Search

Background: Traditional patient-reported outcome instruments like the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) quantify patient disability but often are limited by responder burden and incomplete questionnaires. The Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) overcomes such obstacles through computer-adaptive technology and can capture outcome data from various domains including physical and psychosocial function. Prior work has compared the FAAM with PROMIS physical function; however, there is little evidence comparing the association between foot and ankle-specific tools like the FAAM with more general outcomes measures of PROMIS pain interference and depression in foot and ankle conditions.Questions/purposes: (1) We asked whether there was a relationship between FAAM Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scores with PROMIS physical function, pain interference, and depression in patients with hallux valgus. (2) Additionally, we asked if we could identify specific factors that are associated with variance in FAAM and PROMIS physical function scores in patients with hallux valgus.Methods: Eighty-five new patients with either a primary or secondary diagnosis of hallux valgus based on clinic billing codes from July 2015 to February 2016 were retrospectively identified. Patients completed FAAM ADL paper-based surveys and electronic PROMIS questionnaires for physical function, pain interference, and depression from new patient visits at a single time. Spearman rho correlations were performed between FAAM ADL and PROMIS scores. Analyses then were used to identify differences in FAAM ADL and PROMIS physical function measures based on demographic variables. Stepwise linear regressions then determined which demographic and/or outcome variable(s) accounted for the variance in FAAM ADL and PROMIS physical function scores.Results: FAAM scores correlated strongly with PROMIS physical function (r = 0.70, p < 0.001), moderately with PROMIS pain interference (r = -0.65, p < 0.001), and weakly with PROMIS depression (r = -0.35, p < 0.001) scores. Regression analyses showed that PROMIS pain interference scores alone were associated with sizeable portions of the variance in FAAM ADL (R2 = 0.44, p < 0.001) and PROMIS physical function (R2 = 0.57, p < 0.001) measures.Conclusions: PROMIS function and pain measures correlated with FAAM ADL scores, highlighting the interrelationship of pain and function when assessing outcomes in patients with hallux valgus. PROMIS tools allow for more-efficient data collection across multiple domains and, moving forward, may be better poised to monitor changes in pain and function with time compared with traditional outcome measures like the FAAM.Clinical Relevance: The relationships shown here between PROMIS and FAAM scores further support the use of PROMIS tools in outcomes-based research. In patients with hallux valgus, pain-related disability appears to be a central feature of the patient-experience. Future studies should assess the association of various outcome domains on other common foot and ankle diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement is the foundation of all research. Adequate measures should be developmentally appropriate and demonstrate reliability, validity, and sensitivity. With the recent attention to teen dating violence, measures have been developed to investigate this phenomenon and to evaluate prevention/ intervention programs. Although some of these instruments measure actual acts of violence, others measure attitudes regarding acts of violence. Each of these instruments is described along with its advantages and limitations. A comparison of measures is also presented so that researchers and clinicians can make informed decisions when selecting measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study analyzing the relationship between some dimensions or developmental assets in the neighborhood, as measured by the Scale for the Assessment of Developmental Assets in the Neighborhood, and adjustment and life satisfaction of adolescent boys and girls. The sample consisted of 2400 adolescents (1068 boys and 1332 girls) between ages 12 and 17 who were secondary students in public and private schools in Western Andalusia. The results showed significant relationships between most dimensions of the scale (youth empowerment, attachment to neighborhood safety and social control) and internalizing and externalizing problems, substance use and life satisfaction of participants. Moreover, the data provide evidence about the external validity of the scale used in the study. From the results some suggestions for intervention in the community environment are extracted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regular exercise has been recommended as a partial solution to improving health and wellness among many groups of people including the elderly. Unfortunately, information on the participation of elderly in exercise in Kenya is lacking. This study sought