Assessing the Psychometric Properties of the Illness Management and Recovery Scale: A Systematic Review Using the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN).

The Illness Management and Recovery Scale (IMR-S) is based on the IMR program, developed to assess the recovery process for people with severe mental disorders by considering the perceptions of clients and clinicians involved in it. The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the IMR-S so as to determine the reliability and suitability of its scores for evaluating recovery. Two coders searched five databases for studies, published between January 2004 and May 2023, that describe the psychometric assessment of the IMR-S. Studies were assessed using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) Risk of Bias checklist. Finally, 46 papers were included. Methodological quality was very good for most of the studies that provide information on internal validity, and limited for those that report on responsiveness. Measurement properties were positive for convergent validity and measurement error. The quality of evidence was high for structural validity studies. Although this study only includes research published in English and may have overlooked certain psychometric properties evaluated in studies published in other languages, our findings suggest that the IMR-S is a valid and reliable instrument, demonstrating its potential to offer guidance for clinical practice.

Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire / Propiedades Psicométricas de la Versión Española del Cuestionario de Estilos deAlimentación Parental

Background: There are no validated instruments in Spain for measuring parental feeding styles. The aim was to validate the Parental Feeding Styles Questionnaires (PFSQ) in a Spanish sample. Method: A total of 523 mothers of 523 school-children participated. The children had a mean age of 4.4 years (SD = 1.3), with 51% being boys (M = 4.3 years, SD = 1.4) and 49% girls (M = 4.5 years, SD = 1.3). The PFSQ and the Comprehensive General Parenting Styles Questionnaire (CGPQ) were used. Results: A model of four correlated factors was identified: Prompting/encouraging eating, emotional feeding, instrumental feeding, and control over eating. Cronbach’s alpha for the subscales ranged from 0.64 to 0.86, and McDonald’s Omega coefficient ranged from 0.66 to 0.86. Emotional feeding and prompting/ encouraging eating had values above 0.70, control over eating had a value of 0.68 and instrumental feeding had an alpha coefficient of 0.64 and omega coefficient of 0.66. The factor structure was similar to the original and to other adapted versions. The Spanish sample used more control over eating and prompting/encouraging to eat. Conclusions: The adapted PFSQ is a suitable instrument for assessing the feeding styles of Spanish parents.(AU)

Antecedentes: No hay suficientes instrumentos validados en España para medir los estilos de alimentación parental. El objetivo fue validar el cuestionario de estilos de alimentación Parental (PFSQ) en muestra española. Método: Participaron 523 madres de 523 escolares con una media de edad de 4.4 años (DT = 1.3), siendo el 51% niños (M = 4.3 años, DT = 1.4) y 49% niñas (M = 4.5 años, DT=1.3). Se utilizaron el PFSQ y el cuestionario de estilos de crianza general (CGPQ). Resultados: Se identificó un modelo de cuatro factores correlacionados: persuadirle/animarle a comer, alimentación emocional, alimentación instrumental, y control de la ingesta. El alfa de Cronbach de las subescalas osciló entre 0.64 y 0.86, y el coeficiente omega de McDonald entre 0.66 y 0.86. Alimentación emocional y persuadirle/animarle a comer obtuvieron valores superiores a 0.70, control de la ingesta obtuvo 0.68 y la alimentación instrumental, un coeficiente alfa de 0.64 y un coeficiente Omega de 0.66. La estructura factorial coincide con la versión original y otras versiones adaptadas. La muestra española utilizó más el control de la ingesta y persuadirle/animarle a comer. Conclusiones: El PFSQ es un instrumento adecuado para evaluar los estilos de alimentación de los padres españoles.(AU)

Spanish validation of the pure procrastination scale: dimensional structure, internal consistency, temporal stability, gender invariance, and relationships with personality and satisfaction with life.

