Quality of life in breast cancer patients: Associations with optimism and social supportCalidad de vida en pacientes con cáncer de mama: asociación con optimismo y apoyo social

Background/Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer patients from Colombia and to explore the relationship between QoL, habitual optimism, and social support. Method: A sample of 95 breast cancer patients treated in a hospital in Bogotá were administered the QoL instrument EORTC QLQ-C30 and the Life Orientation Test LOT-R. Additionally, they were asked to indicate from whom (physicians, friends, nurses, etc.) they wished and received social support. Reference data for the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the LOT-R were taken from a representative sample of the general Colombian population. Results: The breast cancer patients showed detriments to their QoL on most functioning scales and symptom scales of the EORTC QLQ-C30, while their general assessments of health and QoL were not worse than those of the controls. Optimism was positively correlated with QoL. Most patients wanted and received social support from their physicians and friends/family. Conclusions: The results suggest that optimism helps patients better cope with disease. A general assessment of global QoL cannot replace the more specific assessments of the functioning domains and symptoms.     

Construct validity of the relationship profile test: a self-report measure of dependency-detachment

This study evaluated the construct validity of the Relationship Profile Test (RPT; Bornstein & Languirand, 2003), a 30-item self-report measure of dependency-detachment that yields three subscale scores: (a) destructive overdependence, (b) dysfunctional detachment, and (c) healthy dependency. Scores on the RPT subscales generally showed the expected patterns of intercorrelations and gender differences, and comparison of RPT scores with scores on other tests supported the convergent and discriminant validity of each RPT subscale. Results of internal and retest reliability analyses were generally supportive as well, and suggested that the three RPT subscales assess aspects of the traits they purport to measure     

Validation of the revised sport motivation scale (SMS-II)

ObjectivesAlthough the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS), published in 1995, has demonstrated validity and reliability in multiple studies, the scale has received some criticisms leading to revisions herein described. The objective of the present studies was to examine the construct validity and reliability of a revised scale sport motivation scale (SMS-II).DesignTwo studies were conducted using distinct samples of athletes. Study 1 examined adult athletes participating in a variety of sports and Study 2 examined youth basketball players and swimmers.MethodIn Study 1 the SMS-II was introduced and featured various item content changes, a reduced number of items per subscale, the addition of an integrated regulation subscale, and the introduction of a single intrinsic motivation subscale to replace the three intrinsic motivation subscales in the SMS. Relations of SMS-II subscales with each other and with expected outcomes supported the new scale's validity. In Study 2, the structure of the SMS-II and its relations with outcomes were further examined.ResultsResults of factor analyses, tests for internal consistency, and correlations among the different subscales and between the subscales and several outcomes of interest, supported the validity of the SMS-II.ConclusionsDiscussion focuses on the need for measurement improvement, and potential future directions for SMS-II research.     

Assessment of quality of life in a multicultural cancer patient population

Quality of life (QOL) is increasingly assessed in cancer patients. In this article, the authors examined the psychometric performance of a commonly used QOL questionnaire, the Quality of Life Questionnaire--Cancer 30 (QLQ-C30; N. K. Aaronson et al., 1993), in multiethnic cancer patients. Content validation studies in patients and clinicians identified possible new items. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis supported equivalent structure across ethnic groups (Caucasians and Asian/Pacific Islanders [APIs]). A higher order QOL factor appeared to directly affect functioning scales and symptom count. Exploratory factor analysis examined effects of new items. Ten factors were extracted, 6 consistent with the original instrument and 4 reflecting potentially new aspects of QOL: Positive Social Support, Coping, Existential Well-Being, and Sexuality/Intimacy. The QLQ-C30 appears appropriate for use in API cancer patients. Further work needs to ensure that it includes all important domains.     

