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This research aims to investigate the relationship between soldiers' physical self-efficacy, general self-efficacy, and stress tolerance. The study examined 34 male soldiers from the Latvian National Armed Forces, utilizing the Self-Efficacy to Regulate Exercise Scale, The General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Determination test (DT) from the Vienna Test System. The testing was conducted individually face-to-face in a laboratory setting, utilizing a computer-based valid measuring instrument to assess the stress tolerance of the participants. This assessment was complemented by physical self-efficacy and general self-efficacy questionnaires. Our findings highlighted the significance of soldiers' physical self-efficacy, as it exhibits positive and substantial relationships with stress tolerance. The regression model for physical self-efficacy was statistical significance. Specifically, general self-efficacy and stress tolerance demonstrated a positive predictive effect on physical self-efficacy. This implies that higher general self-efficacy and stress tolerance correspond to greater physical self-efficacy. The implications of these findings are crucial because they highlight the role of self-efficacy and stress tolerance in determining soldiers' physical self-efficacy levels. Understanding these relationships can have implications for military training programs and interventions aimed at improving the performance of soldiers, their stress tolerance, mental resilience, and well-being. This study holds both theoretical and empirical value. Furthermore, these findings may be extended beyond military context, offering valuable implications for other high stress professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many studies have been carried out on the psychometric aspects of computerized adaptive testing (CAT), its psychological aspects are less researched. Early studies claimed that CAT can be more motivating and induce less anxiety than traditional fixed-item tests (FIT). The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the effects of CAT on motivation and anxiety in comparison to traditional fixed-item testing. Seven databases were examined. Articles were eligible if they employed an empirical study containing a direct comparison between CAT and FIT. Meta-analytical results showed no overall effect of test type on anxiety and motivation when comparing CAT with FIT (k = 11, g+ = 0.06, p =.28). However, easier CAT had positive effect compared with FIT (k = 2, g+ =.22, p <.001). Certain modifications in CAT administration can provide positive psychological effects for test-takers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale tests often contain mixed-format items, such as when multiple-choice (MC) items and constructed-response (CR) items are both contained in the same test. Although previous research has analyzed both types of items simultaneously, this may not always provide the best estimate of ability. In this paper, a two-step sequential Bayesian (SB) analytic method under the concept of empirical Bayes is explored for mixed item response models. This method integrates ability estimates from different item formats. Unlike the empirical Bayes method, the SB method estimates examinees' posterior ability parameters with individual-level sample-dependent prior distributions estimated from the MC items. Simulations were used to evaluate the accuracy of recovery of ability and item parameters over four factors: the type of the ability distribution, sample size, test length (number of items for each item type), and person/item parameter estimation method. The SB method was compared with a traditional concurrent Bayesian (CB) calibration method, EAPsum, that uses scaled scores for summed scores to estimate parameters from the MC and CR items simultaneously in one estimation step. From the simulation results, the SB method showed more accurate and reliable ability estimation than the CB method, especially when the sample size was small (150 and 500). Both methods presented similar recovery results for MC item parameters, but the CB method yielded a bit better recovery of the CR item parameters. The empirical example suggested that posterior ability estimated by the proposed SB method had higher reliability than the CB method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Test speededness refers to a situation in which examinee performance is inadvertently affected by the time limit of the test. Because speededness has the potential to severely bias both person and item parameter estimates, it is crucial that speeded examinees are detected. In this article, we develop a change-point analysis (CPA) procedure for detecting test speededness. Our procedure distinguishes itself from existing CPA procedures by using information from both item scores and distractors. Using detailed simulations, we show that under most conditions, the new CPA procedure improves the detection of speeded examinees and produces more accurate change-point estimates. It therefore seems there is a considerable amount of information to be gained from the item distractors, which, quite notably are available in all multiple-choice data. A real data example is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To calculate and determine what factors are associated with achieving the Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) and the Substantial Clinical Benefit (SCB) of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Upper Extremity Computer Adaptive Testing v2.0 (UE), Pain Interference (P-Interference), and Pain Intensity (P-Intensity) in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (aRCR). Methods: The change in PROMIS scores representing the optimal cutoff for a ROC curve with an area under the curve analysis was used to calculate the anchor-based MCID and SCB. To assess the responsiveness of each PROM, effect sizes and standardized response means (SRM) were calculated. To identify factors associated with attaining the MCID and SCB, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: A total of 323 patients with an average age of 59.9 ± 9.5 were enrolled in this study, of which, 187/323 [57.9%] were male and 136/323 [42.1%] were female. The anchor-based MCID for PROMIS UE, P-Interference, and P-Intensity was: 9.0, 7.5, and 11.2, respectively. The respective SCB was 10.9, 9.3, and 12.7. Effect size and SRM were: PROMIS UE (1.4, 1.3), P-Interference (1.8, 1.5), and P-Intensity (2.3, 2.0). Lower preoperative P-Intensity scores (p = 0.02), dominant arm involvement (p = 0.03), and concomitant biceps tenodesis (p = 0.03) were associated with patients achieving the SCB for PROMIS UE. Conclusion: A large responsiveness for each of the PROMIS instruments due to the majority of patients reporting great improvement after aRCR and a small standard deviation across all outcome measures was shown in our study. Lower preoperative P-Intensity scores and concomitant biceps tenodesis were associated with higher odds of achieving the SCB for PROMIS UE. The knowledge of MCID and SCB values for PROMIS instruments will allow the surgeon to determine whether the improvements in the PROMIS scores after aRCR are clinically meaningful. Level of evidence: Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) offers an efficient and highly accurate method for estimating examinees' abilities. In this article, the free version of Concerto Software for CAT was reviewed, dividing our evaluation into three sections: software implementation, the Item Response Theory (IRT) features of CAT, and user experience. Overall, Concerto is an excellent tool for researchers seeking to create computerized adaptive (or non-adaptive) tests, providing a robust platform with comprehensive IRT capabilities and a user-friendly interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an item selection method in CAT (Computerized Adaptive Testing) based on association rules. According to the correct (1) or incorrect (0) answer of the examinee to each item, association rules are searched with the answered item and its result (1 or 0) as antecedent, and items with greater or lower complexity level than the responded item as a consequent, respectively. The election of the item is performed considering rules with the highest confidence and support. Finally, we include an example to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aims of this study were to calibrate the original 16 items from the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale to create an item response theory (IRT)-based item bank and scoring metric of balance confidence (BC) and to assess psychometric properties of a computerized adaptive test (BC-CAT) and 6-item short-form (BC-SF) administration modes. Methods This retrospective study included data from patients who were treated in outpatient rehabilitation clinics and assessed for balance impairments by responding to the full ABC Scale at intake. IRT model assumptions of unidimensionality, local item independence, item fit, and presence of differential item functioning (DIF) were evaluated. BC-CAT-generated scores were assessed for reliability, validity, and administration efficiency, and the newly developed BC-SF was assessed for reliability. Results Total cohort