The objective of the current study was to adapt and validate the pure procrastination scale (PPS) for the Spanish adult population. Procrastination can have numerous consequences in daily life, making it essential to have reliable and valid instruments for measuring procrastination. Thus, this study was conducted to address this need. The sample consisted of 596 adults aged 18-83 years (M = 35.25, SD = 13.75). In addition to the PPS, participants completed two procrastination measures, namely the irrational procrastination scale and the decisional procrastination questionnaire, alongside the Big Five inventory and the satisfaction with life scale. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure of the PPS. The examination of the reliability of scores in terms of internal consistency and temporal stability showed satisfactory results for the PPS scores. Moreover, gender invariance was observed at the scalar level. Finally, the PPS scores correlated with other measures of procrastination, personality traits, and satisfaction with life in the expected direction and magnitude. In conclusion, the Spanish PPS offers valid and reliable scores when administered to adult population.

Is Social Media a New Type of Social Support? Social Media Use in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Study.

This study examines Spanish adults' social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic using mixed-methods to assess and understand frequency, context, and changes in social media use during two critical time points in Spain. We conducted semi-structured interviews in April 2020, and two waves of surveys (April 2020, April 2021) among Spanish adults. We coded and analyzed qualitative data related to social media use during the first lockdown period in Spain using Dedoose software; and ran descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to assess changes in social media use over the two survey waves related to perceived social support and loneliness. Participants ranged in age from 18-92 and were representative of the Spanish population's sociodemographics. Interview data show that WhatsApp was most commonly used, and that social media allowed for social support and engaging in healthy behaviors. Survey data show that women and individuals aged 18-34 had the greatest increases in social media use. Statistically significant associations were found between social support and loneliness with social media use. Our results show that promoting social media use as an emotional resource for social support in times of crisis or isolation can minimize loneliness and can be a beneficial tool for general worldwide crises.

The Psychological Consequences of COVID-19 and Lockdown in the Spanish Population: An Exploratory Sequential Design.

The objectives of this study were to analyze the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown in the Spanish population and to identify what population profiles were most affected. The study used a sequential exploratory design. In the qualitative phase, 40 participants were recruited based on theoretically relevant criteria and the saturation of the information provided by the interviews. In the quantitative phase, a large representative sample was applied. The universe considered was the adult population of Spain. A total of 6789 surveys were conducted. Both the analysis of the narratives of the interviews and the responses to the panel survey showed relevant changes in attitudes and mood swings compared to the period prior to lockdown. These changes include dysphoric moods (i.e., experiences of distress such as sadness/depression, anxiety, rage, feeling of unreality, worry, etc.) and also some euphoric moods (i.e., feelings of well-being, happiness, etc.). A higher number of women were affected than men and a greater increase was observed in younger people. The findings of the study may serve as a basis for detecting needs and providing psychological support, as the symptoms detected as the most common are key for the processes of screening at-risk individuals.

International test commission guidelines for test adaptation: a criterion checklist / Directrices de la Comisión Internacional de Test para la adaptación de test: un listado de verificación

BACKGROUND: To improve the quality of test translation and adaptation, and hence the comparability of scores across cultures, the International Test Commission (ITC) proposed a number of guidelines for the adaptation process. Although these guidelines are well-known, they are not implemented as often as they should be. One possible reason for this is the broad scope of the guidelines, which makes them difficult to apply in practice. The goal of this study was therefore to draw up an evaluative criterion checklist that would help test adapters to implement the ITC recommendations and which would serve as a model for assessing the quality of test adaptations. METHOD: Each ITC guideline was operationalized through a number of criteria. For each criterion, acceptable and excellent levels of accomplishment were proposed. The initial checklist was then reviewed by a panel of 12 experts in testing and test adaptation. The resulting checklist was applied to two different tests by two pairs of independent reviewers. RESULTS: The final evaluative checklist consisted of 29 criteria covering all phases of test adaptation: planning, development, confirmation, administration, score interpretation, and documentation. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the proposed evaluative checklist will help to improve the quality of test adaptation

