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Background: A screening tool was devised to aid the diagnosis and treatment of ground‐glass nodules (GGNs). Methods: The current ambispective cohort study included retrospective collation of 20 variables synthesizing a patient's clinical characteristics, serum tumor markers, and CT results, which allowed division into noninvasive (benign, atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, and adenocarcinoma in situ) and invasive (minimally invasive and invasive adenocarcinomas) tumors to build a prediction nomogram and GGN screening scale. The model was verified internally. A prospective cohort of patients was randomly divided by envelope method into those assessed by the GGN screening scale and those assessed via CT values. The diagnostic efficiencies were compared to allow external verification of the model. Result: A total of 223 patients with 225 GGNs were recruited into the retrospective cohort between January 2021 and December 2022. Multivariable analysis showed sex, diameter, air bronchogram, and vessel convergence sign to be independent factors for prediction of noninvasive and invasive GGNs. Internal verification showed the model had a sensitivity of 70.7% and specificity of 75.0% with the Youden index at 0.457 and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.793 (95% CI: 0.734–0.852). Calibration curves indicated good internal stability (p = 0.357). Between January 2023 and March 2023, 147 patients with 148 GGNs were recruited into the prospective cohort. External verification showed the model had a sensitivity of 92.4% and specificity of 40.0% with the Youden index at 0.324 and AUC of 0.678 (95% CI: 0.509–0.847). Calibration curves indicated good external stability (p = 0.088). The scale was shown to have a sensitivity of 75.00%, specificity of 37.50%, positive predictive value of 91.53%, negative predictive value of 14.29%, and accuracy of 71.25%. Conclusion: The GGN screening scale has high sensitivity and accuracy, making it suitable for diagnosis of GGNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Early and comprehensive risk identification is essential for identifying individuals at high risk for stroke. This study aimed to evaluate each question in the new Stroke Risk Screening Scales (SRSS) and assess the domains for content relevance and representativeness. Initially, six stroke experts were invited to evaluate the SRSS questions. The content validity index (CVI), including the item-CVI (I-CVI) and the average-CVI (Ave-CVI), was then calculated. In our study, the acceptable standards for I-CVI and Ave-CVI were ≥0.78 and ≥0.9, respectively. The results showed that all invited experts accepted the invitation and evaluated the SRSS questions. The previous version of the SRSS consisted of 33 questions. Of these, 30 questions reached an I-CVI of ≥0.78, indicating good content validity. Three questions had an I-CVI of 0.67 and were considered invalid; thus, they were deleted. The overall instrument achieved an Ave-CVI of 0.95. Comprehensive SRSS are essential for effective stroke prevention planning. By facilitating the early identification of individuals at high risk for stroke, these scales help reduce the incidence and impact of stroke. The high content validity found in this study supports the reliability of the SRSS as a screening tool. In the future, implementing such validated scales in clinical practice can improve early intervention strategies, ultimately enhancing health outcomes and optimizing the use of healthcare resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background A screening tool was devised to aid the diagnosis and treatment of ground‐glass nodules (GGNs). Methods The current ambispective cohort study included retrospective collation of 20 variables synthesizing a patient's clinical characteristics, serum tumor markers, and CT results, which allowed division into noninvasive (benign, atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, and adenocarcinoma in situ) and invasive (minimally invasive and invasive adenocarcinomas) tumors to build a prediction nomogram and GGN screening scale. The model was verified internally. A prospective cohort of patients was randomly divided by envelope method into those assessed by the GGN screening scale and those assessed via CT values. The diagnostic efficiencies were compared to allow external verification of the model. Result A total of 223 patients with 225 GGNs were recruited into the retrospective cohort between January 2021 and December 2022. Multivariable analysis showed sex, diameter, air bronchogram, and vessel convergence sign to be independent factors for prediction of noninvasive and invasive GGNs. Internal verification showed the model had a sensitivity of 70.7% and specificity of 75.0% with the Youden index at 0.457 and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.793 (95% CI: 0.734–0.852). Calibration curves indicated good internal stability (p = 0.357). Between January 2023 and March 2023, 147 patients with 148 GGNs were recruited into the prospective cohort. External verification showed the model had a sensitivity of 92.4% and specificity of 40.0% with the Youden index at 0.324 and AUC of 0.678 (95% CI: 0.509–0.847). Calibration curves indicated good external stability (p = 0.088). The scale was shown to have a sensitivity of 75.00%, specificity of 37.50%, positive predictive value of 91.53%, negative predictive value of 14.29%, and accuracy of 71.25%. Conclusion The GGN screening scale has high sensitivity and accuracy, making it suitable for diagnosis of GGNs.

