Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-100). / Also available by subscription via World Wide Web / x, 106 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-54). / ix, 120 leaves, bound 29 cm

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-166). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Did the right person win? In competitive sports the difference between winning and loosing can be very marginal but still the result will have a big impact. To finish second, even if it is an Olympic Game, can be felt like a failure for the athlete. In the light of this the quality of the measurements and the judgements in sports are an extremely important issue. In this dissertation, consisting of two separate reports and one summary report, the freestyle discipline, acroski, and the gymnastic discipline, rhythmic gymnastics (RG) where studied with a focus on the rules and judgements in the sports. The reliability and validity of the rule and judging systems were analysed together with changes in the rule and judging systems. The reliability, as the judges ability to interpret the rules and judge in a consistent way, and validity in the sense that the judgements, and the rules for the judgements, where in accordance with the idea of the sport. Information was gathered from rulebooks, judging manuals, meeting protocols, and historical documents. For information on how the rules and judgements where perceived among people involved in the two sports, interviews where carried out with two coaches, two judges and four athletes from each of the sports. In the summary report the results from the two reports where discussed and a comparison of the rule systems and judgements was made together with a discussion about reliability and validity problems in sports measured by time, length and height. The results showed that the rule and judging systems in acroski and RG in a short time have gone through major changes to increase the reliability and validity in the judgements. The quick evolution of these sports seems to be the main reason for these changes but also other factors where of vital importance. Finding the balance between making the judgements as objective as possible, without loosing the idea of the sport, together with the quick evolution of the sports, seemed to be the main challenges in the rule and judging systems of acroski and RG.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / Objective: The cancer worry is associated with preventive behaviors for the detection of this disease; However, there is no instrument with evidence of validity and reliability to measure this construct in Latin American countries, including Peru. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the evidence of validity based on the internal structure and reliability of the Cancer Worry Scale (CWS) in a sample of people without cancer diagnosis with a family history of cancer. Method: It counted with the participation of 215 healthy people with a family history of cancer who attended the outpatient service of two public and private health institutions in the city of Chimbote with an average age of 42.10 years (SD = 14.05). For the collection of information, an ad hoc sociodemographic record and the Cancer Worry Scale were used. Results: The one-dimensional model presented a good fit of the data (SBχ2 (8) = 14.39, SB χ2 / df = 1.79, CFI = 0.991, SRMR = 0.025, RMSEA = 0.061 [IC90%: 0.000-0.111], AIC = 47.701) and adequate reliability (ω corrected = 0.90; IC95%: 0.88-0.92). Conclusion: It is concluded that the CWS presents adequate psychometric properties, being a measure that provides valid and reliable interpretations of the cáncer worry in the peruvian context. / Revisión por pares / Revisión por pares

This dissertation involves a holistic and interconnected examination of the validity, reliability, and fairness of the Online Research and Comprehension Assessment (ORCA). The ORCA is a large-scale assessment of New Literacies that challenges Grade 7 students to solve research problems (e.g., Does playing video games harm your eyes?) by locating, critically evaluating, and synthesizing online information in order to communicate their results in online genres such as email and wiki. My goal in this study was to understand how ORCA test score data should be used and interpreted, in what context, and for what purposes. A secondary goal was to examine the cognitive and metacognitive processes required to support research writing in online contexts. The study involved three interconnected phases. The first was a systematic, mixed methods literature review of 101 peer-reviewed texts from the last 50 years in order to articulate the construct underlying the ORCA. Finding no construct in the literature that considered the important ways in which the Internet has changed the construct of writing, I opted to conceptualize one of my own. This construct also serves as the theoretical framework for the rest of the dissertation. In the next phase of the study, I again explored the construct underlying the ORCA, but this time via a mixed methods investigation of the response processes—both cognitive and metacognitive—elicited by the ORCA. By observing both expert and novice participants’ response processes, I analyzed the extent to which the tasks and types of responses elicited by the ORCA fit the intended construct. Further, by observing response processes, I was also able to analyze construct underrepresentation and construct-irrelevant variance, which are fundamental to the ORCA’s appraisal. The results suggested that there are complex and sophisticated cognitive and metacognitive processes underlying the ORCA and online research writing more generally, many of which are unique to online contexts. Further, both quantitative and qualitative results suggest significant differences between novice and expert groups. The third phase of this research concludes with an integrated consideration of the ORCA’s validity, reliability, and fairness. Here, I analyzed data collected from the previous two phases; previous validation work done on the ORCA by my colleagues; and new forms of validation evidence collected for this study. I did so in order to build a comprehensive validity argument to demonstrate the ways in which ORCA test scores should be used and interpreted, and the consequences which follow. I used cued retrospective reporting, semi-structured interviews, Venn diagrams, surveys, and writing artefacts to investigate the response processes elicited by the ORCA and to compare and contrast those to the writing practices that participants used in their school, work, and/or personal lives. I also completed an extensive analysis of the sample of observations permitted by the ORCA juxtaposing those with the target domain. Results of this study indicate that the ORCA provides an important form of assessment data regarding 21st century literacies previously neglected on traditional assessments. Limitations of the ORCA such as construct-irrelevant variance and construct underrepresentation are also explored. The results of the study suggest how the ORCA could be re-designed to improve the validity of inferences made.

