Physical body experiences questionnaire simplified for active aging (PBE-QAG): Validation with Rasch measurement theory

Purpose To validate the Physical body experiences questionnaire simplified for active aging (PBE-QAG) with Rasch measurement theory. PBE-QAG measures body awareness during physical activity and includes dimensions of body-mind relationship, body acceptance, and awareness of physical skills and limits. Methods Adults without pain (n=269), with pain (n=61), with mental health conditions (n=200), and with stroke (n=36) were recruited at the Minnesota State Fair, Highland Fest, and in the Brain Body Mind Lab (University of Minnesota) and completed demographic and clinical questionnaires as well as the PBE-QAG. The PBE-QAG has 12 items, with scores ranging between 0 (totally true) to 4 (totally false). A low total score on the PBE-QAG reflects better body awareness. We evaluated item and person fit, targeting, unidimensionality, person separation reliability (PSR), local item dependence (LID), and differential item functioning (DIF) for demographic and clinical characteristics. We compared with Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA the person mean location in four groups: Adults with or without mental health conditions; and whether those groups did body awareness training. Results Unidimensionality and item fit were obtained after deleting 2 and rescoring 5 items. Seven participants did not fit the model (1.23%). There was minimal floor (5.72%), no ceiling effect (0.00%), and no LID. No DIF was greater than 0.50 logits for any of the variables. The Wright-corrected PSR was 0.96. The person mean location was -1.71+/-1.21 logits. Adults with mental health conditions who did not practice body awareness had a higher person mean location [Median (IQR)=0.83(0.89) logits, p<0.0001] versus the other three groups, reflecting lower body awareness. Conclusions PBE-QAG demonstrated good item and person fit, but the targeting is off. Therefore, the current version of PBE-QAG is not recommended for use in the general population. We encourage further validation of PBE-QAG in adults with mental health conditions who do not practice body awareness.

Is it possible to develop a new measurement tool to assess the functional status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis?

Objectives: This study aims to develop measurement tools for assessing patients’ functional status with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in terms of upper and lower extremity function and to evaluate the tools’ construct validities with classical and modern psychometric approaches. Patients and methods: Between April 2010 and April 2012, a total of 300 patients with RA (77 males, 223 females; mean age: 52.3±11.5 years; range, 18 to 82 years) who answered items from a range of widely used instruments were included. After examining initial dimensionality with exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and Rasch analysis were used to evaluate the tools’ construct validities. The data-model fit was evaluated with goodness-of-fit (GoF) statistics in CFA, while the tools were examined in terms of item and person fit, unidimensionality and differential item functioning (DIF) from the perspective of Rasch analysis. Results: According to EFA, two dimensions were identified and named as “self-care-mobility-household activities related to lower extremity” and “self-care-mobility-household activities related to upper extremity” taking into account the factor loadings and the clinical classifications. While the clinical classification was tested with CFA, all items were loaded on their pre-defined dimensions with the factor loadings of ≥0.40 and GoF statistics were within the acceptable ranges. When the “self-care-mobility-household activities related to upper extremity” and “self-care-mobility-household activities related to lower extremity” tools were evaluated via the Rasch analysis, both tools were found to fit the Rasch model expectations, with a mean item fit statistics of -0.528 logit (standard deviation [SD]: 1.365) and -0.213 (SD: 1.168; mean person fit statistics of -0.412 logit (SD: 1.160) and -0.303 logit (SD: 0.859), respectively. Conclusion: For the evaluation of a scale’s construct validity, it is recommended to use the Rasch analysis in tandem with factor analytic methods, as the Rasch analysis explores a scale’s construct validity in terms of item and person fit, DIF and unidimensionality which is the only aspect of the factor analysis.

IDENTIFIKASI ITEM FIT DAN PERSON FIT DALAM PENGUKURAN HASIL BELAJAR KIMIA

Tes kimia buatan guru yang berkualitas sangat dibutuhkan mengingat keputusan yang diambil dari hasil tes tersebut berdampak pada siswa. Untuk memenuhi hal tersebut, model Rasch menawarkan statistik uji yang berperan penting dalam konstruksi pengujian yang berkaitan dengan masalah evaluasi dan pemilihan item serta dalam pengambilan keputusan terhadap skor tes yang dihasilkan. Oleh sebab itu, penelitian ini dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mengidentifikasi item fit dan person fit dalam pengukuran hasil belajar kimia menggunakan model Rasch. Data yang berupa respon multiple choice dari 40 item penyusun instrumen tes kimia buatan guru diambil dengan teknik dokumentasi dan dianalisis menggunakan Winsteps Rasch Software versi 3.73. Hasil analisis menyimpulkan bahwa semua item penyusun instrumen tes kimia buatan guru terbukti fit model. Sementara itu, dari 356 siswa SMA di Kota Yogyakarta yang menjadi responden penelitian, 18 siswa diantaranya teridentifikasi sebagai person misfit yang sebaiknya diperiksa lebih lanjut untuk mendapatkan bimbingan guru.

