Browsing by Subject "Psychological Tests"
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Item Cognitive Interviewing to Assess a New Measure of Attitudes and Beliefs Held by Candidates for Bariatric Surgery(2010-11-02T18:19:59Z) Sharma, Rachita; Brandon, Anna R. Ph.D.Increases in the obese population of the United States have subsequently led to increases in the numbers of bariatric surgeries pursued. However, despite increases in the number of surgeries performed, the success rate of the surgeries still remains acutely tied in with adherence to lifestyle modifications post-surgery, which are products of individuated attitudes and beliefs. Identification of these variables pre-surgery may enable health-care professionals to brainstorm preemptive intervention techniques aimed at providing support to bariatric patients post-surgery. However, no measures to identify such attitudes and beliefs exist. This qualitative study utilized Cognitive Interviewing to assess sources of response error in two new measures designed to identify attitudes and beliefs of candidates for bariatric surgery. Our hypothesis was that the newly created measures would be easy to understand and answer. METHODS: Twenty patients attending a bariatric clinic were offered $20 gift cards to answer questions on The Eating Behaviors Self-Efficacy Measure and The Perceived Barriers to Exercise Measure. A standardized instruction script asking participants to “thinkaloud” while answering questions was read before each interview. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed to assess similarities in sources of response error. RESULTS: The majority of participants (90%) struggled with understanding/executing instructions of the measures. In addition, several specific items were identified as sources of confusion. Recommendations to reduce sources of response error were made to the test-makers. CONCLUSION: Although the hypothesis was not supported, future adaptation of recommendations could decrease most sources of response error. Additional Cognitive Interviewing after instrument refinement was recommended. After revision, The Eating Behavior Efficacy Measure and The Perceived Barriers to Exercise Measure should receive pilot testing in a longitudinal investigation of the scales’ validity and reliability for clinical use.Item Depression in the HIV/AIDS Community: A Psychometric Study of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology and Assessment of Risk Factors for Depression(2007-12-18) Merlock, Megan Christine Viola; Collins, MichelleOver the last two decades, medical advancements in the detection and treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) have allowed patients with HIV/AIDS to live longer such that the disease is now viewed as a chronic, manageable illness.research has overwhelmingly shown that depression in this population is associated with poorer course of illness and shorter lifespan. Despite such findings, few studies have addressed the utility of assessment tools which may assist clinicians in assessing depression among HIV/AIDS patients. The present study is the first to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Psychology-Self-Report (QIDS-SR) version which is a 16 - item measure of depressive severity, in HIV/AIDS patients. Three hundred and seventy one male outpatient seeking mental health treatment at a community-based HIV/AIDS clinic were recruited for the study. Patients completed the QIDS-SR and a subset also completed the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II) along with a demographic questionnaire. Statistical analyses indicated that a cutoff score of 8.0 on the QIDS-SR distinguishes between depressed and not depressed patients with 95-97% sensitivity and84-88% specificity. Factor analysis revealed the QIDS-SR to be unidimensional in this sample.Total scores for the QIDS-SR showed high correlations with diagnosis of depresion by psychiatrists (.71) and total socres on the BDI-II (.90). Internal consistency was strong for the QIDS-SR (Cronbach's alpha=.85). Risk factors commonly associated with depression in the general population - unemployment and low education achieved - were not predictive of depression and the sample of male HIV/AIDS outpatients, nor were additional factors of sexual orientation and ethnic minority status. Thus, the QIDS-SR demonstarted acceptable concurrent and convergent validity and internal consistency. These strong psychometric properties along with the self-report format, brief administrations time, and unifactorial structure make the QIDS-SR a valuable clinical instrument for use in the HIV/AIDS population.Item Development of the Texas Spanish Naming Test: a Test for Spanish-Speakers(2005-08-11) Marquez de la Plata, Carlos; Cullum, C. MunroThe elderly Hispanic population is growing at a rapid pace, although very few neuropsychological measures are developed in Spanish, as most tests are translated versions of their English-language originals. The construct validity of these instruments with Spanish-speakers is virtually unexamined and bias may result due to cultural differences between the population the original tests were intended for and the Spanish-speaking populations they are used with. The current investigation used culturally salient words to develop the Texas Naming Test (TNT), a confrontation naming test for Spanish-speakers. Eighty-five (55 nondemented and 30 demented) Spanish-speaking primary care clinic patients were administered this test to determine its psychometric qualities. The TNT demonstrated very good internal consistency (alpha = 0.9) and good convergent validity, as it correlated highly with translated Spanish-naming tests commonly used in clinical practice (r > 0.80). Multivariate analysis of covariance and logistic regression demonstrated that performance on the TNT was not significantly influenced by acculturation, though the test did relate to both education (r = 0.48, p< .001) and acculturation (r = 0.41, p < .001). As predicted, the TNT effectively