of a top priority. Questionnaires can help identify barriers and facilitators of treatment adherence to inform systematic and goal-oriented interventions. The proposed questionnaire had good psychometric properties, and can be used as a valid and practical instrument to measure the factors related to treatment adherence behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Sensory processing sensitivity is a neurobiological trait that is related to many areas of life. The purpose of this study was to translate the original Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire to Persian and access the psychometric properties of the translated questionnaire in adults aged 18–45 years old. Methods: The questionnaire was translated using the International Quality of Life Assessment project's protocol. Face and content validity were checked by consulting 15 occupational therapists. The study included 142 participants aged 18–45 years with a mean age of 25.11 ± 7.825 years, without any disabilities. They were selected using non-probability sampling and were from all areas of Tehran. The participants completed Persian versions of the Mini-Mental State Examination, General Health Questionnaire-12, and Highly Sensitive Person Scale, as well as the translated Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire. They also completed the Goldberg Depression Scale, Beck's Anxiety Inventory and the neuroticism sub-scale of the Big Five Inventory. Convergent validity was investigated using the Highly Sensitive Person Scale to ensure reliability, and internal consistency analysis was used. Results: The quality of the translation was good. All items of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire maintained a high item impact score index, with values higher than 1.5, a content validity ratio higher than 0.60, and a content validity index higher than 0.80. A significant positive correlation (r=0.443, P<0.01) was found between the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire scores and the Highly Sensitive Person Scale. The Persian translation of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire showed optimal internal consistency (α=0.826) based on Cronbach's alpha. The questionnaire demonstrated good test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.863). A significant positive correlation exists between sensory processing sensitivity and anxiety (r=0.188, P<0.05) and neuroticism (r=0.186, P<0.05), but no significant difference was found between sensory processing sensitivity and depression despite their direct relationship (r=0.138, P>0.05). In the control condition, similar results were observed. A significant and positive correlation was found between sensory processing sensitivity and neuroticism in both the depression control (r=0.289, P<0.05) and the anxiety control state (r=0.265, P<0.01). Furthermore, a significant and positive relationship was found between sensory processing sensitivity and anxiety in the control of neuroticism (r=0.305, P<0.01). However, no significant relationship was observed between sensory processing sensitivity and depression in the states of anxiety and neuroticism control (0.1000.05). The results of data analysis revealed that women (P=0.002) and employed people (P=0.059) had higher sensory processing sensitivity. Conclusions: The Persian version of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire has acceptable validity and reliability in Persian-speaking adults aged 18-45 years old. Implications for practice: The Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire represents a convenient research tool for measuring sensory processing sensitivity because of its simple scoring system, it is quick to complete and it can be used in different situations, by rehabilitation service providers, especially occupational therapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. More than 1 million colorectal cancers (CRC) are diagnosed annually. This cancer is the cause of 600,000 deaths, and many of these deaths can be reduced by screening. Colonoscopy is the best screening method and tool to diagnose CRC, but it causes anxiety and worry in patients. In addition, no appropriate tool has so far been introduced for assessing anxiety in these patients. Accordingly, the present study aimed to design and psychometrically evaluate a tool for assessing anxiety in patients undergoing colonoscopy. Methods. This methodological study used a descriptive-cross-sectional approach to design a psychometric questionnaire. To this end, 106 patients participated in this research, and the questionnaire was completed online. The validity of the list and the analysis of its main components were determined through exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation and confirmatory factor analysis. The reliability of the tool was also checked with Cronbach’s alpha. Results. Overall, 20 terms of the questionnaire were examined by exploratory analysis, and 5 factors explained 57.76% of the total variance. The internal consistency of the tool with Cronbach’s alpha was 0.91. Conclusion. The findings of the research revealed that the tool for assessing anxiety in patients undergoing colonoscopy with 20 items and 5 factors has adequate validity and reliability and can be used to assess the anxiety of colonoscopy patients. Practical Implications. The results of this research can change policies in the field of treatment