Psychometric Properties of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Norwegian Children.

The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence (PMSC) for young Norwegian children, a scale that is aligned with skills assessed in the Test of Gross Motor Development- Third Edition. We used convenience sampling to recruit 396 Norwegian-speaking children (7-10-year-olds) who completed the PMSC. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed factorial validity for the proposed three-factor model of the PMSC, encompassing measures of self-perceived ball, locomotor, and active play competence. Internal item consistency coefficients of these sub-scales were acceptable, and subsequent measurement invariant analysis found a gender difference such that boys rated their competence higher than girls in running, jumping forward, hitting a ball (racket), kicking, throwing a ball and rope climbing, while girls rated themselves higher, compared to boys, in galloping and skating/blading. Furthermore, there was a slightly better model fit for boys than for girls. Several items were significantly related to children's age, and the three-factor model exhibited differential age related factor mean differences across older and younger children. Overall, we found the PMSC to have acceptable psychometric properties for confident use in assessing perceived motor competence among 7-10-year-old Norwegian children, though we observed age and gender differences in children's responses that warrant careful interpretation of results and further research investigation.

Confirmatory validation of the patient health questionnaire - 4 (PHQ-4) for gastrointestinal disorders: A large-scale cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE: Using the large Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Survey dataset, the aim of this study was to evaluate the construct and convergent validity and internal consistency of the PHQ-4 across both gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal condition cohorts. Another aim was to provide descriptive information about the PHQ-4 including means, confidence intervals and percentage of caseness using a large representative sample. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 26 countries. Confirmatory factor and internal consistency analyses were conducted across subsamples of patients with gastrointestinal conditions (i.e., disorders of gut-brain interaction [DGBI; any DGBI, individual DGBI, and DGBI region], gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), coeliac disease, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cancer anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, peptic ulcer) and those without a gastrointestinal condition. Convergent validity was also assessed via a series of Pearson's correlation coefficients with PROMIS (physical and mental quality of life), and PHQ-12 (somatisation). RESULTS: Based on 54,127 participants (50.9% male; mean age 44.34 years) confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable to excellent model fits for the PHQ-4 across all subsamples and individual DGBI and DGBI region (Comparative Fit Index >0.950, Tucker-Lewis Index >0.950, Root Mean Squared Error of Approximation <0.05, and Standardised Root Mean Square Residual <0.05). The PHQ-4 was found to demonstrate convergent validity (Pearson's correlation coefficients >±0.4), and good internal consistency (Cronbach's α > 0.75). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that the PHQ-4 is a valid and reliable tool for assessing mental health symptomology in both gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal cohorts.

Assessment of psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the sensation seeking scale for children in a Norwegian sample.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a Norwegian translation of the Sensation Seeking Scale for Children (SSSC), designed for children between 7 and 12 years of age. Methods: A sample of 393 children (7-10 years old) were recruited to participate in the study. The SSSC was administered through interviews with each child, wherein their responses to the SSSC questionnaire were recorded on a tablet. Results: Analysis of internal consistency reliability did not show acceptable reliability for all subscales, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed that the Thrill Seeking and Behavioral Intensity subscales were associated and somewhat overlapping, while Behavioral Inhibition appeared as a single factor. A further explanatory factor analysis (EFA) revealed a two-factor solution. CFA of the two-factor solution resulted in the removal of some items in both factors due to low factor loadings. The final factors resulting from this analysis were Thrill and Intensity Seeking (13 items) and Behavioral Inhibition (7 items). The results also show that boys scored higher than girls on Thrill and Intensity Seeking while girls scored higher than boys on Behavioral Inhibition. Furthermore, age was positively associated with both subscales, meaning that older children tended to score higher. Discussion: The results in this study suggest that measures of children's sensation seeking might be sensitive to cultural contexts and that, at least in a Norwegian population, a two-factor solution of the SSSC is recommended.

Reliability generalization meta-analysis of orthorexia nervosa using the ORTO-11/12/15/R scale in all populations and language versions.

