The aim of this study was to perform a Rasch analysis on the 5-level ordinal scale version of the Locomotor Capabilities Index (LCI-5), in order to investigate rating scale quality and conduct reliability and validity assessments. A questionnaire was mailed to 144 subjects who had undergone lower limb amputation (LLA) in the previous five years and completed a rehabilitation and prosthetic trai...

BACKGROUND The Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Score and the Myasthenia Gravis Composite are two commonly used outcome measures in Myasthenia Gravis. So far, their measurement properties have not been compared, so we aimed to study their psychometric properties using the Rasch model. METHODS 251 patients with stable myasthenia gravis were assessed with both scales, and 211 patients returned fo...

This paper presents a general approach to the analysis of categorical panel data which is based on using causal log-linear models with latent variables. Like the well-known LISREL model, these models consist of a structural and a measurement part. In the structural part, a system of logit equations is used to explain changes which occur in the dependent variable of interest. An unrestricted or ...

Background A well-developed patient-reported outcome instrument is needed for use in Danish bariatric and body contouring patients. The BODY-Q is designed to measure changes in important patient outcomes over the entire patient journey, from obesity to post-body contouring surgery. The current study aims to psychometrically validate the BODY-Q for use in Danish patients. Methods The process c...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES A multidimensional self-report questionnaire to evaluate job-related stress factors is presented. The questionnaire, called Maugeri Stress Index - reduced form (MASI-R), aims to assess the impact of job strain on a team or on a single worker by considering four domains: wellness, resilience, perception of social support, and reactions to stressful situations. MATER...

In this paper the use of the Rasch model is explored as a transparent, systematic and theoretically underpinned response to quality issues that are widely recognised as problematic in the refinement of Likert scale questionnaires. Key issues are the choice of length of scale, the pursuit of a favourable estimate of Cronbach’s alpha at the possible expense of construct validity, and the fact tha...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) is a standardized clinical assessment that aids in evaluating a subject's ability to modify gait in response to changing demands. The purpose of this study was to use Rasch measurement theory to examine whether the DGI rating scale meets suggested psychometric guidelines, whether the hierarchical order of DGI tasks is consistent with a clinica...

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to develop patient-reported outcome measures for sleep dysfunction and sleepiness in multiple sclerosis (MS), since there are currently no MS-specific measurement tools for these clinically important entities. METHODS Items were generated from semi-structured interviews followed by cognitive debrief. A 42-item pool was administered to patients with MS...

The purpose of this study was to co-calibrate items from different deliberate self-harm (DSH) behavioural scales on the same measurement metric and compare cut points and item hierarchy across those scales. Participants included 568 young Australians aged 18-30 years (62% university students, 21% mental health patients, and 17% community volunteers). Six DSH scales (containing 82 items) were ad...

This study of person fit in attitude surveys was undertaken in order to investigate the influence of the inclusion of misfitting persons on item parameter estimates in analyses using the Partial Credit extension of the Rasch measurement model. It was hypothesised that the inclusion of misfitting persons in data sets used for the calibration of attitude survey instruments might compromise the me...