to reduce the anxiety of colonoscopy patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Suicide is an important health issue nearly all over the world. The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS) is a well-known instrument for suicide risk assessment. Our purpose in this study is to provide a Persian version of the C-SSRS and evaluate its psychometric properties in the Iranian military population, particularly suicide risk leveling characteristic of the C-SSRS. Method: For linguistic adaptation, we gathered opinions of an expert panel consisting of 23 professionals in mental health sciences. Furthermore, this version was administered to two groups of soldiers, one representing a sample of normal population (N = 338), while the other group comprised a sample of clinical population from a referral psychiatric hospital (N = 348) in Tehran, capital of Iran, from July 2021 until one year later. Besides the C-SSRS, the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BSS), and General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ28) were obtained from the participants. Correlation coefficients, internal consistency, and factor analysis were evaluated using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 23) software. Results: All items of the Persian version of the C-SSRS had acceptable content validity and face validity. This tool demonstrated high correlation coefficients with the BSSI (r = 0.73, P < 0.001) and BHS (r = 0.64, P < 0.001), but a low correlation coefficient with the GHQ28 (r = 0.22, P < 0.001). Specifically, the suicide risk level based on the C-SSRS had a high correlation with both the BSSI and BHS. Also, its internal consistency was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89). Furthermore, factor analysis revealed two factors that is consistent with suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior factors. Conclusion: Our results indicated acceptable validity and reliability for the Persian version of the C-SSRS, demonstrating its capability to classify suicide risk. It can be concluded that the ordinal suicide risk level (as red, orange, yellow and green) is a valid index for the application of the C-SSRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego -- Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A) assesses five affective temperaments and has been translated into 32 languages. A 35-item short version is available in Persian, but the complete version is not yet translated. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the complete Persian version of the TEMPS-A in an Iranian population. Method: This descriptive study translated the TEMPS-A questionnaire from English to Persian using a standard forwardbackward method. The translation was evaluated for face and content validity by 10 psychiatry specialists, with quantitative content validity assessed through content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) calculations. The Persian TEMPS-A was completed twice, with a two-week interval, by 30 individuals out of the 319 medical staff of Imam Hossein Hospital in Tehran, Iran, who participated in the study, and its reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. The questionnaire was then distributed to the entire sample (n = 319) for the analysis of temperament frequencies and statistical indices by a statistician. Results: The Persian version of the TEMPS-A, consisting of 110 items across five factors (depressive, cyclothymic, hyperthymic, irritable, and anxious), demonstrated excellent reliability with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.910, 0.909, 0.911, 0.910, and 0.909, respectively. The questions related to cyclothymic and hyperthymic temperaments exhibited the highest and lowest correlation coefficients with the general scale, respectively. Most subscales in the Persian TEMPS-A version showed correlation coefficients ranging from 0.28 to 0.68. An ANOVA with Cochrane's test revealed a significant difference in the mean scores of the questionnaire items (P < 0.001), with a grand mean score of 1.73 across all questions. Conclusion: The Persian version of the TEMPS-A, consisting of 110 items, showed good internal consistency and a strong correlation with the original version. This suggests that it is suitable for use in temperament studies among the Iranian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Patient-centered care is the cornerstone of the healthcare system’s priorities. Attaining this goal necessitates a comprehensive understanding of patients’ encounters within the healthcare system to identify areas for quality improvement. To achieve this, healthcare providers and regulators require dependable, cost-effective, and user-friendly tools to assess and report the quality of patients’ healthcare experiences as part of ongoing service quality audits. The Waterloo Wilfrid Laurier University rehabilitation patient experience instrument (WatLX) is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring patients’ experiences in outpatient rehabilitation services. Accordingly, this study explores the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the WatLX in Persian-speaking people receiving outpatient rehabilitation services. Materials & Methods In this descriptive methodological study, we enrolled 115 adults aged 18 and above, possessing a suitable cognitive level, who had undergone at least one program of