to explore measures for enhancing participation in exercise by the elderly in Eldoret West district, Kenya. The study utilized cross-sectional survey research design. Data were collected among the elderly people aged 50 years and above in Eldoret West district. The instruments of data collection were structured interviews, questionnaires and focused group discussions. The sample size for the study was 260 elderly from an estimated population of 2600 in Eldoret West district. These respondents were sampled through snowballing techniques. However, analysis was conducted on 241 elders. The data collected were analyzed by descriptive statistics employing frequency distributions, chi-square tests and correlation analysis using Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 16.0). Results indicated low participation (18%) of elderly in exercises even at home (8.3%). The exercises in which elderly participated were mainly jogging, walking and attending the gym, which were attended less frequently. However, the factors that affected the participation of the elderly were mainly personal value, cultural, gender, customs and traditions of the elders. It was further established that there were mainly negative attitudes to exercise, low levels of awareness, lack of facilities among other reasons cited by the elderly with some citing disability as the reasons for low participation. However, the elderly also agreed that their main reasons for engaging in exercises were: presence of finance to pay, encouragements from the family members, and high levels of education among other things. It was further established that the elderly engaged in exercises to become alert, to increase confidence, to maintain health and as a way of passing time. Finally, it was established that the elders lacked time, money and space among other things that should be availed to enhance participation in exercises. They however agreed, to be provided with opportunities and facilities and moral support for them to participate in exercises. This study established that there is low participation in exercises by the elderly in Eldoret West district, Kenya which is attributed to negative attitudes to exercise, low levels of awareness, lack of facilities and disability. However, the elderly maintained that their main reasons for engaging in exercises were: presence of finance to pay, encouragements from the family members, and high levels of education. It is thus recommended that local authorities, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Kenya, take up responsibility for the funding and designing of the exercises for elderly people in Kenya as well as providing the adequate facilities and equipment for their successful implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop a comprehensive and representative measure of youths' dispositional coping. A sample of 450 youth, aged 10 to 16 years old, were recruited from public and private schools. The majority of the sample consisted of African American and Caucasian youth. After initial item generation, pilot testing, and item elimination, exploratory factor analyses resulted in a 44-item coping measure with a 3-factor solution (Diversion, Ameliorative Coping, and Destructive Coping). Internal consistency analyses indicated strong reliabilities (all coefficient alphas above .85) for the three scales and the composite score across races. Preliminary validity data confirmed that Diversion is the most adaptive coping factor and Destructive Coping the most maladaptive. These preliminary results indicate that the Youth Coping Responses Inventory presents a promising new measure of youths' coping. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol: 66:1–18, 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychosocial measurement in the 21st Century is a dynamic field that is addressing challenges unthinkable even a generation ago. Sophisticated methods and modem technology has brought psychometrics to the cusp of scientific objectivity. This Foreword provides historical context and intellectual foundations for appreciating contemporary psychometric advancements, as well as a perspective on issues that are determining future advances. Efficiency in outcome measurement is one of these forces driving future advances. Efficiency, however, can easily become conflated with expediency, and neither can substitute for effectiveness. Blind efficiency runs risk of degrading measurement properties. Likewise, measurement advancement without accommodation to ordinary needs leads to practical rejection. Bouchard presents a biographical link between scientific physics and Rasch models that opened the door for fundamental psychosocial measurement. Symposium papers presented in this issue present a broad range of ideas about contemporary psychosocial measurement. Granger summarizes key ideas underlying achievement of objective, fundamental measurement. Massof, then, Stenner and Stone present alternative perspectives on scientific knowledge systems, which