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This article addresses the problems with the traditional reinterview approach to estimating the reliability of survey measures. Using data from three reinterview (or panel) studies conducted by the General Social Survey, we investigate the differences between the two-wave correlational approach embodied by the traditional reinterview strategy, compared to estimates of reliability that take the stability of traits into account based on a three-wave model. Our results indicate that the problems identified with the two-wave correlational approach reflect a kind of "Catch-22" in the sense that the only solution to the problem is denied by the approach itself. Specifically, we show that the correctly specified two-wave model, which includes the potential for true change in the latent variable, is underidentified, and thus, unless one is willing to make some potentially risky assumptions, reliability parameters are not estimable. This article compares the two-wave correlational approach to an alternative model for estimating reliability, Heise's estimates based on the three-wave simplex model. Using three waves of data from the GSS panels, which were separated by 2-year intervals between waves, this article examines the conditions under which the wave-1, wave-2 correlations which do not take stability into account approximate the reliability estimate obtained from three-wave simplex models that do take stability into account. The results lead to the conclusion that the differences between estimates depend on the stability and/or fixed nature of the underlying processes involved. Few if any differences are identified when traits are fixed or highly stable, but for traits involving changes in the underlying traits the differences can be quite large, and thus, we argue for the superiority of reinterview designs that involve more than 2 waves in the estimation of reliability parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Theory of Mind (ToM) assessment is becoming essential to evaluate the response to a social cognition intervention and to monitor the progression of social abilities impairment in atypical conditions. In the Italian setting, the Yoni task has been recently validated in its short version (the Yoni-48 task) to evaluate ToM in the clinical setting. The present study aimed to verify the test-retest reliability and the Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) of the Yoni-48 task. Methods: The Yoni-48 task was administered to 229 healthy adults at two evaluation sessions 3 weeks apart (mean days between sessions = 20.35 ± 1.75) by a psychologist. The test-retest reliability of the Yoni-48 task accuracy and response time was tested by the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC2,1, twoway random model, absolute agreement type). Then, the MDC95 and MDC90 were computed based on the standard error of measurement. Finally, the 95% limits of agreement were plotted (LOA plot) to visualize the difference and mean score of each pair of measurements. Results: The total Yoni-48 task accuracy, but not the response time score, showed a high ICC (>0.80), with an MDC of 0.10. By plotting the LOA plot for the accuracy score no systematic trends were observed. Discussion: This evidence will support the adoption of the Yoni task in longitudinal designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Advancements in technology have recently made it possible to implement effective training solutions across different environmental conditions. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of measures obtained from the innovative motorized device, Alex7 (Inosportas, Lithuania), and differences in speed and kinematic characteristics between resisted and assisted sprinting in young football players. Methods: Twenty-seven male athletes (mean age: 16.5 ± 0.8 years; height: 179.5 ± 6.9 cm; body weight: 67.7 ± 8.3 kg) each performed 30-m sprints twice under three different conditions: regular, resisted, and assisted sprinting. The Alex7 device provided the assistance and resistance during sprints. Results were compared with those from Witty timing gates. Ground contact time, flight time, stride length, and pace were measured using the OptoJump system. Reliability was assessed using two-way mixed intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for single measures, the standard error of the mean (SEM), and the coefficient of variation (CV). Pearson's correlation coefficient determined the associations between Alex7 and Witty timing systems. Criterionreferenced validity was based on the mean difference and CV. Systematic bias was determined by limits of agreement using Bland-Altman analysis. Results: Running times obtained using the Alex7 equipment exhibited good to excellent test-retest reliability between sessions (ICC, 0.83-0.94) and good to excellent correlation (Pearson's r = 0.88-0.98) between the Alex7 and Witty systems in both assisted and resisted running conditions. However, the Alex7 device consistently produced longer running times than the Witty device (up to 0.16 s difference, p < 0.001). The different running conditions produced substantial variations in kinematic variables, such as stride length, ground contact time, and running speed (p < 0.001 for all), but the effects on flight time and running pace were smaller. Discussion: The Alex7 device shows high reliability for creating resisted and assisted running conditions for young football players. However, it tends to overestimate running time, necessitating caution when assessing the time parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has proven that the balance of autistic children is poor. However, the reliability of assessing balance in this cohort has been inadequately researched. This study therefore aimed to examine if field-based static and dynamic balance tests can be reliably assessed in autistic children, to determine the number of familiarisation sessions required and whether autistic severity impacts on the reliability of these balance tests. The balance of eighteen primary school-aged autistic children was assessed three times a week over five weeks, using the flamingo balance test, a modified version of the balance error scoring system (BESS), the low beam walking test, and the heel to toe walking test. Reliability criteria included an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) level of ≥0.75 and a coefficient of variance (CV%) of ≤46% for the low beam walking test, the heel to toe walking test, and the BESS, and a CV% of ≤82% or the flamingo balance test. Inter-session reliability was achieved and required the least number of familiarisation sessions for the flamingo balance test, compared to the low beam walking test, which required a greater number of familiarisation sessions to achieve inter-session reliability. The heel to toe walking test and the BESS achieved inter-session reliability and familiarisation in an acceptable time frame. Due to the large CV% values reported in the current study, practitioners need to be aware that balance interventions need to achieve improvements greater than the CV% in this cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background O-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-l-tyrosine positron emission tomography ([18F]FET PET) scanning is used in routine clinical management and evaluation of gliomas with a recommended 4 h prior fasting. Knowledge of test–retest variation of [18F]FET PET imaging uptake metrics and the impact of accidental protein intake can be critical for interpretation. The aim of this study was to investigate the repeatability of [18F]FET-PET metrics and to assess the impact of protein-intake prior to [18F]FET PET scanning of gliomas. Results Test–retest variability in the non-protein group was good with absolute (and relative) upper and lower limits of agreement of + 0.15 and − 0.13 (+ 9.7% and − 9.0%) for mean tumour-to-background ratio (TBRmean), + 0.43 and − 0.28 (+ 19.6% and − 11.8%) for maximal tumour-to-background ratio (TBRmax), and + 2.14 cm3 and − 1.53 ml (+ 219.8% and − 57.3%) for biological tumour volume (BTV). Variation was lower for uptake ratios than for BTV. Protein intake was associated with a 27% increase in the total sum of plasma concentration of the l-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) relevant amino acids and with decreased standardized uptake value (SUV) in both healthy appearing background brain tissue (mean SUV − 25%) and in tumour (maximal SUV − 14%). Oral intake of 24 g of protein 1 h prior to injection of tracer tended to increase variability, but the effects on derived tumour metrics TBRmean and TBRmax were only borderline significant, and changes generally within the variability observed in the group with no protein intake. Conclusion The test–retest repeatability was found to be good, and better for TBRmax and TBRmean than BTV, with the methodological limitation that tumour growth may have influenced results. Oral intake of 24 g of protein one hour before a [18F]FET PET scan decreases uptake of [18F]FET in both tumour and in healthy appearing brain, with no clinically significant difference on the most commonly used tumour metrics.

Physical literacy (PL) is a lifelong process of developing the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engaging in physical activity throughout life. It is also an important concept for understanding and promoting physical activity in children and adolescents and is becoming a theoretical basis for analysing physical education in schools. One of the best known, well-operationalised assessments of PL is the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy – CAPL-2. The aim of the study was to translate and culturally adapt the CAPL-2 questionnaires in two EU languages, German and Polish. Data from Poland and Germany were combined for this study, with a total sample size of N=802, consisting of 58.6% Polish and 41.4% German students. We used the TRAPD (the Translation, Review, Adjudication, Pre-test and Documentation) approach to translate the CAPL-2 questionnaires. The main results of this study show that the proposed Polish and German versions of the CAPL-2 questionnaires are satisfactory for use in research or for teachers to assess PL in physical education. Our results also indicate better predictive characteristics of the CAPL-2 questionnaires for children who are very close to or who meet the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) recommendations for health as defined by the WHO. We recommend that adaptations be made that are consistent with the original Canadian version, but which are deeply embedded in the language and culture of the country in question, especially in their wording and terminology.