ANTECEDENTES: la Comisión Internacional de Test (ITC) propuso una serie de directrices para mejorar la calidad de la traducción y adaptación de los test y, consecuentemente, mejorar la comparabilidad de las puntuaciones a través de distintas culturas. Aunque estas directrices son bien conocidas, no se aplican tan frecuentemente como sería deseable. Este trabajo propone un listado de verificación de los criterios de cumplimiento asociados a las directrices de la ITC, que faciliten su implementación y sirvan de modelo para evaluar la calidad de las adaptaciones realizadas. MÉTODO: cada directriz de la ITC se operacionalizó a través de distintos criterios. Para cada criterio se propusieron niveles de aceptabilidad y excelencia. El listado inicial propuesto fue revisado por un panel de 12 expertos en el área de medición y adaptación de test. La versión resultante fue aplicada a dos test por dos pares de revisores independientes. RESULTADOS: el listado final de verificación del grado de cumplimiento de las directrices consistió en 29 criterios que cubren todas las fases del proceso de adaptación de un test: planificación, desarrollo, confirmación, administración, interpretación de las puntuaciones y documentación. CONCLUSIONES: se espera que el listado propuesto ayude a mejorar la calidad de los test adaptados

Sexta evaluación de test editados en España: Resultados e impacto del modelo en docentes y editoriales / Sixth review of tests published in Spain: Results and impact of the model on lecturers and publishers

El cuestionario para la Evaluación de los Tests (CET; Prieto y Muñiz, 2000) y su revisión (CET-R; Hernández et al., 2016) se han venido aplicando sistemáticamente desde 2010, impulsado por la Comisión de tests del Consejo General de la Psicología del Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos. El objetivo es proporcionar información contrastada sobre la calidad de las pruebas a los profesionales, con el fin de mejorar el uso de los tests. El presente trabajo tiene un doble objetivo. El primero, presentar los resultados de la sexta evaluación de tests psicológicos y educativos, en la que se han revisado un total de 10 tests. El segundo, evaluar el impacto que la aplicación del CET/CET-R ha tenido durante estos años en dos agentes cruciales: las editoriales de tests, y los profesores universitarios encargados de formar a los futuros profesionales usuarios de tests. Los resultados de la sexta evaluación, así como los resultados de la encuesta para evaluar el impacto del CET/CET-R, se pueden considerar en general satisfactorios. Sin embargo, se identifican varios aspectos que son susceptibles de mejora

The Questionnaire for the Assessment of Tests (CET; Prieto & Muñiz, 2000) and the revised version of this questionnaire (CET-R; Hernández et al., 2016) have been applied systematically since 2010 by the Test Commission of the Spanish Psychological Association. The main goal is to provide practitioners with reliable information on the quality of the tests in order to improve test use. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, to present the results of the sixth review of psychological and educational tests, in which a total of 10 tests have been evaluated. Second, to assess the impact that the application of CET/CET-R has had over these years on two key agents: test publishers and university lecturers who are responsible for training future test users. Both the results of the sixth review and the results of the survey to assess the impact of CET/CET-R are satisfactory in general terms. However, some issues where there is room for improvement have been identified

Cross-cultural Adaptation of the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) Questionnaire for Spanish Athletes With Achilles Tendinopathy.

Study Design Clinical measurement study. Background Achilles tendinopathy is a prevalent sport-related injury. The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire is a widely used patient-reported outcome to assess the severity of symptoms for this injury. Objective To adapt the VISA-A questionnaire into Spanish and to assess its psychometric properties. Methods Cross-cultural adaptation was conducted according to recommended guidelines. The Spanish VISA-A (VISA-A-Sp) questionnaire was administered to 210 subjects: 70 healthy students, 70 active at-risk subjects (participating in running and jumping), and 70 patients diagnosed with Achilles tendinopathy. Participants were assessed at baseline and after 3 to 5 days. The injured subjects were also evaluated with a quality-of-life questionnaire (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-36]) and at discharge. The final VISA-A-Sp was evaluated for reliability, validity, and responsiveness. Results Cronbach alpha for the VISA-A-Sp was greater than .8. The intraclass correlation coefficient (model 2,1) was 0.993 (95% confidence interval: 0.991, 0.995; P<.05). In the confirmatory factor analysis, a 1-factor solution obtained a relatively good fit. Subjects with Achilles tendinopathy scored significantly lower than the other 2 groups (P<.001). The VISA-A-Sp score within the Achilles tendinopathy group showed significant correlations with SF-36 physical components (Spearman rho>0.5, P<.001). The standard error of the measurement was 2.53, and the minimal detectable change at the 95% confidence level was 7 points. The responsiveness indicators included an effect size of 2.16 and a standardized response mean of 1.92. Conclusion The VISA-A-Sp showed satisfactory psychometric properties that were comparable to the original English-language version. Therefore, it can be recommended for use in clinical practice and research for assessing the severity of symptoms in Spanish-speaking athletes who suffer from Achilles tendinopathy. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(2):111-120. Epub 13 Dec 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.7402.