abstract: The structural validity of the WJ-III Cognitive was investigated using the GIA-Extended Battery test scores of 529, six-to-thirteen-year-old students referred for a psychoeducational evaluation. The results of an exploratory factor analysis revealed 11 of the 14 tests loaded on their expected factors. For the factors Gc, Gf, Gs, and Gv, both tests associated with the factor loaded highly; for Gsm, Glr, and Ga, only one test associated with each factor loaded highly. Obtained congruence coefficients supported the similarity between the factors Gs, Gf, Gc, Glr, and Gv for the current referred sample and the normative factor structure. Gsm and Ga were not found to be similar. The WJ-III Cognitive structure established in the normative sample was not fully replicated in this referred sample. The Schmid-Leiman orthogonalization procedure identified a higher-order factor structure with a second-order, general ability factor, g, which accounted for approximately 38.4% of common variance and 23.1% of total variance among the seven, first-order factors. However, g accounted for more variance in both associated tests for only the orthogonal first-order factor Gf. In contrast, the Gc and Gs factors accounted for more variance than the general factor for both of their respective tests. The Gsm, Glr, Ga, and Gv factors accounted for more variance than g for one of the two tests associated with each factor. The outcome indicates Gc, Gf, Gs, and Gv were supported and thus are likely factors that can be utilized in assessment while Gsm, Glr, and Gr were not supported by this study. Additionally, results indicate that interpretation of the WJ-III scores should not ignore the global ability factor. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Educational Psychology 2012

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O presente estudo teve como meta desenvolver definiÃÃes conceituais e operacionais para o Resultado de Enfermagem Integridade Tissular direcionado a pacientes com Ãlcera venosa. O capÃtulo 1 descreve as etapas da revisÃo integrativa implementada para o desenvolvimento inicial das definiÃÃes conceituais e operacionais para os elementos do Resultado em questÃo aplicado à avaliaÃÃo de Ãlceras venosas. Nesta revisÃo,a busca foi realizada em bases de dados e no acervo do periÃdico International Journal of Nursing Terminologies and Classifications. Oito artigos compuseram a amostra. As informaÃÃes que se referiam aos conceitos do resultado Integridade Tissular e seus indicadores foram reunidas, comparada e agrupadas. Foram propostas definiÃÃes conceituais e operacionais para o Resultado Integridade Tissular, assim como inserido indicadores fictÃcios. O desenvolvimento das definiÃÃes do Resultado Integridade Tissular pÃde possibilitar melhor compreensÃo do seu uso segundo o contexto de Ãlceras venosas. No segundo capÃtulo, apresenta-se a construÃÃo das definiÃÃes conceituais e operacionais para apreciaÃÃo de 29 especialistas, realizando assim a validaÃÃo de conteÃdo. Para seleÃÃo dos especialistas utilizou-se os parÃmetros propostos por Fehring. A captaÃÃo dos participantes foi realizada por busca ativa na plataforma Lattes (CNPq). Foram remetidos dois instrumentos: um relativo ao perfil do especialista, e outro de anÃlise conceitual e operacional dos indicadores. A partir do valor atribuÃdo pelos especialistas, foi calculado o Ãndice de validade de conteÃdo (IVC) com ponto de corte de 0,8 e aplicado o teste binomial para anÃlise da proporÃÃo de adequaÃÃo das definiÃÃes por parte dos especialistas. O projeto foi aprovado pelo comità de Ãtica e pesquisa sob protocolo n097/10. Dos especialistas, 92,9% utilizam ou jà utilizaram o processo de enfermagem em sua prÃtica. A versÃo final do instrumento apresentou 18 indicadores, sendo trÃs fictÃcios. Foram excluÃdos trÃs indicadores propostos pela Nursing Outcomes Classifications (NOC), assim como o item Fadiga (fictÃcio). As colocaÃÃes e sugestÃes realizadas pelos especialistas foram analisadas e acatadas a maioria. Por fim, no capÃtulo 3, apresenta-se o processo de validaÃÃo clÃnica das definiÃÃes propostas com pacientes portadores de Ãlceras venosas. O estudo de validaÃÃo foi executado com 22 pacientes. Os instrumentos utilizados compreenderam dados clÃnicos e de identificaÃÃo, alÃm de indicadores com definiÃÃes operacionais. Dez enfermeiros aplicaram os instrumentos, metade com as definiÃÃes operacionais