BACKGROUND: The ORTO scale was developed in 2004 as a self-report questionnaire to assess symptoms of orthorexia nervosa (ON). ON is an unhealthy preoccupation with eating healthy food. The scale aims to measure obsessive attitudes and behaviors related to the selection, purchase, preparation, and consumption of pure, healthy food. Since its development, the ORTO-15 has been adapted into several shorter versions. The objective was to conduct a reliability generalization meta-analysis of the ORTO scale and its variant versions in all populations and languages. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies reporting the internal consistency of ORTO. Random-effect models were used to evaluate summary statistics of reliability coefficients, weighting the coefficients by the inverse variance using the restricted maximum likelihood method. The heterogeneity among the reliability coefficients was evaluated and assessed using numerous statistical metrics. The tau (τ), tau2 (τ2), I2, H2, R2, df, and the Q-statistic are among those obtained. Meta-regression analyses were used to examine moderators such as age and sex. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies (k = 21) involving 11,167 participants (n = 11,167) were analyzed. The overall effect estimate on internal consistency was 0.59 (95% CI 0.49-0.68), with a minimum reliability coefficient of 0.23 and a maximum reliability coefficient of 0.83. The heterogeneity statistics were found to have an I2 of 99.31%, which suggested high heterogeneity owing to a decrease in the confidence interval (95% CI) and an increase in variability. Sensitivity analysis revealed that a few studies strongly influenced the overall estimate. Egger's test suggested possible publication bias. Neither age nor sex significantly moderated reliability via meta-regression. CONCLUSIONS: The ORTO scale has a relatively low pooled reliability coefficient. Alternative ON assessment tools with enhanced psychometric properties are needed. Clinicians should not base diagnoses or treatment decisions on ORTO alone. Comprehensive psychiatric assessment is essential for accurate ON evaluation.

This review looked at the reliability of the ORTO scale and its shortened versions for assessing orthorexia nervosa (an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy foods). The researchers analyzed data from 21 previous studies involving over 11,000 participants. Results showed that the ORTO scale had relatively low reliability in consistently measuring orthorexia symptoms across studies. The summary reliability score was 0.59 on a 0 to 1 scale, with individual study scores ranging from 0.23 to 0.83. There was a significant inconsistency across the different study results. We concluded that the ORTO scale has low reliability overall for diagnosing orthorexia nervosa. New assessment tools with better measurement properties are needed. Clinicians should not rely solely on the ORTO scale, but should conduct a comprehensive psychological evaluation to properly assess for orthorexia.

Psychometric properties of the Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire for Norwegian adolescents.

The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire (AMCQ) for Norwegian adolescents. To this end, a sample of 349 Norwegian-speaking adolescents (13-16 years old) were recruited and completed the AMCQ. Initial results showed that confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) did not indicate statistical support for previous statistical models reported in the literature. Further analysis indicated factorial validity for a novel three-factor model identified through exploratory factor analysis, encompassing measures of fine motor skill (α = 0.65), gross motor skill (α = 0.74), and activities of daily living (ADL; α = 0.79) with acceptable internal consistency coefficients. Subsequent analysis indicated indices of measurement invariance in the study sample, as males rated their competence higher compared to females in 19 of the 27 items, and better model fit was obtained for the female adolescents. Strong invariance was tenable, and no factor mean differences were found across older and younger adolescents or across BMI scores. Overall results thus suggested that the AMCQ has acceptable psychometric properties and can be confidently used in further work with perceived motor competence in Norwegian 13-16 years-old adolescents.

Development and psychometric testing of the Coronavirus Awareness and Preparedness Scale: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: A comprehensive standardized evaluation tool was needed to assess community awareness and preparedness when the pandemic hit the United States. This study aimed to develop and validate a new Coronavirus Awareness and Preparedness Scale (CAPS) through psychometric testing. Methods: This study unfolded in two phases. Phase 1 (conducted in March and April 2020) focused on the development of the scale. Phase 2 (conducted in June and July 2020) measured the reliability and validity of the scale. Psychometric testing, including exploratory factor analysis and reliability testing, was performed with a convenience sample of 1237 faculty, staff, and students at a southern university in the United States. Results: The final CAPS model consists of four factors with 26 items: threat (seven items), confidence (11 items), individual precautions (three items), and public precautions (five items). The scale demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.75). Strong and statistically significant item correlations were observed within the subscales through item analysis. Conclusion: The CAPS is a reliable and valid comprehensive evaluation instrument designed to gauge community awareness and preparedness during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its adaptability makes it suitable for measuring readiness and preparedness concerning any novel airborne disease or future airborne pandemic within a community.