Abstract Purpose The Quality of Life-Aged Care Consumers (QOL-ACC), a valid preference-based instrument, has been rolled out in Australia as part of the National Quality Indicator (QI) program since April 2023 to monitor and benchmark the quality of life of aged care recipients. As the QOL-ACC is being used to collect quality of life data longitudinally as one of the key aged care QI indicators, it is imperative to establish the reliability of the QOL-ACC in aged care settings. Therefore, we aimed to assess the reliability of the QOL-ACC and compare its performance with the EQ-5D-5L. Methods Home care recipients completed a survey including the QOL-ACC, EQ-5D-5L and two global items for health and quality of life at baseline (T1) and 2 weeks later (T2). Using T1 and T2 data, the Gwet’s AC2 and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) were estimated for the dimension levels and overall scores agreements respectively. The standard error of measurement (SEM) and the smallest detectable change (SDC) were also calculated. Sensitivity analyses were conducted for respondents who did not change their response to global item of quality of life and health between T1 and T2. Results Of the 83 respondents who completed T1 and T2 surveys, 78 respondents (mean ± SD age, 73.6 ± 5.3 years; 56.4% females) reported either no or one level change in their health and/or quality of life between T1 and T2. Gwet’s AC2 ranged from 0.46 to 0.63 for the QOL-ACC dimensions which were comparable to the EQ-5D-5L dimensions (Gwet’s AC2 ranged from 0.52 to 0.77). The ICC for the QOL-ACC (0.85; 95% CI, 0.77–0.90) was comparable to the EQ-5D-5L (0.83; 95% CI, 0.74–0.88). The SEM for the QOL-ACC (0.08) was slightly smaller than for the EQ-5D-5L (0.11). The SDC for the QOL-ACC and the EQ-5D-5L for individual subjects were 0.22 and 0.30 respectively. Sensitivity analyses stratified by quality of life and health status confirmed the base case results. Conclusions The QOL-ACC demonstrated a good test-retest reliability similar to the EQ-5D-5L, supporting its repeated use in aged care settings. Further studies will provide evidence of responsiveness of the QOL-ACC to aged care-specific interventions in aged care settings.

We examine differences on the Self-Injury Implicit Association Test (SI-IAT) by history of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), in a test-retest design, to examine short-term temporal stability of SI-IAT scores. Treatment-seeking participants (N = 113; 58% female; 89% White; Mage = 30.57) completed the SI-IAT and self-report measures at two time points (MTimeframe = 3.8 days). Data suggested NSSI (51% of the sample endorsed lifetime NSSI) was related to Time 1 (T1) identity and attitude, and affected stability of scores. T1 and T2 SI-IAT identity and attitude were more strongly related for participants with NSSI history. NSSI characteristics (recency; number of methods) affected stability. The short-term test-retest reliability of the SI-IAT is strong among those with NSSI history from T1 to T2. However, the SI-IATs use with participants without a history of NSSI was not supported beyond its established ability to differentiate between groups by NSSI history. This test may provide clinically-relevant assessment among those with a history of NSSI. Participants with vs. without NSSI history respond differently on the SI-IAT Temporal stability of SI-IAT performance is strong in a short timeframe Results supported the test-retest reliability of the SI-IAT in the target group [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: O-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-l-tyrosine positron emission tomography ([18F]FET PET) scanning is used in routine clinical management and evaluation of gliomas with a recommended 4 h prior fasting. Knowledge of test–retest variation of [18F]FET PET imaging uptake metrics and the impact of accidental protein intake can be critical for interpretation. The aim of this study was to investigate the repeatability of [18F]FET-PET metrics and to assess the impact of protein-intake prior to [18F]FET PET scanning of gliomas. Results: Test–retest variability in the non-protein group was good with absolute (and relative) upper and lower limits of agreement of + 0.15 and − 0.13 (+ 9.7% and − 9.0%) for mean tumour-to-background ratio (TBRmean), + 0.43 and − 0.28 (+ 19.6% and − 11.8%) for maximal tumour-to-background ratio (TBRmax), and + 2.14 cm3 and − 1.53 ml (+ 219.8% and − 57.3%) for biological tumour volume (BTV). Variation was lower for uptake ratios than for BTV. Protein intake was associated with a 27% increase in the total sum of plasma concentration of the l-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) relevant amino acids and with decreased standardized uptake value (SUV) in both healthy appearing background brain tissue (mean SUV − 25%) and in tumour (maximal SUV − 14%). Oral intake of 24 g of protein 1 h prior to injection of tracer tended to increase variability, but the effects on derived tumour metrics TBRmean and TBRmax were only borderline significant, and changes generally within the variability observed in the group with no protein intake. Conclusion: The test–retest repeatability was found to be good, and better for TBRmax and TBRmean than BTV, with the methodological limitation that tumour growth may have influenced results. Oral intake of 24 g of protein one hour before a [18F]FET PET scan decreases uptake of [18F]FET in both tumour and in healthy appearing brain, with no clinically significant difference on the most commonly used tumour metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Orthelligent Pro sensor is a practicable, portable measuring instrument. This study assessed the validity and reliability of this sensor in measuring single-leg countermovement jumps. Fifty healthy athletic adults participated in two measurement sessions a week apart in time. They performed single-leg countermovement jumps on the force plate while wearing the Orthelligent Pro sensor on their lower leg. During the first measurement session, Tester 1 invited the participants to make three single-leg countermovement jumps; subsequently, Tester 2 did the same. For assessing the sensor's intratester reliability, Tester 1 again invited the participants to make three single-leg countermovement jumps during the second measurement session. The sensor's validity was assessed by using the force plate results as the gold standard. To determinate the agreement between two measurements, Bland–Altman plots were created. The intertester reliability (ICC = 0.99; 0.97) and intratester reliability (ICC = 0.96; 0.82) were both excellent. The validity calculated (i) on the basis of the mean value of three jumps and (ii) on the basis of the maximum value of three jumps was very high, but it showed a systematic error. Taking this error into account, physiotherapists can use the Orthelligent Pro sensor as a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the jump height of countermovement jumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reinterview designs are a potential tool to estimate and adjust for mode measurement effects, that is, relative differences in mode-specific measurement error bias. In 2011, a reinterview design was successfully applied to the Dutch Crime Victimization Survey, which led to a redesign of the survey. Reinterview designs may, however, be very costly, especially when face to face is included as a survey mode. The crucial question is whether benefits outweigh costs, that is, whether the potential increase in the accuracy of survey statistics is worth the investment. The answer to this question depends heavily on the purpose of the reinterview, that is, assessment versus adjustment, the size of the measurement effects, and the relative cost of the modes. Reinterview designs also make a number of assumptions that will not hold for every setting. In this article, we perform a cost–benefit analysis for two surveys, the Dutch Health Survey and the Dutch Labour Force Survey, and discuss the utility and validity of reinterviews. We conclude that a reinterview may not be useful due to relatively small measurement differences for the Labour Force Survey, whereas it may be useful for the Health Survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Physical fitness is strongly associated with daily physical function, health, and longevity in older adults. Field-based tests may provide a reasonable alternative compared to advanced laboratory testing. Separating postexercise test scores from reactivity measurements requires sufficient test-retest reliability. Postexercise test scores with reliability analyses of field-based fitness tests in older adults are lacking. The present study aimed to examine the test-retest reliability of some novel easily accommodated fitness test measurements and compare pretest scores with postexercise results in these tests along with other field-based fitness