Beyond diagnosis: the Core Sets for persons with schizophrenia based on the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health.

PURPOSE: Based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), this paper presents the results of the process to develop the Comprehensive and Brief Core Sets for schizophrenia that allow to comprehensively describe functioning in persons with schizophrenia. METHODS: Twenty health professionals from diverse backgrounds participated in a formal and iterative decision-making process during an international consensus conference to develop these Core Sets. The conference was carried out based on evidence gathered from four preparatory studies (systematic literature review, qualitative study, expert survey, and empirical study). The first step of this decision-making and consensus process comprised of discussions and voting in working groups and plenary sessions to develop the comprehensive version. The categories of the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for schizophrenia served as the basis for the second step -a ranking and cutoff procedure to decide on the brief version. RESULTS: Of the 184 candidate categories identified in the preparatory studies, 97 categories were included in the Comprehensive Core Set for schizophrenia. A total of 25 categories were selected to constitute the Brief Core Set. CONCLUSIONS: The formal decision-making and consensus process integrating evidence from four preparatory studies and expert opinion led to the first version of the Core Sets for schizophrenia. Comprehensive and Brief Core Sets for schizophrenia may provide a common language among different health professionals and researchers, and a basic international standard of what to measure, report, and assess the functioning of persons with schizophrenia. Implications for rehabilitation Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that has a tremendous impact on functioning and daily life of persons living with the disorder. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) offers an internationally recognized standard for describing the functioning status of these individuals. The Core Sets for schizophrenia have potential use in supporting rehabilitation practice such as for planning mental health services and other interventions or defining rehabilitation goals, and documenting patient care. The Core Sets for schizophrenia may also be used to promote interdisciplinary coordination and facilitate communication between members of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team. Rehabilitation research is another potential area of application of the Core Sets for schizophrenia. This is valuable, since rehabilitation research provides crucial evidence for optimizing rehabilitation practice.

A comparison of discriminant logistic regression and Item Response Theory Likelihood-Ratio Tests for Differential Item Functioning (IRTLRDIF) in polytomous short tests / Funcionamiento diferencial del ítem en tests breves: comparación entre regresión logística discriminante e IRTLRDIF

BACKGROUND: Short scales are typically used in the social, behavioural and health sciences. This is relevant since test length can influence whether items showing DIF are correctly flagged. This paper compares the relative effectiveness of discriminant logistic regression (DLR) and IRTLRDIF for detecting DIF in polytomous short tests. METHOD: A simulation study was designed. Test length, sample size, DIF amount and item response categories number were manipulated. Type I error and power were evaluated.RESULTS: IRTLRDIF and DLR yielded Type I error rates close to nominal level in no-DIF conditions. Under DIF conditions, Type I error rates were affected by test length DIF amount, degree of test contamination, sample size and number of item response categories. DLR showed a higher Type I error rate than did IRTLRDIF. Power rates were affected by DIF amount and sample size, but not by test length. DLR achieved higher power rates than did IRTLRDIF in very short tests, although the high Type I error rate involved means that this result cannot be taken into account. CONCLUSIONS: Test length had an important impact on the Type I error rate. IRTLRDIF and DLR showed a low power rate in short tests and with small sample sizes