included 20,354 patients (mean age [SD] = 66 [16] years; range = 14–89). All 16 items were retained in the final item bank based on support for unidimensionality and fit to the IRT model. No items demonstrated DIF. Reliability estimates were 0.95, 0.96, and 0.98 for the BC-SF, BC-CAT, and the full item bank, respectively. Scores discriminated among patient groups in clinically logical ways. After controlling for scores at intake, better outcomes were achieved for patients who were younger, had more acute symptoms, exercised more, and had fewer comorbidities. Scores were responsive to change with a moderate effect size, with negligible floor and ceiling effects. CAT scores were generated using an average of 4.7 items (median = 4) and correlated highly with full-bank scores (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.99). Conclusion The IRT–based BC patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) was reliable, valid, moderately responsive to change, and efficient, with excellent score coverage. The measure is suitable for research and routine clinical administration using the BC-CAT or BC-SF administration modes. The full ABC Scale can be administered for increased clinical content when appropriate. Impact The newly developed BC-PROM was reliable and valid for assessing perceived BC. In addition, the BC-PROM has efficient administration modes with low patient response burden, which enhances feasibility and promotes use during routine clinical practice in busy rehabilitation settings. This study supports a transition to PROMs that are based on modern measurement approaches to achieve the combined benefits of high accuracy and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: This paper presents the results of three studies allowing the design and initial validation of the Daily Goal Realization Scale (DGRS). Goal realization refers to the engagement in goal-directed behavior that leads to progress in personal goal attainment; it is considered one of the adaptive personal characteristics. participants and procedure Three studies, including an initial study to develop and select the items (Study 1), an intensive longitudinal study (Study 2), and a multiple goal evaluation study (Study 3), tested factorial structure, reliability and validity of the measure. RESULTS: Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the unidimensional structure of the DGRS (obtained in Study 1) both at the individual and goal level, captured as daily goal realization (Study 2) and as multiple goal realization (Study 3). The validity of the DGRS was supported by meaningful associations with other goal evaluations (Study 3). As expected, the DGRS was positively related to evaluations of progress in goal achievement, engagement, likelihood of success, and goal importance. The DGRS also demonstrated measurement invariance allowing for meaningful comparisons of scores between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that the DGRS is a brief and reliable idiographic measure of daily goal realization. The scale has excellent internal consistency and good criterion validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to translate the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS) into the Italian language and assess psychometric properties of the translated questionnaire (CISS_I). The CISS_I was arranged according to guidelines for a comprehensive multistep methodologic process for translating, adapting, and validating psychometric instruments in health care research. The CISS_I questionnaire was administered to 103 volunteers (21.8 ± 2.2 years), students in higher education, at two different times. A complete optometric evaluation was performed including subjective refraction, best corrected visual acuity, near point of convergence, prism fusional ranges to blur, diplopia and recovery, TNO stereo test and prism cover test for measurement of heterophoria. The performance of the CISS_I in terms of validity showed some points of weakness. Sensitivity was 42%, specificity was 74%, positive predictive value was 27% and negative predictive value was 85%. The area under the ROC curve was 0.672. On the contrary, the results showed good internal consistency of the CISS_I (Cronbach's alpha - α=0.89) and good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.92). Rasch analysis showed good model fit (all items, except one, with infit and outfit mean square between 0.7 and 1.3), good measurement precision (person separation = 2.66) and good targeting –0,81 logits but also some evidence of multidimensionality. The CISS_I showed some point of weakness in terms of validity but also good psychometric properties and has been shown to be applicable to an Italian speaking population to quantify the visual discomfort associated with near vision in higher education students. The results show that high CISS_I score is not necessarily linked to convergence insufficiency, while low scores can exclude the presence of this anomaly. The CISS_I can help in interpreting and monitoring convergence insufficiency symptoms in already identified subjects, but it is not suitable for screening a general population of young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is conducted in the post-Covid 19 era and focuses on diagnostic assessment at a distance and online self-training in the Regional Centers for Education and Training, in French "Centres Régionaux des Métiers de l'Education et de la Formation" (CRMEF). At the CRMEF, the diagnostic assessment is conducted at the beginning of the training year to identify the pre-acquired knowledge and skills of the trainees. This study is conducted with 43 trainees, school laboratory preparers, from the class of 2022 who have passed the entrance exam (written and oral) to the CRMEF. In order to diagnose the pre-acquired skills of these trainees in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), we carried out a distance pre-test. Furthermore, we measured through a post-test conducted online, the impact of self-training via an adaptive remote platform, which we realized with the Padlet tool, on the degree of acquisition and progress of the trainees in ICT. In order to determine the trainees' perceptions of these innovative practices, an online questionnaire was made available to them using the Google forms tool. The results showed a saving of time and effort for the trainer with the help of automated correction of diagnostic assessments carried out remotely, a rate of commitment and involvement of the trainees during the online self-training phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatotoxicity is one of the main side effects associated with Diclofenac sodium (DFS) administration. The present study aimed to examine the therapeutic effects of hydroethanolic leaf extract of Erythrina senegalensis (HELEES) on DFS-induced hepatotoxicity. Thirty male Wistar rats, 5 per group, were used in this study. They were randomly divided into 6 experimental groups (A–F) and treated for 21 days. Rats in Group A served as the control group and received distilled water orally; group B was given DFS at 10 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally (IP). HELEES were given to groups C and D at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Groups E and F were given DFS at 10 mg/kg + HELEES at 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively. Results: DFS administration significantly increased the bilirubin concentration and serum transaminases (ALT, AST, GGT, and ALP) and LDH; total protein and albumin were significantly inhibited. There was a significant reduction in hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione-Stransferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and nitric oxide (NO) activity, together with a significant increase in hepatic malondialdehyde (MAD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT). However, concurrent treatment with DFS + HELEES ameliorated the DFS-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress. The results suggest that HELEES may offer some therapeutic effects against hepatic damage. In contrast to the control and HELEES-only groups, which had normal hepatic tissue morphology, rats given DFS alone developed hepatic necrosis and periportal inflammation, with the presence of numerous inflammatory cells and Kuppel cells. Examinations of liver samples from the groups given Concurrent treatment with DFS and HELEES revealed patterns that were comparable to those seen in the control group. Combining DFS with HELEES has always reduced the impact of DFS. Conclusions: Collectively, HELEES enhanced hepatic function in DFS-treated rats by suppressing nitrosative and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A study was conducted to evaluate the serum biochemical and oxidative stress parameters of catfish (Clarias gariepinus) obtained from homestead ponds in Makurdi metropolis, Nigeria, in order to establish changes due to stress from transportation, following the pretreatment of transporting water with palm oil and aqua anti-stress. Serum samples were obtained from the blood collected from the fish a day before, just before loading the fish, immediately after journey, and 3 days post-transportation. The samples were used to analyze for some oxidative stress markers like malon dialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and other biochemical parameters such as; alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TRG). Results: There was a significant (p<0.05) increase in MDA levels of low dose palm oil-treated water (PA) group compared with the control (C) just before journey, while there was no significant (p>0.05) difference in MDA levels of PA group compared with the control after the journey. However, there was no significant (p>0.05) difference in the MDA levels of aqua antistress agent-treated water (A) group compared with the control, before the journey and after the journey. There was a significantly (P<0.05) elevated activities of ALT, AST and ALP in palm oilpretreated water (PA and PB) groups when compared with the control, just before the journey and immediately after the journey. However, there was no significant (p>0.05) difference in the ALT, AST and ALP activities of aqua anti-stress agent-treated water (A) group when compared with the control, before the journey and after the journey. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in the TC and TRG levels of A, PA and PB groups when compared with the control group, before the journey and after the journey. The ALT, AST and ALP activities of the fish transported in water treated with palm oil were markedly reduced at the end of the journey when compared with the levels just before the journey. Conclusion: The findings of this study have shown that both aqua anti-stress agent and palm oil may improve the biochemical parameters of African catfish, which enhanced their responses to stress during the eight hour journey but the conventional anti-stress agent was more effective than palm oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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(1) Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a small group intervention program named "Attentive Kindergarten" (AK), aimed at enhancing attention functioning among typically developing preschool-aged children. The program focuses on improving sustained attention, selective spatial attention, and response inhibition based on cognitive training principles. (2) Methods: The study's sample included 51 children, 15 of whom received the AK intervention and 36 of whom served as a control group. Computerized cognitive tests were used for pre- and postintervention evaluations to assess sustained attention, response inhibition, and selective spatial attention. Quantitative analyses were conducted to examine the differences between the two groups as a result of the intervention program. (3) Results: The AK group demonstrated improvements in all attention functions that were measured. These improvements were larger than those obtained in the control group. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that cognitive training programs, such as Attentive Kindergarten, can enhance attention functioning in young children. The present findings have important implications for early intervention programs aimed at improving young children's cognitive skills, which, in turn, can decrease the likelihood of future attention problems and other related difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjoint analysis is widely used for estimating the effects of a large number of treatments on multidimensional decision-making. However, it is this substantive advantage that leads to a statistically undesirable property, multiple hypothesis testing. Existing applications of conjoint analysis except for a few do not correct for the number of hypotheses to be tested, and empirical guidance on the choice of multiple testing correction methods has not been provided. This paper first shows that even when none of the treatments has any effect, the standard analysis pipeline produces at least one statistically significant estimate of average marginal component effects in more than 90% of experimental trials. Then, we conduct a simulation study to compare three well-known methods for multiple testing correction, the Bonferroni correction, the Benjamini–Hochberg procedure, and the adaptive shrinkage (Ash). All three methods are more accurate in recovering the truth than the conventional analysis without correction. Moreover, the Ash method outperforms in avoiding false negatives, while reducing false positives similarly to the other methods. Finally, we show how conclusions drawn from empirical analysis may differ with and without correction by reanalyzing applications on public attitudes toward immigration and partner countries of trade agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the educational landscape in a way unseen before. Educational institutions are navigating between offline and online learning worldwide. Computer-based testing is rapidly taking over paper-and-pencil testing as the dominant mode of assessment. In some settings, computer-based and paper-and-pencil assessments can also be offered side-by-side, in which case test developers should ensure the evidence of equivalence between both versions. This study aims to establish the equivalency evidence of different delivery modes of the English Competency Test, an English language assessment for civil service officers developed and used by the Human Resources Development Education and Training Center, a civil service training institution under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia. Psychometric analyses were carried out with the Rasch model to measure the unidimensionality, reliability, separation, and standard error of measurement estimates. The findings demonstrate that the paper-and-pencil and computer-based versions of the language assessment exhibit comparatively equivalent psychometric properties. The computer-based version of the English Competency Test is proven to offer a reliable and comparable alternative to the paper-and-pencil version. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, online test scores and paper-pencil test scores of students studying through online learning were examined. Causal-comparative research was used to determine the distribution of students' test scores and to examine the relationship between them. The participants of the research are freshman students studying in 12 faculties and 8 colleges of a state university in Türkiye. The distribution of students' test scores is depicted by means, standard deviation, percentage, and graphs. The correlation coefficient was examined to find and interpret the amount of relationship between the test scores of the students. According to the findings, it was seen that the online test scores of the students were higher than the paper-pencil test scores. At the same time, it was observed that the passing of the course rates in online test exams was higher than in the paper-pencil test exams. It was observed that the relationship between the paper-pencil test scores of the students and the online test scores was lower than the relationship between the paper-pencil test scores and the paper-pencil test scores. There is an inconsistency between students' paper-pencil test scores and online test scores. The rise in students' online test scores to un-proctored online exams as the reason for the inconsistency. Moving online exams to proctored exam environments, using computerized adaptive testing, or including online activities in the assessment may reduce this inconsistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided versus landmark-guided intra-articular lidocaine injection for pain control in anterior shoulder dislocation reduction. The study found no differences in pain reduction between the two techniques, suggesting equivalent efficacy despite the potential increase in cost associated with using ultrasound technology. The author emphasizes the need to prioritize patient experience and patient-reported outcome measures in research design, as well as the importance of considering the long-term recovery, satisfaction, and quality of life post-treatment. The article calls for a paradigm shift in assessing novel technologies and techniques, with a focus on the patient's perspective. