Extending the PROMIS item bank "ability to participate in social roles and activities": a psychometric evaluation using IRT.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to explore whether the extension of the PROMIS item bank Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities (APSRA) with new items would result in more effective targeting (i.e., selecting items that are appropriate for each individual's trait level), and more reliable measurements across all latent trait levels. METHODS: A sample of 1,022 Dutch adults completed all 35 items of the original item bank plus 17 new items (in Dutch). The new items presented in this publication have been translated provisionally from Dutch into English for presentation purposes. We evaluated the basic IRT assumptions unidimensionality, local independence, and monotonicity. Furthermore, we examined the item parameters, and assessed differential item functioning (DIF) for sex, education, region, age, and ethnicity. In addition, we compared the test information functions, item parameters, and θ scores, for the original and extended item bank in order to assess whether the measurement range had improved. RESULTS: We found that the extended item bank was compatible with the basic IRT assumptions and showed good reliability. Moreover, the extended item bank improved the measurement in the lower trait range, which is important for reliably assessing functioning in clinical populations (i.e., persons reporting lower levels of participation). CONCLUSION: We extended the PROMIS-APSRA item bank and improved its psychometric quality. Our study contributes to PROMIS measurement innovation, which allows for the addition of new items to existing item banks, without changing the interpretation of the scores and while maintaining the comparability of the scores with other PROMIS instruments.

Construct validity, responsiveness, and utility of change indicators of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS item banks for depression and anxiety administered as computerized adaptive test (CAT): A comparison with the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI).

We evaluated construct validity, responsiveness, and utility of change indicators of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS adult v1.0 item banks for Depression and Anxiety administered as computerized adaptive test (CAT). Specifically, the CATs were compared to the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) using pre- and re-test data of adult patients treated for common mental disorders (N = 400; median pre-to-re-test interval = 215 days). Construct validity was evaluated with Pearson's correlations and Cohen's ds; responsiveness with Pearson's correlations and pre-post effect sizes (ES); utility of change indicators with kappa coefficients and percentages of (dis)agreement. The results showed that the PROMIS CATs measure similar constructs as matching BSI scales. Under the assumption of measuring similar constructs, the CAT and BSI Depression scales were similarly responsive. For the Anxiety scales, we found a higher responsiveness for CAT (ES = 0.64) compared to the BSI (ES = 0.50). Finally, both CATs categorized the change scores of more patients as changed compared to matching BSI scales, indicating that the PROMIS CATs may be more able to detect actual change than the BSI. Based on these findings, the PROMIS CATs may be considered a modest improvement over matching BSI scales as tools for reviewing treatment progress with patients. We discuss several additional differences between the PROMIS CATs and the BSI to help test users choose instruments. These differences include the adopted measurement theory (Item Response Theory vs. Classical Test Theory), the mode of administration (CAT vs. fixed items), and the area of application (universal vs. predominantly clinical). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Support for the higher-order factor structure of the WHODAS 2.0 self-report version in a Dutch outpatient psychiatric setting.

PURPOSE: Previous studies of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) interview version suggested a second-order model, with a general disability factor and six factors on a lower level. The goal of this study is to investigate if we can find support for a similar higher-order factor structure of the 36-item self-report version of the WHODAS 2.0 in a Dutch psychiatric outpatient sample. We aim to give special attention to the differences between the non-working group sample and the working group sample. Additionally, we intend to provide preliminary norms for clinical interpretation of the WHODAS 2.0 scores in psychiatric settings. METHODS: Patients seeking specialized ambulatory treatment, primarily for depressive or anxiety symptoms, completed the WHODAS 2.0 as part of the initial interview. The total sample consisted of 770 patients with a mean age of 37.5 years (SD = 13.3) of whom 280 were males and 490 were females. Several factorial compositions (i.e., one unidimensional model and two second-order models) were modeled using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Descriptive statistics, model-fit statistics, reliability of the (sub)scales, and preliminary norms for interpreting test scores are reported. RESULTS: For the non-working group, the second-order model with a general disability factor and six factors on a lower level, provided an adequate fit. Whereas, for the working group, the second-order model with a general disability factor and seven factors on a lower level seemed more appropriate. The WHODAS 2.0 36-item self-report form showed adequate levels of reliability. Percentile ranks and normalized T-scores are provided to aid clinical evaluations. CONCLUSION: Our results lend support for a factorial structure of the WHODAS 2.0 36-item self-report version that is comparable to the interview version. While we conjecture that a seven-factor solution might give a better reflection of item content and item variance, further research is needed to assess the clinical relevance of such a model. At this point, we recommend using the second-order structure with six factors that matches past findings of the interview form.