tests in older adults. Methods: Totally 1,407 community-dwelling older adults (69% female), x̄ = 71.5 ± 5.0 (65–84 years), performed twelve field-based fitness tests at pretest 1, pretest 2 and a posttest after an 8-week exercise period (twice weekly 1 h of combined strength and aerobic training). T tests, intra-class correlation, limits of agreement, standard error of measurement, and coefficient of variance were performed between pre-1 and pre-2 tests, and repeated measures ANOVA and partial eta squared effect size for postexercise differences for men and women in 5-year age groups ranging from 65 to 84 years. Results: Between pre-1 and pre-2 tests a significant difference was noted in some of the novel fitness test measurements but generally not, e.g., in isometric trunk flexion and step-up height on either leg among all sex and age groups. In most of these novel fitness test measurements, no significant differences occurred between the two pretests. Examples of results from the pre-2 test to the posttest were isometric trunk flexion 45° endurance and isometric trunk extension endurance improved significantly for both sexes in age groups 65–74 years. Women, but not men, improved the maximal step-up height for both legs in most age groups. The speed in the 50 sit-to-stand improved significantly for most age groups in both sexes. Six-min walk distance improved significantly for most age groups in women but among men only in 65–69 years. In the timed-up-and-go test, significant improvements were seen for all age groups in women and in men 70–79 years. No postexercise improvements were generally observed for grip strength or balance. Conclusions: In most of the novel fitness test measures, no significant difference was noted between the two pretests in the assessed sex and age groups. Results after the 8-week exercise period varied between sex and age groups, with significant improvements in several of the twelve studied fitness tests. These findings may be valuable for future projects utilizing easily accommodated physical fitness tests in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Quality of Life-Aged Care Consumers (QOL-ACC), a valid preference-based instrument, has been rolled out in Australia as part of the National Quality Indicator (QI) program since April 2023 to monitor and benchmark the quality of life of aged care recipients. As the QOL-ACC is being used to collect quality of life data longitudinally as one of the key aged care QI indicators, it is imperative to establish the reliability of the QOL-ACC in aged care settings. Therefore, we aimed to assess the reliability of the QOL-ACC and compare its performance with the EQ-5D-5L. Methods: Home care recipients completed a survey including the QOL-ACC, EQ-5D-5L and two global items for health and quality of life at baseline (T1) and 2 weeks later (T2). Using T1 and T2 data, the Gwet's AC2 and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) were estimated for the dimension levels and overall scores agreements respectively. The standard error of measurement (SEM) and the smallest detectable change (SDC) were also calculated. Sensitivity analyses were conducted for respondents who did not change their response to global item of quality of life and health between T1 and T2. Results: Of the 83 respondents who completed T1 and T2 surveys, 78 respondents (mean ± SD age, 73.6 ± 5.3 years; 56.4% females) reported either no or one level change in their health and/or quality of life between T1 and T2. Gwet's AC2 ranged from 0.46 to 0.63 for the QOL-ACC dimensions which were comparable to the EQ-5D-5L dimensions (Gwet's AC2 ranged from 0.52 to 0.77). The ICC for the QOL-ACC (0.85; 95% CI, 0.77–0.90) was comparable to the EQ-5D-5L (0.83; 95% CI, 0.74–0.88). The SEM for the QOL-ACC (0.08) was slightly smaller than for the EQ-5D-5L (0.11). The SDC for the QOL-ACC and the EQ-5D-5L for individual subjects were 0.22 and 0.30 respectively. Sensitivity analyses stratified by quality of life and health status confirmed the base case results. Conclusions: The QOL-ACC demonstrated a good test-retest reliability similar to the EQ-5D-5L, supporting its repeated use in aged care settings. Further studies will provide evidence of responsiveness of the QOL-ACC to aged care-specific interventions in aged care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective rehabilitation of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders requires multimodal assessment to guide clinicians' decision-making. Furthermore, a comprehensive assessment must include reliable tests. Nevertheless, the interrelationship among various upper limb tests remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of easily applicable upper extremity assessments, including absolute values and asymmetries of muscle mechanical properties, pressure pain threshold, active range of motion, maximal isometric strength, and manual dexterity. A secondary aim was to explore correlations between different assessment procedures to determine their interrelationship. Methods: Thirty healthy subjects participated in two experimental sessions with 1 week between sessions. Measurements involved using a digital myotonometer, algometer, inclinometer, dynamometer, and the Nine-Hole Peg test. Intraclass correlation coefficients, standard error of the mean, and minimum detectable change were calculated as reliability indicators. Pearson's correlation was used to assess the interrelationship between tests. Results: For the absolute values of the dominant and nondominant sides, reliability was 'good' to 'excellent' for muscle mechanical properties, pressure pain thresholds, active range of motion, maximal isometric strength, and manual dexterity. Similarly, the reliability for asymmetries ranged from 'moderate' to 'excellent' across the same parameters. Faster performance in the second session was consistently found for the Nine-Hole Peg test. No systematic inter-session errors were identified for the values of the asymmetries. No significant correlations were found between tests, indicating test independence. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the sensorimotor battery of tests is reliable, while monitoring asymmetry changes may offer a more conservative approach to effectively tracking recovery of upper extremity injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Standard measures of response such as Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors are ineffective for bone lesions, often making breast cancer patients that have bone-dominant metastases ineligible for clinical trials with potentially helpful therapies. In this study we prospectively evaluated the test-retest uptake variability of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG) in a cohort of breast cancer patients with bone-dominant metastases to determine response criteria. The thresholds for 95% specificity of change versus no-change were then applied to a second cohort of breast cancer patients with bone-dominant metastases. Methods For this study, nine patients with 38 bone lesions were imaged with 18F-FDG in the same calibrated scanner twice within 14 days. Tumor uptake was quantified by the most commonly used PET parameter, the maximum tumor voxel normalized by dose and body weight (SUVmax) and also by the mean of a 1-cc maximal uptake volume normalized by dose and lean-body-mass (SULpeak). The asymmetric repeatability coefficients with confidence intervals for SUVmax and SULpeak were used to determine the limits of 18F-FDG uptake variability. A second cohort of 28 breast cancer patients with bone-dominant metastases that had 146 metastatic bone lesions was imaged with 18F-FDG before and after standard-of-care therapy for response assessment. Results The mean relative difference of SUVmax and SULpeak in 38 bone tumors of the first cohort were 4.3% and 6.7%. The upper and lower asymmetric limits of the repeatability coefficient were 19.4% and − 16.3% for SUVmax, and 21.2% and − 17.5% for SULpeak. 18F-FDG repeatability coefficient confidence intervals resulted in the following patient stratification using SULpeak for the second patient cohort: 11-progressive disease, 5-stable disease, 7-partial response, and 1-complete response with three inevaluable patients. The asymmetric repeatability coefficients response criteria for SULpeak changed the status of 3 patients compared to the standard Positron Emission Tomography Response Criteria in Solid Tumors of ± 30% SULpeak. Conclusion In evaluating bone tumor response for breast cancer patients with bone-dominant metastases using 18F-FDG SUVmax, the repeatability coefficients from test-retest studies show that reductions of more than 17% and increases of more than 20% are unlikely to be due to measurement variability. Serial 18F-FDG imaging in clinical trials investigating bone lesions in these patients, such as the ECOG-ACRIN EA1183 trial, benefit from confidence limits that allow interpretation of response.

