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Development and validation of the irritable bowel syndrome scale under the system of quality of life instruments for chronic diseases QLICD-IBS: combinations of classical test theory and generalizability theory

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International Journal of Colorectal Disease Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This paper is aimed to develop the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) scale of the system of Quality of Life Instruments for Chronic Diseases (QLICD-IBS) by the modular approach and validate it by both classical test theory and generalizability theory.

Methods

The QLICD-IBS was developed based on programmed decision procedures with multiple nominal and focus group discussions, in-depth interview, and quantitative statistical procedures. One hundred twelve inpatients with IBS were used to provide the data measuring QOL three times before and after treatments. The psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated with respect to validity, reliability, and responsiveness employing correlation analysis, factor analyses, multi-trait scaling analysis, t tests and also G studies and D studies of generalizability theory analysis.

Results

Multi-trait scaling analysis, correlation, and factor analyses confirmed good construct validity and criterion-related validity when using SF-36 as a criterion. Test-retest reliability coefficients (Pearson r and intra-class correlation (ICC)) for the overall score and all domains were higher than 0.80; the internal consistency α for all domains at two measurements were higher than 0.70 except for the social domain (0.55 and 0.67, respectively). The overall score and scores for all domains/facets had statistically significant changes after treatments with moderate or higher effect size standardized response mean (SRM) ranging from 0.72 to 1.02 at domain levels. G coefficients and index of dependability (Ф coefficients) confirmed the reliability of the scale further with more exact variance components.

Conclusions

The QLICD-IBS has good validity, reliability, responsiveness, and some highlights and can be used as the quality of life instrument for patients with IBS.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants 30860248 and 71373058) and Key Discipline and Science and Technology Innovation Fund of Guangdong Medical College (grants XZ1111 and STIF201119). In carrying out this research project, we have received substantial assistance from staffs of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University and Songgong Hospital. We sincerely acknowledge all the support.

Conflict of interest

None declared.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. People’s Hospital of Songgang, Baoan, Shenzhen, 518105, Guangdong, China

    Pingguang Lei & Miao Zhao

  2. School of Humanities and Management, Guangdong Medical College, Dongguan, 523808, China

    Guanghe Lei & Chonghua Wan

  3. The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, China

    Jianjun Tian & Zengfen Zhou

  4. Department of Gastroenterology, Yan’an Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, 650051, China

    Jianjun Tian

Authors
  1. Pingguang Lei
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  2. Guanghe Lei
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  3. Jianjun Tian
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  4. Zengfen Zhou
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  5. Miao Zhao
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  6. Chonghua Wan
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Pingguang Lei or Chonghua Wan.

Additional information

Pingguang Lei and Guanghe Lei are the first co-author with the same contributions.

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Lei, P., Lei, G., Tian, J. et al. Development and validation of the irritable bowel syndrome scale under the system of quality of life instruments for chronic diseases QLICD-IBS: combinations of classical test theory and generalizability theory. Int J Colorectal Dis 29, 1245–1255 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-014-1976-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-014-1976-x

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