This study aimed at deepening into the internal structure's analysis of the Argentinean Scale of Suicidality, Youth version—ASSY-I Screening—. The 6-factor model obtained in a previous exploratory factor study was tested via confirmatory factor analysis, and further compared with an alternative second-order model. The factorial invariance was examined using the self-perceived gender as a splitting variable. The factors' internal consistency was analysed in the whole sample and in two subsamples comprising exclusively men and women. The scores' stability-reliability was examined using a test-retest analysis. The sample was composed of 632 students with ages between 13 and 21 years old (M = 17.88, SD = 2.16; 64.08% women, 35.92% men). Results showed evidence favouring the robustness of the ASSY-I model as well as the likelihood of generalising it across groups in the local population of young students. Findings are discussed regarding further uses of the scale in the professional field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Depression is often difficult to detect in long-term care (LTC) patients with major neurocognitive disorders (MNCD), and an observer-rated screening scale could facilitate assessments. This study aimed to establish the external validity and reliability of the Nursing Homes Short Depression Inventory (NH-SDI) in LTC patients with MNCD and to compare its estimates to the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), the most used scale for depression in MNCD. Methods: A focus discussion group of experts assessed the content validity of the NH-SDI. Then, a convenience sample of 93 LTC patients with MNCD was observer-rated by trained nurses with the NH-SDI and CSDD. For 57 patients, a medical assessment of depression was obtained, and screening accuracy estimates were generated. Results: The prevalence of depression was 8.8% as per reference standard. NH-SDI's content validity was judged acceptable with minor item wording modifications and specifications. The NH-SDI (cut-off ≥3) achieved 100% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 46–100%) sensitivity, 83% (95% CI: 69–91%) specificity, and 36% (95% CI: 14–64%) positive predictive value (PPV). The CSDD (cut-off ≥3) achieved 100% (95% CI: 46–100%) sensitivity, 75% (95% CI: 61–86%) specificity, and 28% (95% CI: 11–54%) PPV. No significant differences in areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were found between scales. The NH-SDI and CSDD were highly correlated (rs = 0.913; p < 0.001) and reliable (ICC = 0.77; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The NH-SDI appears valid and reliable in LTC patients with MNCD and quicker than the CSDD to rule out depression in a busy or short-staffed setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Depression is often under-detected in long-term care (LTC) patients with major neurocognitive disorders (MNCD) and is associated with important morbidity, mortality, and costs. Observer-rated outcome measures (ObsROMs) could help resolve this problematic; however, evidence on their accuracy is scattered in the literature. This systematic review aimed at summarizing this evidence. Methods: A literature search was conducted in 7 databases using keywords, MeSHs, and bibliographic searches. We included studies published before January 2022 and reporting on the accuracy of a depression ObsROM used in LTC patients with MNCD. Data extraction, analysis, synthesis, and study methodological quality assessments were done by two authors, and discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Results: Among 9,660 articles retrieved, 8 studies reporting on 11 depression measures were included. Scales were classified as patient-reported outcome measures used as Obs-ROMs or true ObsROMs. Among the first category, the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) performed best (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.73–0.87), although both presented with low positive predictive values and high negative predictive values. Among the second category, the Nursing Homes Short Depression Inventory (NH-SDI) performed best, with an AUC of 0.93 and ≥85% sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values. Conclusion: The CSDD and MADRS may be useful to rule out depression in LTC patients with MNCD, whereas the NH-SDI may be useful to rule in and out depression within this same population. Before recommending their use, adequately powered studies to further examine their accuracy in different contexts are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Early morning off (EMO) is a common feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study aimed to characterize its clinical features and develop a convenient and pragmatic self-assessment instrument in a Chinese nationwide population. Methods This study was conducted on 942 PD patients admitted to 55 clinic centers for movement disorders between June 2018 and May 2019 in China. Stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed to determine potential risk factors and the most predictive symptoms of EMO, as well as whether EMO was an independent risk factor of functional dependency in daily life. Based on this, a 7-question scale was derived for EMO screening. Diagnostic accuracy of this scale was assessed from the area under the receiver operative characteristic curve (AUROC) and its 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We further calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for the optimal cutoff point. Results EMO occurred in 49.2% of PD patients across all disease stages. We identified 7 symptoms most predictive of EMO, including bradykinesia or rigidity, excessive sweating or salivation, difficulty in turning on or getting out of bed, muscle cramp, fatigue or sleepiness, frozen state or freezing gait, and tremor. The resulting 7-item scale was confirmed to be of good discrimination with a relatively large AUROC of 0.83, a relatively high sensitivity of 75.7%, specificity of 77.5%, PPV of 76.5%, and NPV of 76.7%. Nonideal nighttime sleep, long PD duration, advanced H&Y stages, posture instability gait difficulty-dominant or mixed subtypes, and high levodopa dose were independently associated with increased risk of EMO. EMO patients were at 87% higher (OR = 1.87, 95%CI: 1.07–3.32) risk of experiencing functional dependency in daily living compared with their counterparts. Conclusions We demonstrated that EMO is a common feature for PD patients across all disease stages and put forward an EMO-specific screening card of sufficient accuracy and brevity. Meanwhile we have thrown some light upon potential determinants and negative health effects of EMO. Our findings may exert great impact on improving the awareness, recognition and management of EMO in PD patients.

