The purpose of the present study was to construct and validate a brief screening instrument to support parent(s) and preschool/kindergarten teachers in monitoring and screening for cognitive impairment and/or delay in preschoolers. The target population of interest is all preschoolers <i>at-risk</i> for poor psychosocial and school outcomes due to chronic and acute dysfunction of the central nervous system (CNS). The accessible populations of interest to the present study are pediatric cancer survivors, preschoolers with alcohol related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), being preterm low birth weight, and/or diagnosed with various learning disabilities. The past practice of waiting until an <i>at-risk</i> child experienced poor school outcomes before being referred for cognitive assessment toward tailoring an intervention is no longer defensible. For the present study, a 61-item screening instrument (18 memory items, 19 verbal ability items, 15 attention items, and 9 demographic items) was pilot tested with parents, playschool teachers, and kindergarten teachers to rate preschoolers on overt behaviours associated with cognitive functioning. A criterion-referenced framework was used to establish a performance standard and set a cut score based on a sample of 151 normally functioning preschoolers aged 4:0- to 5:11-years. The various empirical and substantive analyses conducted resulted in a revised scale of 28 items (10 memory, 11 verbal ability, and 7 attention) titled, <i>Screening Test for the Early Prediction of School Success</i> (STEPSS). Given the need for a future study to validate the STEPSS with clinical groups of preschoolers, the screening instrument is intended to provide the empirical evidence needed to refer <i>at-risk</i> preschoolers for assessment with more comprehensive cognitive batteries. Constructing and validating the STEPSS is important for two reasons: 1) to fill a gap in the types of instruments available for monitoring and assessing cognitive functioning in <i>at-risk</i> preschool populations; and 2) to alleviate the current delay in targeting interventions for preschoolers because of the practice of depending upon the school system to monitor and identify poor cognitive functioning.

The purpose of the present study was to construct and validate a brief screening instrument to support parent(s) and preschool/kindergarten teachers in monitoring and screening for cognitive impairment and/or delay in preschoolers. The target population of interest is all preschoolers <i>at-risk</i> for poor psychosocial and school outcomes due to chronic and acute dysfunction of the central nervous system (CNS). The accessible populations of interest to the present study are pediatric cancer survivors, preschoolers with alcohol related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), being preterm low birth weight, and/or diagnosed with various learning disabilities. The past practice of waiting until an <i>at-risk</i> child experienced poor school outcomes before being referred for cognitive assessment toward tailoring an intervention is no longer defensible. For the present study, a 61-item screening instrument (18 memory items, 19 verbal ability items, 15 attention items, and 9 demographic items) was pilot tested with parents, playschool teachers, and kindergarten teachers to rate preschoolers on overt behaviours associated with cognitive functioning. A criterion-referenced framework was used to establish a performance standard and set a cut score based on a sample of 151 normally functioning preschoolers aged 4:0- to 5:11-years. The various empirical and substantive analyses conducted resulted in a revised scale of 28 items (10 memory, 11 verbal ability, and 7 attention) titled, <i>Screening Test for the Early Prediction of School Success</i> (STEPSS). Given the need for a future study to validate the STEPSS with clinical groups of preschoolers, the screening instrument is intended to provide the empirical evidence needed to refer <i>at-risk</i> preschoolers for assessment with more comprehensive cognitive batteries. Constructing and validating the STEPSS is important for two reasons: 1) to fill a gap in the types of instruments available for monitoring and assessing cognitive functioning in <i>at-risk</i> preschool populations; and 2) to alleviate the current delay in targeting interventions for preschoolers because of the practice of depending upon the school system to monitor and identify poor cognitive functioning.

The present study was conducted with the aim of constructing and validating a short form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS). The POMS is a widely-applied measure for the assessment of an individual’s mood. Thus, it is of great relevance for many research questions in clinical and social psychology. To develop the short scale, we first examined psychometric properties and found the optimal 16-itemsolution among all valid combinations of the full POMS in an exploratory subsample (n = 1,029) of our complete representative sample of the German general population. We then validated this model in a confirmatory subsample (n = 977). Additionally, we examined its invariance across age groups and sex, as well as its reliability. Our results indicate that the POMS-16 is a valid and reliable measure of mood states with minimal losses compared to the 35-item version. Particularly where brevity and an economical assessment is desired, the POMS-16 should be considered.

