The Impact of Education on Depression Assessment: Differential Item Functioning Analysis

Assessment ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 107319112097135
Author(s):  
Bayley J. Taple ◽  
Robert Chapman ◽  
Benjamin D. Schalet ◽  
Rylee Brower ◽  
James W. Griffith
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Depression Assessment ◽  
The Impact

A person’s level of education can affect their access to health care, and their health outcomes. Increasing rates of depression are another looming public health concern. Therefore, vulnerability is compounded for individuals who have a lower level of education and depression. Assessment of depressive symptoms is integral to many domains of health care including primary care and mental health specialty care. This investigation examined the degree to which education influences the psychometric properties of self-report items that measure depressive symptoms. This study was a secondary data analysis derived from three large internet panel studies. Together, the studies included the Beck Depression Inventory–II, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System measures of depression. Using a differential item functioning (DIF) approach, we found evidence of DIF such that some items on each of the questionnaires were flagged for DIF with effect sizes ranging from McFadden’s Pseudo R2 = .005 to .022. For example, results included several double-barreled questions flagged for DIF. Overall, questionnaires assessing depression vary in level of complexity, which interacts with the respondent’s level of education. Measurement of depression should include consideration of possible educational disparities, to identify people who may struggle with a written questionnaire, or may be subject to subtle psychometric biases associated with education.

scholarly journals Construct validity and differential item functioning of the PHQ-9 among health care workers: Rasch Analysis approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Surin Jiraniramai ◽  
Tinakon Wongpakaran ◽  
Chaisiri Angkurawaranon ◽  
Wichuda Jiraporncharoen ◽  
Nahathai Wongpakaran
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Psychometric Property ◽  
Rasch Measurement ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
Care Workers

Abstract Background The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is a widely used self-report questionnaire to screen depression. Its psychometric property has been tested in many populations including health care workers. We used Rasch measurement theory to examine the psychometric properties of PHQ-9 regarding item difficulty, item fit and the differences between subgroups of respondents classified by sex, age, education and alcohol user status, based on the same overall location of participants.Methods In total, 3,204 health care workers of Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital participated and were administered the PHQ-9. Rating scale Rasch measurement modeling was used to examine the psychometric properties of the PHQ-9.Results The data fitted well to the Rasch model and no violations of the assumption of unidimensionality were observed. All 9 items could form a unidimensional construct of overall depressive severity. Suicidal ideation was the least endorsed while sleep problem was the most. No disordered category and threshold of the rating response were observed. No locally dependent items were observed. No items were found to show differential item functioning across age, sex, education and alcohol consumption. The item-person Wright map showed that the PHQ-9 did not target well with the sample, and a wide gap suggesting few or no items exist to differentiate participants at a certain ability level among the PHQ-9 items.Conclusion The PHQ-9 can be used as a screening questionnaire for major depressive disorder as its psychometric property was verified based on Rasch measurement model. The findings are generally consistent with related studies in other populations. However, the PHQ-9 may be unsuitable for assessing depressive symptoms among health care workers who have low levels of depression.

scholarly journals Development of the PROMIS Pediatric Physical Activity Item Banks

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (8) ◽  
pp. 1393-1410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole A Tucker ◽  
Katherine B Bevans ◽  
Brandon D Becker ◽  
Rachel Teneralli ◽  
Christopher B Forrest
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Outcome Measurement ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Measurement Information ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Item Banks ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Parent Proxy

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to develop self-report and parent-proxy measures of children’s physical activity for clinical research and practice and to demonstrate a valid and reliable instrument of children’s lived experience of physical activity as reported by the children themselves or their parent proxies. Methods This study involved qualitative development of item pools followed by 2 cross-sectional validity and reliability studies. The National Institutes of Health Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) instrument development standards were applied to create child self-report and parent-proxy physical activity instruments from previously developed, content-valid pools of physical activity items. Each item used a 7-day recall period and had 5 response options. Item bank calibration was based on national samples totaling 3033 children aged 8 to 17 years and 2336 parents of children aged 5 to 17 years. Quantitative analyses included reliability assessments, factor analyses, item response theory calibration, differential item functioning, and construct validation. Results The final item banks comprised 10 items each. The items were selected based on content and psychometric properties. The item banks appeared to be unidimensional and free from differential item functioning. They showed excellent reliability and a high degree of precision across the range of the latent variable. Child-report and parent-proxy 4- and 8-item fixed-length instruments were specified. The instruments showed moderate correlation with existing self-report measures of physical activity. Conclusion The PROMIS Pediatric Physical Activity instruments provide precise and valid measurement of children’s lived experiences of physical activity. Impact The availability of the PROMIS Pediatric Physical Activity instruments will support advances in clinical practice and research that require measurement of pediatric physical activity by self- and parent-proxy report.

scholarly journals Cultivating the compassionate self against depression: An exploration of processes of change