When to Use Broader Internalising and Externalising Subscales Instead of the Hypothesised Five Subscales on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): Data from British Parents,Teachers and Children

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a widely used child mental health questionnaire with five hypothesised subscales. There is theoretical and preliminary empirical support for combining the SDQ’s hypothesised emotional and peer subscales into an ‘internalizing’ subscale and the hypothesised behavioral and hyperactivity subscales into an ‘externalizing’ subscale (alongside the fifth prosocial subscale). We examine this using parent, teacher and youth SDQ data from a representative sample of 5–16 year olds in Britain (N = 18,222). Factor analyses generally supported second-order internalizing and externalizing factors, and the internalizing and externalizing subscales showed good convergent and discriminant validity across informants and with respect to clinical disorder. By contrast, discriminant validity was poorer between the emotional and peer subscales and between the behavioral, hyperactivity and prosocial subscales. This applied particularly to children with low scores on those subscales. We conclude that there are advantages to using the broader internalizing and externalizing SDQ subscales for analyses in low-risk samples, while retaining all five subscales when screening for disorder.     

Medication use and the assessment of agoraphobic avoidance

Many anxiety disorder patients who present for behaviour therapy are already taking anxiolytic medications. The present study added a new subscale to the Mobility Inventory labelled ‘Without Medication’ to assess possible reliance on medication for coping with phobic situations. 121 Patients with panic-related disorders were administered the scale. The results supported the reliability and validity of the existing Mobility Inventory subscales in general and of the new subscale in particular. It appears to reliably assess a clinically important domain that is not measured in traditional self-report measures of phobic avoidance.     

Ontario Child Health Study: reliability and validity of the general functioning subscale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device

The reliability and validity of the 12-item General Functioning (GF) subscale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) is reported here. Psychometric properties of the FAD have been previously determined, but no independent assessment has been made of the GF subscale, which was used to measure family functioning in the Ontario Child Health Study (OCHS). Reliability was measured by Chronbach's alpha and split-half correlation. Validity was assessed by hypothesizing the relationships expected between the GF scores and other family variables included in the OCHS data set. The results indicate good reliability, and all hypotheses of validity were supported. The brevity and ease of administering the GF subscale recommend it for further use in survey research in which a global assessment of family functioning is required.     

Psychometric Properties of the Perceived Social Support from Family and Friends Scale: Data from an Adolescent Sample in Ghana

Several studies have found that perceived social support plays a crucial role in the psychological and physical wellbeing of young people. A number of instruments measuring perceived social support have been developed and validated, including the Perceived Social Support from Family and Friends subscales. The psychometric properties of the Perceived Social Support from Family and Friends subscales have been demonstrated in a range of samples, although not in Ghana. The purpose of this study is to investigate the psychometric properties of the Perceived Social Support from Family and Friends subscales in Ghanaian adolescents using data from a school-based survey (N?=?770; 14–21 years). Participants completed a self-report questionnaire containing the Perceived Social Support from Family and Friends subscales, the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire, and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. An exploratory factor analysis in addition to simultaneous confirmatory factor analyses with structural equation modelling were performed to evaluate the factor structure and factorial validity of the subscales along with Cronbach’s α and intercorrelations. Three factors and two factors were extracted for the Friends and Family subscales respectively. While the unidimensional model of the friends subscale had a better fit with the data than the three-factor model, the two-factor model of the family subscale had a better fit than the unidimensional model, even though the unidimensional models of both subscales produced higher internal consistency coefficients. With respect to construct validity, the family subscale demonstrated some evidence of convergent and discriminant validity, but the friends subscale demonstrated some evidence of only discriminant validity, in terms of the association between social support and common mental illness and perceived stress. It appears that the Perceived Social Support subscales are useful instruments for assessing social support from family and friends and could therefore be used to further our understanding about the role of social support in stressful life events and psychological functioning of Ghanaian adolescents, although further research is required for the friends subscale.     

Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Pain- A Study in Indian Population Using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer(EORTC) Questionnaire

Quality of life in chronic pain Health-related quality of life was compared in patients of chronic pain with that of general population.We designed this study as a prospective, observational trial in a tertiary care centre. Quality of life was measured using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a valid alternative to the SF-36 in the assessment of QOL in patients with chronic pain especially when a broader assessment of symptoms is desired. All participants completed a set of questionnaires on demographic variables, cause, pain intensity (VAS) and quality of life (EORTC qlq c30). A total of two hundred participants were enrolled including 100 patients with chronic pain. Chronic pain was defined as one which is persisting beyond 3 months. The study revealed significantly decreased quality of life in patients with chronic pain as compared to general population (p?<?0.001). Patients with chronic pain had significantly decreased score in Physical functioning, Role functioning, emotional and social functioning on functional scales and increased scores of pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances and financial difficulties on symptom scales. The study revealed sex-related differences on the QoL with females having a lower global QOL. It is thus concluded that patients with chronic pain especially females have decreased quality of life as compared to general population     

Emotional Abuse Questionnaire (EAQ): A New Scale for Measuring Emotional Abuse and Psychological Maltreatment1

Emotional abuse is the core of all other kinds of child abuses and maltreatments. The significant and serious outcomes of other kinds of abuses are often due to the emotional aspects. Moreover, emotional abuse has several forms, and each form may lead to different adverse outcomes for children and adolescents. Unfortunately, there is not a comprehensive instrument to assess all categories of emotional abuse. A 30-item self-report questionnaire was developed for ages 12 years and older. The sample included 328 students aged 12 to 19 years selected randomly from students referred to different student counseling centers. Exploratory factor analysis categorized the scale into six subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that all items were fitted with the subscales significantly. Content and concurrent validity demonstrated good validity and reliability for each subscale. Overall reliability was also significantly acceptable.     

A Lesbian Feminist Subscale for the Feminist Perspectives Scale

In an attempt to increase the breadth offeminist perspectives assessed by the FeministPerspectives Scale (FPS2; Henley, Meng, O'Brien,McCarthy, & Sockloskie, 1998), we developed andpsychometrically evaluated a new subscale that assesses lesbianfeminist attitudes. As do the six other subscales of theFPS2, the Lesbian Feminist subscale includes 10attitudinal and 3 behavioral items. We conducted 3 studies with 287 respondents (58% EuropeanAmerican, 15% Latino, 13% Asian, and 6% AfricanAmerican); 88% were women and most were collegeeducated. Findings from these preliminary psychometricevaluations support the subscale's reliability (Cronbach'salpha = .91) and validity. We offer recommendations forthe scale's use and discuss its potentiallimitations.     

Validity evidence of Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (Short) in a sample of Mexican adolescents / Evidencias de validez del Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (Short) en una muestra de adolescentes mexicanos

The aim of this study was to obtain evidence on the validity of the Emotional Quotient Inventory Youth Version-Short Form (EQ-i:YV-S) with a sample of Mexican adolescent participants. The sample comprised 375 adolescents, 183 males (48.8%), from years seven to 12 (M_age = 14.80, SD = 1.72). Different tests were carried out to provide evidence of the questionnaire’s validity: (1) reliability and internal consistency analyses; (2) exploratory and confirmatory analyses; and (3) correlational and predictive validity analyses through structural equation modelling. The four EQ-i:YV-S subscales (interpersonal, intrapersonal, stress management and adaptability) provided acceptable indexes of reliability. Exploratory factor analysis supported the multidimensionality of the questionnaire. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed that the hierarchical model that hypothesized four first-order factors and one second-order factor (social-emotional intelligence) had the best fit for the data. Finally, the positive correlations found between the four specific EQ-i:YV-S subscales, general self-concept and satisfaction with life, supported the convergent validity of the questionnaire; in addition, the questionnaire’s capacity to predict satisfaction with life corroborated its predictive validity. It can therefore be affirmed that the EQ-i:YV-S is a brief questionnaire that is suitable for measuring the emotional intelligence of Mexican adolescents.     

