The SCQ is a popular screener for ASDs derived from the gold-standard diagnostic interview. This study examined the validity of the SCQ in a Hispanic sample. Additionally, the mother's expressed emotion toward her child with ASD was examined. Participants included 217 Hispanic and non-Hispanic white mothers of children with and without ASDs ages 4-10. The actual diagnostic status of all children was determined using a historical review of records. ROC curve analysis yielded much lower sensitivity and specificity than the original validation study, with very little difference found between the 15 and 22 cutoffs. A cutoff score of 12 performed the best with a sensitivity of .86 and specificity of .54 in distinguishing between ASD and Non-ASD. There were no significant findings in expressed emotion between Hispanics or Whites, nor did it predict SCQ score. Limitations included a small non-Hispanic White sample. Findings of this study corroborate recent validation results.

In the majority of cases students are short of money and have problems to finance their low standard subsistence. An additional financial burden for students is purchasing the costly literature for their courses and studies. Universities often support their students by providing a library but a library can never cover all the books that are demanded. Students often do not need or use their purchased books longer than they have to; with the closure of a course or a semester books become useless for the owner. To get back some money after having used a book it is common to resell the book in various ways. Regularly students’ organisations or universities established some sort of platform for example a bill-board in their facilities or on the internet. But the existence of these platforms made trading the used literature not easier because there are no rules and no regulations. The store Campusbokhandeln took this problem and started a business to make it easier for students to sell and buy used books with fair regulations so every participator profits. Campusbokhandeln has a main store at Örebro University and one at Karlstad University. The purpose of the study is to find out whether Campusbokhandeln is able to expand their actions to another university in Sweden and if yes to which university. The results of the research show that the demand for a platform like Campusbokhandeln if very high and that the owners can take the chance to expand. After a SWOT-analysis we were able to point out chances and give suggestions about the future of the business.

Background: How small children sleep influence the whole family. Sleeping problems, could influence children physical, mental, emotionally, cognitive and socially. When parents get waked by the children, who wake by themselves in the middle of the night, the parents do not always now what to do. Aim: The aim of this study was how children sleep and how it influence their parents sleep habit. The question formulation was threefold: Firstly. To describe the sleeping habit of children aged 0-3 years and their parents. Secondly, how usual are sleeping problems and which are the differences concerning sleep between those who experience problems and those who do not? Thirdly, witch help has the parents searched and received concerning sleeping problems. Method: The study was empirical and a questionnaire was constructed. This was delivered to three children care centres. 51 questionnaires were answered and analysed. Results: The parents who believed that they sometimes had problem with the sleep, felt more irascible. They also believed that the children were more frequently sick. The parents talked more with district nurse, and they had more frequently at least two children.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psy- chometric properties of a Swedish version of The Krantz Health Opinion Survey (KHOS). A conven- ience sample of 79 persons (47 men and 32 women) was recruited from The Heart and Lung Patients’ National Association at ten local meeting places in different areas in Sweden. The questionnaire was examined for face and content validity, internal con-sistency and test-retest reliability. The findings showed that the Swedish version of KHOS is accept- able in terms of face and content validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability over time among 79 individuals >65 years of age and with a cardiac disease. In conclusion, wider evaluations of the psy- chometric use of KHOS for other populations and settings are recommended. / SAMMI

Background: In this study, we enhanced a diagnostic questionnaire which had been previously developed to measure stress and social support. Methods: 101 patients with chronic periodontitis and 50 healthy control subjects completed our questionnaire package after which we analyzed the data for trends and associations. Results: Our enhanced questionnaire provided a valid and reliable measure of stress and social support in patients with chronic periodontitis. Conclusion: Our enhanced questionnaire provided both a valid and a reliable measure of stress and social support in patients with chronic periodontitis however requires further refinement to predict periodontal disease experience and severity.

This study determined the sensitivity and specificity of questionnaires and administrative databases compared to a clinical reference standard for asthma. 208 schoolchildren from a population-based sample participated. They underwent a physician assessment, spirometry, methacholine challenge, exhaled nitric oxide and skin testing. Data was linked to the Ontario Asthma Surveillance Information System. “Questionnaire diagnosis” was an affirmative response to physician-diagnosed asthma. “Database diagnosis” was 2 outpatient visits or 1 hospitalization within 2 years. “Clinical diagnosis” required a physician assessment and objective findings of asthma. “Questionnaire diagnosis” of asthma was specific (92.1%) but not sensitive (75.3%) compared to the “clinical diagnosis”. “Database diagnosis” was sensitive (87.5%) but not specific (64.8%). Both sources had an excellent negative predictive value (97-98%) but poor positive predictive value (24-55%). Epidemiologic methods accurately identify those without asthma but are poor at identifying those with asthma, leading to an overestimation of asthma prevalence and dilution of risk estimates.

