title: Validating the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS-21) across Germany, Ghana, India, and New Zealand using Rasch methodology

authors: Adu, P

subjects: Anxiety

abstract: Psychological distress is widespread globally, affects both mental and physical health, and has been significantly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Reliable and valid instruments to assess psychological distress are needed so that interventions to address this condition can be directed and evaluated. We evaluated the psychometric statistics of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) using the Rasch method and a population survey sample dataset from four nations. To meet the requirements of the Rasch model, we randomly selected 500 participants (at least 110 from each country) from a total sample of 1822 individuals from Germany (n = 475), Ghana (n = 523), India (n = 411), and New Zealand (n = 413). Minor testlet modifications were necessary to achieve a satisfactory model fit for the depression (χ2 (30) = 40.32, p = 0.099), anxiety (χ2 (32) = 31.22, p = 0.510), and stress (χ2 (20) = 29.64, p = 0.076) subscales, and the full-scale (χ2 (18) = 23.93, p = 0.16). The scales were strictly unidimensional with acceptable reliability reflected by Person Separation Index (PSI) values of 0.86 for depression, 0.74 for anxiety, 0.82 for stress, and 0.87 for the total scale. The scales’ items showed invariance across the countries and sociodemographic factors. The scales also demonstrated convergent, structural, and external validities. The study supported the reliability and validity of the DASS-21 for assessing psychological distress in four countries. Rasch model algorithms developed in this study enable conversion of the ordinal DASS-21 scale and its subscale scores to interval-level scores, which increases the precision of measurement. Future studies should apply Rasch methodology to the DASS-21 in various cultural contexts, incorporating subgroup analyses.

text: Validating the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS-21) across Germany, Ghana, India, and New Zealand using Rasch methodology Psychological distress is widespread globally, affects both mental and physical health, and has been significantly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Reliable and valid instruments to assess psychological distress are needed so that interventions to address this condition can be directed and evaluated. We evaluated the psychometric statistics of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) using the Rasch method and a population survey sample dataset from four nations. To meet the requirements of the Rasch model, we randomly selected 500 participants (at least 110 from each country) from a total sample of 1822 individuals from Germany (n = 475), Ghana (n = 523), India (n = 411), and New Zealand (n = 413). Minor testlet modifications were necessary to achieve a satisfactory model fit for the depression (χ2 (30) = 40.32, p = 0.099), anxiety (χ2 (32) = 31.22, p = 0.510), and stress (χ2 (20) = 29.64, p = 0.076) subscales, and the full-scale (χ2 (18) = 23.93, p = 0.16). The scales were strictly unidimensional with acceptable reliability reflected by Person Separation Index (PSI) values of 0.86 for depression, 0.74 for anxiety, 0.82 for stress, and 0.87 for the total scale. The scales’ items showed invariance across the countries and sociodemographic factors. The scales also demonstrated convergent, structural, and external validities. The study supported the reliability and validity of the DASS-21 for assessing psychological distress in four countries. Rasch model algorithms developed in this study enable conversion of the ordinal DASS-21 scale and its subscale scores to interval-level scores, which increases the precision of measurement. Future studies should apply Rasch methodology to the DASS-21 in various cultural contexts, incorporating subgroup analyses.

year: 2025

title: Mild traumatic brain injury during infancy: Executive function and behavioural outcomes 24 months post-injury

authors: Zareie, Setareh

subjects: mild traumatic brain injury

abstract: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability for children and young people worldwide. Research has found that children in infancy and early childhood are at the highest risk of sustaining a TBI; and that mild TBI accounts for a large majority of these injuries. Unfortunately, there is limited research regarding the effects of TBI in this age group; and population-based studies are undertaken rarely. Most of the paediatric TBI research also focuses on school-aged children; and thus the effects of TBI sustained in infancy are not yet well understood. The main aim of this study was to investigate whether preschool children who have sustained a mild TBI would perform differently to healthy children in executive function (EF), with a particular focus on working memory and inhibitory control. A secondary aim was to investigate whether preschool children who have sustained a mild TBI would differ to healthy children in behavioural/emotional functioning.

The investigation involved a population-based sample of 24 children who sustained a mild TBI between the ages of 0-2 years old. 24 children who had not had a TBI were also recruited as an age-matched comparison group. Assessments involved both parents and their children; and were conducted approximately 24 months post-injury. Parents completed the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P); and the Behaviour Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2). Children were also assessed using performance-based measures of EF such as the Delayed Alternation task - which measures working memory; and the Colour-Object Interference task - which measures inhibitory control. 