are prominent landmarks on the psychometric horizon. Fisher and Burton describe fundamental measurement methodology in diagnosis and implementation of technology, which will consolidate isolated and redundant constructs in PROMIS. Hart presents an overview on computer adaptive testing, which is the vanguard in health outcome measurement. Kisala and Tulsky present a qualitative strategy that is improving sensitivity and validity of new outcome measures. Their diversity reflects an intense competition of ideas about solving measurement problems. Their collection together in this special issue is a milestone and tribute to scientific ingenuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-Revised (CTRS-R) is one of the most commonly used measures of child behavior problems. However, the scale length and the appropriateness of some of the items on the scale may reduce the usefulness of the CTRS-R for use with preschoolers. In this study, a Graded Response Model analysis based on Item Response Theory was applied to the CTRS-R data from 669 preschool children. Children in this data sample ranged in age from 25 to 74 months, and 44.4% were identified as African American, 45.4% Caucasian, 10.2% other. The sample was 53.7% boys and 46.3% girls. A revised version of the scale was developed specifically for use with preschool children. Five items each for the Inattention, Hyperactivity/Impulsivity, and Opposition scales were included in the revised scale. The revised scales significantly reduce the time needed for teachers to complete the measures while retaining the scales' ability to discriminate children with different levels of behavioral problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Bentall and colleagues (Bentall & Kaney, 1996; Kinderman & Bentall, 1996, 1997) claim that persecutory delusions are constructed defensively, for the maintenance of self-esteem. A central prediction of their model is that such delusions will be associated with discrepancies between overt and covert self-esteem.Methods. The present study employed a new methodology that has been widely used in investigations of implicit attitudes, the Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998), to assess covert self-esteem and to test the above prediction. Overt self-esteem was assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and an adjective self-relevance ratings measure. These measures were administered to 10 patients with acute persecutory delusions, 10 patients with remitted persecutory delusions, and 19 healthy control participants.Results. Patients with persecutory delusions were found to have lower covert self-esteem (as assessed using the IAT) than healthy controls and patients with remitted persecutory delusions. On two measures of overt self-esteem, however, the persecutory deluded group did not differ significantly from the other groups once the effects of comorbid depression had been taken into account.Conclusions. These results are thus consistent with a model of persecutory delusions as serving the defensive function of maintaining self-esteem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a predicted increase in the number of children with HIV/AIDS in schools. Due to this increase, schools and educators need to be prepared for the special needs these children may have. In the present aggregate of literature and research, the following topical strands are examined: (a) overview of HIV/AIDS in school children; (b) HIV/AIDS demographics and incidence; (c) legal issues; (d) medical and psychosocial issues; (e) special education issues; 09 biases and barriers; (g) school policies, knowledge base, and training level; and (h) implications for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the factors that contribute to the high educational achievement of Korean students. The authors outline the limitations of psychological and educational theories that emphasize the biological basis (i.e., innate ability, IQ), individualistic values (e.g., intrinsic motivation, ability attribution, and self‐esteem), and structural features (e.g., high educational spending, small class size, and individualized instruction). Although the Korean government spends significantly less per student, class size is larger, cooperative learning is emphasized, and students have lower self‐concepts, they outperform their Western counterparts in reading, mathematics, and sciences (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2000; Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development, 2003). The indigenous psychology approach is used to examine factors that explain the high academic achievement of Korean students. Empirical studies that examine the role of self‐efficacy at the individual level, social support at the relational level, and Confucian values at the cultural level are reviewed. First, Koreans view education as a part of self‐cultivation that is pursued for its own sake and as a way to achieve personal, social, and occupational success. Second, Koreans