This study determined the sensitivity and specificity of questionnaires and administrative databases compared to a clinical reference standard for asthma. 208 schoolchildren from a population-based sample participated. They underwent a physician assessment, spirometry, methacholine challenge, exhaled nitric oxide and skin testing. Data was linked to the Ontario Asthma Surveillance Information System. “Questionnaire diagnosis” was an affirmative response to physician-diagnosed asthma. “Database diagnosis” was 2 outpatient visits or 1 hospitalization within 2 years. “Clinical diagnosis” required a physician assessment and objective findings of asthma. “Questionnaire diagnosis” of asthma was specific (92.1%) but not sensitive (75.3%) compared to the “clinical diagnosis”. “Database diagnosis” was sensitive (87.5%) but not specific (64.8%). Both sources had an excellent negative predictive value (97-98%) but poor positive predictive value (24-55%). Epidemiologic methods accurately identify those without asthma but are poor at identifying those with asthma, leading to an overestimation of asthma prevalence and dilution of risk estimates.

Background: In this study, we enhanced a diagnostic questionnaire which had been previously developed to measure stress and social support. Methods: 101 patients with chronic periodontitis and 50 healthy control subjects completed our questionnaire package after which we analyzed the data for trends and associations. Results: Our enhanced questionnaire provided a valid and reliable measure of stress and social support in patients with chronic periodontitis. Conclusion: Our enhanced questionnaire provided both a valid and a reliable measure of stress and social support in patients with chronic periodontitis however requires further refinement to predict periodontal disease experience and severity.

Reprint from: Allergology International 55(1), 2006, p.59-65

L'évaluation de programme est un domaine d'activités en émergence auquel maints établissements recourent afin d'évaluer leurs programmes, projets ou politiques. L'évolution historique de cette pratique témoigne des développements et des changements qui ont façonné son utilisation et qui ont conduit progressivement vers son état actuel. Elle fait l'objet de nombreuses critiques quant à la qualité des jugements générés au sein des rapports rédigés. Plusieurs théoriciens ont élaboré des modalisations du processus évaluatif, mais elles ont toutes une conceptualisation linéaire, dont le jugement constitue l'ultime produit, ce qui les rend inefficaces. Suite à cette problématique, certains chercheurs ont tenté de cerner les conditions requises afin de générer un jugement acceptable, lesquels ont identifié une carence au niveau de l'élaboration de l'argumentation et plus précisément sur le plan de la synthèse des informations (Scriven, 1990; Bossiroy, 2009). Une recension des écrits quant aux notions du jugement et de la crédibilité permet de constater une nouvelle perspective à explorer. En effet, le jugement doit être perçu comme un processus entier, résultant d'une compétence humaine. De plus, la crédibilité qui lui est accordée serait tributaire de la mise en place de certaines conditions optimales, mais demeurerait le fruit d'une démarche externe réalisée par les personnes concernées par ce jugement. Inévitablement, cette approche amène les chercheurs à étudier des volets autres que ceux de la méthodologie. Dans une perspective multidisciplinaire, il devient alors fort intéressant de s'attarder à l'analyse de pratiques professionnelles diverses, socialement reconnues, menant à la formulation d'un jugement. Ainsi, le projet de recherche dans lequel s'inscrit cette étude exploratoire prévoit conduire des entrevues individuelles auprès de professionnels amenés à porter des jugements quotidiennement, en vue de mieux comprendre et cerner les conditions essentielles requises pour générer un jugement crédible. Les résultats obtenus permettront ensuite de modéliser le processus de production d'un jugement crédible et d'identifier les éléments transférables à la pratique en évaluation de programme. Pour ce faire, il demeure essentiel de travailler avec un questionnaire d'entretien de qualité permettant d'engendrer l'information souhaitée. L'élaboration et la validation de ce questionnaire constituent ainsi les visées spécifiques de cette recherche. L'élaboration théorique du questionnaire ainsi que la validation par expérimentation permettent de conclure en l'efficacité de la démarche et du questionnaire. De plus, l'analyse des données obtenues présente des résultats concluants et très prometteurs quant aux suites à donner à cette étude et témoigne de la qualité de l'information générée par notre démarche. Il en ressort principalement l'influence de la subjectivité de l'évaluateur ainsi que de sa compétence, tout au long du processus de formulation d'un jugement crédible. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Compétence, crédibilité, évaluation de programme, jugement