Purpose: We aimed to determine the test–retest repeatability of quantitative metrics based on the Patlak slope (PS) versus the standardized uptake value (SUV) among lesions and normal organs on oncologic [18F]FDG-PET/CT. Procedures: This prospective, single-center study enrolled adults undergoing standard-of-care oncologic [18F]FDG-PET/CTs. Early (35–50 min post-injection) and late (75–90 min post-injection) SUV and PS images were reconstructed from dynamic whole-body PET data. Repeat imaging occurred within 7 days. Relevant quantitative metrics were extracted from lesions and normal organs. Repeatability was assessed via mean test–retest percent changes [T-RT %Δ], within-subject coefficients of variation (wCVs), and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results: Nine subjects (mean age, 61.7 ± 6.2 years; 6 females) completed the test–retest protocol. Four subjects collectively had 17 [18F]FDG-avid lesions. Lesion wCVs were higher (i.e., worse repeatability) for PS-early-max (16.2%) and PS-early-peak (15.6%) than for SUV-early-max (8.9%) and SUV-early-peak (8.1%), with similar early metric ICCs (0.95–0.98). Lesion wCVs were similar for PS-late-max (8.5%) and PS-late-peak (6.4%) relative to SUV-late-max (9.7%) and SUV-late-peak (7.2%), with similar late metric ICCs (0.93–0.98). There was a significant bias toward higher retest SUV and PS values in the lesion analysis (T-RT %Δ [95% CI]: SUV-late-max, 10.0% [2.6%, 17.0%]; PS-late-max, 20.4% [14.3%, 26.4%]) but not in the normal organ analysis. Conclusions: Among [18F]FDG-avid lesions, the repeatability of PS-based metrics is similar to equivalent SUV-based metrics at late post-injection time points, indicating that PS-based metrics may be suitable for tracking response to oncologic therapies. However, further validation is required in light of our study's limitations, including small sample size and bias toward higher retest values for some metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the content, face, and sensitive validity, and test-retest reliability of a volleyball overhand serve accuracy-test. Four experts -- university professors evaluated the content validity; 50 volleyball coaches, teachers, and athletes were enrolled in the face validity. Thirty-three undergraduate students (18 experienced and 15 novices) participated in the study to assess the test capability to detect different performance levels. The sensitive validity was examined by comparing differences in the serving accuracy among experience levels using the t-test for independent samples. A cluster analysis (hierarchical cluster) was conducted using the between-groups linkage method and the Euclidean quadratic distance measure. The test-retest reliability was analysed using intraclass correlation coefficients and the standard error. Satisfactory results were found for experts' agreement regarding the test's accuracy and content validity. Face validity was adequate regarding clarity, pertinence, and applicability (78% to 86% of agreement). A high degree of test-retest reliability was observed for both novices (ICC = 0.81) and experienced (ICC = 0.84) participants; experienced group (p = .001) had higher means. The volleyball serve accuracy-test is a viable alternative to assess beginners' performance in a teaching-learning context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying an imaging modality's ability to reproduce results is important for establishing its utility. In magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI), new acquisition protocols are regularly introduced which improve upon their precursors with respect to signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), total acquisition duration, and nominal voxel resolution. This study has quantified the within-subject and between-subject reproducibility of one such new protocol (reduced-field-of-view density-weighted concentric ring trajectory (rFOV-DW-CRT) MRSI) by calculating the coefficient of variance of data acquired from a test–retest experiment. The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the right superior corona radiata (SCR) were selected as the regions of interest (ROIs) for grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM), respectively. CVs for between-subject and within-subject were consistently around or below 15% for Glx, tCho, and Myo-Ins, and below 5% for tNAA and tCr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature values vary widely for within‐subject test–retest reproducibility of gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) measured with edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Reasons for this variation remain unclear. Here, we tested whether three acquisition parameters—(1) sequence complexity (two‐experiment MEscher–GArwood Point RESolved Spectroscopy [MEGA‐PRESS] vs. four‐experiment Hadamard Encoding and Reconstruction of MEGA‐Edited Spectroscopy [HERMES]); (2) editing pulse duration (14 vs. 20 ms); and (3) scanner frequency drift (interleaved water referencing [IWR] turned ON vs. OFF)—and two linear combination modeling variations—(1) three different coedited macromolecule models (called "1to1GABA", "1to1GABAsoft", and "3to2MM" in the Osprey software package); and (2) 0.55‐ versus 0.4‐ppm spline baseline knot spacing—affected the within‐subject coefficient of variation of GABA + macromolecules (GABA+). We collected edited MRS data from the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex from 20 participants (mean age: 30.8 ± 9.5 years; 10 males). Test and retest scans were separated by removing the participant from the scanner for 5–10 min. Each acquisition consisted of two MEGA‐PRESS and two HERMES sequences with editing pulse durations of 14 and 20 ms (referred to here as MEGA‐14, MEGA‐20, HERMES‐14, and HERMES‐20; all TE = 80 ms, 224 averages). We identified the best test–retest reproducibility following postprocessing with a composite model of the 0.9‐ and 3‐ppm macromolecules ("3to2MM"); this model performed particularly well for the HERMES data. Furthermore, sparser (0.55‐ compared with 0.4‐ppm) spline baseline knot spacing yielded generally better test–retest reproducibility for GABA+. Replicating our prior results, linear combination modeling in Osprey compared with simple peak fitting in Gannet resulted in substantially better test–retest reproducibility. However, reproducibility did not consistently differ for MEGA‐PRESS compared with HERMES, for 14‐ compared with 20‐ms editing pulses, or for IWR‐ON versus IWR‐OFF. These results highlight the importance of model selection for edited MRS studies of GABA+, particularly for clinical studies that focus on individual patient differences in GABA+ or changes following an intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Standard measures of response such as Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors are ineffective for bone lesions, often making breast cancer patients that have bone-dominant metastases ineligible for clinical trials with potentially helpful therapies. In this study we prospectively evaluated the test-retest uptake variability of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG) in a cohort of breast cancer patients with bone-dominant metastases to determine response criteria. The thresholds for 95% specificity of change versus no-change were then applied to a second cohort of breast cancer patients with bone-dominant metastases. Methods: For this study, nine patients with 38 bone lesions were imaged with 18F-FDG in the same calibrated scanner twice within 14 days. Tumor uptake was quantified by the most commonly used PET parameter, the maximum tumor voxel normalized by dose and body weight (SUVmax) and also by the mean of a 1-cc maximal uptake volume normalized by dose and lean-body-mass (SULpeak). The asymmetric repeatability coefficients with confidence intervals for SUVmax and SULpeak were used to determine the limits of 18F-FDG uptake variability. A second cohort of 28 breast cancer patients with bone-dominant metastases that had 146 metastatic bone lesions was imaged with 18F-FDG before and after standard-of-care therapy for response assessment. Results: The mean relative difference of SUVmax and SULpeak in 38 bone tumors of the first cohort were 4.3% and 6.7%. The upper and lower asymmetric limits of the repeatability coefficient were 19.4% and − 16.3% for SUVmax, and 21.2% and − 17.5% for SULpeak. 18F-FDG repeatability coefficient confidence intervals resulted in the following patient stratification using SULpeak for the second patient cohort: 11-progressive disease, 5-stable disease, 7-partial response, and 1-complete response with three inevaluable patients. The asymmetric repeatability coefficients response criteria for SULpeak changed the status of 3 patients compared to the standard Positron Emission Tomography Response Criteria in Solid Tumors of ± 30% SULpeak. Conclusion: In evaluating bone tumor response for breast cancer patients with bone-dominant metastases using 18F-FDG SUVmax, the repeatability coefficients from test-retest studies show that reductions of more than 17% and increases of more than 20% are unlikely to be due to measurement variability. Serial 18F-FDG imaging in clinical trials investigating bone lesions in these patients, such as the ECOG-ACRIN EA1183 trial, benefit from confidence limits that allow interpretation of response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the neural correlates of working memory during a spontaneous migraine attack compared to the interictal phase, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Background: Cognitive disturbances are commonly observed during migraine attacks, particularly in the headache phase. However, the neural basis of these changes remains unknown. Methods: In a fMRI within-subject test-retest design study, eleven women (32 years of age, average) with episodic migraine were evaluated twice, first during a spontaneous migraine attack, and again in a pain-free period. Each session consisted in a cognitive assessment and fMRI while performing a working memory task (N-back). Results: Cognitive test scores were lower during the ictal session than in the pain-free session. Regions typically associated