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54) is one of the most commonly-used MS-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures. It is a multidimensional, MS-specific HRQOL inventory, which includes the generic SF-36 core items, supplemented with 18 MS-targeted items. Availability of an adaptive short version providing immediate item scoring may improve instrument usability and validity. However, multidimensional computerized adaptive testing (MCAT) has not been previously applied to MSQOL-54 items. We thus aimed to apply MCAT to the MSQOL-54 and assess its performance. Methods: Responses from a large international sample of 3669 MS patients were assessed. We calibrated 52 (of the 54) items using bifactor graded response model (10 group factors and one general HRQOL factor). Then, eight simulations were run with different termination criteria: standard errors (SE) for the general factor and group factors set to different values, and change in factor estimates from one item to the next set at < 0.01 for both the general and the group factors. Performance of the MCAT was assessed by the number of administered items, root mean square difference (RMSD), and correlation. Results: Eight items were removed due to local dependency. The simulation with SE set to 0.32 (general factor), and no SE thresholds (group factors) provided satisfactory performance: the median number of administered items was 24, RMSD was 0.32, and correlation was 0.94. Conclusions: Compared to the full-length MSQOL-54, the simulated MCAT required fewer items without losing precision for the general HRQOL factor. Further work is needed to add/integrate/revise MSQOL-54 items in order to make the calibration and MCAT performance efficient also on group factors, so that the MCAT version may be used in clinical practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to assess the content and face validity index of the development of the understanding, attitude, practice and health literacy questionnaire on COVID-19 (MUAPHQ C-19) in the Malay language. Methods: The development of the MUAPHQ C-19 was conducted in two stages. Stage I resulted in the generation of the instrument's items (development), and stage II resulted in the performance of the instrument's items (judgement and quantification). Six-panel experts related to the study field and ten general public participated to evaluate the validity of the MUAPHQ C-19. The content validity index (CVI), content validity ratio (CVR) and face validity index (FVI) were analysed using Microsoft Excel. Results: There were 54 items and four domains, namely the understanding, attitude, practice and health literacy towards COVID-19, identified in the MUAPHQ C-19 (Version 1.0). The scale-level CVI (S-CVI/Ave) for every domain was above 0.9, which is considered acceptable. The CVR for all items was above 0.7, except for one item in the health literacy domain. Ten items were revised to improve the item's clarity, and two items were deleted due to the low CVR value and redundancy, respectively. The I-FVI exceeded the cut-off value of 0.83 except for five items from the attitude domain and four from the practice domains. Thus, seven of these items were revised to increase the clarity of items, while another two were deleted due to low I-FVI scores. Otherwise, the S-FVI/Ave for every domain exceeded the cut-off point of 0.9, which is considered acceptable. Thus, 50-item MUAPHQ C-19 (Version 3.0) was generated following the content and face validity analysis. Conclusions: The questionnaire development, content validity, and face validity process are lengthy and iterative. The assessment of the instruments' items by the content experts and the respondents is essential to guarantee the instrument's validity. Our content and face validity study has finalised the MUAPHQ C-19 version that is ready for the next phase of questionnaire validation, using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To empirically assign severity levels (e.g., mild, moderate) to four relatively new patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for adults with acquired cognitive/language disorders. They include the Communicative Participation Item Bank, the Aphasia Communication Outcome Measure, and Neuro-QoL's item banks of Cognitive Function (v2.0) and Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities (v1.0). Method: We conducted 17 focus groups that comprised 22 adults with an acquired cognitive/language disorder from stroke, Parkinson's disease, or traumatic brain injury; 30 care partners of an adult with an acquired cognitive/language disorder; and 42 speech-language pathologists who had experience assessing/treating individuals with those and other cognitive/language disorders. In a small, moderated focus-group format, participants completed "PROM-bookmarking" procedures: They discussed hypothetical vignettes based on PROM item responses about people with cognitive/language disorders and had to reach consensus regarding whether their symptoms/function should be categorized as within normal limits or mild, moderate, or severe challenges. Results: There was generally good agreement among the stakeholder groups about how to classify vignettes, particularly when they reflected very high or low functioning. People with aphasia described a larger range of functional communication challenges as "mild" compared to other stakeholder types. Based on a consensus across groups, we present severity levels for specific score ranges for each PROM. Conclusion: Standardized, stakeholder-informed severity levels that aid interpretation of PROM scores can help clinicians and researchers derive better clinical meaning from those scores, for example, by identifying important clinical windows of opportunity and assessing when symptoms have returned to a "normal" range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: To investigate the therapeutic effect of tetrandrine （Tet） on mouse in vivo and in vitro models of severe acute pancreatitis （SAP） and its mechanisms. METHODS: （1） The pancreatic tissues of C57BL/6 mice were freshly isolated to obtain pancreatic acinar cells （PACs）. The cells were randomly divided into blank control （Ctrl） group, Tet group, injury ［induced by palmitoleic acid （POA） or taurolithocholic acid sodium salt （TLCS）］ groups and Tet treatment （Tet+POA or Tet+TLCS） groups. The Fluo-4 fluorescent probe was used to measure cytoplasmic calcium concentration. Propidium iodide staining was used to detect necrotic cells. The TMRM fluorescent probe was used to measure the changes of mitochondrial membrane potential. Reactive oxygen species （ROS） was detected by DCFH-DA fluorescent probe. （2） Thirty-five 8-week-old healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly selected and divided into Ctrl group, sham group, Tet group, fatty acid ethyl ester-induced acute pancreatitis （FAEE-AP） group, TLCS-induced acute pancreatitis （TLCS-AP） group, Tet+FAEE-AP group and Tet+TLCS-AP group, with 5 mice in each group. The morphological changes of the pancreas were observed using HE staining. The positive staining rates of C/EBP homologous protein （CHOP） in the pancreas were observed by immunohistochemistry. The expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 （GRP78）, protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase （PERK）, p-PERK and CHOP was detected by Western blot. Serum levels of amylase, interleukin-6（ IL-6）, malondialdehyde（ MDA）, glutathione peroxidase（ GSH-Px）, superoxide dismutase（ SOD） and catalase （CAT） were assayed. Myeloperoxidase （MPO） activity was detected in mouse pancreatic and lung tissues. RESULTS: Treatment with Tet effectively inhibited POA- or TLCS-induced calcium overload and necrosis in PACs, attenuated the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, and reduced ROS production in vitro （P<0. 01）. Compared with Ctrl group, the pancreatic pathological score, serum amylase activity, serum IL-6 level, and MPO activity in the pancreas and lung in vivo significantly increased in SAP groups（ P<0. 01）. However, the administration of Tet significantly alleviated the tissue damage and inflammatory response （P<0. 01）. Compared with SAP groups, Tet reduced the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related GRP78/PERK/CHOP signaling pathway （P<0. 01）, decreased serum peroxide MDA, and increased antioxidants GSH-Px, SOD and CAT （P<0. 01）. CONCLUSION: Treatment with Tet effectively attenuates SAP in mouse models by the inhibition of calcium overload, the alleviation of mitochondrial membrane potential decrease, and the reduction of endoplasmic reticulum stress response and oxidative stress damage to protect against the necrosis of PACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing gender bias in STEM is key to generating more equality and contributing to a more balanced workforce in this field. Spatial ability and its components are cognitive processes crucial to success in STEM education and careers. Significant gender differences have consistently been found in mental rotation (MR), the ability to mentally transform two- and three-dimensional objects. The aim of this pilot study is to examine factors in psychological assessment which may contribute to gender differences in MR performance. Moreover, findings will inform the development of the new approaches to assessment using computer adaptive testing (CAT). (1) Background: The study examines the impact of emotional regulation on MR performance in primary school children whose mean age was 9.28 years old. (2) Methods: Skin conductance was measured to assess the impact of emotional reactivity (ER) on performance during an MR task. (3) Results: Patterns of ER influence response time (RT) on specific items in the task. (4) Conclusions: Identifying the effects of emotional arousal and issues of test construction such as stereotyped stimuli and item difficulty in tests of spatial ability warrants ongoing investigation. It is vital to ensure that these factors do not compromise the accurate measurement of performance and inadvertently contribute to the gender gap in STEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student evaluation of teaching (SET) assesses students' experiences in a class to evaluate teachers' performance in class. SET essentially comprises three facets: teaching proficiency, student rating harshness, and item properties. The computerized adaptive testing form of SET with an established item pool has been used in educational environments. However, conventional scoring methods ignore the harshness of students toward