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S356-S356 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Matos ◽  
J. Duarte ◽  
C. Duarte ◽  
J. Pinto-Gouveia ◽  
P. Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Processes Of Change ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Compassion Focused Therapy ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionCompassion and self-compassion can be protective factors against mental health difficulties, in particular depression. The cultivation of the compassionate self, associated with a range of practices such as slow and deeper breathing, compassionate voice tones and facial expressions, and compassionate focusing, is central to compassion focused therapy (Gilbert, 2010). However, no study has examined the processes of change that mediate the impact of compassionate self-cultivation practices on depressive symptoms.AimsThe aim of this study is to investigate the impact of a brief compassionate self training (CST) intervention on depressive symptoms, and explore the psychological processes that mediate the change at post intervention.MethodsUsing a longitudinal design, participants (general population and college students) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: Compassionate self training (n = 56) and wait-list control (n = 37). Participants in the CST condition were instructed to practice CST exercises for 15 minutes everyday or in moments of stress during two weeks. Self-report measures of depression, self-criticism, shame and compassion, were completed at pre and post in both conditions.ResultsResults showed that, at post-intervention, participants in the CST condition decreased depression, self-criticism and shame, and increased self-compassion and openness to receive compassion from others. Mediation analyses revealed that changes in depression from pre to post intervention were mediated by decreases in self-criticism and shame, and increases in self-compassion and openness to the compassion from others.ConclusionsThese findings support the efficacy of compassionate self training components on lessening depressive symptoms and promoting mental health.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Developing fit-for-purpose self-report instruments for assessing consumer responses to tobacco and nicotine products: the ABOUT™ Toolbox initiative

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christelle Chrea ◽  
Catherine Acquadro ◽  
Esther F. Afolalu ◽  
Erica Spies ◽  
Thomas Salzberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Medical Product ◽  
Consumer Perception ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Measurement Instruments ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Fit For Purpose ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Impact

Background. Determining the public health impact of tobacco harm reduction strategies requires the assessment of consumer perception and behavior associated with tobacco and nicotine products (TNPs) with different exposure and risk profiles. In this context, rigorous methods to develop and validate psychometrically sound self-report instruments to measure consumers’ responses to TNPs are needed. Methods. Consistent with best practice guidelines, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “Guidance for Industry Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: Use in Medical Product Development to Support Labeling Claims,” scientifically designed, fit-for-purpose, reliable, and valid instruments are now being applied to tobacco regulatory research. Results. This brief report presents the ABOUT™ Toolbox (Assessment of Behavioral OUtcomes related to Tobacco and nicotine products) initiative. This communication: (1) describes the methodological steps followed for the development and validation of the measurement instruments included in the ABOUT™ Toolbox, (2) presents a summary of the high-priority tobacco-related domains that are currently covered in the ABOUT™ Toolbox (i.e., risk perception, dependence, product experience, health and functioning, and use history), and (3) details how the measurement instruments are made accessible to the scientific community. Conclusions. By making the ABOUT™ Toolbox available to the tobacco research and public health community, we envision a rapidly expanding knowledge base, with the goals of (1) supporting consumer perception and behavior research to allow comparisons across a wide spectrum of TNPs, (2) enabling public health and regulatory communities to make better-informed decisions for future regulation of TNPs, and (3) enhancing surveillance activities associated with the impact of TNPs on population health.

scholarly journals Psychosocial Risks and Violence Against Teachers. Is It Possible to Promote Well-Being at Work?

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (22) ◽  
pp. 4439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berlanda ◽  
Fraizzoli ◽  
Cordova ◽  
Pedrazza
Keyword(s):  
Job Demands ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Psychosocial Risks ◽  
Daily Monitoring ◽  
North East ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time ◽  
Psychological Demands

Teaching has been reported to be one of the most stressful occupations, with heavy psychological demands, including the need to develop positive relationships with students and their parents; relationships that, in turn, play a significant role in teachers’ well-being. It follows that the impact of any violence perpetrated by a student or parent against a teacher is particularly significant and represents a major occupational health concern. The present study examines for the first time the influence of the Job Demands-Control-Support Model on violence directed against teachers. Six hundred and eighty-six teachers working in elementary and high schools in north-east Italy completed an online, self-report questionnaire. Our findings reveal the role played by working conditions in determining teachers’ experience of violence: greater job demands are associated with most offense types, whereas the availability of diffused social support at school is associated with lower rates of harassment. Workload should be equally distributed and kept under control, and violence should gain its place in the shared daily monitoring of practices and experiences at school in order to provide a socially supportive work environment for all teachers.

scholarly journals Baseline characteristics and comorbidities in the CAnadian REgistry for Pulmonary Fibrosis