do not believe in innate ability but believe it can be acquired through persistent effort and discipline. Third, parents play a key role in maintaining a strong relational bond and influencing their children's achievement throughout their lives. The sacrifice and support provided by parents are essential ingredients for their children's success. Fourth, emotional support, rather than informational support, is reported to be the most important. Fifth, self‐serving bias has not been found: Students attribute their success to effort and failure to a lack of effort and ability. Finally, although Western theories assume guilt and external pressure to have negative consequences, the reverse is the case. In Korea, children feel a sense of indebtedness toward their parents for all their devotion, sacrifice, and support. This promotes filial piety and academic achievement. Parental expectation and pressure had positive impact on their children's academic achievement. Cet article examine les facteurs qui contribuent à la forte réussite scolaire des étudiants coréens. Les auteurs soulignent les limites des théories en psychologie et en éducation qui mettent l'emphase sur les bases biologiques (c.‐à‐d. les habiletés innées et le QI), les valeurs individualistes (p. ex., la motivation intrinsèque, l'attribution d'habileté et l'estime de soi) et les caractéristiques de structure (p. ex., les dépenses élevées en éducation, les petits groupes classe et l'enseignement individualisé). Quoique le gouvernement coréen dépense significativement moins par étudiant, que les groupes classe soient plus grands, que l'emphase soit mise sur l'enseignement coopératif et que les étudiants aient un concept de soi plus faible, ces derniers obtiennent des performances supérieures à leurs homologues occidentaux en lecture, en mathématiques et en sciences (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2000; Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development, 2003). L'approche de la psychologie indigène est utilisée pour examiner les facteurs qui expliquent la forte réussite académique des étudiants coréens. Les études empiriques qui examinent le rôle de l'efficacité de soi au niveau de l'individu, le soutien social au niveau relationnel et les valeurs confucéennes au niveau culturel sont analysées. Premièrement, les Coréens voient l'éducation comme faisant partie de la culture personnelle qui est poursuivie pour son propre bien et comme une façon d'atteindre un succès personnel, social et professionnel. Deuxièmement, les Coréens ne croient à l'habileté innée, mais croient qu'il est possible de l'acquérir avec une discipline et des efforts persistants. Troisièmement, les parents jouent un rôle clé dans le maintien de liens relationnels solides et influencent la réussite de leurs enfants tout au long de leur vie. Le sacrifice et le soutien des parents sont des ingrédients essentiels pour le succès de leurs enfants. Quatrièmement, il apparaît que le soutien émotionnel est plus important que le soutien informationnel. Cinquièmement, il ne semble pas y avoir de biais égocentrique: les étudiants attribuent leurs succès à leurs efforts et leurs échecs au manque d'effort et d'habilité. Finalement, quoique les théories occidentales prétendent que la culpabilité et les pressions extérieures ont des conséquences négatives, l'inverse est le cas. En Corée, les enfants ont un sentiment de dettes envers leurs parents pour leur dévotion, leur sacrifice et leur soutien. Cela promeut la piété filiale et la réussite académique. Les attentes et pressions parentales ont un impact positif sur la réussite académique de leurs enfants. Este artículo analiza los factores que contribuyen al alto rendimiento educativo de los estudiantes de Corea. Los autores subrayan las limitaciones de las teorías psicológicas y educativas que hacen énfasis en las bases biológicas (es decir, las habilidades innatas, el CI), en los valores individualistas (por ejemplo, la motivación intrínseca, la atribución de habilidades y la autoestima) y en las características estructurales (por ejemplo, las altas inversiones en educación, el tamaño pequeño de los grupos y la instrucción individualizada). Si bien el gobierno de Corea invierte significativamente menos por estudiante, el tamaño de los grupos es mayor, se subraya el aprendizaje cooperativo y los estudiantes tienen conceptos más bajos de sí mismos, muestran un rendimiento mucho mayor que sus contrapartes occidentales en la lectura, las matemáticas y las ciencias (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2000; Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development, 2003). El enfoque de la psicología tradicional se usa para revisar factores que explican el alto rendimiento académico de los estudiantes coreanos. Se revisan aquí los estudios empíricos que analizan el papel de la eficacia del yo a nivel individual, el apoyo social a nivel de relaciones y los valores confucianos a nivel cultural. En primer lugar, los coreanos ven la educación