Criterion validity of a single-item measure of fear avoidance behavior following mild traumatic brain injury.

Maladaptive coping such as fear avoidance behavior can prolong recovery from mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Routine assessment of fear avoidance may improve management of mTBI. This study aimed to validate a single-item measure of fear avoidance to make its assessment more pragmatic. The present study is a secondary analysis of a clinical trial that involved adults with persistent post-concussion symptoms (N = 90, 63% female). Participants completed the single-item fear avoidance rating, a validated legacy measure of fear avoidance (Fear Avoidance Behavior after Traumatic Brain Injury; FAB-TBI), and measures of anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), post-concussion symptoms (Rivermead Postconcussion Symptoms Questionnaire), and disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 12.0). Questionnaires were completed twice, at baseline (mean 18.1 weeks post injury) and again 12-16 weeks later following study-delivered rehabilitation in addition to usual care. We analyzed the associations (Spearman's correlations) and agreement (weighted Kappa) between the single-item and FAB-TBI at baseline, posttreatment, individual FAB-TBI item scores, and the change in scores between baseline and posttreatment. In addition, we examined correlations between the single-item fear avoidance measure and related constructs, including anxiety, depression, post-concussion symptoms, and disability. The single-item fear avoidance measure correlated strongly with the FAB-TBI both at baseline and following treatment (ρ = 0.63 - 0.67, p < .001), and moderately with FAB-TBI item scores (ρ = 0.4 - 0.6). The correlation between the change in these scores from baseline to posttreatment was moderate (ρ = 0.45, p < .001). Agreement between the single-item fear avoidance measure and discretized FAB-TBI scores was moderate (κ = 0.45 - 0.51). Before and after treatment, the single-item fear avoidance measure correlated moderately with anxiety (ρ = 0.34), depression (ρ = 0.43), post-concussion symptoms (ρ = 0.50), and disability (ρ = 0.43). The FAB-TBI was more strongly correlated with these measures (ρ = 0.53 - 0.73). In summary, the present study supports the criterion validity of the single-item fear avoidance measure. This measure may be a useful screening and monitoring tool for patients with mTBI but is not a substitute for the FAB-TBI questionnaire.

Validation of the translated Negative Physical Self Scale in a sample of Asian women living in Canada.

OBJECTIVES: Body dissatisfaction is often linked to the internalization of Western beauty standards. Existing measures of body dissatisfaction, developed in Western societies, may fail to capture complex variations across ethnicities and cultures. The Negative Physical Self Scale (NPSS) assesses cognitive, affective, perceptual, and behavioural facets of body dissatisfaction. While unique in its consideration of Chinese ideals of body image, the NPSS has recently been translated and validated in a North American sample. The English-translated version of the NPSS has the potential to be an appropriate body dissatisfaction assessment tool for Asian women living in North America. The current study aims to validate the NPSS in an Asian female population living in Canada. METHODS: A sample of 899 undergraduate women residing in Canada with self-identified Asian ethnicity completed an online survey consisting of the NPSS and other measures of body dissatisfaction. RESULTS: An initial confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the four-factor structure of the NPSS, previously suggested in a primarily non-Asian North American sample, was a poor fit for the data. A second-order multidimensional model, based on a model proposed during the original development of the NPSS in a Chinese sample, indicated good fit once items were removed due to loadings < .60. High internal consistency between subscales and strong convergent validity with other measures were demonstrated. Notably, the NPSS Body Concern subscale demonstrated high convergence with other popular measures of body dissatisfaction and has the potential for use as a brief measure of body dissatisfaction among North American Asian females in clinical and research settings. CONCLUSIONS: The NPSS provides a valid assessment of body dissatisfaction among a sample of Asian women living in Canada, a specific subpopulation that has not been previously investigated. The findings highlight the importance of developing culturally sensitive measures of body dissatisfaction for differing ethnic and cultural groups.

Eyes meet, hands greet: The art of timing in social interactions.

Shaking hands is a fundamental form of social interaction. The current study used high-definition cameras during a university graduation ceremony to examine the temporal sequencing of eye contact and shaking hands. Analyses revealed that mutual gaze always preceded shaking hands. A follow up investigation manipulated gaze when shaking hands, and found that participants take significantly longer to accept a handshake when an outstretched hand precedes eye contact. These findings demonstrate that the timing between a person's gaze and their offer to shake hands is critical to how their action is interpreted.