teachers and, therefore, are unable to provide a valid assessment. In addition, simultaneously estimating teachers' teaching proficiency and students' harshness remains an unaddressed issue in the context of online SET. In the current study, we develop and compare three novel methods—marginal, iterative once, and hybrid approaches—to improve the precision of parameter estimations. A simulation study is conducted to demonstrate that the hybrid method is a promising technique that can substantially outperform traditional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sibling items developed through automatic item generation share similar but not identical psychometric properties. However, considering sibling item variations may bring huge computation difficulties and little improvement on scoring. Assuming identical characteristics among siblings, this study explores the impact of item model parameter variations (i.e., within-family variation between siblings) on person parameter estimation in linear tests and Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT). Specifically, we explore (1) what if small/medium/large within-family variance is ignored, (2) if the effect of larger within-model variance can be compensated by greater test length, (3) if the item model pool properties affect the impact of within-family variance on scoring, and (4) if the issues in (1) and (2) are different in linear vs. adaptive testing. Related sibling model is used for data generation and identical sibling model is assumed for scoring. Manipulated factors include test length, the size of within-model variation, and item model pool characteristics. Results show that as within-family variance increases, the standard error of scores remains at similar levels. For correlations between true and estimated score and RMSE, the effect of the larger within-model variance was compensated by test length. For bias, scores are biased towards the center, and bias was not compensated by test length. Despite the within-family variation is random in current simulations, to yield less biased ability estimates, the item model pool should provide balanced opportunities such that "fake-easy" and "fake-difficult" item instances cancel their effects. The results of CAT are similar to that of linear tests, except for higher efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different data conditions on item parameter recovery and classification accuracy of three dichotomous mixture item response theory (IRT) models: the Mix1PL, Mix2PL, and Mix3PL. Manipulated factors in the simulation included the sample size (11 different sample sizes from 100 to 5000), test length (10, 30, and 50), number of classes (2 and 3), the degree of latent class separation (normal/no separation, small, medium, and large), and class sizes (equal vs. nonequal). Effects were assessed using root mean square error (RMSE) and classification accuracy percentage computed between true parameters and estimated parameters. The results of this simulation study showed that more precise estimates of item parameters were obtained with larger sample sizes and longer test lengths. Recovery of item parameters decreased as the number of classes increased with the decrease in sample size. Recovery of classification accuracy for the conditions with two-class solutions was also better than that of three-class solutions. Results of both item parameter estimates and classification accuracy differed by model type. More complex models and models with larger class separations produced less accurate results. The effect of the mixture proportions also differentially affected RMSE and classification accuracy results. Groups of equal size produced more precise item parameter estimates, but the reverse was the case for classification accuracy results. Results suggested that dichotomous mixture IRT models required more than 2,000 examinees to be able to obtain stable results as even shorter tests required such large sample sizes for more precise estimates. This number increased as the number of latent classes, the degree of separation, and model complexity increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disease Activity Index; BASFI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index; CCP, cyclic citrullinated peptide; CRP, C-reactive protein; DAS-28, Disease Activity Score 28, ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; NA, not available; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RF, rheumatoid factor. Only one patient with axSpA reported hesitation while completing Section B as the patient was not thinking that the disease was causing a disability. Coping with Rheumatic Stressors (CORS) is an arthritis-specific, valid, and reliable instrument, designed to measure coping strategies used in response to disease-specific stressors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).[[1]] The CORS score is based on how frequently an individual strategy was used by patients when dealing with pain (three strategies, 25 items), limitations (three strategies, 23 items), and dependence (two strategies, 13 items). Patients with severe comorbidities (such as neurological or psychiatric problems) that would potentially affect their assessment were excluded.[11] First, patients completed the pre-final version in a face-to-face interview (cognitive debriefing) with the research team. [Extracted from the article]

Technical difficulties and other unforeseen events occasionally lead to incomplete data on educational tests, which necessitates the reporting of imputed scores to some examinees. While there exist several approaches for reporting imputed scores, there is a lack of any guidance on the reporting of the uncertainty of imputed scores. In this paper, several approaches are suggested for quantifying the uncertainty of imputed scores using measures that are similar in spirit to estimates of reliability and standard error of measurement. A simulation study is performed to examine the properties of the approaches. The approaches are then applied to data from a state test on which some examinees' scores had to be imputed following computer problems. Several recommendations are made for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical thinking (CT) is widely regarded as an important competence to obtain in education. Students' exposure to problems and collaboration have been proven helpful in promoting CT processes. These elements are present in student-centered instructional environments such as problem-based and project-based learning (P(j)BL). Next to CT, also higher-order thinking (HOT) and critical-analytic thinking (CAT) contain elements that are present in and fostered by P(j)BL. However, HOT, CT, and CAT definitions are often ill-defined and overlap. The present systematic review, therefore, investigated how HOT, CT, and CAT were conceptualized in P(j)BL environments. Another aim of this study was to review the evidence on the effectiveness of P(j)BL environments in fostering HOT, CT, or CAT. Results demonstrated an absence of CAT in P(j)BL research and a stronger focus on CT processes than CT dispositions (i.e., trait-like tendency or willingness to engage in CT). Further, while we found positive effects of P(j)BL on HOT and CT, there was a lack of clarity and consistency in how researchers conceptualized and measured these forms of thinking. Also, essential components of P(j)BL were often overlooked. Finally, we identified various design issues in effect studies, such as the lack of control groups, that bring the reported outcomes of those investigations into question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the association of anger, anxiety, and depression, and cognitive bias with pain and activity tolerance among patients with a musculoskeletal illness or injury expected to last more than a month. 102 Patients completed emotional thermometers to quantify symptoms of anger, anxiety, depression; the abbreviated Pain Catastrophizing Scale; a pain intensity scale; Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function Computer Adaptive Test; the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and demographic questionnaires. Controlling for potential confounding in multivariable analysis we found greater activity intolerance was associated with retired work-status and greater depressive symptoms, but not with greater symptoms of anger. In addition, greater pain intensity was associated with greater symptoms of depression and greater catastrophic thinking, but not with greater symptoms of anger. Anger emotions do not contribute to symptom intensity and activity intolerance in musculoskeletal illness. Attention can be directed at addressing psychological distress and cognitive bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Using continuous analysis to inform trial termination The sample size required for an RCT requires a power calculation where Frequentist statistics are being used. Frequentist trials establish target sample size using a power analysis before beginning the trial. Sample size determination and trial termination of medical trials are ongoing areas of development within Bayesian statistics. Sample size determination & trial termination Due to resource constraints and grant requirements, some estimation of the required sample size is useful. [Extracted from the article]