Development of an Everyday Spatial Behavioral Questionnaire

The authors developed a 12-category, 116-item critical incident questionnaire of spatial behavior. The authors administered the Everyday Spatial Behavioral Questionnaire (ESBQ) to volunteer undergraduates (114 women, and 31 men) and tests of spatial ability to establish both the reliability and construct validity of the instrument. The authors found that Cronbach's alpha across the subscale scores was .92, and that 8 of the 12 subscales had alphas of .70 or greater. The authors found validity of the ESBQ through canonical correlation analysis. Specifically, spatial tests, gender, and age variables, jointly with the ESBQ subscales, identified 2 apparent continua of spatial skills. The authors labeled the first continuum movement through space (from moving a vehicle at one end of the continuum, to moving one's own body through space at the other end of the continuum). The authors labeled the second identified continuum drawing/perceiving perspective/path finding, and it appeared to represent a continuum of 3-dimensional visualization or redirection. Another suggested label was dimensional discernment. Thus, the ESBQ is a first step toward identifying new ways to think about and quantify people's spatial experience.     

Battered Woman Syndrome Questionnaire (BWSQ) Subscales: Development,Reliability, and Validity

ABSTRACT

The current study describes the development and evaluation of the reliability and validity of four components of a comprehensive assessment designed for the purpose of identifying women who manifest symptoms due to an intimate partner violence (IPV) relationship: The Battered Woman Syndrome Questionnaire (BWSQ). More specifically, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure, validity, temporal stability and internal consistency of four instruments for measuring current functioning of IPV survivors; (a) Interpersonal relationship (BWSQ-IR), (b) Sexual Dysfunction (BWSQ-SD), (c) Body Image (BWSQ-BI), and (d) Post-Traumatic Stress Checklist (BWSQ-PTSC). Overall, results indicate the BWSQ subscales have good temporal stability and internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis of the four subscales indicate that each has a unidimensional factor structure. Internal consistency was high for each of the subscales. A two-way mixed effects model, intraclass correlation was used to demonstrate a high degree of test-retest reliability. Convergent and discriminant validity was demonstrated by comparing each subscale with the Revised Adult Attachment Scale (AAS), the Derogatis Interview of Sexual Functioning – Sexual Response (DISF-SR), the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale (OBCS) and the Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI). The four instruments demonstrate sound psychometric properties as standalone measures as well as subscales of the BWSQ.     

Factor analyses of the family assessment device

The Family Assessment Device (FAD) operationalizes the McMaster Model of Family Functioning, which has been used in numerous studies, translated into seven languages, and is regarded as one of the most researched family assessment tools available. However, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using the 7-by-7 matrix of subscale correlations from the original validity study on the FAD (Epstein, Baldwin, & Bishop, 1983) indicated that the FAD subscales overlap substantially and do not assess unique dimensions of family functioning. Results of our study suggest that the conservatively best use of the FAD is using the General Functioning subscale as a summary score. A model that fits the data marginally better than the General Functioning score and a Measurement Error model, however, consisted of "Collaboration" and "Commitment" latent factors. These results illustrated the need for more extensive validity research on the FAD, because interpretation of the factors and subscales had to rely heavily on face validity.     

Diagnostic Discrimination of Patients with Different OCD Main Symptom Domains from each Other and from Anxious and Depressive Controls

The extent to which the subscales of multidimensional OCD measures accurately distinguish patients with specific OCD main symptom domains from controls at different cutscores has not yet been examined. Diagnostic accuracy of OCD measures usually is determined by comparing the total scores of heterogeneous OCD samples and controls and therefore may underestimate the measures’ discrimination potential. In the current study, subtype-specific diagnostic accuracy and criterion-related validity of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) subscales were examined in 327 patients with OCD, anxiety, and/or depressive disorders. All subscales demonstrated good to excellent criterion-related validity and diagnostic accuracy for distinguishing patients with specific OCD main symptom domains from controls. As expected, the single OCI-R subscales lead to more accurate diagnostic decisions than the total scale. Thus, the subscale-specific cutscores significantly improve the OCI-R’s utility for subtype-specific treatment planning and outcome measurement. Furthermore, an alternative classification algorithm distinguishing patients with OCD from controls based on subscale cutscores leads to a better sensitivity, but also to a lower specificity than discrimination based on the total scale cutscore.     

