Universal language development screening: comparative performance of two questionnaires

Background and objectiveLow language ability in early childhood is a strong predictor of later psychopathology as well as reduced school readiness, lower educational attainment, employment problems and involvement with the criminal justice system. Assessment of early language development is universally offered in many countries, but there has been little evaluation of assessment tools. We planned to compare the screening performance of two commonly used language assessment instruments.MethodsA pragmatic diagnostic accuracy study was carried out in five areas of England comparing the performance of two screening tools (Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and Sure Start Language Measure (SSLM)) against a reference test (Preschool Language Scale, 5th edition).ResultsResults were available for 357 children aged 23–30 months. The ASQ Communication Scale using optimal cut-off values had a sensitivity of 0.55, a specificity of 0.95 and positive and negative predictive values of 0.53 and 0.95, respectively. The SSLM had corresponding values of 0.83, 0.81, 0.33 and 0.98, respectively. Both screening tools performed relatively poorly in families not using English exclusively in the home.ConclusionThe very widely used ASQ Communication Scale performs poorly as a language screening tool, missing over one-third of cases of low language ability. The SSLM performed better as a screening tool.

Validity and Reliability of the Korean version of the Communication Scale for Older Adults

Purpose: Aural rehabilitation has been used to reduce communication difficulties related to hearing loss and minimize their consequence in everyday life. Aural rehabilitation includes diagnosis and identification of hearing loss, provision of appropriate assistive listening devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, auditory training, speechreading, and communication strategies training. Communication strategies refer to a course of action taken to facilitate conversation interaction or to correct communication problems. Compared to other components of aural rehabilitation, communication strategies have not been focused on as a significant evaluation tool in spite of their importance in daily life. This study aimed to develop a Korean version of the Communication Scale for Older Adults (K-CSOA) originally designed by Kaplan et al. (1997) to evaluate the changes in communication strategies and attitudes.Methods: The K-CSOA was composed of communication strategies and communication attitudes. The Communication strategies have three subcategories of Facilitative (10 items), Repair (15 items), and Preparatory strategies (16 items). The communication attitudes have also three subcategories of Own Attitude (19 items), Family’s Attitude (7 items), and Others Attitude (5 items). The validity and reliability of K-CSOA were obtained with total sixty subjects consisting of thirty subjects with normal hearing and thirty subjects with different degrees of hearing loss with mean age of 72 years old ranging from 60 years old to 85 years old.Results: The validity and reliability of the K-CSOA were measured using Pearson`s correlation coefficient, Cronbach Alpha coefficient, and independent t-tests. The correlation coefficients were high (.502-.984) between total means of K-CSOA and subcategories of K-CSOA. The internal consistency ranged from .802 to .930 for Communication Strategies and from .620 to .962 for Communication Attitudes. The test-retest correlation of the K-CSOA was .986 and .988 for Communication Strategies and Attitudes, respectively. The correlation coefficient was .784 between the K-CSOA and Korean Hearing Handicap for the Elderly (KHHIE). In addition, there were significant differences in Communication Strategies and Communication Attitudes between the normal hearing and hearing loss groups.Conclusion: These results indicate that K-CSOA can be used as a useful clinical tool providing in-depth information regarding communication strategies and attitudes in Korean elderly people.

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Family Communication Scale in the Chinese Population

Purpose: To evaluate the factor structure and psychometric properties of the 10-item Family Communication Scale (FCS) in the Chinese population.Methods: Study 1 was a population-based survey [N = 687, 61.1% female; mean age (SD) 56.6 (19.1)]. Study 2 was a community-based intervention (N = 1983, 76.7% female; 57.8% aged 20–59 years). We conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in Study 1 and replicated the model by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in Study 2. Psychometric properties were evaluated, including internal consistency, test–retest reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, and known-group validity. We identified how the FCS scores differed by sociodemographic characteristics and communication methods including face to face and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Study 1.Results: The EFA and CFA supported a one-factor structure. The Chinese FCS showed a good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.91; McDonald’s Omega = 0.91) and was stable over 1-month (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.69, P < 0.001). Convergent validity was supported by positive correlations of FCS with the Subjective Happiness Scale, Family Adaption, Partnership, Growth, Affection, Resolve (APGAR) Scale, family health, harmony, and happiness, and perceived family communication sufficiency and quality (All P < 0.001). Discriminant validity was supported by the stronger correlation of FCS with Short Form-12 Health Survey Version 2 Mental Component than that with Physical Component (P < 0.001). Higher household income, frequent face-to-face communication, and frequent use of phone calls, instant messaging, and social networking sites were associated with higher FCS scores.Conclusion: The one-factor structure of the Chinese FCS can be a reliable and valid measurement of positive family communication, in the context of ICT integration into family communication.Clinical Trial Registration: [www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT02563613].

Family Communication and Psychological Distress in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediating Role of Coping

This study aims to examine the association between family communication and psychological distress with coping as a potential mediator. The study also developed and validated the Family Communication Scale (FCS) in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Participants ( n = 658; 74.9% female) were general public ranged in age between 18 and 58 years (mean age = 26.38, SD = 10.01). The results showed that family communication directly influenced psychological distress and indirectly influenced through approach coping. However, avoidant coping was not directly associated with psychological distress, nor did it mediate the association between family communication and psychological distress. The findings suggest that people, who have better family communication, highly engage in approach coping which in turn leads to better psychological health in face of adversity. The findings have important empirical and theoretical implications.