desenvolvidas e a outra metade nÃo. O teste de Friedman foi aplicado para verificar a diferenÃa de mediana entre os grupos de avaliadores. As anÃlises pos-hoc foram procedidas pelo mÃtodo da diferenÃa mÃnima significante (DMS). AlÃm disso, foi calculado o coeficiente de correlaÃÃo intraclasse para anÃlise da congruÃncia entre as avaliaÃÃes. Com exceÃÃo do indicador Textura, o teste de Friedman e mÃtodo DMS mostraram que os indicadores apresentaram diferenÃas estatÃsticas significantes entre os dois grupos de avaliadores (com e sem definiÃÃes operacionais). Entretanto, o mÃtodo da DMS mostrou nÃo haver diferenÃas estatisticamente significantes nas avaliaÃÃes realizadas pelos examinadores que utilizaram definiÃÃes operacionais denotando boa congruÃncia entre as mesmas. Observou-se que os valores de correlaÃÃo intraclasse do grupo sem definiÃÃes foram inferiores ao do grupo que utilizou tais definiÃÃes. As definiÃÃes operacionais construÃdas, com exceÃÃo do indicador Textura, possibilitaram maior uniformidade e similaridade entre avaliaÃÃes de pacientes com Ãlceras venosas. Diante disso, pode-se confirmar a tese de que o uso de definiÃÃes na avaliaÃÃo de pacientes com Ãlceras venosas possibilitou uma avaliaÃÃo mais acurada que a nÃo utilizaÃÃo das mesmas. / The present study aims at developing conceptual and operational definitions to the results from Tissue Integrity Nursing addressed to venous ulcers patients. In chapter 1, definitions to concepts related to the referred results applied to the evaluation of venous ulcers. In order to do so, an integrative review was made based on the data collection from the periodical International Journal of Nursing Terminologies and Classifications. The sample was composed of eight articles. The information regarding the concepts from Tissue Integrity Nursing and its indicators were gathered, compared, and grouped. Operational and conceptual definitions were proposed to Tissue Integrity Nursing, as well as fictitious indicators were added. The development of definitions from the Tissue Integrity Result enabled a better understanding of its use according to venous ulcers contexts. In chapter 2, the construction of the operational and conceptual definitions was presented to the appreciation of 29 experts, thus validating the content. The selection of the experts was made based on Fehringâs standards. The choice of the participants was made through search on Lattes plataform (CNPq). Two instruments were used: one related to the expertâs profile, and the other related to the analysis of the conceptual and operational indicators. The instrumentâs final version showed 18 indicators, and three of them were fictitious. Three indicators proposed by Nursing Outcomes Classifications NOC were excluded, as well as the item Fatigue (fictitious). The expertsâ suggestions and remarks were analyzed and most of them were also abided by. Finally, in chapter 3, we dealt with the execution of the clinical validation of the proposed definitions along with the patients afflicted with venous ulcers. The validation study was held with 22 patients. The instruments used were clinical and identification data, and also indicators with operational definitions. Ten nurses applied the instruments, some of them had operational definitions and the others did not. Friedmanâs test showed the average difference between the evaluatorsâ groups. The differences were calculated in at least one of the groups by the Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) method, besides the intraclass correlation coefficient. Except from the indicator âtextureâ, Friedmanâs test and the MDC method showed that the indicators presented significant statistical differences between the two groups (with or without operational definitions). However, the MDC method showed that the evaluation differences between the evaluators from the group that used the operational definitions was not significant. It was noticed that the intraclass correlation values from the group without the definitions were inferior to the one that used those definitions. The operational definitions built, except from the indicator âtextureâ, enabled greater uniformity and similarity between the evaluations of patients affected with venous ulcers. Bearing this in mind, the thesis that the use of definitions in the evaluation of patients afflicted with venous ulcers enables more accurate evaluation can be confirmed.

