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Psychometric testing of a Swedish version of the Apathy Evaluation Scale

Johansson, Maurits LU ; Johansson, Per LU ; Stomrud, Erik LU orcid ; Hagell, Peter and Hansson, Oskar LU orcid (2017) In Nordic Journal of Psychiatry 71(6). p.477-484
Abstract
Background: Apathy, a prevalent and clinically relevant symptom in neurodegenerative disease, is often evaluated by the instrument Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES). However, this instrument has not been translated into Swedish, halting clinical and research efforts. Furthermore, previous studies lack analyses of some basic properties, such as the legitimacy of a total score, or have analysed dimensionality by questionable methods.

Aim: To translate and psychometrically evaluate a Swedish version of the AES.

Method: The AES was translated, and its psychometric properties were tested in the Swedish BioFINDER study, including cognitively well elderly, and subjects with mild cognitive or parkinsonian symptoms. Psychometric... (More)
Background: Apathy, a prevalent and clinically relevant symptom in neurodegenerative disease, is often evaluated by the instrument Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES). However, this instrument has not been translated into Swedish, halting clinical and research efforts. Furthermore, previous studies lack analyses of some basic properties, such as the legitimacy of a total score, or have analysed dimensionality by questionable methods.

Aim: To translate and psychometrically evaluate a Swedish version of the AES.

Method: The AES was translated, and its psychometric properties were tested in the Swedish BioFINDER study, including cognitively well elderly, and subjects with mild cognitive or parkinsonian symptoms. Psychometric analyses were conducted according to classical test theory (CTT) and aimed to resemble those performed in the English original study by Marin et al. in 1991. Dimensionality was additionally analysed on a matrix of polychoric correlations and parallel analyses.

Results: Data indicate that the Swedish AES performs satisfactorily regarding data completeness, scaling assumptions, targeting, and reliability. Principal component analyses (with parallel analysis) of polychoric correlation matrices identified a single component. Convergent and discriminative validity correlations accorded with a priori expectations.

Conclusions: The study provides initial support that this Swedish AES performs similarly to the English original, and exhibits acceptable psychometric properties according to CTT, including supported unidimensionality, and may be adopted for use in clinical and research settings.

Keywords: Apathy, Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES), neurodegenerative disease, neuropsychiatric assessment, psychometrics (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
volume
71
issue
6
pages
477 - 484
publisher
Informa Healthcare
external identifiers
  • pmid:28632431
  • scopus:85021174319
  • wos:000406723800011
ISSN
1502-4725
DOI
10.1080/08039488.2017.1334820
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
95bd206e-eb6f-43b6-9b47-df6f2fb9a6af
date added to LUP
2017-05-16 10:25:11
date last changed
2023-09-21 10:43:53
@article{95bd206e-eb6f-43b6-9b47-df6f2fb9a6af,
  abstract     = {{Background: Apathy, a prevalent and clinically relevant symptom in neurodegenerative disease, is often evaluated by the instrument Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES). However, this instrument has not been translated into Swedish, halting clinical and research efforts. Furthermore, previous studies lack analyses of some basic properties, such as the legitimacy of a total score, or have analysed dimensionality by questionable methods.<br/><br/>Aim: To translate and psychometrically evaluate a Swedish version of the AES.<br/><br/>Method: The AES was translated, and its psychometric properties were tested in the Swedish BioFINDER study, including cognitively well elderly, and subjects with mild cognitive or parkinsonian symptoms. Psychometric analyses were conducted according to classical test theory (CTT) and aimed to resemble those performed in the English original study by Marin et al. in 1991. Dimensionality was additionally analysed on a matrix of polychoric correlations and parallel analyses.<br/><br/>Results: Data indicate that the Swedish AES performs satisfactorily regarding data completeness, scaling assumptions, targeting, and reliability. Principal component analyses (with parallel analysis) of polychoric correlation matrices identified a single component. Convergent and discriminative validity correlations accorded with a priori expectations.<br/><br/>Conclusions: The study provides initial support that this Swedish AES performs similarly to the English original, and exhibits acceptable psychometric properties according to CTT, including supported unidimensionality, and may be adopted for use in clinical and research settings.<br/><br/>Keywords: Apathy, Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES), neurodegenerative disease, neuropsychiatric assessment, psychometrics}},
  author       = {{Johansson, Maurits and Johansson, Per and Stomrud, Erik and Hagell, Peter and Hansson, Oskar}},
  issn         = {{1502-4725}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{477--484}},
  publisher    = {{Informa Healthcare}},
  series       = {{Nordic Journal of Psychiatry}},
  title        = {{Psychometric testing of a Swedish version of the Apathy Evaluation Scale}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/31955146/29322624.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/08039488.2017.1334820}},
  volume       = {{71}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}