ANTECEDENTES: en ciencias sociales, del comportamiento y de salud es habitual usar tests breves. El tamaño del test puede afectar a la correcta identificación de ítems con DIF. Este trabajo compara la eficacia relativa de la Regresión Logística Discriminante (RLD) e IRTLRDIF en la detección del DIF en tests cortos politómicos. MÉTODO: se diseñó un estudio de simulación. Se manipuló tamaño del test, tamaño de la muestra, cantidad DIF y número de categorías de respuesta al ítem. Se evaluó el Error Tipo I y la potencia. RESULTADOS: en las condiciones de no-DIF IRTLRDIF y RLD mostraron tasas de Error Tipo I cercanas al nivel nominal. En tests con DIF las tasas de Error Tipo I dependieron del tamaño del test, de la muestra, cantidad de DIF, contaminación del test y número de categorías del ítem. RLD presentó mayor tasa de Error Tipo I que IRTLRDIF. La potencia estuvo afectada por la cantidad de DIF y tamaño de la muestra. En tests muy cortos RLD mostró mayor potencia que IRTLRDIF. CONCLUSIONES: en tests cortos y con DIF las tasas de Error Tipo I fueron elevadas. La potencia de IRTLRDIF y RLD fue relativamente baja en tests cortos y tamaños muestrales pequeños

Modeling the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II using non-parametric item response models.

The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHO-DAS II) is a multidimensional instrument developed for measuring disability. It comprises six domains (getting around, self-care, getting along with others, life activities and participation in society). The main purpose of this paper is the evaluation of the psychometric properties for each domain of the WHO-DAS II with parametric and non-parametric Item Response Theory (IRT) models. A secondary objective is to assess whether the WHO-DAS II items within each domain form a hierarchy of invariantly ordered severity indicators of disability. A sample of 352 patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder is used in this study. The 36 items WHO-DAS II was administered during the consultation. Partial Credit and Mokken scale models are used to study the psychometric properties of the questionnaire. The psychometric properties of the WHO-DAS II scale are satisfactory for all the domains. However, we identify a few items that do not discriminate satisfactorily between different levels of disability and cannot be invariantly ordered in the scale. In conclusion the WHO-DAS II can be used to assess overall disability in patients with schizophrenia, but some domains are too general to assess functionality in these patients because they contain items that are not applicable to this pathology.

Type I error and statistical power of the Mantel-Haenszel procedure for detecting DIF: a meta-analysis.

This article presents a meta-analysis of studies investigating the effectiveness of the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) procedure when used to detect differential item functioning (DIF). Studies were located electronically in the main databases, representing the codification of 3,774 different simulation conditions, 1,865 related to Type I error and 1,909 to statistical power. The homogeneity of effect-size distributions was assessed by the Q statistic. The extremely high heterogeneity in both error rates (I² = 94.70) and power (I² = 99.29), due to the fact that numerous studies test the procedure in extreme conditions, means that the main interest of the results lies in explaining the variability in detection rates. One-way analysis of variance was used to determine the effects of each variable on detection rates, showing that the MH test was more effective when purification procedures were used, when the data fitted the Rasch model, when test contamination was below 20%, and with sample sizes above 500. The results imply a series of recommendations for practitioners who wish to study DIF with the MH test. A limitation, one inherent to all meta-analyses, is that not all the possible moderator variables, or the levels of variables, have been explored. This serves to remind us of certain gaps in the scientific literature (i.e., regarding the direction of DIF or variances in ability distribution) and is an aspect that methodologists should consider in future simulation studies.

Screening utility of the social anxiety screening scale in Spanish speaking adolescents.

The aim of this study was to analyse the screening utility of the Social Anxiety Screening Scale (SASS/EDAS) in a sample of 227 adolescents with social anxiety disorder and 156 Without it (14-17 years). Results showed that the EDAS subscales (Avoidance, Distress and Interference) scores were reliable in terms of internal consistency (alpha > .80). All the subscales discriminated between adolescents with and without the disorder. They also showed a positive and significant correlation with other empirically validated measures of social anxiety. The three subscales indicated relevant sensitivity (69.16-84.14%), specificity (63.46-66.03%) and areas under the curve (.74-.81%). Binary logistic regression analyses indicated the adequate predictive utility of EDAS subscales, with the Distress subscale as the best diagnostic predictor. The data provide empirical evidence of the usefulness of EDAS as a screener for adolescent social anxiety disorder in terms of reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, diagnostic accuracy and clinical usefulness.