No description available.

This is an examination of the predictive validity of two personality scales, the NEO PPI and the CRT-HR when administered to a sample of 595 Psychiatric Aide job applicants. The research design also tests the moderating advantages of two faking suppression techniques, the use of a lie scale and warning the test takers. The individual applicant profile provided by the screen was evaluated with criterion including turnover, performance, absenteeism and employee injury collected six months after employment began.

Although less than half of all patients with mental disorders seek mental health treatment per se, approximately 80% of all people will visit their primary care physician (PCPs) within a year (Strosahl, 1998). However, it is not well understood how to best handle patients presenting with mental health issues in primary care practices. The purpose of this project was to implement an intervention involving a screening measure for anxiety and mood disorders in a primary care setting to increase the volume of anxiety and mood disorder screening, to increase the accuracy of disorder detection, and to also enhance PCPs patterns of referral to mental health professionals (MHPs). Though starting with a quantitative design, difficulties encountered throughout the project eventually led to a largely qualitative analysis, which did yield useful information. A pilot project demonstrated anxiety and mood disorders were commonly noted in patients’ medical charts (46%), but also found referrals were rarely made for mental health services (7%), despite colocation of a licensed psychologist and licensed clinical social worker within the practice. This indicated that services available to provide comprehensive integrated total health care may not be have been used to their full potential. In the main project, 59 participants from a family medicine clinic and 20 PCPs from that clinic participated. The My Mood Monitor (M3) was administered to the patients and became part of their Electronic Medical Records (EMR). The M3 screens for anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorders within primary care settings. In 2 separate noon conferences, PCPs were trained on diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders and mood disorders, interpretation of M3 results, and the internal Mental Health Professional referral process. The project was hampered by a full-scale switch from paper-based medical records to an EMR and accompanying lack of user experience with EMR functions, lack of efficient transfer of M3 results into the EMR, and an unforeseen switch of psychologists mid-way through the study. However, results were obtained that showed relatively low levels of PCP review of M3 results, potentially high rates of anxiety disorders and mood disorders within the setting, relatively high levels of PCP knowledge of diagnostic criteria for anxiety and mood disorders, and that patients may not prefer a ‘warm handoff’ model of mental health referral. These findings are couched within a number of important caveats, but future directions for research were clearly implied.

Introdução: Polineuropatia periférica (PNP) é descrita em diabéticos, porém estudos têm mostrado alterações neuropáticas em pacientes com pré-diabetes (Pre-DM), Síndrome Metabólica (SM), obesos e submetidos à cirurgia bariátrica (post-BS). Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência de PNP entre pacientes com Diabetes Mellitus (DM), obesos graus II e III e pré-diabetes (OB-PRE-DM), obesidade graus II e III e síndrome metabólica (OB-SM), obesidade sem PREDM e SM (Ob No MS) e pacientes Post-BS e avaliar a sensibilidade e a especificidade da escala Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS) em comparação com Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). Método: Foi realizado um estudo transversal onde as prevalências de PNP foram avaliadas através do MNSI e do NDS. O desempenho do NDS foi comparado ao MNSI através de curvas Receiving Operating Characteristics Curves (ROC). Resultados: Considerando os escores MNSI ≥ 2,5 e ≥ 4 sintomas, MNSI ≥ 2,5 e ≥ 7 sintomas e NDS ≥ 3 em combinação com Neuropathy Symptom Score (NSS) score ≥ 3, houve a prevalência maior de PNP em DM e Pre-DM vs Ob-SM e Ob No MS e em todos vs Post-BS quando os grupos foram comparados entre si. As curvas ROC mostraram que o melhor desempenho do NDS foi ≥ 0,5. Conclusão: A prevalência de PNP descrita com o MNSI é maior em relação a com NDS. O baixo valor obtido para o melhor desempenho do NDS sugere que exploremos escores <3 para avaliar alterações neuropáticas com este escore. / Introduction: Peripheral polineuropathy (PNP) is seen in diabetics, however, studies have shown neuropathic alterations in patients with pre-diabetes (Pre-DM), Metabolic Syndrome (MS), obese and submitted to bariatric surgery (post-BS). Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of PNP among patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), obese grades II and III and pre-diabetes (OB-PRE-DM), obesity grades II and III and metabolic syndrome (OB-SM), obesity without PREDM and Ob No MS and Post-BS patients and to assess the sensitivity and specificity of Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS) compared to the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out in which PNP prevalence were evaluated through the MNSI and the Neuropathy NDS. The performance of the NDS was compared to the MNSI through Receiving Operating Characteristics Curves (ROC curves). Results: Considering MNSI scores ≥ 2.5 and ≥ 4 symptoms, MNSI ≥ 2.5 and ≥ 7 symptoms and NDS ≥ 3 in combination with NSS score ≥ 3, there was a higher prevalence of PNP in DM and Pre-DM vs Ob-SM and Ob No MS and in all vs. Post-BS when groups were compared to each other. The curves ROC showed that the best performance of NDS was ≥ 0.5. Conclusion: The prevalence of PNP described with MNSI is higher in relation to described with NDS. The low value obtained for the best performance of NDS suggest that we explore <3 scores to evaluate neuropathic alterations with this score.