Computer use for assessment is gaining prominence in Kenya's higher education system because of its efficiency and prompt feedback. However, some psychological and personal factors may unintentionally impact performance in computer-based testing, such as test anxiety and gender. Therefore, this study sought to determine the effects of test anxiety and gender on performance and the impacts of test anxiety and gender interaction in a computer-based test in the Educational Statistics unit. A sample of 185 bachelor of education students at Kenyatta University was purposively selected to participate in this study. The independent variables were measured using a ten-item Likert-type test anxiety scale and a questionnaire. The dependent variable was the performance in a fifteen-item multiple choice test administered online. Data were analyzed using the t-test and the two-way analysis of variance. Results indicated that test anxiety had a significant effect on computer-based test performance. Although male students performed better than female students on the test, this difference was insignificant. The study also found the main effect of test anxiety and subject specialization. Based on the outcomes of this study, it was suggested that academic counseling should be integrated into the teaching and assessment of educational statistics to mitigate the effect of test anxiety on computer-based test performance. There is a need to incorporate arithmetic and computers, especially in arts-based courses at Kenyatta University. This study can be replicated using samples drawn from other courses and universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching translation in higher education has undeniably been impacted by the innovations brought about by machine translation (MT), more particularly neural machine translation (NMT). This influence has become significantly more noticeable in recent years, as NMT technology progresses hand in hand with artificial intelligence. A case study supported by a questionnaire conducted among translation students (bachelor's and master's programmes at ISCAP) probed the degree of student satisfaction with CAT tools and revealed that they favour the use of MT in their translation practices, focusing their work on post-editing tasks rather than exploring other translation strategies and complementary resources. Although MT cannot be disregarded in translation programmes, as machine-generated translations make up an increasingly larger amount of a professional translator's output, the widespread use of MT by students poses new challenges to translators' training, since it becomes more difficult to assess students' level of proficiency. Translation teachers must not only adapt their classroom strategies to accommodate these current translation strategies (NMT) but also, as intended by this study, find new, adequate methods of training and assessing students that go beyond regular translation assignments while still ensuring that students acquire the proper translation competence. Thus, as the use of NMT makes it considerably more challenging to assess a student's level of translation competence, it is necessary to introduce other activities that not only allow students to acquire and develop their translation competence as defined in the EMT (European Masters in Translation) framework but also enable teachers to assess students more objectively. Hence, this article foregrounds a set of activities usually regarded as "indirect tasks" for technical translation courses that hopefully results in the development of student translation skills and competence, as well as provides more insights for teachers on how to more objectively assess students. It is possible, then, to conclude that these activities, such as different types of paraphrasing and error-detection tasks, may have the potential to encourage creative thinking and problem-solving strategies, giving teachers more resources to assess students' level of translation competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There has been an increased significance on patient-reported outcomes in clinical settings. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of administering patient-reported outcome measures by computerized adaptive testing (CAT) using a tablet computer with rehabilitation inpatients, assess workload demands on staff, and estimate the extent to which rehabilitation inpatients have elevated T-scores on six Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) measures. Methods: Patients (N = 108) with stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and other neurological disorders participated in this study. PROMIS computerized adaptive tests (CAT) were administered via a web-based platform. Summary scores were calculated for six measures: Pain Interference, Sleep Disruption, Anxiety, Depression, Illness Impact Positive, and Illness Impact Negative. We calculated the percent of patients with T-scores equivalent to 2 standard deviations or greater above the mean. Results: During the first phase, we collected data from 19 of 49 patients; of the remainder, 61% were not available or had cognitive or expressive language impairments. In the second phase of the study, 40 of 59 patients participated to complete the assessment. The mean PROMIS T-scores were in the low 50 s, indicating an average symptom level, but 19–31% of patients had elevated T-scores where the patients needed clinical action. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that PROMIS assessment using a CAT administration during an inpatient rehabilitation setting is feasible with the presence of a research staff member to complete PROMIS assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the methodological value of an item-level scoring procedure applied to the Boston Naming Test (BNT), and the extent to which this scoring approach predicts grey matter (GM) variability in regions that sustain semantic memory. Twenty-seven BNT items administered as part of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative were scored according to their "sensorimotor interaction" (SMI) value. Quantitative scores (i.e., the count of correctly named items) and qualitative scores (i.e., the average of SMI scores for correctly named items) were used as independent predictors of neuroanatomical GM maps in two sub-cohorts of 197 healthy adults and 350 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) participants. Quantitative scores predicted clusters of temporal and mediotemporal GM in both sub-cohorts. After accounting for quantitative scores, the qualitative scores predicted mediotemporal GM clusters in the MCI sub-cohort; clusters extended to the anterior parahippocampal gyrus and encompassed the perirhinal cortex. This was confirmed by a significant yet modest association between qualitative scores and region-of-interest-informed perirhinal volumes extracted post hoc. Item-level scoring of BNT performance provides complementary information to standard quantitative scores. The concurrent use of quantitative and qualitative scores may help profile lexical–semantic access more precisely, and might help detect changes in semantic memory that are typical of early-stage Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computerized adaptive testing for cognitive diagnosis (CD‐CAT) needs to be efficient and responsive in real time to meet practical applications' requirements. For high‐dimensional data, the number of categories to be recognized in a test grows exponentially as the number of attributes increases, which can easily cause system reaction time to be too long such that it adversely affects the examinees and thus seriously impacts the measurement efficiency. More importantly, the long‐time CPU operations and memory usage of item selection in CD‐CAT due to intensive computation are impractical and cannot wholly meet practice needs. This paper proposed two new efficient selection strategies (HIA and CEL) for high‐dimensional CD‐CAT to address this issue by incorporating the max‐marginals from the maximum a posteriori query and integrating the ensemble learning approach into the previous efficient selection methods, respectively. The performance of the proposed selection method was compared with the conventional selection method using simulated and real item pools. The results showed that the proposed methods could significantly improve the measurement efficiency with about 1/2–1/200 of the conventional methods' computation time while retaining similar measurement accuracy. With increasing number of attributes and size of the item pool, the computation time advantage of the proposed methods becomes more significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Validity of the Ugandan version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI‐UG) was previously investigated on typically developing children. This study aimed to investigate the validity, test–retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of the PEDI‐UG in children and youth (C&Y) with cerebral palsy (CP). Method: A cross‐sectional study design with 118 C&Y with CP (44.7% girls) aged 10 months–22.5 years were included in the study; 37 of them completed the PEDI‐UG twice to investigate test–retest reliability, determined