People differ in how they respond to artworks. Measuring such individual differences is helpful for explaining response variability and selecting particularly responsive subsamples. On the basis of a sample of items indicating relevant behavior and experience, we exploratively constructed the Aesthetic Responsiveness Assessment (AReA), a screening tool for the assessment of individual differences in responsiveness to art in English and German. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested three first-order factors labeled aesthetic appreciation, intense aesthetic experience, and creative behavior, and a second-order factor aesthetic responsiveness. Aesthetic responsiveness was assessed in N = 781 participants from the United States and Germany, and measurement invariance analysis demonstrated full metric and partial scalar invariance across language versions. AReA scale scores yielded good reliability estimates. Validation studies confirmed expected associations between AReA scale scores and measures of related constructs, as well as continuously and retrospectively recorded responses to music, visual art, and poetry. In summary, the AReA is a promising, psychometrically evaluated instrument to assess aesthetic responsiveness built on a mixture of exploratory and confirmatory construction strategies. It can be used as a screening tool both in English and German speaking samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasingly pregnancy-related anxiety is acknowledged as a distinct anxiety type, characterised by specific fears/worries. The Pregnancy-related Anxiety Scale (PrAS) screens for this distinct anxiety and refinements to the scale have prompted further validity examination. This study aims to: replicate findings that distinguished pregnancy-related anxiety from general anxiety/depression using the PrAS; confirm the PrAS's factor structure, and examine the validity of the PrAS subscales: Acceptance of Pregnancy, Avoidance and Worry About Self.Methods: Pregnant women (N = 608) were recruited online and completed the PrAS, Pregnancy Acceptance Questionnaire, Ways of Coping Questionnaire, Cambridge Worry Scale, Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, State Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Edinburgh Depression Scale.Results: Multiple regression analysis confirmed general anxiety/depression contributed little to the PrAS's variance, supporting the scale's validity and distinctiveness of pregnancy-related anxiety. Structural equation modelling confirmed the PrAS's factor structure, and the three PrAS subscales generally correlated more highly with convergent measures than the discriminant measures.Limitations: Limitations included the cross-sectional design of the study and the use of some convergent/discriminant measures that lacked validity evidence for prenatal use.Conclusions: This study provides evidence of the distinctiveness of pregnancy-related anxiety from state/trait anxiety and depression and also adds to the psychometric properties of the PrAS. The PrAS is a useful screening scale that can be used for antenatal screening potentially reducing the risk of adverse outcomes associated with pregnancy-related anxiety. The PrAS is also a useful research tool providing a more comprehensive assessment of pregnancy-related anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early morning off (EMO) is a common feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to characterize its clinical features and develop a convenient and pragmatic self-assessment instrument in a Chinese nationwide population. Methods: This study was conducted on 942 PD patients admitted to 55 clinic centers for movement disorders between June 2018 and May 2019 in China. Stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed to determine potential risk factors and the most predictive symptoms of EMO, as well as whether EMO was an independent risk factor of functional dependency in daily life. Based on this, a 7-question scale was derived for EMO screening. Diagnostic accuracy of this scale was assessed from the area under the receiver operative characteristic curve (AUROC) and its 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We further calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for the optimal cutoff point. Results: EMO occurred in 49.2% of PD patients across all disease stages. We identified 7 symptoms most predictive of EMO, including bradykinesia or rigidity, excessive sweating or salivation, difficulty in turning on or getting out of bed, muscle cramp, fatigue or sleepiness, frozen state or freezing gait, and tremor. The resulting 7-item scale was confirmed to be of good discrimination with a relatively large AUROC of 0.83, a relatively high sensitivity of 75.7%, specificity of 77.5%, PPV of 76.5%, and NPV of 76.7%. Nonideal nighttime sleep, long PD duration, advanced H&Y stages, posture instability gait difficulty-dominant or mixed subtypes, and high levodopa dose were independently associated with increased risk of EMO. EMO patients were at 87% higher (OR = 1.87, 95%CI: 1.07–3.32) risk of experiencing functional dependency in daily living compared with their counterparts. Conclusions: We demonstrated that EMO is a common feature for PD patients across all disease stages and put forward an EMO-specific screening card of sufficient accuracy and brevity. Meanwhile we have thrown some light upon potential determinants and negative health effects of EMO. Our findings may exert great impact on improving the awareness, recognition and management of EMO in PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is a huge global challenge, on which numerous people and resources all over the world have been focused over the last three years to slow down its spread. A screening scale for the early detection of COVID-19 cases is highly important to diagnose patients before they transmit the disease to others. Using the data collected from Sept. 2020 to Nov. 2020 from 12,123 employees of a company including a weekly self-report questionnaire and information on their demographics, chronic disease, work, and commute, we developed a short, optimized screening scale for the early detection of COVID-19. To develop the scale, we have modified an interpretable machine learning (ML) method which uses integer