scholarly journals Validation of the Romanian Version of the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) among Undergraduate Medical Students

Author(s):  
Sorin Ursoniu ◽  
Costela Lacrimioara Serban ◽  
Catalina Giurgi-Oncu ◽  
Ioana Alexandra Rivis ◽  
Adina Bucur ◽  
...  

Medical professionals require adequate abilities to identify others’ emotions and express personal emotions. We aimed to determine the validity and reliability of an empathy measuring tool in medical students for this study. We employed Spreng’s Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) as a starting point for this validation. The process was performed in several steps, including an English-Romanian-English translation and a focus group meeting to establish each question’s degree of understandability and usability, with minor improvements of wording in each step. We checked internal and external consistency in a pilot group (n = 67). For construct and convergent validity, we used a sample of 649 students. The overall internal and external reliability performed well, with Cronbach’s alpha = 0.727 and respective ICC = 0.776. The principal component analysis resulted in 3 components: prosocial helping behavior, inappropriate sensitivity, dismissive attitude. Component 1 includes positively worded questions, and components 2 and 3 include negatively worded questions. Women had significantly higher scores than men in convergent validity, but we did not highlight any differences for other demographic factors. The Romanian version of the TEQ is a reliable and valid tool to measure empathy among undergraduate medical students that may be further used in subsequent research.

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rouba Ballouk ◽  
Victoria Mansour ◽  
Bronwen Dalziel ◽  
Iman Hegazi

Abstract Background A blended learning environment is multifaceted and widely used in medical education. However, there is no validated instrument for exploring students’ learning in a blended learning environment in medical programs. This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument for exploring how medical students learn in an undergraduate medical program that employs a blended learning approach. Method Using Artino’s seven step approach, we developed a questionnaire to investigate how medical students learn in a blended learning environment. For pilot testing, 120 students completed this 19-item questionnaire. These 19-items were evaluated for construct and convergent validity across an expert medical education panel. Further item testing was analysed with principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation for item reduction and factor estimation. Hence, validity was thoroughly addressed to ensure the questionnaire was representative of the key focus questions. Cronbach’s Alpha was used for item reliability testing, and Spearman’s Rho was used for the correlation between the questionnaire items and the extensively used MSLQ. Hence, validity and reliability were systematically addressed. Results Exploratory Factor analysis identified four factors F1 and F3: Resources: Accessibility & Guidance (14-items), F2: Learning behaviours: Social and Contextual (5-items), and F4: Motivational factors: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation (4-items). Internal consistency and reliability tests were satisfactory (Cronbach’s Alpha ranged from 0.764 to 0.770). Conclusions The resulting Blended Learning Questionnaire (BLQ) was determined to be a reliable instrument to explore undergraduate medical students’ learning in a blended learning environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Prediger ◽  
Kristina Schick ◽  
Fabian Fincke ◽  
Sophie Fürstenberg ◽  
Viktor Oubaid ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Assessing competence of advanced undergraduate medical students based on performance in the clinical context is the ultimate, yet challenging goal for medical educators to provide constructive alignment between undergraduate medical training and professional work of physicians. Therefore, we designed and validated a performance-based 360-degree assessment for competences of advanced undergraduate medical students. Methods This study was conducted in three steps: 1) Ten facets of competence considered to be most important for beginning residents were determined by a ranking study with 102 internists and 100 surgeons. 2) Based on these facets of competence we developed a 360-degree assessment simulating a first day of residency. Advanced undergraduate medical students (year 5 and 6) participated in the physician’s role. Additionally knowledge was assessed by a multiple-choice test. The assessment was performed twice (t1 and t2) and included three phases: a consultation hour, a patient management phase, and a patient handover. Sixty-seven (t1) and eighty-nine (t2) undergraduate medical students participated. 3) The participants completed the Group Assessment of Performance (GAP)-test for flight school applicants to assess medical students‘ facets of competence in a non-medical context for validation purposes. We aimed to provide a validity argument for our newly designed assessment based on Messick’s six aspects of validation: (1) content validity, (2) substantive/cognitive validity, (3) structural validity, (4) generalizability, (5) external validity, and (6) consequential validity. Results Our assessment proved to be well operationalised to enable undergraduate medical students to show their competences in performance on the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. Its generalisability was underscored by its authenticity in respect of workplace reality and its underlying facets of competence relevant for beginning residents. The moderate concordance with facets of competence of the validated GAP-test provides arguments of convergent validity for our assessment. Since five aspects of Messick’s validation approach could be defended, our competence-based 360-degree assessment format shows good arguments for its validity. Conclusion According to these validation arguments, our assessment instrument seems to be a good option to assess competence in advanced undergraduate medical students in a summative or formative way. Developments towards assessment of postgraduate medical trainees should be explored.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asma Mostafa ◽  
Rozina Hoque ◽  
Mohammad Mostafa ◽  
Md. Mashud Rana ◽  
Faisal Mostafa

