MyMedR

Displaying all 6 publications

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext Primary and secondary pre-service teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education

Boyle C, Barrell C, Allen KA, She L

Heliyon, 2023 Nov;9(11):e22328.
PMID: 38027665 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22328

The practice of inclusive education in schools has led to changes in policy and pedagogy, hence teacher acceptance and attitude are important components of its success. The aim of this study is to identify the differences in attitudes of primary and secondary pre-service teachers on inclusion and the potential relationship between demographic variables such as definitions of inclusion, previous experience working in a school, completion of a module on inclusive schools, and other variables. The study included 548 Australian university students studying primary (n = 348) or secondary (n = 193) professional teaching. All participants completed the Teacher Attitudes to Inclusion Scale (TAISA). Principle components analysis was performed to transform the TAISA questionnaire into smaller set of components and two-way between-groups analysis of variance was used to analyse data. Results showed that primary pre-service teachers have more positive attitudes towards inclusion than secondary pre-service teachers. Primary pre-service teachers were also more responsive to training on inclusive education. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of the spiritual well-being scale (SWBS) in Iranian patients with cancer

Sharif Nia H, Mohammadinezhad M, Allen KA, Boyle C, Pahlevan Sharif S, Rahmatpour P

Palliat Support Care, 2021 May 07.
PMID: 33958021 DOI: 10.1017/S1478951521000407

OBJECTIVE: The spiritual well-being scale (SWBS) is a widely used clinical scale which should be evaluated for Iranian patients with cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the SWBS in Iranian patients with cancer.
METHOD: This cross-sectional, methodological study was conducted among Iranian patients with cancer (n = 400). The participants were recruited using convenience sampling. The content, construct, convergent and discriminant validity, and reliability of the Persian version of the SWBS were evaluated.
RESULTS: A two-factor structure for the scale was indicated with the factors being: connecting with God and meaningless life that explained 54.18% of the total variance of the concept of spiritual well-being. The results demonstrated the model had a good fit. Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega, and the inter-item correlation values of the factors indicated good internal consistency of the scale.
SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: These results suggest that the Persian version of the SWBS is a reliable and valid measure to assess the spiritual well-being of patients with cancer through 16 items related to connecting with God and meaningless life.
Development and psychometric evaluation of a Persian version of the Death Depression Scale-Revised: a cross-cultural adaptation for patients with advanced cancer

Sharif Nia H, Pahlevan Sharif S, Lehto RH, Boyle C, Yaghoobzadeh A, Kaveh O, et al.

Jpn J Clin Oncol, 2017 Aug 01;47(8):713-719.
PMID: 28505271 DOI: 10.1093/jjco/hyx065

Objective: The surfacing of thoughts and depressive affect associated with the prospect of death are prevalent among patients with advanced cancer. Because death cognitions and associated negative affect occur along an adaptive-less adaptive continuum, it is essential that valid and reliable instruments are available to measure death depression. The present study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Death Depression Scale among Iranian patients with advanced cancer.
Methods: About 497 cancer patients completed a Persian version of the 21-item Death Depression Scale-Revised. The face, content and construct validity of the scale were ascertained. Reliability was also assessed using internal consistency, construct reliability and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC).
Results: Construct validity determined one factor with an eigenvalue greater than 1. The model had a good fit (χ2 (179, N = 248) = 520.345, P < 0.001; χ2/df = 2.907, CFI = 0.916, TLI = 0.902, IFI = 0.917, SRMR = 0.049 and RMSEA = 0.088 (90% confidence interval = 0.079-0.097)) with all factors loadings greater than 0.5 and statistically significant. The internal consistency, construct reliability and ICC were greater than 0.70. Convergent validity of the scale was demonstrated.
Conclusions: Findings revealed that the Persian version of the Death Depression Scale-Revised is valid and reliable, and may be used to assess and evaluate death depression in Iranian patients with advanced cancer.
Fulltext Comment on: Tumour necrosis factor inhibitor survival and predictors of response in axial spondyloarthritis-findings from a United Kingdom cohort: reply

Yahya F, Gaffney K, Hamilton L, Lonsdale E, Leeder J, Brooksby A, et al.

Rheumatol Adv Pract, 2018;2(2):rky037.
PMID: 31433399 DOI: 10.1093/rap/rky037
Tumour necrosis factor inhibitor survival and predictors of response in axial spondyloarthritis-findings from a United Kingdom cohort

Yahya F, Gaffney K, Hamilton L, Lonsdale E, Leeder J, Brooksby A, et al.

Rheumatology (Oxford), 2018 Apr 01;57(4):619-624.
PMID: 29272541 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kex457

Objectives: To analyse long-term survival and efficacy of TNFi, reasons for switching or discontinuing, baseline predictors of response and remission in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients in a UK cohort.
Methods: All patients with a physician-verified diagnosis of axSpA attending two specialist centres who fulfilled the eligibility criteria for TNFi were included. Routinely recorded patient data were reviewed retrospectively. Initial TNFi was recorded as the index drug.
Results: Six hundred and fifty-one patients (94% AS) were included; adalimumab (n = 332), etanercept (n = 205), infliximab (n = 51), golimumab (n = 40) and certolizumab pegol (n = 23) were index TNFi. The mean (s.d.) duration from symptom onset to time of diagnosis was 8.6 (8.7) years and mean (s.d.) duration from diagnosis to TNFi initiation was 12.6 (11.5) years. A total of 224 (34.4%) stopped index TNFi, and 105/224 switched to a second TNFi. Median drug survival for index and second TNFi were 10.2 years (95% CI: 8.8, 11.6 years) and 5.5 years (95% CI: 2.7, 8.3 years), respectively (P < 0.05). Survival rates were not influenced by choice of TNFi. HLA-B27 predicted BASDAI50 and/or two or more point reduction within 6 months and long-term drug survival (P < 0.05). Low disease activity was predicted by non-smoking and low baseline BASDAI (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: We have observed good TNFi survival rates in axSpA patients treated in a real-life setting. This is best for first TNFi and not influenced by drug choice.
The Factor Structure of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale in Veterans Experienced Chemical Weapon Exposure

Sharif Nia H, Pahlevan Sharif S, Boyle C, Yaghoobzadeh A, Tahmasbi B, Rassool GH, et al.

J Relig Health, 2018 Apr;57(2):596-608.
PMID: 28748326 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-017-0458-1

This study aimed to determine the factor structure of the spiritual well-being among a sample of the Iranian veterans. In this methodological research, 211 male veterans of Iran-Iraq warfare completed the Paloutzian and Ellison spiritual well-being scale. Maximum likelihood (ML) with oblique rotation was used to assess domain structure of the spiritual well-being. The construct validity of the scale was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Reliability was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha, Theta (θ), and McDonald Omega (Ω) coefficients, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and construct reliability (CR). Results of ML and CFA suggested three factors which were labeled "relationship with God," "belief in fate and destiny," and "life optimism." The ICC, coefficients of the internal consistency, and CR were >.7 for the factors of the scale. Convergent validity and discriminant validity did not fulfill the requirements. The Persian version of spiritual well-being scale demonstrated suitable validity and reliability among the veterans of Iran-Iraq warfare.