with working memory were activated during the N-back task in both sessions. A voxel wise between session comparison showed significantly greater activation in the left frontal pole and orbitofrontal cortex during the attack relative to the interictal phase. Conclusion: Migraine patients exhibited greater activation of the left frontal pole and orbitofrontal cortex while executing a verbal working memory task during a spontaneous migraine attack when compared to the interictal state. Given the association of these regions with pain processing and inhibitory control, these findings suggest that patients recruit inhibitory areas to accomplish the cognitive task during migraine attacks, a neural signature of their cognitive difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water polo is a team sport in which anaerobic capacity plays a significant role, but there is a lack of ecologically valid tests of water polo-specific anaerobic capacity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to design and validate a method for evaluating the anaerobic capacity of water polo players. The sample of participants included 10 male junior water polo players (16.70 ± 1.06 years, 186.11 ± 6.06 cm, 81.18 ± 6.88 kg). Measurements included power output in the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT) and the newly designed eggbeater kick anaerobic test (EKAT). WAnT included peak power (PP), average power (AP), minimal power (MP), and power drop (PD), and EKAT included the same four parameters as well as anaerobic capacity (AC). The results of this study show a significant correlation between test and retest values of power output (Pearson's correlation: 0.63, 0.87, 0.85, and 0.90 for PP, AP, MP, and AC, respectively). T-test calculation showed no significant differences between test and retest values for EKAT. Correlation analysis between EKAT and WAnT showed no significant correlation between corresponding power outputs. In conclusion, our results suggest that EKAT has proper metric characteristics, indicating the practical applicability of this test for male water polo players. Further studies on older players and female players are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have identified intrinsic spinal cord activity, which forms organised motor (ventral) and sensory (dorsal) resting‐state networks. However, to facilitate the use of spinal fMRI in, for example, clinical studies, it is crucial to first assess the reliability of the method, particularly given the unique anatomical, physiological, and methodological challenges associated with acquiring the data. Here, we characterise functional connectivity relationships in the cervical cord and assess their between‐session test–retest reliability in 23 young healthy volunteers. Resting‐state networks were estimated in two ways (1) by estimating seed‐to‐voxel connectivity maps and (2) by calculating seed‐to‐seed correlations. Seed regions corresponded to the four grey matter horns (ventral/dorsal and left/right) of C5–C8 segmental levels. Test–retest reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Spatial overlap of clusters derived from seed‐to‐voxel analysis between sessions was examined using Dice coefficients. Following seed‐to‐voxel analysis, we observed distinct unilateral dorsal and ventral organisation of cervical spinal resting‐state networks that was largely confined in the rostro–caudal extent to each spinal segmental level, with more sparse connections observed between segments. Additionally, strongest correlations were observed between within‐segment ipsilateral dorsal–ventral connections, followed by within‐segment dorso–dorsal and ventro–ventral connections. Test–retest reliability of these networks was mixed. Reliability was poor when assessed on a voxelwise level, with more promising indications of reliability when examining the average signal within clusters. Reliability of correlation strength between seeds was highly variable, with the highest reliability achieved in ipsilateral dorsal–ventral and dorso‐dorsal/ventro–ventral connectivity. However, the spatial overlap of networks between sessions was excellent. We demonstrate that while test–retest reliability of cervical spinal resting‐state networks is mixed, their spatial extent is similar across sessions, suggesting that these networks are characterised by a consistent spatial representation over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThe Theory of Mind (ToM) assessment is becoming essential to evaluate the response to a social cognition intervention and to monitor the progression of social abilities impairment in atypical conditions. In the Italian setting, the Yoni task has been recently validated in its short version (the Yoni-48 task) to evaluate ToM in the clinical setting. The present study aimed to verify the test-retest reliability and the Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) of the Yoni-48 task.MethodsThe Yoni-48 task was administered to 229 healthy adults at two evaluation sessions 3 weeks apart (mean days between sessions = 20.35 ± 1.75) by a psychologist. The test-retest reliability of the Yoni-48 task accuracy and response time was tested by the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC2,1, two-way random model, absolute agreement type). Then, the MDC95 and MDC90 were computed based on the standard error of measurement. Finally, the 95% limits of agreement were plotted (LOA plot) to visualize the difference and mean score of each pair of measurements.ResultsThe total Yoni-48 task accuracy, but not the response time score, showed a high ICC (>0.80), with an MDC of 0.10. By plotting the LOA plot for the accuracy score no systematic trends were observed.DiscussionThis evidence will support the adoption of the Yoni task in longitudinal designs.

IntroductionAdvancements in technology have recently made it possible to implement effective training solutions across different environmental conditions. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of measures obtained from the innovative motorized device, Alex7 (Inosportas, Lithuania), and differences in speed and kinematic characteristics between resisted and assisted sprinting in young football players.MethodsTwenty-seven male athletes (mean age: 16.5 ± 0.8 years; height: 179.5 ± 6.9 cm; body weight: 67.7 ± 8.3 kg) each performed 30-m sprints twice under three different conditions: regular, resisted, and assisted sprinting. The Alex7 device provided the assistance and resistance during sprints. Results were compared with those from Witty timing gates. Ground contact time, flight time, stride length, and pace were measured using the OptoJump system. Reliability was assessed using two-way mixed intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for single measures, the standard error of the mean (SEM), and the coefficient of variation (CV). Pearson's correlation coefficient determined the associations between Alex7 and Witty timing systems. Criterion-referenced validity was based on the mean difference and CV. Systematic bias was determined by limits of agreement using Bland–Altman analysis.ResultsRunning times obtained using the Alex7 equipment exhibited good to excellent test-retest reliability between sessions (ICC, 0.83–0.94) and good to excellent correlation (Pearson's r = 0.88–0.98) between the Alex7 and Witty systems in both assisted and resisted running conditions. However, the Alex7 device consistently produced longer running times than the Witty device (up to 0.16 s difference, p

Background Effective rehabilitation of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders requires multimodal assessment to guide clinicians’ decision-making. Furthermore, a comprehensive assessment must include reliable tests. Nevertheless, the interrelationship among various upper limb tests remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of easily applicable upper extremity assessments, including absolute values and asymmetries of muscle mechanical properties, pressure pain threshold, active range of motion, maximal isometric strength, and manual dexterity. A secondary aim was to explore correlations between different assessment procedures to determine their interrelationship. Methods Thirty healthy subjects participated in two experimental sessions with 1 week between sessions. Measurements involved using a digital myotonometer, algometer, inclinometer, dynamometer, and the Nine-Hole Peg test. Intraclass correlation coefficients, standard error of the mean, and minimum detectable change were calculated as reliability indicators. Pearson’s correlation was used to assess the interrelationship between tests. Results For the absolute values of the dominant and nondominant sides, reliability was ‘good’ to ‘excellent’ for muscle mechanical properties, pressure pain thresholds, active range of motion, maximal isometric strength, and manual dexterity. Similarly, the reliability for asymmetries ranged from ‘moderate’ to ‘excellent’ across the same parameters. Faster performance in the second session was consistently found for the Nine-Hole Peg test. No systematic inter-session errors were identified for the values of the asymmetries. No significant correlations were found between tests, indicating test independence. Conclusion These findings indicate that the sensorimotor battery of tests is reliable, while monitoring asymmetry changes may offer a more conservative approach to effectively tracking recovery of upper extremity injuries.

Most hearing conservation programs repeatedly monitor a subject's pure tone thresholds before, during, and after exposure to audiopathic agents. Changes to the audiogram that meet significant shift criteria such as ASHA, CTCAE, and so forth are considered evidence of audiopathic injury. Despite a wide variety of definitions for significant change, all current serial monitoring methods are biased due to regression to the mean and are prone to inconclusive results. These problems diminish the diagnostic accuracy and utility of serial monitoring. Here we propose adopting Gaussian processes to address these issues in a manner that maximizes time efficiency and can be administered using portable equipment at the point of care.