短式知觉压力量表(PSS-10)在中国大学生中的信效度

考察短式知觉压力量表(PSS-10)在中国大学生中的效度和信度。用PSS-10、一般健康问卷(GHQ-12)、生活取向测验修订版(LOT-R)、一般自我效能量表(GSES)以及Connor-Davidson心理韧性量表(CD-RISC)对1762名大学生进行调查。PSS-10的条目质量良好; 经探索与验证后,量表的潜在结构为稳定的两个因子,与实测数据拟良好; PSS-10的效标关联效度较好。总量表、无助感和自我效能信念的内部一致性系数达到了测量学要求; 两周后其重测信度大于0.6; 它们的问卷辨识系数均大于0.9。短式知觉压力量表在中国大学生中具有良好的信效度,能够作为有效测量大学生领悟或感受到压力的程度。     

A New Questionnaire (QRFPC25) Regarding the Religiosity and Spirituality in People with Life-Threatening Disease: Reliability and Validity in a Population of Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy

The development of a questionnaire (QRFPC25) assessing the religiosity of cancer patients. The method used for the questionnaire comprises seven multi-item and three single-item scales formed from a 25-question module. The questionnaire was completed on-site and a week after antineoplastic therapy. The final sample included 156 patients. The main topics of the QRFPC25 are the following: worship, relationship with the divine, spiritual discussion, hope, participation in holly communion, faith, life after death, love, bioethics and global quality of life (QoL). The average time of both times taken to complete the questionnaire was approximately 10 min. All multi-item scales met the minimal standards of reliability (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ≥.70) before or after treatment. Test–retest reliability in terms of the intraclass correlation coefficient was also satisfactory (p < 0.01). Validity was assured by inter-item correlations and correlations with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer’s Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30, version 3.0), along with factor analysis which showed eight factors incorporated in the model. The QRFPC25 is a reliable and valid gauge for the assessment of religiosity in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.     

Validation of the Norwegian version of the Social Functioning Scale (SFS) for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Hellvin, T., Sundet, K.,Vaskinn, A., Simonsen, C.,Ueland, T., Andreassen, O.A. & Melle, I. (2010). Validation of the Norwegian version of the Social Functioning Scale (SFS) for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 51, 525–533. Studies of social functioning in severe mental disorders are disadvantaged by the multitude of different assessment instruments in use. The present study aims to establish reliability and validity of the Norwegian version of the Social Functioning Scale (SFS) and to examine social functioning in bipolar disorder (BD) compared to schizophrenia (SZ) and healthy controls (HC). SFS, a 76 item questionnaire divided into seven subscales measuring various aspects of daily life functioning, was administered to samples diagnosed with BD (n = 100) or SZ (n = 100) and to HC (n = 100), recruited from the ongoing Tematic Organized Psychosis (TOP) study. Reliability analyses prove adequate psychometric properties both for the composite full scale score (α: 0.81) as well as for the seven subscale scores (α: 0.60–0.88). Principal component analysis of the subscales confirms a one‐component structure, explaining 59% of the variance. Although significantly correlated with the Global Assessment of Functioning, our results indicate that the SFS measures different aspects of social functioning, is less influenced by demographic and clinical characteristics, but differentiates at the same time significantly BD from SZ. Thus, SFS adds valuable information as a supplement to standard clinician‐rated assessment tools of social functioning, suited both for research and clinical work.