musculoskeletal, neurological, stroke, speech, and language rehabilitation services on an outpatient basis. The research targeted 10 centers and clinics specializing in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, strategically selected across five geographical areas of Tehran (North, South, East, West, and Center) in the year 2023, utilizing an available sampling method. The participants were asked to complete the following three questionnaires: WatLX, abbreviated mental test, and the Medrisk instrument for measuring patient satisfaction with physical therapy care. Additionally, participants’ background information was collected. The Persian-translated questionnaire was examined for face and content validity using the Lavashe method. The convergent validity was established through comparison with the Medrisk questionnaire. The Cronbach α value was computed to evaluate the internal consistency, while the test re-test reliability involved 39 subjects completing the questionnaire again 15 days after the initial test, with calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS software, version 23. Results The questionnaire underwent rigorous scrutiny for content validity by experts in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, rehabilitation management, and statistics. The results revealed strong internal consistency (Cronbach α=0.802), high test re-test reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.974), and satisfactory convergent validity, demonstrated by the significant Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.503 with the Medrisk questionnaire. Conclusion The Persian version of the WatLX tool exhibits commendable psychometric properties, making it a reliable instrument for assessing the experiences of Persian-speaking Iranian patients in outpatient rehabilitation services. Its robustness suggests its applicability in both clinical settings and future research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The development of societies relies on the type and manner of activities performed at universities. Professors play a pivotal role in the development of universities and societies. Assessment of professors' motivation and behavior and factors affecting them can improve the educational system and increase its performance. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Physician Teaching Motivation Questionnaire (PTMQ) from the viewpoint of clinical professors at Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). Methods: This is an instrument psychometric study in which the questionnaire's validity was determined through the face and content validity and its construct validity through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was determined through the calculation of Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient and consistency between agreers. The data were analyzed in SPSS 23 and LISREL 8.8. Results: The results showed that all 18 items had acceptable content validity (0.68-0.97). The Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.81 and 0.86, respectively. The number of items remained unchanged at 18 according to exploratory factor analysis which classified them into six categories (intrinsic motivation, identified motivation, introjected motivation, career motivation, external motivation, and teaching assistant motivation) and explained 54% of the total variance of the mentioned variables. Also, the value of CFI was equal to 0.93 and the value of Cohen's kappa was between 0.77 and 0.84. Conclusion: The Persian version of PTMQ is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used for research, educational, and practical purposes to evaluate the teaching motivation of clinical professors in other groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to develop and test the psychometric properties of the Perceived Barriers of Mammography Scale (PBMS-23). Based on a mixed method design researchers generated item pool through qualitative data and literature review and next, 500 women ages 40 to 69 years completed the questionnaire. Based on exploratory and confirmatory Factor Analysis, 23 items, researchers revealed eight domains of fate and destiny, breast conflict, defense avoidance, inconveniences/difficulties of mammography screening, contrasting/competing priorities, fear, distrust of mammography, and lack of knowledge with appropriate fitness for the data. PBMS-23 is valid and reliable instrument for assessing perceived barriers of mammography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ethical decision-making in end-of-life care is one of the most challenging aspects of healthcare: providing ethical care to the society is one of the most important responsibilities of healthcare professionals. In order to assess nurses' ethical decision-making in end-of-life care, researchers need a specialized and comprehensive instrument which is sufficiently valid and reliable. The present study was conducted to translate and test the psychometric properties of the Persian version of Nurses' Ethical Decision-Making in End-of-Life Care Scale (NEDM-EOLCS). Methods: This is a cross-sectional, multi-centric study with a methodological design The participants were selected via convenience sampling from five hospitals located in Iran. In total, 1320 nurses (660 for exploratory factor analysis and 660 for confirmatory factor analysis) participated in the study. The original NEDM-EOLCS