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Fisher ◽  
M. Kolb ◽  
M. Algamdi ◽  
J. Morisset ◽  
K. A. Johannson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Full Cohort ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
History Of ◽  
Baseline Characteristics ◽  
Clinical Measurements ◽  
Incident Cases ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The CAnadian REgistry for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CARE-PF) is a multi-center, prospective registry designed to study the natural history of fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) in adults. The aim of this cross-sectional sub-study was to describe the baseline characteristics, risk factors, and comorbidities of patients enrolled in CARE-PF to date. Methods Patients completed study questionnaires and clinical measurements at enrollment and each follow-up visit. Environmental exposures were assessed by patient self-report and comorbidities by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Baseline characteristics, exposures, and comorbidities were described for the overall study population and for incident cases, and were compared across ILD subtypes. Results The full cohort included 1285 patients with ILD (961 incident cases (74.8%)). Diagnoses included connective tissue disease-associated ILD (33.3%), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) (24.7%), unclassifiable ILD (22.3%), chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) (7.5%), sarcoidosis (3.2%), non-IPF idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (3.0%, including idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) in 0.9%), and other ILDs (6.0%). Patient-reported exposures were most frequent amongst chronic HP, but common across all ILD subtypes. The CCI was ≤2 in 81% of patients, with a narrow distribution and range of values. Conclusions CTD-ILD, IPF, and unclassifiable ILD made up 80% of ILD diagnoses at ILD referral centers in Canada, while idiopathic NSIP was rare when adhering to recommended diagnostic criteria. CCI had a very narrow distribution across our cohort suggesting it may be a poor discriminator in assessing the impact of comorbidities on patients with ILD.

scholarly journals Fatigue in patients on oral targeted or chemotherapy for cancer and associations with anxiety, depression, and quality of life

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-147
Author(s):  
Hanneke Poort ◽  
Jamie M. Jacobs ◽  
William F. Pirl ◽  
Jennifer S. Temel ◽  
Joseph A. Greer
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Oral Treatment ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Severe Fatigue ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjectivesOral treatment (targeted or chemotherapy) for cancer is being increasingly used. While fatigue is a known side effect of intravenous chemotherapy, the rate of fatigue and the impact of fatigue on other patient-reported outcomes are not well described.MethodAt Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, 180 adult patients prescribed oral targeted or chemotherapy for various malignancies enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of adherence and symptom management. Patients completed baseline self-reported measures of fatigue (Brief Fatigue Inventory; BFI), anxiety and depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HADS), and quality of life, including subscales for physical, social, emotional, and functional well-being ([QOL] Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy — General; FACT-G). We examined clinically relevant fatigue using a validated cut-off score for moderate-severe fatigue (BFI global fatigue ≥4) and tested the associations with anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and QOL with independent samples t-tests.ResultsAt baseline, 45 of 180 participants (25.0%) reported moderate-severe fatigue. Fatigued patients experienced more anxiety symptoms (mean diff. 3.73, P < 0.001), more depressive symptoms (mean diff. 4.14, P < 0.001), and worse QOL on the total FACT-G score (mean diff. −19.58, P < 0.001) and all subscales of the FACT-G compared to patients without moderate-severe fatigue.Significance of resultsOne in four patients on oral treatment for cancer experienced clinically relevant fatigue that is associated with greater anxiety and depressive symptoms and worse QOL.

scholarly journals Differential item functioning of the Boston Naming Test in cognitively normal African American and Caucasian older adults

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 758-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
OTTO PEDRAZA ◽  
NEILL R. GRAFF-RADFORD ◽  
GLENN E. SMITH ◽  
ROBERT J. IVNIK ◽  
FLOYD B. WILLIS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Group Performance ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Boston Naming Test ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Naming Test

AbstractScores on the Boston Naming Test (BNT) are frequently lower for African American when compared with Caucasian adults. Although demographically based norms can mitigate the impact of this discrepancy on the likelihood of erroneous diagnostic impressions, a growing consensus suggests that group norms do not sufficiently address or advance our understanding of the underlying psychometric and sociocultural factors that lead to between-group score discrepancies. Using item response theory and methods to detect differential item functioning (DIF), the current investigation moves beyond comparisons of the summed total score to examine whether the conditional probability of responding correctly to individual BNT items differs between African American and Caucasian adults. Participants included 670 adults age 52 and older who took part in Mayo’s Older Americans and Older African Americans Normative Studies. Under a two-parameter logistic item response theory framework and after correction for the false discovery rate, 12 items where shown to demonstrate DIF. Of these 12 items, 6 (“dominoes,” “escalator,” “muzzle,” “latch,” “tripod,” and “palette”) were also identified in additional analyses using hierarchical logistic regression models and represent the strongest evidence for race/ethnicity-based DIF. These findings afford a finer characterization of the psychometric properties of the BNT and expand our understanding of between-group performance. (JINS, 2009, 15, 758–768.)

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