Development and validation of the “Adjustment Disorder Scale for Medically Ill Patients - ETAM”
BackgroundAdjustment disorder (AD) is common among medically ill patients, yet current evaluation methods do not address the specific characteristics in this population. This study aimed to develop a measurement scale for AD in medically ill patients in Colombia and to find evidence of its validity...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1482888/full |
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| author | Juan Pablo Zapata-Ospina Natalia Rodríguez Ayda Margarita Rodríguez Jenny García-Valencia Mercedes Jiménez-Benítez Nicolás Martínez-Ramos Diana Restrepo Bernal Ana Lucía Gallego Carolina Gómez Luis Fernando Tabares Carlos Cardeño-Castro Daniel Camilo Aguirre-Acevedo |
| author_facet | Juan Pablo Zapata-Ospina Natalia Rodríguez Ayda Margarita Rodríguez Jenny García-Valencia Mercedes Jiménez-Benítez Nicolás Martínez-Ramos Diana Restrepo Bernal Ana Lucía Gallego Carolina Gómez Luis Fernando Tabares Carlos Cardeño-Castro Daniel Camilo Aguirre-Acevedo |
| author_sort | Juan Pablo Zapata-Ospina |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundAdjustment disorder (AD) is common among medically ill patients, yet current evaluation methods do not address the specific characteristics in this population. This study aimed to develop a measurement scale for AD in medically ill patients in Colombia and to find evidence of its validity and reliability.MethodsThis was a scale development and validation study. In the first qualitative phase, items were developed. In the second phase, the content validity of each item was evaluated by patients and clinicians. In the third phase, structural validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, criterion validity, and convergent construct validity were assessed. Items were analyzed using a generalized partial credit model within an item response theory framework.ResultsThe Adjustment Disorder Scale for Medically Ill Patients (ETAM, for its acronym in Spanish) was developed, comprising 20 items that address the free description of stressful situations in the last 15 days and mental symptoms attributed to them. Evidence of content validity was found. The scale was administered to 512 medically ill patients, revealing a three-dimensional structure: 1) “AD Symptoms”, 2) “Impact on Self-Care”, and 3) “Impact on Desire to Live”. Internal consistency was adequate, with McDonald’s omega of 0.95 and Cronbach’s alpha between 0.82 and 0.92 for its dimensions. ETAM had high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.98). Criterion validity evidence was obtained with an independent psychiatrist’s diagnosis, with an AUROC of 0.99, and convergent validity was consistent with hypotheses of correlation with other instruments with similar constructs. Discrimination and difficulty parameters were calculated for each item.ConclusionThe ETAM is a scale with evidence of validity and reliability that can be used for the diagnosis of AD in medically ill patients in Colombia. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6db7009bdf4543ce8e4d53b40b694001 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-6db7009bdf4543ce8e4d53b40b6940012025-01-30T06:22:15ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-01-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.14828881482888Development and validation of the “Adjustment Disorder Scale for Medically Ill Patients - ETAM”Juan Pablo Zapata-Ospina0Natalia Rodríguez1Ayda Margarita Rodríguez2Jenny García-Valencia3Mercedes Jiménez-Benítez4Nicolás Martínez-Ramos5Diana Restrepo Bernal6Ana Lucía Gallego7Carolina Gómez8Luis Fernando Tabares9Carlos Cardeño-Castro10Daniel Camilo Aguirre-Acevedo11Institute of Medical Research, Academic Group of Clinical Epidemiology (GRAEPIC), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaCentro Javeriano de Oncología, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, ColombiaFaculty of Medicine, Universidad CES, Medellín, ColombiaDepartment of Psychology, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, ColombiaHospital Alma Máter de Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaHospital Alma Máter de Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaDepartment of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario San Vicente Fundación, Medellín, ColombiaInstitute of Medical Research, Academic Group of Clinical Epidemiology (GRAEPIC), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaBackgroundAdjustment disorder (AD) is common among medically ill patients, yet current evaluation methods do not address the specific characteristics in this population. This study aimed to develop a measurement scale for AD in medically ill patients in Colombia and to find evidence of its validity and reliability.MethodsThis was a scale development and validation study. In the first qualitative phase, items were developed. In the second phase, the content validity of each item was evaluated by patients and clinicians. In the third phase, structural validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, criterion validity, and convergent construct validity were assessed. Items were analyzed using a generalized partial credit model within an item response theory framework.ResultsThe Adjustment Disorder Scale for Medically Ill Patients (ETAM, for its acronym in Spanish) was developed, comprising 20 items that address the free description of stressful situations in the last 15 days and mental symptoms attributed to them. Evidence of content validity was found. The scale was administered to 512 medically ill patients, revealing a three-dimensional structure: 1) “AD Symptoms”, 2) “Impact on Self-Care”, and 3) “Impact on Desire to Live”. Internal consistency was adequate, with McDonald’s omega of 0.95 and Cronbach’s alpha between 0.82 and 0.92 for its dimensions. ETAM had high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.98). Criterion validity evidence was obtained with an independent psychiatrist’s diagnosis, with an AUROC of 0.99, and convergent validity was consistent with hypotheses of correlation with other instruments with similar constructs. Discrimination and difficulty parameters were calculated for each item.ConclusionThe ETAM is a scale with evidence of validity and reliability that can be used for the diagnosis of AD in medically ill patients in Colombia.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1482888/fulladjustment disordersemotional adjustmentvalidation studiespsychometricspatient reported outcome measuresdiagnosis |
| spellingShingle | Juan Pablo Zapata-Ospina Natalia Rodríguez Ayda Margarita Rodríguez Jenny García-Valencia Mercedes Jiménez-Benítez Nicolás Martínez-Ramos Diana Restrepo Bernal Ana Lucía Gallego Carolina Gómez Luis Fernando Tabares Carlos Cardeño-Castro Daniel Camilo Aguirre-Acevedo Development and validation of the “Adjustment Disorder Scale for Medically Ill Patients - ETAM” Frontiers in Psychiatry adjustment disorders emotional adjustment validation studies psychometrics patient reported outcome measures diagnosis |
| title | Development and validation of the “Adjustment Disorder Scale for Medically Ill Patients - ETAM” |
| title_full | Development and validation of the “Adjustment Disorder Scale for Medically Ill Patients - ETAM” |
| title_fullStr | Development and validation of the “Adjustment Disorder Scale for Medically Ill Patients - ETAM” |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development and validation of the “Adjustment Disorder Scale for Medically Ill Patients - ETAM” |
| title_short | Development and validation of the “Adjustment Disorder Scale for Medically Ill Patients - ETAM” |
| title_sort | development and validation of the adjustment disorder scale for medically ill patients etam |
| topic | adjustment disorders emotional adjustment validation studies psychometrics patient reported outcome measures diagnosis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1482888/full |
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