Empathy is considered to be associated with better patient compliance, satisfaction, and clinical outcomes. The aim of the study is to measure and examine empathy among a sample of undergraduate medical students of Bangladesh. It was a cross-sectional study and all the medical students of first through fifth year enrolled at Chattagram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Medical College during the study period of 2014 were surveyed. Participants anonymously completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy Medical Student version translated into Bengali language, a valid and reliable 20-item self-administered questionnaire. Principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were calculated to check validity and reliability of the scale. ANOVA was used to examine the differences in empathy between gender, academic years, and specialty preferences. The mean empathy score was 110.41 ± 13.59. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.88. There were significant associations between gender and empathy scores. The level of empathy in medical students gradually increases after clinical training in medical college. A nonsignificant difference was found between empathy scores and specialty preferences. It is suggested that the medical curriculum in Bangladesh should include more extensive program to promote empathy and other humanistic values among the medical students.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 301-314

Introduction: Tobacco is the only legal product that kills a large proportion of its consumers when used as intended by its manufacturer. The effect of nicotine as a driving substance on smoking has been established for decades. Still, very little is known on how the biopsychosocial determinants relationship affects levels of nicotine addiction in smokers, especially in the urban low-income population. The study aimed to validate measurement scales related to biopsychosocial factors that will be used in the future study to evaluate biopsychosocial components that influence nicotine addiction among urban poor smokers. Methods: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using the principal component analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization was used to assess the factor structure. Then, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the unidimensionality, validity, and reliability of the latent construct. Results: EFA showed extraction of factors according to their original scales with all factor loading and communality's values were above 0.5. During CFA, factor loading less than 0.6 was deleted. Convergent validity verified by computing the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) for every construct range between 0.528 – 0.801. The Fitness Indexes achieved the required level (RMSEA=0.05, CFI=0.937, Chisq/df=1.7). Meanwhile, the Discriminant Validity Index range between 0.75-0.89, which is higher than the correlation coefficient value. Internal consistency assessed from Composite Reliability range between 0.714-0.965. Conclusion: The measurement scales are valid and reliable to assess the intended constructs among low-income male smokers in the urban area.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-31
Author(s):  
Latifa Resmiya ◽  
Ifa Hanifah Misbach

This research aimed to develop a Kualitas hidup measurement tool in Indonesia. The research method used in this study is a combined method of qualitative and quantitative research (mixed method). The qualitative stage aimed at exploring the theme of kualitas hidup totaling 250 people. Meanwhile, participants in the quantitative stage aimed at identifying psychometric properties (validity and reliability) numbered 759 people. The data analysis technique used for qualitative data is open coding. Quantitative data consists of construct validity test using factorial validity with exploratory factor analysis (EFA), convergent validity, and known-group validity, and estimation of internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's Alpha. The EFA results show that the Kualitas hidup Indonesia measuring instrument consists of 9 factors and 30 items with a very high reliability coefficient (α = 0.88). Convergent validity in this study was carried out by correlating the Kualitas hidup Indonesia measuring tool with the WHOQOL-BREF measurement tool. Validity by known-group is done by comparing demographic data of age, sex, marital status, education level, employment status, and health conditions using One-Way ANOVA


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 205-233
Author(s):  
N.V. Kopteva ◽  
A.Yu. Kalugin ◽  
L.Ya. Dorfman

The purpose of present study is to develop and verify the questionnaire aimed at assessing the degree of unembodiment in the Internet as a consequence of using modern information technologies. The use of modern information technologies is associated with disembodiment, liberation of the Self from the body and related experiences. Immersion in virtual reality and “disembodiment” can cause the existential position of “unembodiement”, the features of which, according to the concept of the English psychologist R. Lang, are most clearly manifested in the clinic of schizoids. The study was conducted in the form of a psychodiagnostic survey, during which the reliability and validity of the developed method for assessing unembodiement on the Internet was tested. The main sample of the study was 809 people (31% of males), mostly university students, aged 17 to 25 years (M=18.73; SD=0.98). Smaller samples were used to study convergent and discriminant validity: 423, 324, 148 and 128 people. Correlations with measures of psychological consequences of Internet use, self-efficacy and life-meaning orientations reported convergent validity, and correlations with measures of intelligence and creativity reported discriminant validity. The results of principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFI=0.936, TLI=0.925, RMSEA=0.055, SRMR=0.059) confirm the construct validity of the method, which includes three subscales (Unembodiment as Virtualization, The Preference of the Internet, and Vitality of the Embodied Self) and a general scale (Unembodiment in the Internet). The one-step reliability of the scales varied from 0.7 to 0.9. The scales Vitality of the Embodied Self and The Preference of the Internet had a high level of discrimination, the scale Unembodiment as virtualization ― moderate. The developed questionnaire meets the requirements of validity and reliability and can be used to study the phenomenon of unembodiment on the Internet.