programming​ techniques, and consequently reduced its computational cost significantly and made it robust to erroneous data and protective of sensitive information without loss of performance. The developed scale is highly interpretable and easily scored to the extent that it does not require a computer or even a calculator. However, we showed that the operating characteristics of the screening scale on the test dataset are excellent (area under the ROC curve = 82% and area under the Precision–Recall curve = 27%) and comparable to other well-known ML models such as penalized logistic regression and random forest when predicting positive PCR test results within 7 days from the date the self-report questionnaire was filled out. From Dec. 2020 to Nov. 2021, the developed scale has been used in the company weekly to monitor and assess its employees. Although different variants of COVID-19 have emerged since the development of the scale, the results show that the scale has performed well in the early detection of COVID-19, which helped the company take appropriate actions to slow down the spread of COVID-19 among its employees successfully. We expect our findings in this paper to help researchers have a better understanding of COVID-19 and control the spread of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a gaming disorder screening scale based on the ICD-11 criteria for Gaming disorder. 12 main items and 5 supplementary items were created to measure functional impairment and the three basic criteria of ICD-11 for gaming disorder. A total of two samples were used to select items and analyze psychometric properties. The first sample was collected from 252 adolescents and adults who had regular game use experience, some of which corresponded to Repeated measurement data were collected after 6 weeks on 202 subjects. The second sample data was collected from 132 people in the game disorder subclinical group. In both samples, a single-factor model best explained the data. A total of 9 questions were finally selected among the main questions, and the questions showed high factor loadings and reliability. In addition, as a result of evaluating validity through correlation analysis with factors related to gaming disorder, all showed excellent official validity and convergent validity. As a result of the ROC analysis, the total score was determined as 10 points for the criteria for the classification of game disorder risk groups in the finalized selection tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers (Aβ peptides and tau proteins) improved the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in research and clinical settings. We previously described the PLM-scale (Paris-Lille-Montpellier study), which combines Aβ42, tau, and phosphorylated ptau(181) biomarkers in an easy to use and clinically relevant way. The purpose of this work is to evaluate an optimized PLMR-scale (PLM ratio scale) that now includes the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio to detect AD versus non-AD (NAD) participants in clinical routine of memory centers.Methods: Both scales were compared using 904 participants with cognitive impairment recruited from two independent cohorts (Mtp-1 and Mtp-2). The CSF Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio was measured systematically in Mtp-1, and only on biologically discordant cases in Mtp-2. Two different ELISA kit providers were also employed. The distribution of AD and NAD patients and the discrepancies of biomarker profiles were computed. Receiver Operating Characteristic curves were used to represent clinical sensitivity and specificity for AD detection. The classification of patients with the net reclassification index (NRI) was also evaluated.Results: Nine hundred and four participants (342 AD and 562 NAD) were studied; 400 in Mtp-1 and 504 in Mtp-2. For AD patients, the mean CSF Aβ42 and CSF Aβ42/40 ratio was 553 ± 216 pg/mL and 0.069 ± 0.022 pg/mL in Mtp-1 and 702 ± 335 pg/mL and 0.045 ± 0.020 pg/mL in Mtp-2. The distribution of AD and NAD differed between the PLM and the PLMR scales (p < 0.0001). The percentage AD well-classified (class 3) increased with PLMR from 38 to 83% in Mpt-1 and from 33 to 53% in Mpt-2. A sharp reduction of the discordant profiles going from 34 to 16.3% and from 37.5 to 19.8%, for Mtp-1 and Mtp-2 respectively, was also observed. The AUC of the PLMR scale was 0.94 in Mtp-1 and 0.87 in Mtp-2. In both cohorts, the PLMR outperformed CSF Aβ42 or Aβ42/40 ratio. The diagnostic performance was improved with the PLMR with an NRI equal to 44.3% in Mtp-1 and 28.8% in Mtp-2.Conclusion: The integration of the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio in the PLMR scale resulted in an easy-to-use tool which reduced the discrepancies in biologically doubtful cases and increased the confidence in the diagnosis in memory center.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers (Ab peptides and tau proteins) improved the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in research and clinical settings. We previously described the PLM-scale (Paris-Lille-Montpellier study), which combines Ab42, tau, and phosphorylated ptau(181) biomarkers in an easy to use and clinically relevant way. The purpose of this work is to evaluate an optimized PLMR-scale (PLM ratio scale) that now includes the Ab42/Ab40 ratio to detect AD versus non-AD (NAD) participants in clinical routine of memory centers. Methods: Both scales were compared using 904 participants with cognitive impairment recruited from two independent cohorts (Mtp-1 and Mtp-2). The CSF Ab42/Ab40 ratio was measured systematically in Mtp-1, and only on biologically discordant cases in Mtp-2. Two different ELISA kit providers were also employed. The distribution of AD and NAD patients and the discrepancies of biomarker profiles were computed. Receiver Operating Characteristic curves were used to represent clinical sensitivity and specificity for AD detection. The classification of patients with the net reclassification index (NRI) was also evaluated. Results: Nine hundred and four participants (342 AD and 562 NAD) were studied; 400 in Mtp-1 and 504 in Mtp-2. For AD patients, the mean CSF Ab42 and CSF Ab42/40 ratio was 553 ± 216 pg/mL and 0.069 ± 0.022 pg/mL in Mtp-1 and 702 ± 335 pg/mL and 0.045 ± 0.020 pg/mL in Mtp-2. The