Interpersonal Communication to Teenagers in Purwokerto, Indonesia

Interpersonal communication is communication made by two or more people that produces a response both verbally and nonverbally. This study aims to describe the interpersonal communication possessed by adolescents in Purwokerto. The participants in this study were active teenagers from one of the private junior high schools in Purwokerto (n = 47). The research method used in this study is a quantitative descriptive approach with data collection using the Interpersonal Communication scale and measured using aspects of interpersonal communication Devito (2013), namely: openness, Empathy, supportive attitude, positive attitude, and equality. From the results of the research they have conducted. This shows the level of interpersonal communication in students, with the result that 24 students or 51.7% of students in Purwokerto have difficulty or difficulty in communicating. In comparison, 23 students, or 48.3% of students in Purwokerto, have no problem communicating interpersonally. Based on these results, it is expected that educational institutions can explore and provide more stimulus to improve interpersonal communication to students.

From community to validated measure: Development and validation of the patient-informed cancer communication scale (PICCS).

159 Background: Assessing patient-centered communication (PCC) is critical to improving quality patient-centered cancer care. While shown to be reliable and valid, most PCC measures were created by researchers, likely neglecting concerns of patients, families, and community members. PCC measures should be driven, in part, by the patient population of interest, especially given disparities in clinical communication. Our objective was to develop and validate a patient-informed PCC scale to assess cancer treatment discussions. Methods: As part of a larger study on communication and minority accrual to trials, we convened a panel of black and white cancer survivors, caregivers, and advocates. Panel members (n = 11) included 5 black and 3 white men and 1 black and 2 white women. Among them were 6 survivors and 5 caregivers. Panel members met regularly over six months to observe and discuss video-recorded treatment discussions between black and white men with prostate cancer and their physicians. Through an iterative process of generating and refining a list of physician communication behaviors they considered to be critical to PCC in a diverse patient population, they produced a list of 22 items, titled Patient-Informed Cancer Communication Scale (PICCS). We then applied the list as an observational scale to a set of video-recorded treatment discussions (n = 61) from the larger study. Trained raters applied the list and had acceptable inter-rater reliability. We used findings to determine constructs using scale development and factor analysis, then validated the scale through correlation with established scales. Results: We evaluated each item for content validity and feasibility. We divided some items that were assessing multiple attributes. The result was a 28-item scale. Using Classical Test Theory, we reduced the scale to 22 items. Using factor analysis, we identified five factors, including: 1. Treatment options (10 items a =.92); 2. Clinical relationship (6-items a =.92); 3. Prognosis and goals of treatment (2-items a =.79); 4. Explanations (2-items a =.43); and 5. Context (1-item). To validate, we correlated factors with two validated scales, one measuring physician PCC and the other patient active participation. Factor 1 was positively correlated with patient active participation ( r=.46; p=.003); Factor 2 with PCC ( r=.54, p. <.001); Factor 3 with patient active participation ( r=.48; p=.002); and Factor 5 with PCC ( r=.47, p=.002). The full PICCS scale was positively correlated with patient active participation ( r=.37, p=.02). PICCS Factor 4 was not correlated to the scales. Conclusions: This community-engaged research produced a reliable and valid patient-informed scale to assess PCC during cancer clinical interactions. Next steps include translating the findings by using PICCS to train physicians to communicate effectively in a diverse patient population.

Truthful Communication Scale (TCS): Conceptual basis & psychometric properties

The purpose of this document is to present the Trait Truthful Communication (T-TCS) scale, to describe its conceptual foundation, and to provide initial evidence of its psychometric quality. This document is brief and is intended for researchers who are considering using the T-TCS scale in their own work. At some point, the material summarized briefly in this document will (hopefully) be presented in detail in a full article.

The Ability to Authentic Presence of the Therapist as a Method of Quality Follow Up the Effectiveness of Psychotherapy

There are disputes and a large number of methods that claim to measure efficacy in psychotherapy. Most studies focus on the personality and skills of the therapist, fewer which examine the process of psychotherapy and how interconnections between the therapist and the client change this process. In this study we present a method of assessing the authenticity and the level of communication inspired by the theory of Budgatal (Budgendhal), examining the authenticity of the client’s contact after each session, together with two therapist-related factors: expression and openness ( Reflectiveness according to Peseschkian). In the semantics of positive psychotherapy, these are the abilities of the therapist, the ability of openness, emotional expression, and so on. The results are determined through the correlation analysis of the authentic presence and communication scale (Alpha of Cronbach Alfa 0.6) which presents the correlation relationship between abilities of Expression and accessibility of the therapist and the level of authenticity in the therapeutic sharing of the client. The results show that there is a statistically significant positive correlation (Spearman’s Correlation .748 and .511, p=0,01) between the ability of openness and high levels of authenticity in therapeutic communication and a negative correlation with the emotional expression of the therapist. In conclusion, we can say that the level of authenticity in therapeutic communication depends on the ability of openness (frankness according to Peseschkian) and needs the opposite of expressiveness, namely the introverted function of the emotion capable of “the contents of the other’s experiences, without taking space with excessive expression of their emotions.

The Effects of Family Functioning Dimensions on the Subjective Well-Being among High School Students

Subjective well-being in school offers myriad benefits for the overall development and well-being of students and is thus crucial. This study examines the effects of the family functioning dimensions of cohesion, flexibility, and communication on subjective well-being displayed by students on school premises. An aggregate of 475 students from five high schools in Greater Jakarta participated in this study. The Brief Adolescents’ Subjective Well-Being in School Scale was administered to measure subjective well-being in school. The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale and the Family Communication Scale were employed to measure family functioning. The results revealed that family flexibility and family communication positively and significantly affected the subjective well-being of students. Family communication exerted a more substantial influence than the other dimensions of family functioning because it could enhance the other dimensions. Prospective studies should investigate more specific student characteristics, such as living independently without parents or living with a single parent.