by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Additionally, data from 249 typically developing children were used for differential item functioning (DIF) analysis. The validity of the PEDI‐UG was investigated by Rasch analysis. The Kruskal–Wallis test and Spearman's correlation coefficient were calculated to investigate associations between PEDI‐UG scores and external classification systems. Results: The principal component analysis of residuals indicated unidimensionality in all domains. The ICC values were excellent (0.98–0.99), and the MDCs were less than 6 and 13 (on a 0–100 scale) for the functional skills and caregiver assistance parts, respectively. The four‐category caregiver assistance rating scale fulfilled the criteria for the analysis of rating scale functioning. In total, 78 of 189 items in the functional skills domain and two items in the caregiver assistance domain demonstrated DIF between C&Y with CP and TD children. The Kruskal–Wallis test (p < 0.05) and Spearman's correlation (coefficients of −0.93 to −0.78) supported the validity of PEDI‐UG. Conclusion: The current diagnose‐specific version of PEDI‐UG demonstrates evidence for validity as a measure of ability in C&Y with CP in Uganda and other similar settings, being a promising tool for use in clinical practice and research. Conversion tables and MDC values are provided to facilitate clinical adoption of the measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a new computerized adaptive testing (CAT) procedure for use with batteries of unidimensional tests. At each step of testing, the estimate of a certain ability is updated on the basis of the response to the latest administered item and the current estimates of all other abilities measured by the battery. The information deriving from these abilities is incorporated into an empirical prior that is updated each time that new estimates of the abilities are computed. In two simulation studies, the performance of the proposed procedure is compared with that of a standard procedure for CAT with batteries of unidimensional tests. The proposed procedure yields more accurate ability estimates in fixed-length CATs, and a reduction of test length in variable-length CATs. These gains in accuracy and efficiency increase with the correlation between the abilities measured by the batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe the development of social function in children with cerebral palsy (CP) classified in all levels of the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS). Method: This prospective, longitudinal population‐based cohort study recruited children with CP born in Queensland, Australia. Social functioning was measured using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) social function domain at 2 years, 2 years 6 months, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years, and the PEDI Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI‐CAT) social/cognitive domain at 8 to 12 years. Results: Seventy‐four children provided 356 observations. PEDI‐CAT social/cognitive scaled scores at 8 to 12 years were (mean [SD] n) CFCS level I, 68.6 (2.7) 45; CFCS level II, 64.0 (3.4) 10; CFCS level III, 63.5 (3.7) 4; CFCS level IV, 56.8 (5.0) 9; CFCS level V, 47.2 (5.8) 6. Scores within expected range for age (not less than 2 SD below mean) at 8 to 12 years were achieved by 35 (78%) children in CFCS level I and four (14%) in CFCS levels II to V. Forty‐nine per cent of children scored at least two standard deviations below the population mean on a proxy measure of fluid intelligence. Intellectual impairment was associated with lower PEDI‐CAT social/cognitive scaled scores in univariable analysis (β = −8.3, 95% confidence interval − 10.91 to −5.63; p < 0.001) but had a smaller effect when modelled together with CFCS. Interpretation: Social function attained by 8 to 12 years of age was strongly related to level of communication function (CFCS). The small number of children classified in CFCS levels II to V necessitates caution when viewing these individual CFCS level trajectories. What this paper adds: There is a strong relation between social functioning and Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) levels.At 8 to 12 years, 35 out of 45 children in CFCS level I met social functioning age expectations.Twenty‐five out of 29 in CFCS levels II to V had social functioning below that expected for age.CFCS and age were more strongly associated with development of social functioning than Gross Motor Function Classification System or Manual Ability Classification System and age. What this paper adds: There is a strong relation between social functioning and Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) levels.At 8 to 12 years, 35 out of 45 children in CFCS level I met social functioning age expectations.Twenty‐five out of 29 in CFCS levels II to V had social functioning below that expected for age.CFCS and age were more strongly associated with development of social functioning than Gross Motor Function Classification System or Manual Ability Classification System and age. This original article is commented on by Eslinger on pages 596–597 of this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) has been recommended for computerized adaptive testing (CAT) of health-related quality of life. This study compared the content, validity, and reliability of seven PROMIS CATs to the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. Methods Adult patients with chronic kidney disease and an estimated glomerular filtration rate under 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 who were not receiving dialysis treatment completed seven PROMIS CATs (assessing physical function, pain interference, fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, and the ability to participate in social roles and activities), the SF-12, and the PROMIS Pain Intensity single item and Dialysis Symptom Index at inclusion and 2 weeks. A content comparison was performed between PROMIS CATs and the SF-12. Construct validity of PROMIS CATs was assessed using Pearson's correlations. We assessed the test-retest reliability of all patient-reported outcome measures by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient and minimal detectable change. Results In total, 207 patients participated in the study. A median of 45 items (10 minutes) were completed for PROMIS CATs. All PROMIS CATs showed evidence of sufficient construct validity. PROMIS CATs, most SF-12 domains and summary scores, and Dialysis Symptom Index showed sufficient test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥ 0.70). PROMIS CATs had a lower minimal detectable change compared with the SF-12 (range, 5.7–7.4 compared with 11.3–21.7 across domains, respectively). Conclusion PROMIS CATs showed sufficient construct validity and test-retest reliability in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. PROMIS CATs required more items but showed better reliability than the SF-12. Future research is needed to investigate the feasibility of PROMIS CATs for routine nephrology care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been associated with poor mental health outcomes and widened health disparities in the United States. Given the inter-relationship between psychosocial factors and functional outcomes in orthopaedic surgery, it is important that we understand whether patients presenting for musculoskeletal care during the pandemic were associated with worse physical and mental health than before the pandemic's onset. Questions/purposes: (1) Did patients seen for an initial visit by an orthopaedic provider during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate worse physical function, pain interference, depression, and/or anxiety than patients seen before the pandemic, as measured by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) instrument? (2) During the COVID-19 pandemic, did patients living in areas with high levels of social deprivation demonstrate worse patterns of physical function, pain interference, depression, or anxiety on initial presentation to an orthopaedic provider than patients living in areas with low levels of social deprivation, compared with prepandemic PROMIS scores? Methods: This was a retrospective, comparative study of new patient evaluations that occurred in the orthopaedic department at a large, urban tertiary care academic medical center. During the study period, PROMIS computer adaptive tests were routinely administered to patients at clinical visits. Between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019, we identified 26,989 new patients; we excluded 4% (1038 of 26,989) for being duplicates, 4% (1034 of 26,989) for having incomplete demographic data, 44% (11,925 of 26,989) for not having a nine-digit home ZIP Code recorded, and 5% (1332 of 26,989) for not completing all four PROMIS computer adaptive tests of interest. This left us with 11,660 patients in the "before COVID-19" cohort. Between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, we identified 30,414 new patients; we excluded 5% (1554 of 30,414) for being duplicates, 4% (1142 of 30,414) for having incomplete demographic data, 41% (12,347 of 30,414) for not having a nine-digit home ZIP Code recorded, and 7% (2219 of 30,414) for not completing all four PROMIS computer adaptive tests of interest. This left us with 13,152 