distribution of AD and NAD differed between the PLM and the PLMR scales (p < 0.0001). The percentage AD well-classified (class 3) increased with PLMR from 38 to 83% in Mpt-1 and from 33 to 53% in Mpt-2. A sharp reduction of the discordant profiles going from 34 to 16.3% and from 37.5 to 19.8%, for Mtp-1 and Mtp-2 respectively, was also observed. The AUC of the PLMR scale was 0.94 in Mtp-1 and 0.87 in Mtp-2. In both cohorts, the PLMR outperformed CSF Ab42 or Ab42/40 ratio. The diagnostic performance was improved with the PLMR with an NRI equal to 44.3% in Mtp-1 and 28.8% in Mtp-2. Conclusion: The integration of the Ab42/Ab40 ratio in the PLMR scale resulted in an easy-to-use tool which reduced the discrepancies in biologically doubtful cases and increased the confidence in the diagnosis in memory center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The present study is focused on further validation procedure of the CSSS - short screening scale designed for fast detection of persons with cognitive impairment and coexisting psychosocial disorders that demand deeper neuropsychological diagnosis and rehabilitation. Material and methods. 67 subjects with schizophrenia and 36 healthy controls were examined with the CSSS, BACS, PANSS, and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Relationships between the CSSS score, age and education were tested with simple linear regression in groups of 124 subjects with schizophrenia and 36 healthy controls. Results. Numerous statistically significant (p< 0.05) relationships between the CSSS and the BACS subtests, and the CSSS and the PANSS subscales were observed. The corrected CSSS score differs GAF ≤ 70 group from GAF >70 group. Conclusions. The CSSS is a short method with satisfactory validity, that is adequate to the assumed goals and might be promising with respect to further development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. This paper presents the construction of the CSSS - a short screening scale intended for diagnosis of cognitive deficits among people with schizophrenia. Material and methods. 160 persons (124 with schizophrenia and 36 healthy controls) were tested using the initial version of the CSSS scale consisting of 11 subscales. Correlation analysis between the subscales' results was carried out, as well as confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency analysis of the scale, IRT (item response theory) analysis of the items' difficulty, and analysis of the scale's accuracy as a classifier. Results. One factor (overall cognitive efficiency) explains 37% of the variance of the subscales' results. The scale has satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alfa = 0.83). Subjects with schizophrenia achieved significantly lower scores than healthy subjects. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for discriminating between subjects with schizophrenia and healthy subjects was 0.83. Cut-off point of 16 raw points is 86% sensitive and has 70% specificity. Conclusions. The form of the tool that has been achieved as a result of presented analyses suggests that this scale has a potential to fulfil the assumed goals, which will be tested during continuing validation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Early Psychotic Symptoms screening scale (EPSy) is a new scale to assess the prodromes of psychotic symptoms in children aged 4 to 13 years. • Symptoms of mistrust are to be an important and very early indicator of psychosis. • Symptoms of disorganization gain a similar status as mistrust as children grow older. • Symptoms of mistrust and disorganization should indicators for follow-up of children who could be qualified as ultra-high risk for psychosis. This study aimed to develop a new scale, the Early Psychotic Symptoms screening scale (EPSy), to assess the prodromes of psychotic symptoms in children aged 4 to 13 years. Two versions were proposed: one to assess the child's current behavior and one to assess the child's behavior when he/she was 2 years old. The second aim of this study was to investigate the presence of these symptoms at the age of 2 years and their evolution up to the child's current age. The analysis of EPSy identified three main factors, namely mistrust/paranoia, perceptual aberrations/hallucinations and disorganized symptoms. It has good psychometric properties. Data also shows that, independently of the participant's age, the total score on the 2-years-old version predicts the total score on the current-age version, and this is also the case for each individual factor. Finally, it is of clinical interest since it makes it possible to describe symptomatology both at age 2 and at the child's present age depending on the group to which the children are assigned (control children, psychotic children, non-psychotic children). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identifying high-risk groups for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during evacuation situations requires a valid short screening tool. The re-experiencing symptoms of PTSD are considered helpful for distinguishing those with PTSD from those without, as they are thought to be specific to PTSD, have less ambiguity for respondents, and are representative of all PTSD symptoms. Objective: To develop a new short version of the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) comprising only re-experiencing symptom items. Method: We used existing data (N = 169) from our previous study on the Japanese version of the PDS and the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). The sample included both clinical outpatients (n = 106) and university students (n = 63), all of whom reported one or more traumatic experiences. We created candidate 2- and 3-item versions of the PDS and compared their psychometric characteristics against the CAPS. Results: The best candidate (comprising items for ‘intrusive images’, ‘nightmares’, and ‘physiological reactions when reminded of the trauma’) demonstrated an area under the curve of .95, 94.8% sensitivity, 86.1% specificity for the best cut-off score of three. The candidate scale also showed a strong correlation with CAPS-evaluated severity score and internal consistency. Conclusions: The brief re-experiencing PDS had good psychometric properties among Japanese adults with and without PTSD.