was translated into Persian and subsequently the psychometric properties of the scale were assessed according to COSMIN criteria. Results: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed the factor loading of the 55 items to be between 0.62 and 0.88, all of which were significant. Also, exploratory factor analysis showed that 3 factors (perceived professional accountability, moral reasoning/moral agency and moral practice) explained 74.51% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results verified the good fit of the data (a chi-square of 21.74, df = 7, P = 0.001) RMSEA = 0.01, CFI = 0.96, NFI = 0.95, and TLI = 0.97). The reliability of the scale was measured in terms of its internal consistency and the Cronbach's alpha of the whole instrument was found to be 0.98. Conclusion: The Persian version of NEDM-EOLCS for nurses is sufficiently valid and reliable. Thus, this instrument can be used to measure nurses' ethical decision-making in end-of-life care and identify the most effective strategies, e.g. educational interventions, to improve ethical decision-making skills in end-of-life care in these healthcare professionals as necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Experiencing dizziness/vertigo is often an indication of dysfunction in the vestibular system. Recent findings show a connection between peripheral vestibular dysfunction and cognitive impairments. The Neuropsychological Vertigo Inventory (NVI) can assess physical, emotional, and cognitive issues in individuals with dizziness/vertigo. The aim of this research was to translate, cultural adaptation and evaluation of the reliability and validity of NVI to Persian. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, the NVI scale was translated and adapted to the Iranian cultural context following the international quality of life assessment protocol for translation and equivalence. After obtaining face validity, the scale was administered to 140 patients with peripheral vestibular system dysfunction and 70 control group (age between 25 and 80 years). After one week, 50 participants were asked to complete the questionnaire again. Eventually, reliability was evaluated with both methods of internal consistency and test-retest reproducibility. Results: Out of the 28 items in the NVI scale, 3 items were modified to better align with the cultural conditions of Iranians. The impact scores for most items in this scale were found to be higher than 1.5. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient values for the overall scale (0.90) and test-retest reliability with intra-class correlation coefficient for the overall scale (0.91) were confirmed. Conclusion: The Persian version of NVI scale demonstrates excellent validity and reliability, and it exhibits a high level of content alignment with the original version. Therefore, it can be a useful tool to better understand the physical, emotional and cognitive disturbances in patients with vertigo/dizziness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Constipation Severity Instrument (CSI) and assess its reliability and validity in the Iranian Persian language with chronic functional constipation. Background: Chronic functional constipation is a common complaint characterized by a range of symptoms. The use of a validated tool adapted to the culture is an important part of the treatment process. Methods: CSI was translated into Persian language according to Beaton's guidelines. One hundred and twenty-five patients with chronic functional constipation, according to ROME IV criteria, completed the questionnaires. Face validity was assessed in two qualitative and quantitative forms (impact score), internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. Convergent validity was assessed by correlating the total scores of the CSI and the WCSS. The floor/ ceiling effects of the questionnaire were also assessed. Results: The impact score of all questions was greater than 1.5. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total score was 0.90 and the ICC was 0.90. The total score of the CSI was significantly correlated with the total score of the WCSS (Spearman's p=0.74). No floor/ceiling effects were found. Conclusion: The Persian version of the CSI is a reliable and valid tool that can be used for psychometric evaluation. Clinicians can also benefit from this questionnaire when assessing treatment outcomes in Iranian patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aimed at culturally adapting, validating, and standardizing the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, third edition (ASQ-3) by implementing a nation-wide cross-sectional methodological study in order to provide a valid and reliable tool for determining the developmental status of Iranian children. Materials & Methods This cross-sectional and methodological study was conducted on Iranian children between 1-66 months. The ASQ-3 tool was translated; following that, its face and content validity, as well as the crosscultural adaptation were assessed by 51 specialists and experts in the field of pediatrics and child development. In order to determine the reliability of the ASQ-3 (using Cronbach's alpha), and cut-off points. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA software. Results This study was enrolled in 2 phases. The face and content validity, as well as the cultural relevance of the Persian version of ASQ- 3 was confirmed using panel of specialists views then researchers investigated 11,740 children aged 1-66 months in order to evaluate the reliability of the tool. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients (reliability) determined for the ASQ-3 and the cut-off points for the ASQ-3 of different age groups and domains were determined by calculating one and two SDs below the mean; the latter represents the main cutoff point, and the interval between the two represents the monitoring zone according to the ASQ-3 technical manual. Conclusion The results of this study showed that the Iranian version of ASQ-3 is valid and reliable; moreover, the cut-off points designated for it can be implemented in the Iranian children community to assess their developmental status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the "resilience assessment questionnaire" in patients with multiple sclerosis. Materials & Methods The statistical population of the present study included all multiple sclerosis patients living in Tehran City in 2022. Of them, 250 people were selected through available sampling. The participants completed the questionnaires of Gromis et al. resilience and the hospital anxiety and depression scales. The validity of the questionnaire was investigated using the formal, content, construct, and predictor methods. Also, the reliability of the test was checked through the Cronbach α method and retesting. Data analysis was done using SPSS software, version 26. Results The face validity was confirmed by checking the content and solving the appearance problems. The content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed after correcting the questions. The results of exploratory factor analysis showed that the resilience questionnaire includes 5 components: Emotional and cognitive strategies, physical activity and diet, family and friends support, peer support, and spirituality. Also, the Cronbach α values of these components were 0.88, 0.79, 0.62, 0.76, 0.50, and 0.89, respectively. The eigenvalues of these components explained 47.49% of the variance. There was a significant relationship between the resilience and anxiety/depression questionnaire components. The correlation value between the first and second stages confirmed the retest validity of the resilience questionnaire. Conclusion The Persian version of the "multiple sclerosis resilience" scale is a valid and reliable tool for assessing resilience features in Iranian MS patients, which can be used in policymaking and research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to the increasing number of online educations, traditional methods for evaluation of different on-line education methods are not suitable and there is a need for a valid and reliable tool in this field. This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the Student Evaluation of Online Teaching Effectiveness (SEOTE) questionnaire among Medical Sciences' students in Tabriz, Iran. Methods: Using convenience sampling method, the present study included 230 students of Medical Sciences (e.g., mean age of 21.96 ±3.47 years) in Tabriz, Iran. The SEOTE questionnaire was used to collect the data. Forward-backward translation, construct validity and content validity were utilized to check the validity of the questionnaire. In addition, temporal stability was calculated using the test-retest method and Internal Consistency Coefficient (ICC). Results: It was confirmed that the SEOTE has appropriate content validity using the content validity index (CVI) of 0.80 and content validity ratio CVR of 0.70. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified the following two factors for domain identification of "communication" and "learning". A Cronbach's alpha of 0.97 was obtained for the questionnaire's reliability, and ICC was used to confirm the temporal stability of the questionnaire (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.966-0.977). Conclusion: This study confirms that the Persian version of SEOTE questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for evaluation of on-line teaching among Medical Sciences' students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good resilience skills support effective and timely adjustment to demanding situations in the workplace. Existing tools are insufficient to develop and evaluate workplace interventions to improve employee's resilience skills. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a Resilience Skills Questionnaire (RSQ) using the key constructs of social cognitive theory—self-efficacy, self-regulation, and social support—as a theoretical framework. Following DeVellis' guidelines for scale development, first an expert panel of thirteen professors was recruited to support the item development stages and determine content validity. At this stage, the initial pool of 38 items was reduced to 25 items and CVR and CVI were calculated as 0.92 and 0.93, respectively, indicating good content validity. A second panel of ten health professionals confirmed face validity. An online survey comprised of the 25 developed items was then completed by 336 health professionals working in urban healthcare centers in Shiraz, Iran, in November 2021. The data were used to assess the psychometrics of the questionnaire according to its hypothesized three-dimensional structure. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a final model of seventeen items in three dimensions, self-efficacy (six items), social support (six items), and self-regulation (five items), with good psychometric properties ( χ 2 / df = 2.44 (p < 0.001), RMSEA = 0.06 , GFI = 0.92 , AGFI = 0.90 , IFI = 0.93 , CFI = 0.93). All standardized factor loadings were significant (p < 0.001). Internal consistency, as measured by Cronbach's alpha, was very good: RSQ (0.90), self-efficacy (0.86), social support (0.83), and self-regulation (0.86). Based on these results, the RSQ can be used as a standard and valid measure to develop and evaluate the effect of educational intervention programs to improve resilience skills and reduce job stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Hearing handicap, as one of the common health problems among older people, affects life activities. The Hearing Handicap Questionnaire (HHQ) is one of the scales that provide criteria for social withdrawal, participation restriction, and emotional distress. The present study aims to translate the HHQ into Persian and determine its psychometric properties. Methods: After translation into Persian, the content validity of the questionnaire was determined based on the Lawashe's method. Then, the Persian HHQ (P-HHQ) and the Persian Hearing Handicap Inventory for Elderly-Screening version (P-HHIE-S) were completed by 110 hearing-impaired seniors (49 females) over 60 years. The concurrent validity was determined by Spearman correlation test, and the discriminant validity was analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test and independent t-test. The test-retest reliability was assessed in 47 subjects after two weeks by Spearman correlation test and paired t-test. Results: The P-HHQ had high face validity. The mean total score of P-HHQ was 1.89±1.05. It had a significant positive correlation with the score of P-HHIE-S (r=0.87) and pure tone average of the better ear (r=0.72). There was a significant difference between three groups of elderly with different degrees of hearing impairment (p<0.001). Cronbach's α values were in the range of 0.94-0.97. There was a strong correlation between test and retest scores of P-HHQ (r=0.97) which indicates a high test-retest reliability. Conclusion: The P-HHQ has acceptable validity and reliability and can be used as a suitable instrument to evaluate hearing handicap of the elderly in research studies and clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Feeding is an interactive process between a child and a caregiver, and its early and chronic problems can affect the stress and quality of life of parents. Since the health and support of caregivers can affect the child's disability and performance, it is important to consider the impact of feeding and swallowing disorders on caregivers. Hence, the present study aimed to translate and investigate the validity and reliability of the Feeding/Swallowing Impact Survey (FS-IS) in Persian. Methods: This methodological study consisted of two phases: translating the test to Persian (P-FS-IS) and evaluating psychometric properties including face and content validity (through experts' opinions and cognitive interviews), construct validity (by known-group validity and exploratory factor analysis), and reliability of the questionnaire (by internal consistency and test-retest reliability). The present study was performed on 97 Iranian mothers of children with cerebral palsy aged 2–18 years with swallowing impairments. Results: Exploratory factor analysis rendered two factors with a cumulative variance of 59.71%. When evaluating known-group validity, the questionnaire scores were significantly different across the groups with different severity of the disorder (F(2, 94) = 57.1, p ≤ 0.001). P-FS-IS had a high internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha of 0.95, and there was an appropriate intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.97 for the total questionnaire. Conclusion: P-FS-IS has good validity and reliability and is a suitable questionnaire for assessing the impact of pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders on Persian language mothers. This scale can be used in research and clinical settings to evaluate and determine therapeutic goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knowledge-sharing behaviors among academic members in Iran were believed to enhance organizational sustainability. However, the current status of these behaviors was unknown due to the lack of a valid scale to assess them. Objectives: The present study was conducted to validate the Knowledge Sharing Behavior Scale (KSBS) among faculty members of nursing and midwifery schools in Iran. Methods: This research was a cross-sectional study of scale psychometric type. The samples included 640 faculty members of nursing and midwifery schools across the country in 2021. Validation was performed through face validity, content validity by determining content validity index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR), construct validity by determining exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), concurrent validity by determining the correlation between KSBS and Knowledge Management Questionnaire (KMQ) and Tacit Knowledge Sharing Scale (TEKS), internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's coefficient), and stability reliability (test-retest) were determined. SPSS version 21 and LISREL version 8.8 were used for data analysis. The significance