Screening utility of the social anxiety screening scale in Spanish speaking adolescents

The aim of this study was to analyse the screening utility of the Social Anxiety Screening Scale (SASS/EDAS) in a sample of 227 adolescents with social anxiety disorder and 156 without it (14-17 years). Results showed that the EDAS subscales (Avoidance, Distress and Interference) scores were reliable in terms of internal consistency (α > .80). All the subscales discriminated between adolescents with and without the disorder. They also showed a positive and significant correlation with other empirically validated measures of social anxiety. The three subscales indicated relevant sensitivity (69.16-84.14%), specificity (63.46-66.03%) and areas under the curve (.74-.81%). Binary logistic regression analyses indicated the adequate predictive utility of EDAS subscales, with the Distress subscale as the best diagnostic predictor. The data provide empirical evidence of the usefulness of EDAS as a screener for adolescent social anxiety disorder in terms of reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, diagnostic accuracy and clinical usefulness (AU)

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la precisión diagnóstica y utilidad clínica de la Escala para la detección de ansiedad social (EDAS) en una muestra de 227 adolescentes con el trastorno de ansiedad social y 156 sin el trastorno (14-17 años). Los resultados muestran que las puntuaciones en las subescalas de la EDAS (Evitación, Malestar e Interferencia) fueron fiables en términos de consistencia interna (α > .80). Todas las subescalas discriminaron entre adolescentes con y sin el trastorno. También correlacionaron positiva y significativamente con otras medidas de ansiedad social validadas empíricamente. Las tres subescalas indicaron una sensibilidad (69.16-84.14%), especificidad (63.46- 66.03%) y área bajo la curva (.74-.81%) adecuadas. Los análisis de regresión logística binaria determinaron la utilidad predictiva de las tres subescalas de la EDAS, si bien la subescala Malestar se mostró como el mejor predictor del diagnóstico. Los datos aportan evidencia empírica de la utilidad de la EDAS como herramienta de detección para el trastorno de ansiedad social en la adolescencia en términos de fiabilidad, validez convergente y discriminante, precisión diagnóstica y utilidad clínica (AU)

Social Phobia Inventory (SoPhI): Validez y fiabilidad en una población adolescente / The Social Phobia Inventory (SoPhI): Validity and reliability in an adolescent population

A pesar de la existencia de numerosas escalas para evaluar ansiedad social en adultos, y un número creciente de ellas para medir esta psicopatología en adolescentes, sólo se dispone de una escala desarrollada durante la última década, Social Phobia Inventory (SoPhI; Moore & Gee, 2003), que ha incluido un ítem para examinar el criterio F del trastorno de ansiedad social de acuerdo con el DSM-IV-TR (el trastorno debe estar presente durante al menos seis meses). Pese a esto, no se ha examinado la validez del SoPhI en otras lenguas y culturas. Para cubrir esta laguna, se administró el SoPhI en dos estudios: en el primero de ellos, a 457 adolescentes de una muestra comunitaria, con el fin de determinar su consistencia interna y estructura factorial; en el segundo caso, a una muestra clínica de 114 adolescentes con un diagnóstico clínico principal de trastorno de ansiedad social y a 78 adolescentes sin este trastorno. Los resultados revelaron que la escala mostró buenas propiedades psicométricas, tanto al respecto de su fiabilidad test-retest, validez convergente, consistencia interna, y una estructura factorial similar a la obtenida en el estudio original. Por ello, todos estos datos apoyan el uso del SoPhI en un idioma diferente al inglés, y para otro rango de edad que el inicialmente desarrollado (AU)

Although there are numerous self-report measures to assess social anxiety in adults, and an increasing number in adolescents, only one scale designed during the last decade, the Social Phobia Inventory (SoPhI; Moore & Gee, 2003) has included an item to tap DSM-IV criterion F of social anxiety disorder (i.e. social anxiety must be present for at least six months). However, questions remain regarding the validity of the SoPhI in other languages and cultures. To address this problem the SoPhI was administered in two studies: firstly, to 457 adolescents from a community sample in order to test the internal consistency and factor analysis of the scale; and secondly, to a clinical sample comprising 114 participants with a principal diagnosis of social anxiety disorder, and a control group consisting of 78 adolescents with no diagnosis of social anxiety disorder. The scale showed good psychometric properties, including test-retest reliability, convergent validity, internal consistency, and a single-factor structure similar to the original study. Together these findings support the use of the SoPhI in a language other than English and for this range of ages (AU)

Psychometric update of the Social Anxiety Screening Scale (SASS/EDAS) in a Spanish adolescent population.