Background: On February 27, 2010 (F-27), an earthquake and tsunami occurred having a significant impact on the mental health of the Chilean population, leading to an increase in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objectives: Within this context, validated for the first time in Chile was the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS) using three samples (each one consisting of 200 participants), two of them random from the Chilean population. Results: Reliability analyses (i.e., α=0.933), concurrent validity (63% of the items are significantly correlated with the criteria variable “degree of damage to home”) and construct validity (i.e., CMIN = 3.754, RMSEA = 0.118, NFI = 0.808, CFI = 0.850 and PNFI = 0.689) indicate validity between regular and good for DTS. However, a new short version of the scale (DTS-SF) created using the items with heavier factor weights, presented better fits (CMIN = 2.170, RMSEA = 0.077, NFI = 0.935, CFI = 0.963, PNFI = 0.697). Discussion: Finally, the usefulness of DTS and DTS-SF is discussed, the latter being briefer, valid and having better psychometric characteristics.

The study aimed to develop a short screening instrument (6 items) to assess the problematic internet use among adolescents. The Short Problematic Internet Use Test (SPIUT) has been developed based on a review of existing literature and tested using CIUS (Compulsive Internet Use Scale) as a concurrent scale. Data were collected within ESPAD-Italia (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs), a cross-sectional school survey conducted to monitor risk-behaviors in a representative sample of Italian students (15–19 years). The SPIUT has been validated in two steps: (a) construct validity, optimal scaling analysis, and assessment of differences in mean scores related to hours spent online (Study 1, internet users = 10,153); (b) reliability test of CIUS and concurrent validity of SPIUT (Study 2, internet users = 21,205). The SPIUT showed good psychometric properties. After Multiple Correspondence Analysis optimal weights for each item were found, improving internal consistency and reliability. Significant increase in mean score with increasing daily hours spent online was found and high correlation with the CIUS. A utilization of the SPIUT in school surveys could help us to understand the risk-profile of problematic internet users among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kessler 10 (K10) and embedded Kessler 6 (K6) was developed to screen for non-specific psychological distress and serious mental illness in mental health surveys of English-speaking populations, but has been adopted in Western and non-Western countries as a screening and outcome measure in primary care and mental health settings. This review examines whether the original K6/K10's validity for culturally diverse populations was established, and whether the cultural equivalence, and sensitivity to change of translated or culturally adapted K6/K10s, has been demonstrated with culturally diverse client groups. Evidence for the original K6/K10's validity for culturally diverse populations is limited. Questions about the conceptual and linguistic equivalence of translated/adapted K6/K10s arise from reports of changes in item connotation and differential item functioning. Evidence for structural equivalence is inconsistent, as is support for criterion equivalence, with the majority of studies compromising on accuracy in case prediction. Research demonstrating sensitivity to change with culturally diverse groups is lacking. Inconsistent evidence for the K6/K10's cultural appropriateness in clinical settings, and a lack of clinical norms for either majority or culturally diverse groups, indicate the importance of further research into the psychological distress construct with culturally diverse clients, and the need for caution in interpreting K6/K10 scores. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue realizar la adaptación argentina de la Escala de Malestar Psicológico de Kessler (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale-K10). Para esto, se llevó a cabo una adaptación lingüística del instrumento y un análisis de sus propiedades psicométricas. Para evaluar la confiabilidad de la escala, se efectuó un análisis de la consistencia interna y se examinó la estabilidad temporal de los ítems. La validez del instrumento fue evaluada teniendo en consideración diferentes indicadores de la misma. Se calcularon, a través de las curvas ROC, los niveles de sensibilidad, especificidad y el área bajo la curva (ABC) de la prueba. Los resultados indican que se puede contar con la K10 como un instrumento de despistaje de malestar psicológico que reúne los requisitos psicométricos necesarios para ser utilizado en población argentina.