The Effect of Exercise on a Novel Dual-Task Assessment for Sport Concussion. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 22-28, 2024. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effect of exercise on cognitive and motor performance and the subsequent test–retest reliability of a novel dual-task (DT) assessment in nonconcussed college students. Methods: Sixty nonconcussed college students (53.3% female) with an average age (±SD) of 20.5 ± 1.34 yr, height of 171.7 ± 9.33 cm, and massof 69.3 ± 12.23 kg were included in the study. Participants were assigned to an exercise (n = 30) or rest (n = 30) intervention group and completed two study visits that were separated by a 2-wk test–retest interval. At each visit, participants completed a novel DT assessment that consisted of the concurrent administration of the Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC) and tandem gait (TG) before the exercise or rest intervention. After the DT assessment at the first visit, participants in the exercise group performed moderate-intensity exercise, whereas the rest group sat quietly for 30 min. After the intervention, both groups were readministered the DT assessment. At the second visit, the same procedures were followed, except that each group was administered the opposite intervention (e.g., the exercise group completed the rest intervention). A composite TG (cTG) score was calculated by summing the average time to complete the TG pattern during each SAC domain (immediate memory, digits backwards, months in reverse order, delayed recall). An ANCOVA was conducted to assess postintervention differences while controlling for preintervention performance. Test–retest reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC3,2) with 95% confidence intervals, with all analyses performed with α = 0.05. Results: SAC and cTG performance was similar (P values > 0.05) from preintervention to postintervention for the rest or exercise protocols. Good (rest: ICC = 0.77 (0.62–0.87); exercise: ICC = 0.84 (0.73–0.90)) and excellent (rest: ICC = 0.97 (0.94–0.98); exercise: ICC = 0.93 (0.88–0.96)) test–retest reliabilities were observed for the SAC composite score and cTG score, respectively. Conclusions: Our DT assessment was robust to the influence of moderate-intensity exercise and demonstrated good-to-excellent test–retest reliability in a healthy collegiate sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Thalassemia, a genetic hemoglobinopathy, results from a defect in globin chain production. It is characterized by ineffective erythropoiesis, and complications related to multiple transfusions can lead to higher morbidity. Accordingly, this study examines the correlation between pulmonary function and physical fitness in children with β- thalassemia major. Material and methods: This observational-correlation study was conducted between August 2022 to January 2023 at Abo EL-Reesh Al Mounira Hospital for children. The study included 34 children (17 boys and 17 girls) with β- thalassemia major, aged 6-10 years. The exclusion criteria included children with defined cardiovascular or respiratory disorders, renal failure, and recent thoraco-abdominal surgery or aneurysm. The following pulmonary functions were assessed using a spire spectrum neuro-soft spirometer: vital capacity (VC), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEF). Health-related physical fitness, as functional capacity, was measured by a 6-min walk test, with energy expenditure determined using the energy expenditure index (EEI). Skill-related fitness, as balance, was measured with a pediatric balance scale. Results: Pulmonary function was found to be significantly positively correlated with functional capacity and balance in children with β- thalassemia major (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Pulmonary rehabilitation is of significant value in children with β- thalassemia major. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Muscle thickness measured via ultrasound is commonly used to assess muscle size. The purpose of this study was to determine if the reliability of this measurement will improve if using the Compare Assistant tool, and whether this depends on technician experience and the muscle being assessed. Methods: Individuals came to the laboratory for two visits each separated by 24 h. On day 1, two ultrasound images were taken on the individual's anterior upper arm (elbow flexors) and anterior lower leg (tibialis anterior) by two inexperienced and one experienced ultrasound technician. On day 2, three images were taken: (1) without looking at the previous images taken on day 1; (2) after re-examining the images taken on day 1, and (3) side-by-side with the images taken on day 1 via Compare Assistant. Bayes Factors (BF10) were used to provide evidence for the null (< 0.33) or alternative (> 3) hypotheses. Results: There was no rater by measurement technique interaction (upper body: BF10 = 0.04, lower body: BF10 = 0.138), nor was there a main effect of measurement technique (upper body: BF10 = 0.052, lower body: BF10 = 0.331), indicating that reliability measures were not improved for either the upper body (CV%, no look: 2.92 vs. Compare Assistant: 2.87) or lower body (CV%, no look: 1.81 vs. Compare Assistant: 1.34) as a result of using Compare Assistant. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that day-to-day reliability of muscle thickness measurement may be limited by random biological variability as opposed to technician error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study is the first to describe the validation of the Psychological Control Disrespect Scale (PCDS; Barber etal., 2012) with a large age-range of emerging adults, in an attempt to broaden the usage of the scale to late and post-adolescence population. The sample consisted of 364 participants (184 females and 179 males; 1 unknown sex), whose age ranged between 18 and 29 (M = 24.38, SD = 3.03). Subject to the exclusion of one item, the PCDS exhibited acceptable to good model-fit indices when used with emerging adults reporting on their mothers, and its psychometric properties were found to be principally equal across child's sex (i.e. respondent's sex measurement invariance). The PCDS also displayed good reliability indexes, including the first evidence of the scale's test–retest reliability. Finally, the PCDS was tested for convergent validity against conceptually corresponding parenting scales, which reinforced the scale's validity as a measure of maladaptive parenting construct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain age prediction algorithms using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) aim to assess the biological age of the human brain. The difference between a person's chronological age and the estimated brain age is thought to reflect deviations from a normal aging trajectory, indicating a slower or accelerated biological aging process. Several pre‐trained software packages for predicting brain age are publicly available. In this study, we perform a comparison of such packages with respect to (1) predictive accuracy, (2) test–retest reliability, and (3) the ability to track age progression over time. We evaluated the six brain age prediction packages: brainageR, DeepBrainNet, brainage, ENIGMA, pyment, and mccqrnn. The accuracy and test–retest reliability were assessed on MRI data from 372 healthy people aged between 18.4 and 86.2 years (mean 38.7 ± 17.5 years). All packages showed significant correlations between predicted brain age and chronological age (r = 0.66–0.97, p < 0.001), with pyment displaying the strongest correlation. The mean absolute error was between 3.56 (pyment) and 9.54 years (ENIGMA). brainageR, pyment, and mccqrnn were superior in terms of reliability (ICC values between 0.94–0.98), as well as predicting age progression over a longer time span. Of the six packages, pyment and brainageR consistently showed the highest accuracy and test–retest reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large space still exists for improving the measurements used in orthopaedics and sports medicine, especially as we face rapid technological progress in devices used for diagnostic or patient monitoring purposes. For a specific measure to be valuable and applicable in clinical practice, its reliability must be established. Reliability refers to the extent to which measurements can be replicated, and three types of reliability can be distinguished: inter-rater, intra-rater, and test–retest. The present article aims to provide insights into reliability as one of the most important and relevant properties of measurement tools. It covers essential knowledge about the methods used in orthopaedics and sports medicine for reliability studies. From design to interpretation, this article guides readers through the reliability study process. It addresses crucial issues such as the number of raters needed, sample size calculation, and breaks between particular trials. Different statistical methods and tests are presented for determining reliability depending on the type of gathered data, with particular attention to the commonly used intraclass correlation coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method of pain assessment is the drawing of pain on a specially designed manikin where the patients color the area representing their pain distribution. In recent years, software applications have been developed for the purpose of digital pain drawing data acquisition and processing. Although such specific software applications have already been released, they have been built with obsolete programming tools. The purpose of the study was to investigate the test – retest reliability of a new pain drawing analysis software, in a sample of patients with shoulder pain. Data collected from 31 subjects with shoulder pain. Participants were asked twice to color their pain distribution in the painting environment of a tablet software application called 'Pain Distribution.' The reliability of pain extent was found to be good (ICC = 0.80). The Jaccard index for the reliability of pain location was found to be moderate, equal to 42.02 ± 19.13%. The results demonstrated good reliability of pain extent and moderate reliability of pain location using the new pain distribution analysis application 'Pain Distribution.' This pain drawing software application could be a reliable, inexpensive, and clinically usable solution for assessing the distribution of pain in patients with shoulder pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a need for an instrument to measure participation and independence in children with disabilities. FUNDES-Child-SE has its origin in the participation questionnaire Child and Adolescent Scale of Participation. Aims: Test the psychometric properties of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Material and methods: This cross-sectional study included caregivers of 163 children with disability aged 6-18 years, 59 of whom were also included in the test-retest study. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the proportions of valid ratings. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were tested through Cronbach's alpha and the intra-class correlation coefficient. Results: The amount of not relevant/not applicable ratings was substantial but varied between items and subdomains. Internal consistency was acceptable (0.8-0.95), and the test-retest was marginal to excellent (0.73-0.95). Conclusions: The reliability together with the content validity support the use of the FUNDES-Child-SE to measure participation and independence in children with disabilities. However, results should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size and possible selection bias. Modifications to reduce the not relevant/not applicable responses should be investigated together with the instrument's responsiveness. Significance: FUNDES-Child-SE can be used to facilitate a discussion of participation and independence and to plan interventions in a habilitation setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is one of the most studied efflux transporters at the blood-brain barrier. It plays an important role in brain homeostasis by protecting the brain from a variety of endogenous and exogeneous substances. Changes in P-gp function are associated both with the onset of neuropsychiatric diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, and with drug-resistance, for example in treatment-resistant depression. The most widely used approach to measure P-gp function in vivo is (R)-[11C]verapamil PET. (R)-[11C]verapamil is, however, an avid P-gp substrate, which complicates the use of this tracer to measure an increase in P-gp function as its baseline uptake is already very low. [18F]MC225 was developed to measure both increases and decreases in P-gp function. Aim: The aim of this study was (1) to identify the pharmacokinetic model that best describes [18F]MC225 kinetics in the human brain and (2) to determine test-retest variability. Methods: Five (2 male, 3 female) of fourteen healthy subjects (8 male, 6 female, age 67 ± 5 years) were scanned twice (injected dose 201 ± 47 MBq) with a minimum interval of 2 weeks between scans. Each scanning session consisted of a 60-min dynamic [18F]MC225 scan with continuous arterial sampling. Whole brain grey matter data were fitted to a single tissue compartment model, and to reversible and irreversible two tissue-compartment models to obtain various outcome parameters (in particular the volume of distribution (VT), Ki, and the rate constants K1 and k2). In addition, a reversible two-tissue compartment model with fixed k3/k4 was included. The preferred model was selected based on the weighted Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) score. Test-retest variability (TRTV) was determined to assess reproducibility. Results: Sixty minutes post-injection, the parent fraction was 63.8 ± 4.0%. The reversible two tissue compartment model corrected for plasma metabolites with an estimated blood volume (VB) showed the highest AIC weight score of 34.3 ± 17.6%. The TRVT of the VT for [18F]MC225 PET scans was 28.3 ± 20.4% for the whole brain grey matter region using this preferred model. Conclusion: [18F]MC225 VT, derived using a reversible two-tissue compartment model, is the preferred parameter to describe P-gp function in the human BBB. This outcome parameter has an average test-retest variability of 28%. Trial registration: EudraCT 2020-001564-28. Registered 25 May 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modified Thomas test is the most used and most reliable test to assess the hip flexors' flexibility. However it does not evaluate the interaction of both legs. The objective of this study is to propose a new assessment tool for hip flexor flexibility, the Reactive Hip Flexion (RHF) Test. An observational, intra-test, and test-retest study with repeated measures was carried out with the aim of assessing the validity and reliability of the RHF Test. The participants were males and females aged between 18 and 35 years old who had a training schedule of at least 2 days a week, without a musculoskeletal lower limb or lumbopelvic pathology. The reliability of the test was examined using the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) by a two-way random model to establish inter-rater reliability and a two-way mixed model to assess intra-rater reliability. The precision was measured by the standard error of measurement (SEM). In addition, the minimum detectable change (MDC95%) was calculated. Twenty-six participants (52 hips) (47% female) completed the study. No correlations were observed between anthropometric variables and RHF peak force or active knee extension (AKE) measurements. There was an excellent intra-rater and inter-rater ICC in the hip flexors' reactive peak force and the AKE measurements, with a low SEM. This study demonstrated that the proposed RHF test technique is valid and reliable when used in healthy youth population. • The proposed Reactive Hip Flexors (RHF) test technique is valid and reliable. • The RHF test showed excellent intraclass correlations coefficients. • The RHF test should be used to assess the hip flexors flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The awareness of the importance of physical literacy (PL) is globally increasing; however, knowledge of the applicability of PL measurement tools in southeastern Europe is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of translated versions of the CAPL-2 and PLAYself questionnaires in 9- to 11-year-old elementary school children from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. The participants were 303 children (141 girls; all 9 to 11 years of age) from Croatia (n = 71), Bosnia and Herzegovina (n = 162), and Montenegro (n = 70), enrolled in regular elementary school. The participants were tested throughout a test–retest procedure using two PL evaluation tools, i.e., the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy (shorter version, CAPL-2) and the Physical Literacy Assessment of Youth (PLAYself) questionnaires. With an intraclass correlation (ICC) of 0.70–0.80 for specific questionnaire subscales and 0.84 for the total score, PLAYself was found to be reliable. With Kappa values of 0.11–0.23 and a percentage of absolute agreement of less than 62%, CAPL-2 appeared to be less reliable. Factors related to sport participation were significantly positively associated with the PLAYself score, indicating its proper validity. In conclusion, we suggest the usage of the PLAYself questionnaire in further studies examining PL in children of a similar age in the region. Future studies in other age groups and languages are also warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has proven that the balance of autistic children is poor. However, the reliability of assessing balance in this cohort has been inadequately researched. This study therefore aimed to examine if field-based static and dynamic balance tests can be reliably assessed in autistic children, to determine the number of familiarisation sessions required and whether autistic severity impacts on the reliability of these balance tests. The balance of eighteen primary school-aged autistic children was assessed three times a week over five weeks, using the flamingo balance test, a modified version of the balance error scoring system (BESS), the low beam walking test, and the heel to toe walking test. Reliability criteria included an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) level of ≥0.75 and a coefficient of variance (CV%) of ≤46% for the low beam walking test, the heel to toe walking test, and the BESS, and a CV% of ≤82% or the flamingo balance test. Inter-session reliability was achieved and required the least number of familiarisation sessions for the flamingo balance test, compared to the low beam walking test, which required a greater number of familiarisation sessions to achieve inter-session reliability. The heel to toe walking test and the BESS achieved inter-session reliability and familiarisation in an acceptable time frame. Due to the large CV% values reported in the current study, practitioners need to be aware that balance interventions need to achieve improvements greater than the CV% in this cohort.

The Orthelligent Pro sensor is a practicable, portable measuring instrument. This study assessed the validity and reliability of this sensor in measuring single-leg countermovement jumps. Fifty healthy athletic adults participated in two measurement sessions a week apart in time. They performed single-leg countermovement jumps on the force plate while wearing the Orthelligent Pro sensor on their lower leg. During the first measurement session, Tester 1 invited the participants to make three single-leg countermovement jumps; subsequently, Tester 2 did the same. For assessing the sensor’s intratester reliability, Tester 1 again invited the participants to make three single-leg countermovement jumps during the second measurement session. The sensor’s validity was assessed by using the force plate results as the gold standard. To determinate the agreement between two measurements, Bland–Altman plots were created. The intertester reliability (ICC = 0.99; 0.97) and intratester reliability (ICC = 0.96; 0.82) were both excellent. The validity calculated (i) on the basis of the mean value of three jumps and (ii) on the basis of the maximum value of three jumps was very high, but it showed a systematic error. Taking this error into account, physiotherapists can use the Orthelligent Pro sensor as a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the jump height of countermovement jumps.

IntroductionIt has been shown that lifestyle is a highly modifiable determinant having a direct effect on the health status. Therefore, short and simple questionnaires assessing the lifestyle of the general and clinical population are needed to create interventions on behavioral aspects that can improve the health status. The Simple Lifestyle Indicator Questionnaire (SLIQ) is a validated health scale in English that combines five lifestyle factors: diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and stress level. The objective of this study was to validate the SLIQ questionnaire in Spanish by analyzing the scale’s validity and reliability. Its discriminatory power of the scale was also examined by evaluating the differences in health outcomes according to the levels of adherence to a healthy lifestyle.MethodsThe sample consisted of 745 participants with an average age of 39.94 (SD: 16.99). A transcultural adaptation process was carried out to validate the SLIQ questionnaire in the Spanish context, to determinate the structural equivalence of the Spanish version as compared to the English version, and to assess the psychometric properties of the scale. PREDIMED and IPAQ scales were used to analyze the convergent validity of the Spanish version of the SLIQ regarding to diet and exercise, and the questionnaires SF-12 and DASS-21 questionnaires were used to assess the capacity of the Spanish version of the SLIQ to discriminate health status related to different levels of reported lifestyles.ResultsRegarding validity, the results indicate significant correlations between the different dimensions of the SLIQ questionnaire and those used as a reference. As for reliability, the test–retest analyses reveal a high temporal consistency for the scores obtained on the questionnaire. Finally, the differences found in anxiety, depression, and quality of life, with regard to the different levels of adherence in the SLIQ questionnaire, suggest that the questionnaire’s Spanish version has adequate discriminatory power.DiscussionThe obtained correlation coefficients between the SLIQ and the other standardized measures pointed out the adequate convergent validity of the instrument. Moreover, the test–retest results demonstrated the stability of the results obtained through this questionnaire. Finally, the lifestyle categories derived from the SLIQ showed a high ability to discriminate between participants’ health profiles. Hence, it can be concluded that the Spanish version of the SLIQ questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for the quick and effective assessment of lifestyle.

ABSTRACTThe current study is the first to describe the validation of the Psychological Control Disrespect Scale (PCDS; Barber etal., 2012) with a large age-range of emerging adults, in an attempt to broaden the usage of the scale to late and post-adolescence population. The sample consisted of 364 participants (184 females and 179 males; 1 unknown sex), whose age ranged between 18 and 29 (M = 24.38, SD = 3.03). Subject to the exclusion of one item, the PCDS exhibited acceptable to good model-fit indices when used with emerging adults reporting on their mothers, and its psychometric properties were found to be principally equal across child’s sex (i.e. respondent’s sex measurement invariance). The PCDS also displayed good reliability indexes, including the first evidence of the scale’s test–retest reliability. Finally, the PCDS was tested for convergent validity against conceptually corresponding parenting scales, which reinforced the scale’s validity as a measure of maladaptive parenting construct.