Although most researchers agree that resilience is defined as the extent to which an individual bounces back and recovers from stress and adversity, the field has not yet settled on the underlying structure of the resilience construct; its lower-order factors remain in dispute and undefined. In this study, five of the most prominent resilience measures (i.e., Ego Resilience, Block & Kremen, 1996; The Resilience Scale, Wagnild & Young, 1993; The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Connor & Davidson, 2003; The Resilience Scale for Adults, Friborg, Hjemdal, Rosenvinge, & Martinussen, 2003; The Brief Resilience Scale, Smith, Dalen, Wiggins, & Tooley, 2008) were administered to two large samples of U.S. adults (N = 396 and 336, respectively). Through a combination of exploratory and confirmatory techniques, seven lower-order resilience factors were identified. Relationships between general resilience, lower-order resilience factors, and correlates were examined. Results reveal that lower-order resilience factors are moderately correlated with one another and are differentially related to outcomes of interest. Follow-up hierarchical regression and relative weights analyses further reveal that general resilience substantially overlaps with Big Five personality measures, but, in many cases, its lower-order factors do not. Consequently, it is recommended moving forward that researchers continue to study the resilience construct, but do so by focusing on lower-order resilience factors, rather than on global measures of the overall resilience construct.

Abstract Good postural stability is needed during most activities in daily life. Balance can be improved with specific training programmes in physiotherapy. The goals of treatment differ, depending on the subject's age and disorders. In clinical practice, postural stability is commonly evaluated by scaled functional tests or by recording body sway on a platform. On the basis of therapeutic modalities, information of separate movements of body segments would be important. The data might be useful in developing balance evaluation and training programmes in physiotherapy. The aim of this project was to present one method and to estimate its reliability and validity in studying the movements of separate body segments in postural control. In addition, the association between age, gender and anthropometric factors and the movements of separate body segments during quiet stance with the eyes open and closed were studied in a group of healthy subjects. A method was developed to measure the body movements during standing with a motion analysis system, and the reliability of body movement measurements was evaluated. The validity of the motion analysis measurements was evaluated to compare the balancing body measurements during stance on two legs and on one leg obtained with a motion analysis system and a platform. In cross-sectional studies, 100 healthy randomly selected subjects were stratified into ten groups (by age and gender). The body movements of all subjects standing on two legs with the eyes open and closed were measured using a motion analysis system and calculated as maximal and total movements. The movement velocities and accelerations were analysed and compared between the eyes open and eyes closed conditions. The associations between movement values and age and gender were analysed. In addition, the body anthropometrics of the subjects were measured and the relations between the body characteristics and the body balancing movements were calculated using regression analysis. The results showed that motion analysis can be used in measuring body movements in postural stability. Better reproducible balance measurement results are obtained with the total movement values than with the maximal amplitude values. In a comparison of the parameters used in a validity study, motion analysis and platform seemed to reflect the same aspect of balance, although the views of measurement were different. During standing on two legs with the eyes open, there was a statistically significant difference in the maximal anterior-posterior head movement and in the vertical navel movement between the age groups, but the results did not show other statistically significant differences between the balancing movements of separate body segments of the groups or between the balance measurement values of men and women in standing on two legs with the eyes open and closed. It seems that healthy female and male subjects control their stance with quite similar ranges of body adjustment. Body characteristics had slight but considerable effects on the variations of body balancing movements in standing on two legs with the eyes open, but almost none in the eyes-closed conditions. There were differences in the results between the male and female groups. In standing on two legs with the eyes closed, all the measured body parts except the ankles had significantly higher maximal velocity and acceleration values than in standing with the eyes open. The effect of visual information on balancing the body seems to be essential. The results indicated that the motion analysis system is also a useful tool in further balance studies, but the methods of analysis need to be developed. Postural stability should be evaluated and practised even in more demanding balance performances. Movement speed and the special role of each body part in maintaining balance should be paid attention.