The aim of this work was to update the validation of the Social Anxiety Screening Scale (SASS/EDAS) in a sample of Spanish adolescents. To achieve this, one study with a sample of 1489 students in secondary education, of ages 14 to 17 years, were carried out. The psychometric properties of EDAS were examined through confirmatory factor analysis, reliability (Cronbach's alpha), temporal stability (test-retest), and concurrent criterion validity. The results supported the three-independent-factor structure (avoidance, distress and interference), that showed best fit indices compared to alternative models. They also showed that the scores of participants on EDAS scales were reliable in terms of internal consistency (alpha > .80) and moderately reliable concerning temporal stability (r = .48-.60) over a five-week period. The correlations between the EDAS factors and other social anxiety measures were positive and significant. Data provide empirical evidence of the estimation of reliability and validity of this scale. Future work should extend the validation of the EDAS in clinical samples.

Psychometric update of the social anxiety screening scale (SASS/EDAS) in a Spanish adolescent population

The aim of this work was to update the validation of the Social Anxiety Screening Scale (SASS/EDAS) in a sample of Spanish adolescents. To achieve this, one study with a sample of 1489 students in secondary education, of ages 14 to 17 years, were carried out. The psychometric properties of EDAS were examined through confirmatory factor analysis, reliability (Cronbach’s alpha), temporal stability (test-retest), and concurrent criterion validity. The results supported the three-independent-factor structure (avoidance, distress and interference), that showed best fit indices compared to alternative models. They also showed that the scores of participants on EDAS scales were reliable in terms of internal consistency (α > .80) and moderately reliable concerning temporal stability (r = .48-.60) over a five-week period. The correlations between the EDAS factors and other social anxiety measures were positive and significant. Data provide empirical evidence of the estimation of reliability and validity of this scale. Future work should extend the validation of the EDAS in clinical samples (AU)

El objetivo de este trabajo fue actualizar la validación de la Escala para la detección de ansiedad social (EDAS) en una muestra de adolescentes españoles. Para ello se llevó a cabo un estudio con una muestra de 1489 estudiantes de educación secundaria, cuyas edades se encontraron entre los 14 y los 17 años. Se analizaron las propiedades psicométricas de la EDAS mediante análisis factoriales confirmatorios, análisis de fiabilidad a través del alfa de Cronbach, de estabilidad temporal test-retest y análisis de la validez de criterio concurrente. Los resultados ofrecieron apoyo a la estructura de tres factores independientes (Evitación, Malestar e Interferencia), que mostró mejores índices de ajuste en comparación con los modelos alternativos. También mostraron que las puntuaciones de los participantes en las escalas de la EDAS fueron fiables en términos de consistencia interna (α > .80) y relativamente estables temporalmente (r = .48-.60) en un periodo de cinco semanas. Los factores de la escala correlacionaron positiva y significativamente con otras medidas de ansiedad social. Los datos aportan evidencia empírica de la estimación de la fiabilidad y validez de esta escala. Futuros trabajos deberían ampliar la validación de la EDAS en población clínica (AU)

Cross-cultural adaptation of VISA-P score for patellar tendinopathy in Spanish population.