detected differences between demented and nondemented individuals, and demonstrated a high level of sensitivity (100%) for dementia when using an optimal cut score of < 23. Furthermore, ROC curve analysis demonstrated the overall discriminant utility of the TNT was comparable to a literal Spanish translation of the Boston Naming Test (MBNT-S), but better than a translated short form of the BNT (15-SNT). Data from this investigation suggest the TNT may be clinically useful where dementia among Spanish-speakers is suspected. Further exploration is needed to determine the extent to which culturally salient words contribute to greater sensitivity.Item Differences Between Individuals with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) Based on Receipt of Government Disability Benefits(2004-08-19) Richards, Jennifer Selah; Hughes, CarrollThis study compared outpatient individuals who have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and receive governmental disability benefits (n=42) to individuals who have DID and are not receiving governmental disability benefits (n=90). Internet peer support groups for DID were used to invite volunteers to answer an online questionnaire concerning past and current psychosocial aspects of their lives, abuse history, and psychological treatment history. The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) was also administered and scored. While there were several similarities between the two groups, significant differences between the two groups were found. The disabled group had been in therapy for an average of 4.7 years longer than the non-disabled group, and had spent an average of 2.9 years longer in therapy prior to the DID diagnosis than the non-disabled group. Overall DES and DESTaxon scores showed no significant differences between the two groups. However, two questions that are part of the DES-T and four questions that are not part of the DES-T were found to have significant differences between the two groups, indicating that the disabled group had more severe or more frequent occurrences of amnesia-related dissociative experiences. Rehabilitation counseling could attempt to restore or improve functioning levels by focusing on the specific symptoms and experiences listed as reasons why the DID became disabling. The three most common reasons listed for why DID became disabling were losing ime or memory difficulties (52.4%), rapid switching between alter personalities (35.7%), nd depression (26.2%). The three most commonly reported ways in which DID negatively affected work or school tasks were concentration difficulties (34.4%), forgetting or not ompleting tasks (31.3%), and experiencing anxiety or panic attacks (11.1%). These common difficulties may be useful areas for treatment and intervention for individuals with DID who are not currently receiving disability benefits in an attempt to prevent disability benefits becoming a necessity. They may also be useful treatment areas for helping those who are receiving disability benefits successfully return to a vocation.Item Evaluation And Treatment Of A Heterogenous Group Of Chronic Pain Patients: Assessing The Effect Size Of Outcome Measures(2007-08-08) Worzer, Whitney; Stowell, Anna W.The aim of the present study was to evaluate an array of psychometric tests administered to a heterogeneous group of chronic pain patients at pre- and post- treatment to determine the effect sizes of the measures. The sample included patients (N=312) who participated in an interdisciplinary treatment program, which included medical, psychological, psychiatric, and physical therapy components. This sample was narrowed to include only those who completed treatment (n=262). Subjects were evaluated on a variety of physical/functional, psychosocial, and coping measures, including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Million Visual Analog Scale (MVAS), Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (OSW), Pain Medication Questionnaire (PMQ), Medical Outcomes Survey 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI). Paired sample t-tests were conducted to evaluate each measure for pre- to post-treatment change. These measures were further analyzed using Cohen's d (1992) to obtain the effect size. Results indicated that the instruments showing the greatest effect size were the VAS (d= 1.27) and the MVAS (d=0.94), both within the large effect size range. The OSW (d=0.67) showed a medium effect size, while the SF-36/PCS (d=0.19) had the lowest effect size of the physical measures. Results indicated a medium effect size for psychosocial measures. The PMQ (d=0.79) BDI-II (d=0.72) and the SF-36/MCS (d=0.62). The MPI exhibited an extremely low effect size (d=0.03). The heterogeneous population was also broken down into three categories of pain diagnoses including musculoskeletal, all other single pain diagnoses (e.g. headache, neuropathy, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, firbomyalgia), and multiple diagnoses (more than one type of pain). Overall, this study offers information on the effect sizes of different measures in order to facilitate the decision making process when selecting assessment tools to use with chronic pain populations, and supports the use of multiple assessment measures.Item Executive Functioning in Children with ADHD : Relationships Between Rating Scales and Standardized Tests(2005-05-11) Gehrmann, Helena Ruth; Silver, Cheryl H.Impairment of executive functioning is exhibited in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Executive functioning has traditionally been measured with standardized tests such as the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. However, two rating scales to measure executive dysfunction have been developed and may be a useful adjunct to traditional measures. This study proposes to examine two such scales, the Brief Rating Inventory of Executive Function and the Children's Executive Functions Scale, as well as measure their relationship with two standardized measures. Implications of