patients in the "during COVID-19" cohort. Nine-digit home ZIP Codes were used to determine patients' Area Deprivation Indexes, a neighborhood-level composite measure of social deprivation. To ensure that patients included in the study represented our overall patient population, we performed univariate analyses on available demographic and PROMIS data between patients included in the study and those excluded from the study, which revealed no differences (results not shown). In the before COVID-19 cohort, the mean age was 57 ± 16 years, 60% (7046 of 11,660) were women, 86% (10,079 of 11,660) were White non-Hispanic, and the mean national Area Deprivation Index percentile was 47 ± 25. In the during COVID-19 cohort, the mean age was 57 ± 16 years, 61% (8051 of 13,152) were women, 86% (11,333 of 13,152) were White non-Hispanic, and the mean national Area Deprivation Index percentile was 46 ± 25. The main outcome measures in this study were the PROMIS Physical Function ([PF], version 2.0), Pain Interference ([PI], version 1.1), Depression (version 1.0), and Anxiety (version 1.0). PROMIS scores follow a normal distribution with a mean t-score of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. Higher PROMIS PF scores indicate better self-reported physical capability, whereas higher PROMIS PI, Depression, and Anxiety scores indicate more difficulty managing pain, depression, and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Clinically meaningful differences in PROMIS scores between the cohorts were based on a minimum clinically important difference (MCID) threshold of 4 points. Multivariable linear regression models were created to determine whether presentation to an orthopaedic provider during the pandemic was associated with worse PROMIS scores than for patients who presented before the pandemic. Regression coefficients (ß) represent the estimated difference in PROMIS scores that would be expected for patients who presented during the pandemic compared with patients who presented before the pandemic, after adjusting for confounding variables. Regression coefficients were evaluated in the context of clinical importance and statistical significance. Regression coefficients equal to or greater than the MCID of 4 points were considered clinically important, whereas p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: We found no clinically important differences in baseline physical and mental health PROMIS scores between new patients who presented to an orthopaedic provider before the COVID-19 pandemic and those who presented during the COVID-19 pandemic (PROMIS PF: ß -0.2 [95% confidence interval -0.43 to 0.03]; p = 0.09; PROMIS PI: ß 0.06 [95% CI -0.13 to 0.25]; p = 0.57; PROMIS Depression: ß 0.09 [95% CI -0.14 to 0.33]; p = 0.44; PROMIS Anxiety: ß 0.58 [95% CI 0.33 to 0.84]; p < 0.001). Although patients from areas with high levels of social deprivation had worse PROMIS scores than patients from areas with low levels of social deprivation, patients from areas with high levels of social deprivation demonstrated no clinically important differences in PROMIS scores when groups before and during the pandemic were compared (PROMIS PF: ß -0.23 [95% CI -0.80 to 0.33]; p = 0.42; PROMIS PI: ß 0.18 [95% CI -0.31 to 0.67]; p = 0.47; PROMIS Depression: ß 0.42 [95% CI -0.26 to 1.09]; p = 0.23; PROMIS Anxiety: ß 0.84 [95% CI 0.16 to 1.52]; p = 0.02). Conclusion: Contrary to studies describing worse physical and mental health since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we found no changes in the health status of orthopaedic patients on initial presentation to their provider. Although large-scale action to mitigate the effects of worsening physical or mental health of orthopaedic patients may not be needed at this time, orthopaedic providers should remain aware of the psychosocial needs of their patients and advocate on behalf of those who may benefit from intervention. Our study is limited in part to patients who had the self-agency to access specialty orthopaedic care, and therefore may underestimate the true changes in the physical or mental health status of all patients with musculoskeletal conditions. Future longitudinal studies evaluating the impact of specific COVID-19-related factors (for example, delays in medical care, social isolation, or financial loss) on orthopaedic outcomes may be helpful to prepare for future pandemics or natural disasters. Level of Evidence: Level II, prognostic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second language (L2) teachers may shy away from self-assessments because of warnings that students are not accurate self-assessors. This information stems from meta-analyses in which self-assessment scores on average did not correlate highly with proficiency test results. However, researchers mostly used Pearson correlations, when polyserial could be used. Furthermore, self-assessments today can be computer adaptive. With them, nonlinear statistics are needed to investigate their relationship with other measurements. We wondered, if we explored the relationship between self-assessment and proficiency test scores using more robust measurements (polyserial correlation, continuation-ratio modeling), would we find different results? We had 807 L2-Spanish learners take a computer-adaptive, L2-speaking self-assessment and the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview – computer (OPIc). The scores correlated at.61 (polyserial). Using continuation-ratio modeling, we found each unit of increase on the OPIc scale was associated with a 131% increase in the odds of passing the self-assessment thresholds. In other words, a student was more likely to move on to higher self-assessment subsections if they had a higher OPIc rating. We found computer-adaptive self-assessments appropriate for low-stakes L2-proficiency measurements, especially because they are cost-effective, make intuitive sense to learners, and promote learner agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the structure of the Post-Critical Belief Scale (PCBS), which was designed by Hutsebaut (1996) to assess attitudes towards religion according to Wulff's (1991) model. Existing results suggest ambiguous solutions, with two, three, or four factors, when only the four-factor solution is consistent with Wulff's theoretical model. In the current study, we examined whether this hypothesized model indeed would be reflected in the data, when the more appropriate, newly-developed, Set-Exploratory Structural Equation modeling (Set-ESEM) is applied. The study was carried out on a sample of 952 participants. The results of the Set-ESEM modeling provided evidence for the good fit of the four-factor structure. Nevertheless, we also identified some shortcomings of the measure and identified items which may be removed in order to increase measurement precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In an earlier interview-based study the authors identified that learners experience one or more of eight explicit perceptual responses during the active phase of simulation-based training (SBT) comprising a sense: of belonging to instructor and group, of being under surveillance, of having autonomy and responsibility for patient management, of realism, of an understanding of the scenario in context, of conscious mental effort, of control of attention, and of engagement with task. These were adapted into a ten-item questionnaire: the Simulation Based Training Quality Assurance Tool (SBT-QA10) to allow monitoring of modifiable factors that may impact upon learners' experiences. This study assessed the construct validity evidence of the interpretation of the results when using SBT-QAT10. Materials and methods: Recently graduated doctors and nurses participating in a SBT course on the topic of the deteriorating patient completed the SBT-QAT10 immediately following their participation in the scenarios. The primary outcome measure was internal consistency of the questionnaire items and their correlation to learners' satisfaction scores. A secondary outcome measure compared the impact of allocation to active versus observer role. Results: A total of 349 questionnaires were returned by 96 course learners. The median of the total score for the ten perception items (TPS) was 39 (out of 50), with no significant difference between the scenarios. We identified fair and positive correlations between nine of the 10 items and the SBT-QA10-TPS, the exception being "mental effort". Compared to observers, active learners reported significantly more positive perceptions related to belonging to the team and interaction with the instructor, their sense of acting independently, and being focused. The questionnaire items were poorly correlated with the two measures of global satisfaction. Conclusion: Except for the item for mental effort, the QA10-TPS measures learners' experiences during the active phase of simulation scenarios that are associated with a positive learning experience. The tool may have utility to learners, instructors, and course providers by informing subsequent debriefing and reflection upon practice for learners and faculty. The relationship between these perceptions and commonly used measures of satisfaction remains poorly understood raising questions about the value of the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]