STUDY DESIGN: Clinical measurement. OBJECTIVES: To adapt the VISA-P questionnaire into Spanish and to assess its psychometric properties. BACKGROUND: Health status questionnaires and scales to report outcomes are increasingly used in medical research and clinical practice. Validated versions of these tools are necessary to avoid bias during use in different languages and cultures. METHODS: We followed international recommendations to perform cross-cultural adaptation. The Spanish VISA-P (VISA-P-Sp) questionnaire and the Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) were administered to 150 individuals: 40 healthy students, 40 professional players in sports requiring jumping, 40 athletes with patellar tendinopathy, and 30 athletes with knee injuries other than patellar tendinopathy. Participants were assessed at baseline and after 1 week. Athletes with tendinopathy also completed questionnaires and other knee measures (the Kujala Scoring Questionnaire and the Cincinnati Knee Rating Scale) after physiotherapy treatment, which consisted of rest, ice, eccentric exercise, electrotherapy, and manual therapy. RESULTS: The VISA-P-Sp showed high reliability for both temporal stability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.994; 95% CI: 0.992, 0.996) and internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.885). Based on a factor analysis, a 2-factor solution explained 76.1% of the variance. The VISA-P-Sp score in the tendinopathy group was significantly correlated with scores on other knee scales (Kujala score [Spearman rho = 0.897; P<.001] and Cincinnati scale [Spearman rho = 0.782, P<.001]) and with SF-36 physical components score (Spearman rho>0.6, P<.001). The standardized size effect was 1.14, and the standardized response mean was 1.17. CONCLUSION: The VISA-P-Sp questionnaire proved to be a valid and reliable instrument, sensitive to clinical changes and comparable to the original English-language version.

Use of multilevel logistic regression to identify the causes of differential item functioning.

Given that a key function of tests is to serve as evaluation instruments and for decision making in the fields of psychology and education, the possibility that some of their items may show differential behaviour is a major concern for psychometricians. In recent decades, important progress has been made as regards the efficacy of techniques designed to detect this differential item functioning (DIF). However, the findings are scant when it comes to explaining its causes. The present study addresses this problem from the perspective of multilevel analysis. Starting from a case study in the area of transcultural comparisons, multilevel logistic regression is used: 1) to identify the item characteristics associated with the presence of DIF; 2) to estimate the proportion of variation in the DIF coefficients that is explained by these characteristics; and 3) to evaluate alternative explanations of the DIF by comparing the explanatory power or fit of different sequential models. The comparison of these models confirmed one of the two alternatives (familiarity with the stimulus) and rejected the other (the topic area) as being a cause of differential functioning with respect to the compared groups.

Use of multilevel logistic regression to identify the causes of differential item functioning / Utilización de la regresión logística multinivel para identificar las causas del funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems

Given that a key function of tests is to serve as evaluation instruments and for decision making in the fields of psychology and education, the possibility that some of their items may show differential behaviour is a major concern for psychometricians. In recent decades, important progress has been made as regards the efficacy of techniques designed to detect this differential item functioning (DIF). However, the findings are scant when it comes to explaining its causes. The present study addresses this problem from the perspective of multilevel analysis. Starting from a case study in the area of transcultural comparisons, multilevel logistic regression is used: 1) to identify the item characteristics associated with the presence of DIF; 2) to estimate the proportion of variation in the DIF coefficients that is explained by these characteristics; and 3) to evaluate alternative explanations of the DIF by comparing the explanatory power or fit of different sequential models. The comparison of these models confirmed one of the two alternatives (familiarity with the stimulus) and rejected the other (the topic area) as being a cause of differential functioning with respect to the compared groups (AU)

Dada la relevancia de los tests como instrumentos de evaluación y de toma de decisiones en los campos de la psicología y de la educación, la posibilidad de que algunos de sus ítems presenten un comportamiento diferencial constituye una preocupación central de los psicómetras. En las últimas décadas se han producido importantes avances con respecto a las técnicas diseñadas para detectar el funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems (DIF). Sin embargo, los hallazgos son escasos en lo que respecta a identificar las causas que lo explican. El presente trabajo aborda este problema desde la perspectiva del análisis multinivel. Partiendo del estudio de un caso del ámbito de las comparaciones transculturales, se utiliza la regresión logística multinivel para: 1) identificar las características de los ítems asociadas a la presencia de DIF; 2) estimar la proporción de la variación en los coeficientes de DIF explicada por tales características; y 3) evaluar explicaciones alternativas para el DIF comparando la capacidad explicativa o el ajuste de diferentes modelos. La comparación entre tales modelos permitió confirmar una de las dos alternativas (la familiaridad con el estímulo) y descartar la otra (el tema de estudio) como causa del funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems en los grupos comparados (AU)