People differ in their responsiveness to aesthetic experiences. It is important to understand the role of culture in such individual differences, yet existing tools for assessing aesthetic responsiveness largely focus on North American and European cultures. We created a Farsi translated and culturally adapted version of the Aesthetic Responsiveness Assessment (AReA) and evaluated its psychometric properties. Construct validity and internal consistency were evaluated in a sample of 1,586 participants. Moreover, convergent and discriminant validity were investigated using the Behavioral Avoidance/Inhibition Scales (BIS-BAS), Big Five Inventory-2, Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire (BMRQ), and the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS). Further, the test–retest reliability of AReA was examined for the first time in a subsample of participants (n = 160) who answered the questionnaire again after 6 months. In addition to an acceptable structural validity (comparative fit index, CFI =.905), the Farsi version of AReA showed good internal consistency. Cronbach's α for the overall score was.848 and varied between.64 and.81 for subscales. Concerning convergent and discriminant validity, AReA subscales were positively correlated with subscales of TEPS, the Emotion Evocation subscale of BMRQ, Behavioral Avoidance, and Openness, and were unrelated to Behavioral Inhibition, Conscientiousness, and Negative Emotionality. Moreover, AReA subscales showed different patterns of correlations with other questionnaires. Finally, all subscales of AReA showed high test–retest reliability, ranging from.715 to.778. Our results confirm the validity of the Farsi version of AReA and provide a new measure of aesthetic responsiveness, useful in Farsi-speaking communities, which facilitates cross-cultural research in empirical aesthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The approach-avoidance task (AAT) is an implicit task that measures people's behavioral tendencies to approach or avoid stimuli in the environment. In recent years, it has been used successfully to help explain a variety of health problems (e.g., addictions and phobias). Unfortunately, more recent AAT studies have failed to replicate earlier promising findings. One explanation for these replication failures could be that the AAT does not reliably measure approach-avoidance tendencies. Here, we first review existing literature on the reliability of various versions of the AAT. Next, we examine the AAT's reliability in a large and diverse sample (N = 1077; 248 of whom completed all sessions). Using a smartphone-based, mobile AAT, we measured participants' approach-avoidance tendencies eight times over a period of seven months (one measurement per month) in two distinct stimulus sets (happy/sad expressions and disgusting/neutral stimuli). The mobile AAT's split-half reliability was adequate for face stimuli (r =.85), but low for disgust stimuli (r =.72). Its test–retest reliability based on a single measurement was poor for either stimulus set (all ICC1s <.3). Its test–retest reliability based on the average of all eight measurements was moderately good for face stimuli (ICCk =.73), but low for disgust stimuli (ICCk =.5). Results suggest that single-measurement AATs could be influenced by unexplained temporal fluctuations of approach-avoidance tendencies. These fluctuations could be examined in future studies. Until then, this work suggests that future research using the AAT should rely on multiple rather than single measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the typical variation of variables from a countermovement jump (CMJ) test and a submaximal run test (SRT), along with comparing the sensitivity of each test for the detection of practically important changes within highperformance Australian rules football players. Methods: A total of 23 professional and semiprofessional Australian rules football players performed 6 CMJs and three 8-second 50-m runs every 30 seconds (SRT), 7 days apart. Absolute and trial-to-trial reliability was represented as a coefficient of variation, CV (±90% confidence intervals). Test-retest reliability was examined using the magnitude of the difference (effect size [±90% confidence interval]) from week 1 to week 2. The smallest worthwhile change was calculated as 0.25 x SD. Results: Good reliability (CVs = 6.6%-9.3%) was determined for all variables except eccentric displacement (CV = 12.8%), with no clear changes observed in any variables between week 1 and week 2. All variables from the SRT possessed a CV less than smallest worthwhile change, indicating an ability to detect practically important changes in performance. Only peak velocity from the CMJ test possessed a CV less than smallest worthwhile change, exhibiting a limitation of this test in detecting practically meaningful changes within this environment. Conclusions: The results suggest that while all variables possess acceptable reliability, a SRT might offer to be a more sensitive monitoring tool than a CMJ test within high-performance Australian rules football, due to its greater ability for detecting practically important changes in performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During recent years, health care organizations have paid increasing attention to onboarding because of recruitment challenges. Organizational initiatives are frequently monitored and evaluated using questionnaire data, and to produce high-quality data, reliable instruments are paramount. We aimed to investigate the content validity and reliability of the Danish Onboarding Questionnaire, including cognitive interviewing and test–retest analyses. Method: We investigated content validity, including face validity and the content validity index, and reliability for the percentage of agreement. To analyze the cognitive interview data, thematic analysis was applied, followed by the question-and-answer model to categorize the problems revealed. To test reliability, the percentage of agreement was calculated with an accepted deviation of 1 on test–retest data. Results: Regarding the mental processes, multiple items were identified to be challenged regarding comprehension (clarification of concepts and understanding), judgment (ambiguity and relevance), and response (anonymity and personal information). The mental process retrieval was not represented. The subscale content validity index/Ave was found to be 0.935, representing a “good” level of content validity. With an accepted deviation of 1, the mean agreement was 97.7%. Discussion: Questionnaire items causing uncertainties or challenges are potential sources of deteriorated content validity and should be revised. We suggest that the Danish Onboarding Questionnaire-34 undergo an item reduction, which might increase its validity and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recovery from substance use disorder requires sustained effort and perseverance. Hence, the resilience factor of grit may be important for people in recovery. Little research has been conducted on grit in patients with substance use disorder (SUD), especially in a large and varied sample. Objectives: To analyze the psychometric properties of the Short Grit Scale (Grit-S) in patients with SUD and to use demographic and clinical characteristics to predict variance in Grit-S scores. Methods: Participants completed the Grit-S and other self-report measures. Psychometric properties of the Grit-S were assessed in outpatients (N = 94, 77.7% male) and a hierarchical regression predicted Grit-S variance in inpatients (N = 1238, 65.0% male). Results: The Grit-S demonstrated good internal consistency (α=.75) and strong test-retest reliability (adjusted r =.79, p <.001). Mean Grit-S score was 3.15, lower than other clinical samples reported in the literature. Regression modeling indicated a moderate, statistically significant association between demographic and clinical characteristics and Grit-S scores (R2 = 15.5%, p <.001). Of particular interest, the positive factor of recovery protection showed the strongest association with Grit-S of all variables assessed (β=.185 vs. β =.052–.175 for the remaining significant independent variables). Conclusion: The psychometric properties of the Grit-S in patients with SUD support its use in this population. Moreover, the particularly low grit scores among inpatients with SUDs and the association of grit scores with substance use risk and recovery factors suggest that grit could be useful as a treatment target in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantification of resting‐state electroencephalography (EEG) is associated with a variety of measures. These include power estimates at different frequencies, microstate analysis, and frequency‐resolved source power and connectivity analyses. Resting‐state EEG metrics have been widely used to delineate the manifestation of cognition and to identify psychophysiological indicators of age‐related cognitive decline. The reliability of the utilized metrics is a prerequisite for establishing robust brain–behavior relationships and clinically relevant indicators of cognitive decline. To date, however, test–retest reliability examination of measures derived from resting human EEG, comparing different resting‐state measures between young and older participants, within the same adequately powered dataset, is lacking. The present registered report examined test–retest reliability in a sample of 95 young (age range: 20–35 years) and 93 older (age range: 60–80 years) participants. A good‐to‐excellent test–retest reliability was confirmed in both age groups for power estimates on both scalp and source levels as well as for the individual alpha peak power and frequency. Partial confirmation was observed for hypotheses stating good‐to‐excellent reliability of microstates measures and connectivity. Equal levels of reliability between the age groups were confirmed for scalp‐level power estimates and partially so for source‐level power and connectivity. In total, five out of the nine postulated hypotheses were empirically supported and confirmed good‐to‐excellent reliability of the most commonly reported resting‐state EEG metrics. Resting‐state EEG metrics are widely used to delineate the manifestation of cognition and to identify psychophysiological indicators of age‐related cognitive decline. The present registered report provides a large‐scale test–retest reliability evaluation in 95 young (age range: 20–35 years) and 93 older (age range: 60–80 years) adults and compares the reliability of the most commonly reported resting‐state EEG metrics in the two resulting datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]