Using the Beck Depression Inventory to Assess Anhedonia: A Scale Validation Study.

Anhedonia is central to several psychological disorders and a frequent target of psychosocial and pharmacological treatments. We evaluated the psychometric properties of two widely used anhedonia measures derived from the Beck Depression Inventory: a 3-item (BDI-Anh3) and a 4-item version (BDI-Anh4). We evaluated these measures in a large undergraduate sample, a community sample, and a clinical sample. Both the BDI-Anh3 and the BDI-Anh4 showed adequate internal consistency, with BDI-Anh4 performing somewhat better, across the three samples. Both measures showed good convergent and discriminant validity, even after controlling for shared variance with other items on the BDI. These findings indicate that both measures have sufficient reliability and validity to support their use by researchers and clinicians.

Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the fear avoidance components scale in patients with chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders.

BACKGROUND: The fear avoidance components scale (FACS) evaluates patients' cognitive, emotional and behavioral fear avoidance behavior. The aim of the study was to conduct the cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the FACS. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out with 208 patients (46.2 ± 11.4 years, 116 women, 92 men) diagnosed with chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders. Individuals were assessed with FACS, Tampa scale of kinesiophobia (TSK), Beck depression inventory (BDI), Oswestry disability index (ODI), numerical pain scale (NPS), and pain catastrophizing scale (PCS). A total of 70 patients completed the FACS for the second time 3 days later. RESULTS: Internal consistency of the total score was excellent (Cronbach's alpha: 0.815). There was a strong correlation between FACS and TSK and PCS (r1 0.555, r2 0.678, p < 0.001). In addition, the relationship between FACS and BDI and NPS was moderate in terms of construct validity (r1 0.357, r2 0.391, p < 0.001). FACS had a two-factor structure, as expected. The test-retest reliability of the FACS was acceptable to excellent (ICC = 0.526-0.971). CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of FACS is a valid and reliable questionnaire for patients with chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders. The FACS provides a further advantage over identical questionnaires by evaluating cognitive, behavioral and emotional fear avoidance components.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Symptom Self-Management Behaviors Tool for adolescents/young adults with cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) with cancer experience symptoms related to disease and treatment. To manage these symptoms, they need to develop self-management behaviors, yet no tool exists to assess these behaviors. The Symptom Self-Management Behaviors Tool (SSMBT) was developed to meet this need. METHODS: The study consisted of 2 phases. Phase 1 evaluated content validity, and Phase 2 evaluated reliability and validity. The SSMBT initially contained 14 items with 2 dimensions: (1) behaviors used to Manage Symptoms and (2) behaviors used to communicate with providers regarding symptoms. Four oncology professionals and 5 AYAs with cancer assessed the content validity. Evaluation of reliability and validity involved 61 AYAs with cancer. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed with factor analysis. Discriminant validity was assessed using associations with symptom severity and distress. RESULTS: Content validity evaluation supported the importance of the items. Factor analysis supported a two-factor structure: Manage Symptoms (8 items) and Communicate with Healthcare Providers (4 items) subscales. Internal consistency reliability for the total SSMBT was acceptable with Cronbach's alpha = 0.74. Cronbach's alpha value for the Manage Symptoms subscale was α = 0.69 and for the Communicate with Healthcare Providers subscale was α = 0.78. The SSMBT total and the Manage Symptoms subscale scores were moderately correlated with symptom severity (r = 0.35, p = 0.014; r = 0.44, p = 0.002, respectively), partially supporting discriminant validity. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Systematic assessment of behaviors AYAs use is critical for clinical practice and evaluate interventions to improve self-management. The SSMBT demonstrates initial reliability and validity but requires further evaluation for clinical interpretation and future use.

The Validation of the Kutcher Adolescent Depression 6-Item Scale in a Sample of Colombian Preadolescents and Adolescents.