level was 0.01. Results: Items were edited based on the comments of the target community. Content validity ratio for 28 questions ranged from 0.73 to 1, and all items had I-CVI values greater than 0.78. The results of EFA showed four factors, and CFA approved the construct homogeneity. The correlation coefficient of KSBS with KMQ and TEKS were 0.72 and 0.87, respectively. Cronbach coefficients for the whole scale and factors were higher than 0.90. Conclusions: Knowledge Sharing Behavior Scale was a valid and reliable scale to measure knowledge-sharing behaviour in the Iranian academic community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the world. It is important to evaluate its prevalence through valid tools. Among various tools, the Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS) has not yet been validated for Persian speaking people. Therefore, the aim of this study was to translate, evaluate and validate Batterham PJ., Calear AL et al.'s 2012 Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS) in the young military community. Materials & Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with a methodological approach. The sample was recruited from young military personnel who referred to counseling and psychology clinics that were chosen through convenience sampling. At first, the original version was obtained and translated into Persian by the Forward-Backward method. Then, in order to evaluate the content validity ten experts have examined the scale and content validity ratio (CVR) as well as the content validity index (CVI) of the questionnaire. Face validity was also assessed through a sample of 20 subjects from the study population. The test-retest with a two week interval along with Cronbach's alpha were utilized to examine the reliability. Finally, the questionnaire was distributed among 415 subjects to evaluate the construct and convergent validity. Findings: The results showed that based on CVR, CVI and face validity, all questions of the LOSS were at acceptable levels. The Cronbach's alpha for the subscales were estimated to be between 0.71 and 0.76, and for the total scale was 0.75. Also, all components of LOSS had a significant relationship with the total score of this questionnaire (r>0.2). Conclusion: The Persian version of LOSS has acceptable validity and reliability for use among young military personnel. However, further studies among populations with different cultures or demographics are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The patient's fear of social reactions, the disease stigma, and being a transmission agent is a psychological and social consequence of contracting some diseases, especially infectious ones, in any society. The present study aimed to design and psychometrically evaluate a COVID-19 social stigma questionnaire in nurses. Methods: This mixed-method study was conducted using a sequential exploratory approach according to the Creswell method in Mazandaran Province (Iran) during 2021-22. The study was performed in three phases: (1) a qualitative phase to explain the key concept, (2) designing the scale items, and (3) an experimental phase with the scale psychometric evaluation. In the first phase, nurses' experiences regarding the concept of COVID-19 social stigma were evaluated using a qualitative method with an inductive qualitative content analysis approach. In this phase, the lived experiences of 12 nurses working at hospitals of Babol University of Medical Sciences were extracted through in-depth interviews with semi-structured questions and analyzed by conventional content analysis. The main classes are contradictory feelings, rejection, and adaptation strategies. In the second phase, the designed items were validated by determining face validity, content validity, and construct validity using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In addition, the scale's reliability was determined through internal consistency and stability. Results: Following the study's first phase, a pool of questions with 64 initial items was formed. After evaluating face and content validity, the number of items was reduced to 24 cases. An excellent total content validity (S-CVI/Ave) of 0.93 was calculated for the scale. According to EFA outputs, three factors accounted for the most variance (52.82%), and four items were excluded in this phase. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) statistic and Bartlett's test of sphericity were calculated at 0.776 and P < 0.001, respectively. The results of Cronbach's alpha (0.796) and intraclass correlation (0.793) indicated the correlation and internal consistency of the scale. Conclusion: This scale can help healthcare managers and policymakers apply necessary protective measures by evaluating the social stigma of COVID-19 in nurses and emerging infectious diseases that may occur in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Knowledge advancement exposes the pharmacists to new ethical and professional challenges in providing pharmaceutical care. The pharmacist's attitude towards the ethical challenges of pharmacy practice could be of great help in assessing pharmacist's ethical sensitivity. This study aimed to design a valid and reliable questionnaire for measuring pharmacists' attitudes. Methods The present study is the second phase of a sequential exploratory mixed-method study for designing and psychometric evaluation of the questionnaire. In