On February 27, 2010 (F-27), an earthquake and tsunami occurred having a significant impact on the mental health of the Chilean population, leading to an increase in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Within this context, validated for the first time in Chile was the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS) using three samples (each one consisting of 200 participants), two of them random from the Chilean population. Reliability analyses (i.e., α=0.933), concurrent validity (63% of the items are significantly correlated with the criteria variable "degree of damage to home") and construct validity (i.e., CMIN = 3.754, RMSEA = 0.118, NFI = 0.808, CFI = 0.850 and PNFI = 0.689) indicate validity between regular and good for DTS. However, a new short version of the scale (DTS-SF) created using the items with heavier factor weights, presented better fits (CMIN = 2.170, RMSEA = 0.077, NFI = 0.935, CFI = 0.963, PNFI = 0.697). Finally, the usefulness of DTS and DTS-SF is discussed, the latter being briefer, valid and having better psychometric characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Screening scales for bipolar disorder including the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) and Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale (BSDS) have been plagued by high false positive rates confounded by presence of borderline personality disorder. This study examined the accuracy of these scales for detecting bipolar disorder among patients referred for eating disorders and explored the possibility of simultaneous assessment of co-morbid borderline personality disorder. Methods: Participants were 78 consecutive female patients who were referred for evaluation of an eating disorder. All participants completed the mood and eating disorder sections of the SCID-I/P and the borderline personality disorder section of the SCID-II, in addition to the MDQ and BSDS. Predictive validity of the MDQ and BSDS was evaluated by Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis of the Area Under the Curve (AUC). Results: Fifteen (19%) and twelve (15%) patients fulfilled criteria for bipolar II disorder and borderline personality disorder, respectively. The AUCs for bipolar II disorder were 0.78 (MDQ) and 0.78 (BDSD), and the AUCs for borderline personality disorder were 0.75 (MDQ) and 0.79 (BSDS). Conclusions: Among patients being evaluated for eating disorders, the MDQ and BSDS show promise as screening questionnaires for both bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the validity and reliability of 16-item self-report version of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR16) scale in comparison with BDI-ll-Turkish (BDI-II-T) in a young sample of Turkish university students. Methods: A slightly modified version of the QIDS-SR16-Turkish (QIDS-SR16-T) available at www.ids-qids.org, along with the BDI-II-T, was administered to 628 young Turkish university students who attended the Family Health Center in Uludag University Campus between February and April 2010. Descriptive analyses, Student's t-test, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and confirmatory factor analyses were used in the study. Results: The mean age of the participants was 21.1±2.16 (SD) years; 67.8% were female and 32.2% were male. Cronbach's α coefficient for internal consistency of the QIDS-SR16-T was found to be 0.769. The mean item-total correlation was 0.45, ranging from 0.29 to 0.71. The correlation between the BDI-II-T and QIDS-SR16-T was 0.72. ROC curve analysis suggested 9 as the optimal cut-off for a clinical depression level for the QIDS-SR16-T. Conclusion: We observed that the QIDS-SR16-T demonstrated good psychometric properties in a sample of young Turkish students and has convergent validity with the BDI-II-T, a widely used scale for depression. It is essential to diagnose reliably the major depressive disorder and to follow up the patients by valid screening instruments in primary care setting. The internal consistencies of the QIDS determined in studies from the United States were greater than our Cronbach's α coefficient, but there was no statistically significant difference between them (z=0.55, p>0.05). The QIDS-SR16-T can be reliably used in primary care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, selfreported version, in a Turkish student sample (QIDS-SR16-T) by comparing it to (a) the American version (QIDS-SR16- US) and (b) the Turkish version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II-T). Materials and Methods: Slightly modified versions of the QIDS-SR16-T, and the BDI-II-T were administered to 626 outpatients at the Uludağ University campus-based family health center. The QIDS-SR16-US was administered to 584 respondents at an American university. SAS and MPlus were used to provide descriptive statistics, classical exploratory factor analysis, and item response theory analyses (in the form of a multiple group confirmatory factor analysis). Results: The internal consistency (Cronbach α) of the QIDS-SR16-T was 0.77. Both QIDS-SR16 versions were unidimensional, but the BDI-II-T was not. The mean QIDSSR16- T and QIDS-SR16-US item-total correlations were similar. The correlation between the QIDS-SR16-T and BDIII- T was 0.72 (.90 when disattenuated). Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis suggested that the QIDSSR16- T and QIDS-SR16-US had the same factor loadings but different intercepts. This reflects group differences in level of depression, perhaps because the Turkish respondents, unlike their US counterparts, were seen in a medical context where illness-related depression is more prevalent. Scores on the QIDS-SR16-T and the BDI-II-T were also equated. Discussion: The QIDS-SR16-T has good psychometric properties and convergent validity with the BDI-II-T. Its use is recommended when a self-reported instrument is appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High risk population numbers measured by nursing staff differ greatly from those measured by case managers due to differences in screening approaches used in discharge planning services. Purpose: This project intended to identify and analyze the relevant problems and develop an improvement plan to reduce the discrepency. Methods: The authors observed the clinical situation, interviewed nurses, and designed a questionnaire to evaluate the suitability of a designed screening table to collect nurses' opinions on a high risk population checklist. Based on collected data, we identified and analyzed the cause of the gap, then revised current measurement tools to improve efficacy. Results: Strategies included providing in-service education related to discharge planning for nurses, revising discharge planning manuals, and re-developing the screening scale for high-risk populations. After implementation of the intervention, the difference of screening the high risk population between nursing staff and case manager decreased from 45.9% to 6.7%, and the hit rate on the discharge planning page on the e-learning web site increased to 89.8%. Conclusion / Implications for practice: Results showed that interventions enhanced nurse