Against the background of a lack of screening instruments for measuring depressive symptoms in Colombian adolescents and preadolescents, this study aims to establish the internal consistency reliability, component structure and the concurrent and discriminant validity of the Kutcher Adolescent Depression Six-Item Scale (KADS-6) among preadolescent school students in Sincelejo, Colombia. Participated 710 youth (10.8 years of age ± .75 years) divided into two groups to cross-validate analyses that were undertaken to determine the internal consistency reliability, as well as the concurrent and discriminant validity, of the KADS-6 among preadolescents. Results show that over 95% of the sample did not report problems understanding any of the items on the KADS-6. The KADS-6 had acceptable levels of internal consistency reliability, concurrent and discriminant validity and was unidimensional. In conclusion, The KADS-6 is well understood by Colombian preadolescents and has adequate psychometric properties in adolescents, rendering it acceptable for use with Colombian preadolescents.

German questionnaires assessing quality of life and psycho-social status in people with epilepsy: Reliable change and intercorrelations.

OBJECTIVES: People with epilepsy (PWE) not only suffer from seizures but also from various psycho-social issues containing facets such as social functioning, anxiety, depression or stigmatization, and consequently quality of life. (1) Assessing reliable change of these issues is crucial to evaluate their course and potential treatment effects. As most psycho-social self-report questionnaires have been validated in separate samples, their clinical-socio-demographic differences may limit the comparability and generalizability of the scales' internal consistency, which is important for the reliable change index (RCI). Using a co-normalized approach, we provide the internal consistency and RCIs for a large set of questionnaires targeting quality of life (QOLIE-31-P), depressive symptoms (NDDI-E), anxiety (GAD-7), seizure severity (LSSS), subjective antiseizure medication adverse events (LAEP), stigma, epilepsy-related fear, and restrictions in daily life (PESOS), and subjective cognition (FLei). As for some German versions of these measures, psychometric data is still missing, we also add important information for the German language area. (2) In addition, knowledge about intercorrelations of these constructs is needed to shape questionnaire usage and treatment approaches. We thus investigate associations of these scales and compare weighted and unweighted subscales of the QOLIE-31-P. METHODS: In our prospective study, 202 adult in-patients of the Epilepsy-Center Berlin-Brandenburg with a reliable diagnosis of epilepsy filled out a set of self-report questionnaires between 03/2018 and 03/2021. We calculated Cronbach's α, RCIs, and bivariate intercorrelations and compared the respective correlations of weighted and unweighted scales of the QOLIE-31-P. RESULTS: For most of the scales, good to excellent internal consistency was identified. Furthermore, we found intercorrelations in the expected directions with strong links between scales assessing similar constructs (e.g., QOLIE-31-P Cognition and FLei), but weak relationships between measures for different constructs (e.g., QOLIE-31-P Seizure worry and FLei). The QOLIE-31-P Total score was highly correlated with most of the other scales. Some differences regarding their correlational patterns for weighted and unweighted QOLIE-31-P scales were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Psycho-social constructs share a large amount of common variance, but still can be separated from each other. The QOLIE-31-P Total score represents an adequate measure of general psycho-social burden.

Reliability of the Frailty Index Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Consistent and reproducible estimates of the underlying true level of frailty are essential for risk stratification and monitoring of health changes. The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability of the frailty index (FI). METHODS: A total of 426 community-dwelling older adults from the FRequent health Assessment In Later life (FRAIL70+) study in Austria were interviewed biweekly up to 7 times. Two versions of the FI, one with 49 deficits (baseline), and another with 44 (follow-up) were created. Internal consistency was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis and coefficient omega. Test-retest reliability was assessed with Pearson correlation coefficients and the intraclass correlation coefficient. Measurement error was assessed with the standard error of measurement, limits of agreement, and smallest detectable change. RESULTS: Participants (64.6% women) were on average 77.2 (±5.4) years old with mean FI49 at a baseline of 0.19 (±0.14). Internal consistency (coefficient omega) was 0.81. Correlations between biweekly FI44 assessments ranged between 0.86 and 0.94 and reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient) was 0.88. The standard error of measurement was 0.05, and the smallest detectable change and upper limits of agreement were 0.13; the latter is larger than previously reported minimal clinically meaningful changes. CONCLUSIONS: Both internal consistency and reliability of the FI were good, that is, the FI differentiates well between community-dwelling older adults, which is an important requirement for risk stratification for both group-level oriented research and patient-level clinical purposes. Measurement error, however, was large, suggesting that individual health deteriorations or improvements, cannot be reliably detected for FI changes smaller than 0.13.

Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (PMHQ) for Healthcare Workers: A Psychometric Evaluation.

The Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (PMHQ) has been validated across various populations but has displayed diverse psychometric structures depending on the procedures used. The original version of the PMHQ includes 39 items organized into 6 factors, although there are reports that indicate a reduced structure of between 1 and 4 factors. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the PMHQ with 1, 4 and 6 factors. A total of 360 healthcare workers aged 23 to 77 (M = 37.06; SD = 10.79) participated. Construct validity was assessed through confirmatory factor analysis using weighted root mean square residual. The original 6-factor (χ2/df: 3.40; RMSEA: 0.085; CFI: 0.913; TLI: 0.906) and a reduced 4-factor (χ2/df: 2.90; RMSEA: 0.072; CFI: 0.931; TLI: 0.926) structure showed acceptable fit. The fit of the 1-factor model was unacceptable. The internal consistency was evaluated through McDonald's ω, and it was acceptable for 4 of 6 factors of the original structure and for 3 of 4 factors of the reduced structure. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the 6-factor and 4-factor models are valid for measuring positive mental health. However, issues with internal consistency must be investigated.

Evaluation of Physical Literacy in 9- to 11-Year-Old Children: Reliability and Validity of Two Measurement Tools in Three Southeastern European Countries.

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.

The Gifted Rating Scales - School Form in Greek elementary and middle school learners: a closer insight into their psychometric characteristics.

The Gifted Rating Scales - School Form (GRS-S), an evaluation tool for the identification of gifted elementary and middle school children, was the subject of the current study, which focused on its psychometric features (internal consistency reliability and structural validity). Four hundred and eighty-nine teachers (342 women, 139 men, and 8 without gender declaration) used the GRS-S to estimate the dimensions of giftedness in their students for the current study. Particularly, 489 children (253 girls and 236 boys) were evaluated by their teachers. Eight elementary and middle school classes and sixteen 6-month age bands were used to stratify the student population. The scales' outstanding internal consistency and good factorial validity were revealed by statistical analyses (EFA, CFA, and Cronbach's coefficients). According to the current research findings, the GRS-S as a reliable and valid assessment tool for identifying gifted students (by their teachers) within the Greek cultural environment.

Psychotropic Medication Adherence and Its Associated Factors Among Schizophrenia Patients: Exploring the Consistency of Adherence Scales.

Background and objective Non-adherence to psychotropic medication can aggravate an individual's illness, diminish treatment efficacy, or make patients less responsive to future therapeutic interventions. There are several scales available to measure non-adherence to medications. In this study, we aimed to measure psychotropic medication adherence and its associated factors among schizophrenic outpatients in Saudi Arabia. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted with a view to measuring psychotropic medication adherence and its associated factors. The Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) and the Drug Attitude Inventory-10 (DAI-10) were translated into Arabic, and their internal consistency was measured. The adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were calculated using logistic regression in the IBM SPSS Statistics software version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results Spearman's rho correlation indicated a negative association between DAI-10 and MARS scores (r = -0.579; p<0.05). The Arabic version of MARS was more reliable than DAI-10, as evidenced by Cronbach's alpha value. Of note, 60.20% (n = 59) of the sample demonstrated high adherence levels. The adherence level based on MARS scoring remained unaffected (p>0.05) in terms of gender, age, employment, marital status, educational level, income level, and duration of sickness. These results were obtained by using the multivariate logistic regression model; 89% of respondents reported not using psychiatric drugs given by someone else, despite the adherence rate not affecting this number. Conclusion The rate of non-adherence to psychotropic treatment was found to be high in our cohort. Hence, it is imperative to develop comprehensive intervention methods targeting the causes of non-adherence to psychiatric medication.

Preliminary assessment of carbonic acid dissociation constants: Insights from observations in China's east coastal oceans.

Based on observations in China's east coastal oceans, we conducted a preliminary assessment of 16 sets of carbonic acid dissociation constants (K1* and K2*) by comparing spectrophotometrically measured pH values at 25 °C with those calculated from total alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon. We obtained that K1* and K2* often performed differently within different salinity ranges, and that the constants of Millero et al. (2002) (M02) demonstrated the best performance for the salinity range of 24-35. In contrast, the often recommended constants of Mehrbach et al. (1973) refit by Dickson and Millero (1987) (DM87-M) and Lucker et al. (2000) (L00) would underestimate pH at salinities of 24-30. This was mainly associated with the higher product of K1* and K2* by DM87-M and L00 than by M02 at this salinity range. Also, we found almost no differences between pH values calculated with DM87-M and L00.