the first phase the questionnaire was developed using semi-structured interviews followed by content analysis. The psychometric evaluation of the questionnaire was performed examining the validity (face, content, and construct), and reliability (internal consistency and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and Standard Error of Measurement) in a sample of pharmacists practicing in community pharmacies in Tehran and Tabriz, Iran (n = 504). The construct validity of the questionnaire was determined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Results The Scale-Content Validity Index/Average (S-CVI/AVE) was calculated at 0.84. The results of exploratory factor analysis supported 22 items in four factors including regulations and rules, professional communications, providing and supplying medicine, and consultation and providing pharmaceutical care that are explained by a total of 49.50% of the variance. Also, confirmatory factor analysis confirmed goodness of fit indices and model fit. Cronbach's alpha Coefficient was 0.919 and ICC was 0.914. Conclusions The psychometric evaluation of the present questionnaire shows a native, valid and reliable instrument to assess pharmacists' attitudes toward ethical challenges which could be a mirror of pharmacists ethical sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Mothers' attitudes toward motherhood and pregnancy are crucial to their ability to adjust themselves to motherhood. Attitudes toward motherhood and pregnancy questionnaire (PRE-MAMA) have been used in a few Iranian studies, and its validity and reliability have not been assessed yet. This study, hence, aimed to provide the psychometric properties of the PRE-MAMA in Iran. Methods: In this research, 110 pregnant women were selected through random sampling in 2020. The face, content, and construct validity of the PRE-MAMA were examined through exploratory and confirmatory analyses. The test–retest reliability and internal consistency were also employed to assess the reliability of the questionnaire. Results: The content validity index and content validity ratio of the PRE-MAMA were 0.98 and 0.97, respectively. The results of the scale-based exploratory factor analysis confirmed the two-factor structure of the questionnaire. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.63, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (95% Confidence Interval [CI]) was equal to 0.97 (.93–.99). Conclusion: The Iranian version of PRE-MAMA is a valid and reliable tool for assessing Iranian mothers' attitudes toward motherhood and pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Cultural competence in clinical nurses can lead to comprehensive care for patients from different cultures. Currently, an appropriate instrument to assess cultural competence in clinical nurses is limited. This study aimed to design and determine the psychometric properties of the clinical nursing cultural competence scale (CNCCS). Methods: This methodological study was conducted in 2018–2019 in two phases. In the first phase, a literature review and semistructured interviews with 18 clinical nurses from Isfahan and Ahvaz were conducted, and the results were used for item generation. In the second phase, the face, content, construct validity, and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed. For construct validity assessment through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), 200 clinical nurses were purposefully recruited to fill out CNCCS. Results: In the first phase, 140 items were produced. In the second phase, the item number was reduced to 40 after the face and content validity assessment. In EFA for construct validity assessment, 13 more items were deleted, and the remaining 27 items were loaded on six factors. The Cronbach's alpha and the test–retest intraclass correlation coefficient were CNCCS 0.86 and 0.93, respectively. Conclusions: The CNCCS had acceptable psychometric characteristics in Iranian nurses and can be used for assessing cultural competence among clinical nurses. The use of this scale can help nursing policymakers and managers develop their understanding of nursing cultural competence and develop strategies for its improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: This study is aimed at translating the third version of the Atlanta Heart Failure Knowledge Test (AHFKTv3) into the Persian language and evaluating its psychometric properties. Methods: In this methodological study, the AHFKTv3 was translated into Persian and its face, content, construct validity, and reliability were assessed. Results: The content validity of AHFKTv3 items was >0.78 and the validity of the instrument was 0.96. The standardized factor loading value of all items, except for item 16, was >0.3. The scores of the AHFKTv3 and European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale had a significant correlation with each other (p <.001). The AHFKTv3 score had a significant relationship with the educational level. The Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 coefficient was 0.908. Conclusion: The Persian AHFKTv3 is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing HF-related knowledge; therefore, it can be used in nursing practice to identify and address the deficits aiming for better patient care and in research to evaluate treatment and healthcare programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]