capabilities in screening high risk populations in the ward, and effectively elevated the accuracy of screening high-risk patients in discharge plans, thus elevating outpatient care quality. This project is suggested as a reference for hospitals developing training programs for discharge planning seed nurses in the wards. Once completed, these nurses can help expand the scope of discharge service to ensure medical resources are used more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study aimed to compile a screening scale for high-functioning pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), using the Tokyo Child Development Schedule (TCDS) and Tokyo Autistic Behavior Scale (TABS). The 72 participants (IQ≥70) were divided into 3 groups after IQ matching depending on their diagnoses: i.e., PDD, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), or other than PDD or AD/HD. Among the items of TCDS and TABS, correlation with PDD diagnosis was confirmed in 3 items. A screening scale consisting of these 3 items (TCDS/TABS-3) had a sensitivity of 0.75 and a specificity of 0.84 at 2 cutoff points. We consider that the TCDS/TABS-3 encompasses and adequately reflects the autism diagnostic criteria and would be a useful auxiliary scale for PDD diagnosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is frequently used to assess cognition in studies of late-life depression (LLD). However, its sensitivity and specificity in this population are largely unknown. We undertook an analysis of subjects with LLD and hypothesized that: (1) at the traditional cutoff of 24, the MMSE would have low sensitivity in the detection of cognitive impairment; (2) increasing the cutoff score would improve this sensitivity at the expense of a minimal reduction in specificity. Methods: We analyzed the MMSE scores of 447 non-demented subjects with LLD using the Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) as the gold standard for cognitive function. Results: Using the DRS raw total cutoff of 132 as the “gold standard”, the MMSE at a cutoff of 24 has a sensitivity of 8.0% and a specificity of 99.4% in detecting “cognitively impaired” depressed elders. A receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrates that with an MMSE cutoff of 27 instead of 24, its sensitivity more than quadruples and increases to 37.5% while its specificity decreases minimally from 99.4% to 91.3%. Conclusions: In our sample almost all of those classified as cognitively impaired by the DRS are mislabelled as “cognitively intact” by the MMSE. By using a higher cutoff score, the sensitivity can be increased with a minimal reduction in specificity. Our findings have significant implications for those who study or treat persons with LLD or other neuropsychiatric disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of the study was to construct a short screening scale for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We used data from our previous study on PTSD among flood victims in 1998 and 1999 in Hunan, China, which was a representative population sample of 27,267 subjects from 16 to 94 years old. Multistage sampling was used to select the subjects from the flood areas and PTSD was ascertained with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: 4th Edition (DSM-IV). We randomly assigned 80% (n =21,762) of study subjects to construct the screening scale (construct model) and the remaining 20% (n =5505) to test the model. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic analysis were used to select a subset of items (symptoms) from the full scale that would effectively predict PTSD. A seven-symptom screening scale for PTSD was selected. A score of 3 or more on this scale was used to define positive cases of PTSD, with a sensitivity of 87.9%, specificity of 97.9%, positive predictive value of 81.3%, and negative predictive value of 98.7%. The short screening scale developed in this study is highly valid, reliable, and predictable. It is an efficient tool to screen PTSD in epidemiological and clinical studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Among child molesters, phallometrically measured sexual interest in children is associated with having male victims, multiple victims, younger victims, and extrafamilial victims. These sexual offense history variables are also associated with risk for sexual recidivism. The present study of 1, 113 child molesters was conducted to determine if these sexual offense history variables could be used as items in a brief screening scale to identify pedophilic interests (SSPI: Screening Scale for Pedophilic Interests). Using a cutoff score that classified 90% of a sample of 206 nonchild molesters as not having pedophilic interests, SSPI scores identified pedophilic interests among child molesters significantly better than did chance. In phallometric testing, individuals with the highest SSPI score were more than 5 times as likely to show pedophilic interests than individuals receiving the lowest score. The SSPI is not intended to be a substitute for phallometric testing, but it may be useful for triage and risk management when testing is difficult to conduct, or as a research instrument when phallometric data are unavailable. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Stroke is a principal cause of mortality and disability in Thailand and globally. Early and comprehensive risk identification would be critical to identify people at high risk for stroke. Therefore, a comprehensive stroke risk screening tool is needed to assess all possible stroke risks and potential at-risk populations. In the future, such an instrument would benefit early detection and stroke prevention planning.Objective: The objective of the Stroke Risk Screening Scales (SRSS) development is to identify the domains and generating appropriate questions for the new SRSS.Methods: Using deductive methods suggested by Godfred Boateng and colleagues (2018), the domains were classified based on the existing literature. The questions were generated based on a comprehensive analysis of existing stroke risk screening scales and their representativeness of each domain. Five existing stroke risk screening tools including 1) the Stroke RiskometerTM, 2) the Framingham 10-Year Risk Score, 3) the Stroke Risk Screening Tool (The Department of Disease Control of Thailand), 4) the My Risk Stroke Calculator, and 5) QStroke were included and identified.Results: Overall, 18 domains were included, and each domain was represented with at least one or more questions. Eight domains (44.44 %) are consisting of a dichotomous question alone, another eight domains (44.44 %) consist of multiple questions, which combined between dichotomous, categorical, or fill-in-the-blank questions, one domain (5.55 %) consists of a fill-in-the-blank question, and another one (5.55 %) include only one categorical question.Conclusions: Developing a comprehensive tool to be used for stroke risk screening by extending the knowledge of stroke, stroke risk factors, and the best practice for tool development is necessitated for further practical stroke prevention planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]