2008 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mosaku S. Kolawole ◽  
Ajenifuja Ko Olusegun

The purpose of the study was to assess the reliability and validity of the Collett—Lester Fear of Death Scale in a Nigerian population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical students using the Collett—Lester fear of death questionnaire, demographic variables were also obtained. A total of 175 students completed the questionnaire. Reliability score was good and convergent validity was also good. We concluded that the scale has good validity and reliability score among this population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 7271-7288
Author(s):  
Pedro Daniel Astudillo Castro ◽  
Christian Geovanny Quezada Ortega

El Inventario de Depresión de Beck (BDI-II) es uno de los instrumentos más empleados a nivel clínico e investigativo para evaluar la depresión. Objetivo. Adaptar y validar el BDI-II para su uso en la identificación de síntomas depresivos en población adolescente de Ecuador. Método. Estudio instrumental orientado a obtener la adaptación cultural, evidencias de validez y fiabilidad del (BDI-II). Participaron 871 adolescentes entre 13 y 18 años de edad seleccionados por muestreo no probabilístico. La validez del contenido del instrumento se evaluó mediante criterio de jueces y cálculo del Coeficiente de concordancia W de Kendall. Se realizó Análisis Factorial a través del Método de Componentes Principales. La asociación entre variables se analizó con el Coeficiente de correlación de Rho de Spearman. Para evaluar la validez convergente del (BDI-II) se empleó la Escala de Desesperanza de Beck (BHS) y la Escala de Valoración del Estado de Ánimo (EVEA). Resultados. El análisis factorial evidenció la existencia de una matriz de dos factores que explicó el 43.12% de la varianza total observada. Se obtuvieron evidencias favorables sobre validez y consistencia interna del instrumento (a= .86). Conclusiones. La versión ecuatoriana del BDI-II posee estructura bifactorial consistente con la versión original y adaptaciones precedentes realizadas al instrumento en otros países de habla hispana. Es apto para ser utilizado en el diagnóstico de síntomas depresivos en población adolescente en el contexto ecuatoriano.     The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) is one of the most widely used clinical and research instruments to assess depression. Objective. To adapt and validate the BDI-II for its use in the identification of depressive symptoms in the adolescent population of Ecuador. Method. Instrumental study oriented to obtain the cultural adaptation, validity and reliability evidences of the BDI-II. A total of 871 adolescents between 13 and 18 years of age selected by non-probabilistic sampling participated. The content validity of the instrument was evaluated by means of judges' criteria and calculation of Kendall's W concordance coefficient. Factorial analysis was performed using the Principal Component Method. The association between variables was analyzed with Spearman's Rho correlation coefficient. The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and the Mood Rating Scale (EVEA) were used to evaluate the convergent validity of the BDI-II. Results. Factor analysis showed the existence of a two-factor matrix that explained 43.12% of the total variance observed. Favorable evidence was obtained on the validity and internal consistency of the instrument (a= .86). Conclusions. The Ecuadorian version of the BDI-II has a bifactorial structure consistent with the original version and previous adaptations made to the instrument in other Spanish-speaking countries. It is suitable for use in the diagnosis of depressive symptoms in the Ecuadorian adolescent population. 


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noorhida Baharudin ◽  
Mohamed Syarif Mohamed Yassin ◽  
Siti Fatimah Badlishah Sham ◽  
Zamros Yuzadi Mohd Yusof ◽  
Anis Safura Ramli

Introduction: The Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) assesses medical students’ attitudes towards learning communication skills and had been widely utilised all over the world. This questionnaire has 26 items framed within two subscales. This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the CSAS among medical students in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). Methods: This was a cross sectional questionnaire validation study among 171 first year medical students from UiTM. The CSAS had undergone content and face validation, followed by psychometric analysis using principal component analysis to assess construct validity. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach alpha. Results: Factor analysis confirmed the original two-subscale structure of the CSAS (positive attitude scale, PAS and negative attitude scale, NAS). A total of 4 items were removed due to poor factor loading (1 item from PAS and 3 items from NAS). The final validated CSAS consisted of 22 items, 14 and 8 items for the PAS and NAS respectively. Cronbach alphas calculated were 0.862 for the PAS and 0.565 for the NAS. Conclusion: This study produced a validated and reliable CSAS to measure the attitude of UiTM medical students towards learning communication skills. Given the low internal reliability of the NAS in this study, future studies should include translating and validating the CSAS into the Malay language to improve its psychometric properties. Future studies should also include medical students from the three major ethnic groups and other medical schools in Malaysia to improve the generalisability of the CSAS.


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