como parte de la cultura personal que persiguen para su propio bienestar y como un medio para alcanzar el éxito personal, social y laboral. En segundo lugar, los coreanos no creen en las habilidades innatas, pero creen que pueden ser adquiridas con esfuerzo y disciplina persistentes. En tercer lugar, los padres desempeñan un papel clave para mantener lazos sólidos en sus relaciones y para influir en los logros de sus hijos durante toda su vida. El sacrificio y el apoyo de los padres son ingredientes básicos para el éxito de los hijos. En cuarto lugar, el apoyo emocional parece ser el más importante, más que el apoyo en información. En quinto lugar, no parece haber una tendencia egocéntrica: los estudiantes atribuyen su éxito al esfuerzo y su fracaso a la falta de esfuerzo y de habilidades. Por último, aunque las teorías occidentales asumen que la culpa y la presión externa tienen consecuencias negativas, en realidad ocurre lo contrario. En Corea, los niños sienten que tienen una deuda hacia sus padres, por su devoción, su sacrificio y su apoyo. Esto promueve la piedad filial y el logro académico. Las expectativas y presiones de los padres tuvieron un impacto positivo sobre los logros académicos de sus hijos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proponents of the nice guy stereotype argue that women often say they wish to date kind, sensitive men, but, in reality, still choose to date macho men over nice guys, especially if the macho men are more physically attractive. We investigated the relationship between men’s agreeableness, physical attractiveness, and their dating success across different relationship contexts. One hundred and ninety-one male college students completed a computerized questionnaire to assess their levels of agreeableness and aspects of their dating history. Twenty college-aged women rated the men’s photographs for attractiveness. Results supported the nice guy stereotype. Lower levels of agreeableness predicted more less-committed, casual, sexual relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the lifetime prevalence of negative life-events and their association with post-traumatic stress in English adolescents. Of the 427 adolescents surveyed, 360 (84%) endorsed at least one negative event. Respondents were asked to complete the Impact of Event Scale (IES: Horowitz, Wilner and Alvarez, 1979) for each event that they endorsed. For boys, highest levels of post-traumatic stress were found in those who had experience of a ‘family member with a drink or drugs problem’, followed by ‘parental separation or divorce’, ‘life threat to family member’, and ‘life-threat to self ’. For girls, highest levels of post-traumatic stress were found in those who had experienced ‘attack or physical assault to self ’, followed by ‘family member with drink or drugs problem’, ‘parental separation or divorce’, and ‘life threat to family member’. These data suggest that moderate levels of post-traumatic stress are present in around one fifth of adolescents who have experienced one of these events and that community levels of post-traumatic stress in adolescents may be higher than previously thought. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical significance of a treatment effect is indicated when a treated patient, after discharge, cannot be distinguished clinically from a person who is functioning on some criterion level in terms of adjustment and normality. This principle is demonstrated in a questionnaire follow-up of patients at a day hospital. Defining the criterion level, a sex- and age-matched nonpatient group completed the same questionnaire. On the basis of the questionnaires, four judges independently guessed whether or not each respondent was an ex-patient. The agreement among the judges was high, and their classification agreed with that of a discriminant analysis in eventually declaring approximately 25% of the patients to be nonpatients. A simple model was proposed to account for the judges' performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses various methods and procedures for assessing depression in clients. The following eight clinician rating and client self-report measures of depression are reviewed on the basis of their psychometric properties and applied pragmatic utility: the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Scale 2 (Depression), the Depression Adjective Checklists, the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-90, and the Children's Depression Inventory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates that socially supportive relationships and effective social networks have therapeutic value in mental and physical health. It is now widely believed by counselors and psychologists that social support facilitates coping. In this review of the literature the author examines definitions, constructs, and theories of social support and summarizes studies concerning recently devised scales for measuring social support and analyzing social network morphology.