Introdução: Polineuropatia periférica (PNP) é descrita em diabéticos, porém estudos têm mostrado alterações neuropáticas em pacientes com pré-diabetes (Pre-DM), Síndrome Metabólica (SM), obesos e submetidos à cirurgia bariátrica (post-BS). Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência de PNP entre pacientes com Diabetes Mellitus (DM), obesos graus II e III e pré-diabetes (OB-PRE-DM), obesidade graus II e III e síndrome metabólica (OB-SM), obesidade sem PREDM e SM (Ob No MS) e pacientes Post-BS e avaliar a sensibilidade e a especificidade da escala Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS) em comparação com Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). Método: Foi realizado um estudo transversal onde as prevalências de PNP foram avaliadas através do MNSI e do NDS. O desempenho do NDS foi comparado ao MNSI através de curvas Receiving Operating Characteristics Curves (ROC). Resultados: Considerando os escores MNSI ≥ 2,5 e ≥ 4 sintomas, MNSI ≥ 2,5 e ≥ 7 sintomas e NDS ≥ 3 em combinação com Neuropathy Symptom Score (NSS) score ≥ 3, houve a prevalência maior de PNP em DM e Pre-DM vs Ob-SM e Ob No MS e em todos vs Post-BS quando os grupos foram comparados entre si. As curvas ROC mostraram que o melhor desempenho do NDS foi ≥ 0,5. Conclusão: A prevalência de PNP descrita com o MNSI é maior em relação a com NDS. O baixo valor obtido para o melhor desempenho do NDS sugere que exploremos escores <3 para avaliar alterações neuropáticas com este escore. / Introduction: Peripheral polineuropathy (PNP) is seen in diabetics, however, studies have shown neuropathic alterations in patients with pre-diabetes (Pre-DM), Metabolic Syndrome (MS), obese and submitted to bariatric surgery (post-BS). Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of PNP among patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), obese grades II and III and pre-diabetes (OB-PRE-DM), obesity grades II and III and metabolic syndrome (OB-SM), obesity without PREDM and Ob No MS and Post-BS patients and to assess the sensitivity and specificity of Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS) compared to the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out in which PNP prevalence were evaluated through the MNSI and the Neuropathy NDS. The performance of the NDS was compared to the MNSI through Receiving Operating Characteristics Curves (ROC curves). Results: Considering MNSI scores ≥ 2.5 and ≥ 4 symptoms, MNSI ≥ 2.5 and ≥ 7 symptoms and NDS ≥ 3 in combination with NSS score ≥ 3, there was a higher prevalence of PNP in DM and Pre-DM vs Ob-SM and Ob No MS and in all vs. Post-BS when groups were compared to each other. The curves ROC showed that the best performance of NDS was ≥ 0.5. Conclusion: The prevalence of PNP described with MNSI is higher in relation to described with NDS. The low value obtained for the best performance of NDS suggest that we explore <3 scores to evaluate neuropathic alterations with this score.