The Effect of Person Misfit on Item Parameter Estimation and Classification Accuracy: A Simulation Study

Often, important decisions regarding accountability and placement of students in performance categories are made on the basis of test scores generated from tests, therefore, it is important to evaluate the validity of the inferences derived from test results. One of the threats to the validity of such inferences is aberrant responding. Several person fit indices were developed to detect aberrant responding on educational and psychological tests. The majority of the person fit literature has been focused on creating and evaluating new indices. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of aberrant responding on the accuracy of estimated item parameters and refining estimations by using person fit statistics by means of simulation. Our results showed that the presence of aberrant response patterns created bias in the both b and a parameters at the item level and affected the classification of students, particularly high-performing students, into performance categories regardless of whether aberrant response patterns were present in the data or were removed. The results differed by test length and the percentage of students with aberrant response patterns. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Sustainable public health partnerships: Results from 41 European, Asian and American regions

Background Public health problems often constitute so called “wicked problems”, and the importance of involving multiple stakeholders in order to address such problems is acknowledged, for instance through the SDG17 guidelines. Partnerships between academia and the public sector have been deemed especially promising. However, sustainable partnerships might be difficult due to divergent understandings and interests. Although there is a substantial research literature on academic-public partnerships in general, partnerships addressing public health specifically are less investigated. The aim of the project was therefore to identify enablers for sustainable public health partnerships between academia and the public sector. Methods A mixed methods design was used. A survey regarding partnerships was sent to 41 European, Asian and American regions, with a response rate of 72 %. Based on survey data, an interview guide was developed and four best cases (Canada, Bulgaria, the Netherlands and Norway) were identified. Site visits and group interviews with representatives from stakeholders of the partnerships were conducted. Interview data and answers to open ended questions from questionnaires were analysed. Results Three main findings became apparent through the analysis. Important enablers were: 1) person-to-person fit between individuals, 2) national incentive schemes for collaboration, and 3) formal partnership agreements that provided a framework that allowed for manoeuvring. The enablers identified are on a macro, miso and micro level. Furthermore, they can be categorised as political, organisational, and social. Conclusions The data support the notion that partnerships are complex social structures that need to be initiated and managed on different levels and with different measures. At the same time, data demonstrate that across different geographical, political, and social contexts the same enablers are reappearing as important for sustaining public health partnerships. Key messages Similar enablers for sustaining public health partnerships are found across geographical, political, and social contexts. Important enablers for partnerships are person-to-person fit, national incentive schemes, and formal agreements.

A pedagógus kiégés jelenségének vizsgálata

Napjainkban számos változás érintette, érinti a szakképzés egészét, ami kihatással van a rendszerben dolgozó pedagógusokra is. Kutatásomban érdekelt, hogy a személyiségvonások (pl. empátia, kötelességtudat, nyitottság, elhivatottság), amelyek a pedagógusi pályára alkalmas (abb) á tesznek valakit, mennyiben játszanak szerepet a kiégési szintjét tekintve. Kérdőívcsomagomat 300, a szakképzésben dolgozó pedagógus munkatársam töltötte ki, mind a 44 szakképzési centrum érintve lett.Tanulmányomban bemutatom a kiégés (burnout) szindrómát, ezen belül a pedagógus kiégés jelenségét, majd pedig a vizsgálataimat és eredményeimet összegzem. Kutatásom hipotéziseinek eredményeit és a statisztikai mutatóit összevetem a korábbi eredményekkel, majd pedig a pedagógus burnout prevenciójának lehetőségeit, és a lehetséges megoldási utakat veszem számba.Munkámban kiemelem azokat a pontokat ahonnan még visszafordítható a kiégés folyamata, és bemutatok a preventív stresszmenedzsment modelljén keresztül több intervenciós módszert. Nowadays, many changes have affected, act on the whole of vocational training, which also impact the teachers working in the system. In my research, I am interested in the extent to which personality traits (eg empathy, duty, openness, dedication) that make a person fit into the teaching profession play a role in their burnout. My questionnaire package was completed by 300 of my vocational training teacher staff and all 44 centers of vocational training were affected.In my study, I present burnout syndrome, including the phenomenon of teacher burnout, and then summarize my research and results. I compare the results of my research hypotheses and statistical indicators with previous results, then consider the possibilities of teacher burnout prevention and possible solutions.In my work, I highlight the points from which the burnout process can be reversed and introduce several intervention methods through the preventive stress management model.

Exploring Other-Than-Human Identity: A Narrative Approach to Otherkin, Therianthropes, and Vampires

Drawing on in-depth, narrative interviews with 24 self-identified Otherkin, Therianthropes, and Vampires, we explore how members of these communities navigate Bamberg’s three “dilemmatic spaces” or tensions of continuity/change, similarity/difference, and person-to-world/world-to-person fit. With regard to the first, we identify four aetiological narratives (walk-ins, reincarnation, trapped soul, and evolutionary soul), and discuss stories of shifts and awakening. For the second, we discuss how participants manage the similarity/difference tension with regard to themselves and humans, and explore categorical and renunciatory othering within the communities. Finally, we explore the ways in which members of the communities experience a barren narrative environment, and ways they seek to construct storyworlds and narrative resources as frames for establishing their identities.