Internal Consistency of the Voice Handicap Index in Individuals With Dysphonia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the internal consistency of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) for evaluating the vocal handicap of individuals with dysphonia. METHODS: This is a systematic review. Studies with a cross-sectional design and including a population of individuals with dysphonia, which validated the VHI and analyzed its internal consistency, were included. The following electronic databases were searched: Cochrane Library, EMBASE, LILACS, and PubMed, including Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science. A manual search was performed in gray literature through the Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações and ProQuest Dissertation & Theses. In addition, the list of references of studies selected in the electronic search was mapped, and an expert in the area was consulted. Two reviewers blindly and independently conducted the selection, data extraction, and analysis of the risk of bias, the certainty of the evidence, and good psychometric measures. A meta-analysis was performed with a random effects model using the JAMOVI 2.3.2 software. RESULTS: Forty-nine studies were analyzed. In risk of bias assessment, the studies were classified as having inadequate structural validity and very good internal consistency. The analysis of good psychometric properties indicated indeterminate structural validity and insufficient internal consistency. The overall value of Cronbach's alpha was estimated at 0.94, thus suggesting a very good internal consistency. However, there was high heterogeneity. The level of certainty of the evidence was too low for internal consistency. CONCLUSION: The VHI proved to be a consistent and reliable patient-reported outcome measure to evaluate voice handicap in individuals with dysphonia; however, studies are heterogeneous, and the certainty of evidence is very low.

Negative affective priming: Reliability and associations with depression symptoms in three samples.

The negative affective priming (NAP) task is a behavioral measure of inhibition of emotional stimuli. Previous studies using the NAP task have found that individuals with depression show reduced inhibition of negative stimuli, suggesting that inhibition biases may play a role in the etiology and maintenance of depression. However, the psychometric properties of the NAP task have not been evaluated or reported. In the present study, we report data on the association between NAP task performance and depression symptoms in three independent samples, and we evaluate the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the NAP effect indices. The NAP effect for both negative and positive target words had poor internal consistency in all three samples, as well as poor 2-week (Study 2) and 6-month (Study 3) test-retest reliability. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of response times (RT) for the individual trial types were moderate to high, as were the intercorrelations between trial types. This pattern of results indicates that overall RT is reliable but variance in RTs for the different trial types in the NAP task is indistinguishable from variance in overall RT. Depression symptom severity was not associated with the NAP effect for negative or positive target words in any of the samples, which could be due to the poor reliability of the NAP effect. Based on these findings, we do not recommend that researchers use the NAP task as a measure of individual differences in the inhibition of emotional stimuli.

Measurement invariance of the patient health questionnaire-9 depression scale in a nationally representative population-based sample.

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is widely used to measure the severity of depressive symptoms and to screen for depressive disorder, but its measurement invariance has received little research attention. The aim of this study was to assess the measurement invariance of the PHQ-9 across various sociodemographic and medical-condition groups. The structural validity and internal consistency of the PHQ-9 were also assessed as the prerequisite properties for measurement invariance. This study was conducted using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The included participants comprised 5,347 people older than 19 years. Exploratory graph analysis (EGA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to determine structural validity, and the omega coefficient (ω) was used to determine internal consistency. Measurement invariance (configural, metric, and scalar invariance) was evaluated using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA). The single structural model of the PHQ-9 that was validated by EGA was also satisfactory with fit indices of χ2 = 770.765 (p < 0.001), CFI = 0.944, SRMR = 0.040, and RMSEA = 0.076 (90% CI = 0.072-0.081). The ω of the PHQ-9 was 0.812, implying satisfactory internal consistency. The one-factor PHQ-9 had equivalent overall structure, factor loadings, and item intercepts across age groups, suggesting invariance across ages. Partial scalar invariance was demonstrated across sex and marital-status groups. Partial metric and scalar invariance were supported across education groups. Scalar invariance was supported among all of the medical-condition (hypertension, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, asthma, and heart disease) groups. Overall, the measurement invariance of the one-factor PHQ-9 was empirically supported across sociodemographic and medical-condition groups. The PHQ-9 can be reliably used to compare the severity of depressive symptoms across these groups in research and practice.