Results showed that children with and without mild TBI were characterised by similar EF abilities, including working memory and EF behaviours. In contrast, more children in the injury group (22.7% of the TBI sample) had clinically significant internalising behaviour problems (anxiety, depression and somatisation) as rated by their parents. These results indicate the need for children who have had a mild TBI to be screened for possible behavioural/emotional difficulties; and for interventions to be implemented as needed. Additional support for parents/caregivers may also be necessary. While no differences were observed between the two groups in EF at the time of assessment, it is recommended that longer-term studies are conducted.

text: Mild traumatic brain injury during infancy: Executive function and behavioural outcomes 24 months post-injury Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability for children and young people worldwide. Research has found that children in infancy and early childhood are at the highest risk of sustaining a TBI; and that mild TBI accounts for a large majority of these injuries. Unfortunately, there is limited research regarding the effects of TBI in this age group; and population-based studies are undertaken rarely. Most of the paediatric TBI research also focuses on school-aged children; and thus the effects of TBI sustained in infancy are not yet well understood. The main aim of this study was to investigate whether preschool children who have sustained a mild TBI would perform differently to healthy children in executive function (EF), with a particular focus on working memory and inhibitory control. A secondary aim was to investigate whether preschool children who have sustained a mild TBI would differ to healthy children in behavioural/emotional functioning.

The investigation involved a population-based sample of 24 children who sustained a mild TBI between the ages of 0-2 years old. 24 children who had not had a TBI were also recruited as an age-matched comparison group. Assessments involved both parents and their children; and were conducted approximately 24 months post-injury. Parents completed the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P); and the Behaviour Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2). Children were also assessed using performance-based measures of EF such as the Delayed Alternation task - which measures working memory; and the Colour-Object Interference task - which measures inhibitory control. 

Results showed that children with and without mild TBI were characterised by similar EF abilities, including working memory and EF behaviours. In contrast, more children in the injury group (22.7% of the TBI sample) had clinically significant internalising behaviour problems (anxiety, depression and somatisation) as rated by their parents. These results indicate the need for children who have had a mild TBI to be screened for possible behavioural/emotional difficulties; and for interventions to be implemented as needed. Additional support for parents/caregivers may also be necessary. While no differences were observed between the two groups in EF at the time of assessment, it is recommended that longer-term studies are conducted.

year: 2014

title: Ngā takenga o te riri

authors: Murphy, Ēnoka

subjects: Pakanga

abstract: Ko te kaupapa ake o tēnei tuhinga, ko te whakawhāriki i ētahi kōrero mō te takenga mai o te riri, o te pakanga ki tā rā ngā kōrero a te Māori. Ko aua take mai rā kei ngā kōrero o tua whakarere, e hokia ana ki a Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku me tā rāua hūnuku. Ko tāna e pātai ake nei, nō hea ake te riri Māori, otirā, te pakanga a te Māori? Nō hea anō hoki āna tikanga? He aha ā ērā kōrero tauiratanga mai ki te toa o te Māori ki te whawhai. Ka mutu, ko te wāhi uaua pea o ngā pātai nei, ko te āhua ki ngā kōrero a te Māori kāore nei i te tapatahi mō te oroko hīmatanga. Ahakoa rā, tērā ōna rite, ōna rerekē. Kua tuhia nuitia te kaupapa o te oroko tīmatanga mai o te ao e ngā momo o te kaituhi Pākehā, ā, tērā anō hoki ko ngā tuhinga a te Māori ake. Inā te rerekē o ngā kōrero mō te oroko hīmatanga mai o te ao, tērā noa ētahi kōrero kua tīkina hei mātaitanga mō tēnei rangahau, mō tēnei tuhinga. Ka mutu, ko tā tēnei tuhinga, he whakaatu i te takenga mai o te riri, o te matawhāura Māori.

text: Ngā takenga o te riri Ko te kaupapa ake o tēnei tuhinga, ko te whakawhāriki i ētahi kōrero mō te takenga mai o te riri, o te pakanga ki tā rā ngā kōrero a te Māori. Ko aua take mai rā kei ngā kōrero o tua whakarere, e hokia ana ki a Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku me tā rāua hūnuku. Ko tāna e pātai ake nei, nō hea ake te riri Māori, otirā, te pakanga a te Māori? Nō hea anō hoki āna tikanga? He aha ā ērā kōrero tauiratanga mai ki te toa o te Māori ki te whawhai. Ka mutu, ko te wāhi uaua pea o ngā pātai nei, ko te āhua ki ngā kōrero a te Māori kāore nei i te tapatahi mō te oroko hīmatanga. Ahakoa rā, tērā ōna rite, ōna rerekē. Kua tuhia nuitia te kaupapa o te oroko tīmatanga mai o te ao e ngā momo o te kaituhi Pākehā, ā, tērā anō hoki ko ngā tuhinga a te Māori ake. Inā te rerekē o ngā kōrero mō te oroko hīmatanga mai o te ao, tērā noa ētahi kōrero kua tīkina hei mātaitanga mō tēnei rangahau, mō tēnei tuhinga. Ka mutu, ko tā tēnei tuhinga, he whakaatu i te takenga mai o te riri, o te matawhāura Māori.

year: 2017