Introdução: Polineuropatia periférica (PNP) é descrita em diabéticos, porém estudos têm mostrado alterações neuropáticas em pacientes com pré-diabetes (Pre-DM), Síndrome Metabólica (SM), obesos e submetidos à cirurgia bariátrica (post-BS). Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência de PNP entre pacientes com Diabetes Mellitus (DM), obesos graus II e III e pré-diabetes (OB-PRE-DM), obesidade graus II e III e síndrome metabólica (OB-SM), obesidade sem PREDM e SM (Ob No MS) e pacientes Post-BS e avaliar a sensibilidade e a especificidade da escala Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS) em comparação com Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). Método: Foi realizado um estudo transversal onde as prevalências de PNP foram avaliadas através do MNSI e do NDS. O desempenho do NDS foi comparado ao MNSI através de curvas Receiving Operating Characteristics Curves (ROC). Resultados: Considerando os escores MNSI ≥ 2,5 e ≥ 4 sintomas, MNSI ≥ 2,5 e ≥ 7 sintomas e NDS ≥ 3 em combinação com Neuropathy Symptom Score (NSS) score ≥ 3, houve a prevalência maior de PNP em DM e Pre-DM vs Ob-SM e Ob No MS e em todos vs Post-BS quando os grupos foram comparados entre si. As curvas ROC mostraram que o melhor desempenho do NDS foi ≥ 0,5. Conclusão: A prevalência de PNP descrita com o MNSI é maior em relação a com NDS. O baixo valor obtido para o melhor desempenho do NDS sugere que exploremos escores <3 para avaliar alterações neuropáticas com este escore. / Introduction: Peripheral polineuropathy (PNP) is seen in diabetics, however, studies have shown neuropathic alterations in patients with pre-diabetes (Pre-DM), Metabolic Syndrome (MS), obese and submitted to bariatric surgery (post-BS). Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of PNP among patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), obese grades II and III and pre-diabetes (OB-PRE-DM), obesity grades II and III and metabolic syndrome (OB-SM), obesity without PREDM and Ob No MS and Post-BS patients and to assess the sensitivity and specificity of Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS) compared to the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out in which PNP prevalence were evaluated through the MNSI and the Neuropathy NDS. The performance of the NDS was compared to the MNSI through Receiving Operating Characteristics Curves (ROC curves). Results: Considering MNSI scores ≥ 2.5 and ≥ 4 symptoms, MNSI ≥ 2.5 and ≥ 7 symptoms and NDS ≥ 3 in combination with NSS score ≥ 3, there was a higher prevalence of PNP in DM and Pre-DM vs Ob-SM and Ob No MS and in all vs. Post-BS when groups were compared to each other. The curves ROC showed that the best performance of NDS was ≥ 0.5. Conclusion: The prevalence of PNP described with MNSI is higher in relation to described with NDS. The low value obtained for the best performance of NDS suggest that we explore <3 scores to evaluate neuropathic alterations with this score.

The forensic assessment of young children is a difficult and often daunting task for professionals working in the field of child sexual abuse. A forensic assessment with pre-school children requires that the professional have knowledge of various aspects of the children themselves and the disclosure of abuse, and remain as neutral and objective as possible while conducting the assessment. Literature indicates that the knowledge of the child’s social, behavioural and developmental level is essential in order to conduct a developmental sensitive forensic interview. Although the term “pre-forensic screening” is relatively new in the field of forensics, Hewitt (1999) and Carnes (2006) refer to “pre-screening” and “developmental, behavioural and social assessment”, respectively. The study examined the usefulness of the General Child Assessment Model as a pre-forensic screening technique specifically for children aged 3-5 years. The researcher adopted a qualitative approach to explore the usefulness of the General Child Assessment Model as a pre-forensic screening instrument with professionals working in the clinical as well as forensic field. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals trained in the general child assessment model. The interviews focused on the professionals’ use of the model in general, the value they attached to the model, its usefulness as a pre-forensic screening instrument with children aged 3-5 years, strengths and limitations of the model as a pre-forensic screening instrument, and practical recommendations for using the model in the forensic context. The data from the semi-structured interviews was analysed and divided into themes and subthemes, which were further described and linked with relevant literature .It became clear that the use of this assessment model had value in the therapeutic as well as forensic context. The model was described as an important and valuable part of the forensic process as it provides a holistic view of the child in context. The strengths and limitations of the model as a pre-forensic screening instrument were also explored and the participants made practical recommendations to optimise the use of the model as a pre-forensic screening instrument. In addition, a case study was used to evaluate the model as a pre-forensic screening instrument. / Thesis (MSW (Forensic Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.