Research shows that meaningful social networks function as a significant coping resource and that socially supportive relationships contribute greatly to emotional adjustment and well-being (Gottlieb, 1983; Pilisuk & Froland, 1978). Yet how do counselors define and recognize socially supportive relationships in the client's life? How can counselors help clients identify potential opportunities for social support, build social networks, and effectively use social relationships as a coping resource to overcome loneliness, depression, and anxiety? In this article I address these questions by reviewing the social support literature and covering definitions, effects, measurement, and implications for counseling. The purpose is to make counselors more fully aware of social support research and the contribution that supportive relationships can make to client growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A consensus list of 15 dimensions and corresponding components of quality of life was derived from the literature and proposed as a conceptual model. Eighty-seven empirical studies found in the applied research then were analyzed, and the proposed model was found to be supported by 1,243 empirical measures. In addition, studies were analyzed with respect to (a) demographic variables, (h) type of investigation, (c) method of assessment, (d) psychometric properties of assessments used, and (e) common dimensions of measures investigated and their frequency of measurement. Based upon findings, issues regarding methodology, implications for policy and practice in the field, and recommendations for future research were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A five-item measure of value on health, a new variable in the Personality System of Problem-Behavior Theory (Jessor & Jessor, 1977), was construct-validated using cross-sectional data from 1588 male and female 7-12th grade students. Three aspects of construct validity were explored: first, the convergent and discriminant validity of the Value on Health Scale with other health-related psychosocial measures; second, the predictive validity of the Value on Health Scale in relation to health behaviors; and third, the theoretical validity of the Value on Health Scale in relation to other constructs reflecting conventionality-unconventionality in Problem-Behavior Theory. Value on Health related significantly to other health-related psychosocial measures such as self-description of health, and parental and peer models for health-enhancing behavior. Value on Health also related significantly to greater involvement in health-enhancing behaviors (e.g., regular physical exercise, seatbelt use, and attention to healthy diet). Finally, Value on Health was linked to a larger network of psychosocial and behavioral characteristics that reflect the underlying dimension of conventionality-unconventionality in the Problem-Behavior Theory framework. Value on health seems to be a useful addition to personality attributes that help explain variation in health behavior among adolescents. It would also seem to be an important target for prevention! intervention efforts with that age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longitudinal analyses reported here explored the relationship between a perceived sense of being at risk for AIDS and a variety of behavioral, social, and psychological consequences. Data were obtained from a cohort of 637 homosexual men living in Chicago, who are participating in a psychosocial study and have completed two waves of data collection. Their perceptions of risk were quantified using both an absolute and a comparative measure; these were combined into a risk index, scored from one to nine (x = 3.91; SD = 1.64). Univariate analyses demonstrated that level of risk was related to several measures of subsequent behavioral risk reduction. However, after adjustment for sociodemographic variables, initial behavior, and other components of a model predicting behavior change, this was no longer true. Of the 12 behavioral outcomes assessed, only one was related to risk after appropriate adjustment, and this relationship was negative. Other longitudinal analyses examined the impact of a sense of risk on measures of psychosocial functioning which have been theoretically linked to health behaviors and to measures of psychological/social distress. These demonstrated a range of potentially adverse consequences for those who perceived themselves to be at greater risk for AIDS, including increased barriers to behavioral change, obsessive/compulsive behavior, social role impairment, and more intrusive worries and concerns about AIDS. Taken together, these results suggest that there is little or no observable benefit to an increased sense of risk, but that such a sense subsequently leads to distress and dysfunction in a variety of realms. The implications of these findings for development of policy concerning antibody testing of at-risk populations is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to assess the comparability of the revised ITPA, the Stanford-Binet, and the WISC, 100 six-year-old children from an aver- age socioeconomic area were given a standardized administration of the three measures. Results indicate high comparability among the IQ/PLQ scores of the three measures as well as highly significant relationships among some of the individual sub test and part scores of the WISC and ITPA. The correlations between WISC Verbal and Full Scales and the ITPA measures were higher than those of the WISC Performance Scale. Formulas for estimating Stanford-Binet and WISC IQ from the ITPA PLQ are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author argues the necessity for a shift in emphasis from means-oriented to problem-oriented research in developmental psychology. According to the author certain tools and analyses are now available, which if widely applied could effect a transition from a largely means-centered to a means and problem-centered approach. To produce a transition in emphasis from a largely means-centered to a means and problem-centered science will require a shift in emphasis at all levels from researchers to journal editors and reviewers.

Reports on the administration of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test and Measures of Psychosocial Development to assess remedial and average college students. Findings on intellectual and developmental variables.