possible outcomes of the study are then discussed.Item Use Of Cognitive Screening and the Influence of Psychosocial Variables In Identification of Cognitive Impairment In MS(2013-05-17) Ritter, Ashley Reyes; Lairitz, LauraBACKGROUND: The purpose of this project is to examine the potential of abbreviated cognitive screening to identify patients with clinically significant cognitive dysfunction. A secondary goal is to examine relationships between cognitive functioning and psychosocial factors of disease. SUBJECTS: The study includes 94 subjects with a Demyelinating disease [M age = 45.04 (11.08); M education = 15.40 (2.13)] who were referred to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Center and Multiple Sclerosis Program and signed informed consent for a larger study on cognition in multiple sclerosis and demyelinating disease. METHOD: Subjects completed a screening battery (JoL, 9HPT, PASAT, SDMT-Oral, and T25FW) at visit one and a larger cognitive assessment within 4 weeks of visit one, which was used to divide subjects into impaired and non-impaired groups. Linear regression was used to assess which tests on the screening battery predicted impairment on the longer battery. Associations between psychosocial factors of depression, fatigue, and sleepiness were examined in relation to cognitive performance. The relationship between depression and objective versus subjective cognitive performance was also examined. RESULTS: The PASAT (p = .001) was the only measure in the screening battery that predicted group membership, with correct classification of 76% of subjects using a cut score of T ² 38. Depression (QIDS-SR) was significantly correlated with self-reported cognitive dysfunction (MSNQ) (r = .57; p = <.001) but only modestly associated with the four measures on the screening battery (r = -.17 to .25). Those who endorsed depressive symptoms performed lower on JoL(p = .003), PASAT (p = .015) and SDMT (p = .023). Level of fatigue was associated with cognitive performance, as significant mean differences were found on all screening battery measures in high versus low fatigue groups. There was no impact of sleepiness on cognition. DISCUSSION: Complex attention was the most sensitive measure for predicting cognitive impairment on a more comprehensive battery and may be a good screening tool in identifying who might benefit from more detailed testing. Higher levels of depression and fatigue significantly impacted test performance and highlight important areas for screening and treatment, while daytime sleepiness had no effect.Item Use of the Intermediate Category Test in Arithmetic Disability Subtypes(2005-05-11) Nyberg, Timothy Jacob; Silver, Cheryl H.The Intermediate Category Test (ICT) is a test of nonverbal reasoning and executive functioning, but its single general score may be difficult to interpret in the context of a particular clinical case. In this study, the ICT was applied to groups of subjects with very specific cognitive impairments, so that what is known about those groups, along with patterns of performance on the ICT, might help describe what the ICT measures in greater detail. The convergent and divergent validity of the ICT was examined using archival data from 81 children with arithmetic learning disabilities. Children were divided into groups based on the presence (n=55) or absence (n=26) of a comorbid verbal learning disability. All children were given the ICT, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Wide Range Achievement Test-R, Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children Matrix Analogies subtest, and Trail Making Test. A variance test revealed that subtests I and II do not contribute significantly to variance in the ICT. Factor analysis demonstrated different factor structures for children with and without comorbid verbal disabilities. A factor composed of subtests IV, V and VI, and a second factor composed of subtests III and IV was present in children with isolated arithmetic learning disability, with only subtests III and VI strongly related to nonverbal abstract reasoning. In contrast, two ICT factors in children with a combined-type learning disability were composed of subtests V and VI, and III and IV, respectively. None of these factors had strong relationships with measures of nonverbal reasoning, although subtests V and VI were significantly related to arithmetic achievement.Item Validation Study of the Workplace Relationships Inventory: A Workplace Self-Report Measure of Adult Attachment Style(2010-11-02T18:20:43Z) Young, David Michael II; Evans, H.M. Jr.Self-report measures of adult attachment style predict organizational behaviors. Traditionally, self-report instruments used in organizational settings measure adult attachment style in regard to romantic relationship targets. This study reports the psychometric validation of a measure for assessing adult attachment style in regard to close working relationships. The Workplace Relationships Inventory was modeled on the Experiences in Close Relationships scale and designed to be utilized in workplace environments. It was hypothesized that the Workplace Relationships Inventory has a two-dimensional structure like the Experiences in Close Relationships scale comprised of attachment-related anxiety and avoidance. From 2008-2010, over 500 students in organizational behavior classes were administered the Workplace Relationships Inventory along with existing measures of adult attachment style. Factor analysis of the Workplace Relationship Inventory items did not support the proposed two-factor solution. Statistically, four factors provided the best fit for the data. Conceptually, there is much to recommend two major factors coinciding with the proposed anxiety and avoidance dimensions of the scale. The Workplace Relationships Inventory demonstrated good internal consistency reliability, and convergent and divergent validity with comparative self-report measures of adult attachment style. Revisions to the Workplace Relationships Inventory are proposed.