Methods

Item Response Theory (IRT) models have received growing interest in health science for analyzing latent constructs such as depression, anxiety, quality of life or cognitive functioning from the information provided by each individual’s items responses. However, in the presence of repeated item measures, IRT methods usually assume that the measurement occasions are made at the exact same time for all patients. In this paper, we show how the IRT methodology can be combined with the mixed model theory to provide a longitudinal IRT model which exploits the information of a measurement scale provided at the item level while simultaneously handling observation times that may vary across individuals and items. The latent construct is a latent process defined in continuous time that is linked to the observed item responses through a measurement model at each individual- and occasion-specific observation time; we focus here on a Graded Response Model for binary and ordinal items. The Maximum Likelihood Estimation procedure of the model is available in the R package lcmm. The proposed approach is contextualized in a clinical example in end-stage renal disease, the PREDIALA study. The objective is to study the trajectories of depressive symptomatology (as measured by 7 items of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale) according to the time from registration on the renal transplant waiting list and the renal replacement therapy. We also illustrate how the method can be used to assess Differential Item Functioning and lack of measurement invariance over time.Modèles Dynamiques pour les Etudes Epidémiologiques Longitudinales sur les Maladies Chronique

Harmonizing Screening for Gambling Problems in Epidemiological Surveys – Development of the Rapid Screener for Problem Gambling (RSPG)

Background and aims The aim of this study was to test the screening properties of several combinations of items from gambling scales, in order to harmonize screening of gambling problems in epidemiological surveys. The objective was to propose two brief screening tools (three items or less) for a use in interviews and self-administered questionnaires. Methods We tested the screening properties of combinations of items from several gambling scales, in a sample of 425 gamblers (301 non-problem gamblers and 124 disordered gamblers). Items tested included interview-based items (Pathological Gambling section of the DSM-IV, lifetime history of problem gambling, monthly expenses in gambling, and abstinence of 1 month or more) and self-report items (South Oaks Gambling Screen, Gambling Attitudes, and Beliefs Survey). The gold standard used was the diagnosis of a gambling disorder according to the DSM-5. Results Two versions of the Rapid Screener for Problem Gambling (RSPG) were developed: the RSPG-Interview (RSPG-I), being composed of two interview items (increasing bets and loss of control), and the RSPG-Self-Assessment (RSPG-SA), being composed of three self-report items (chasing, guiltiness, and perceived inability to stop). Discussion and conclusions We recommend using the RSPG-SA/I for screening problem gambling in epidemiological surveys, with the version adapted for each purpose (RSPG-I for interview-based surveys and RSPG-SA for self-administered surveys). This first triage of potential problem gamblers must be supplemented by further assessment, as it may overestimate the proportion of problem gamblers. However, a first triage has the great advantage of saving time and energy in large-scale screening for problem gambling

Screening of online gambling problems

La pratique des jeux de hasard et d’argent (JHA) est une activité de loisir, qui peut s’avérer problématique. En effet, certains joueurs peuvent perdre le contrôle sur leur pratique de jeu et subir des conséquences négatives d’ordre social, personnel ou professionnel. De plus, les personnes jouant à des JHA sur Internet seraient particulièrement à risque de développer des problèmes de jeu. Le repérage des pratiques de jeu problématiques, en particulier sur Internet, constitue une étape importante dans la mise en place de mesures de prévention. L’objectif principal de cette thèse était de réaliser une typologie des comportements de jeu en ligne pour pouvoir identifier des comportements de jeu à risque. Pour ce faire, une analyse en classes latentes multi-niveaux a été effectuée à partir des données d’activité de jeu de personnes possédant un compte sur le site d’un opérateur de jeu. Le modèle a permis de mettre en évidence des clusters de comportements de jeu mensuels distincts, et notamment des comportements de jeu pouvant être considérés comme problématiques. Nous avons également identifié des profils de joueurs dont certains pourraient correspondre à des joueurs à risque. En couplant ces résultats à des données rapportées par les joueurs grâce à des questionnaires, il serait possible de mettre en place des mesures de prévention ciblées selon les profils des joueurs.Gambling is a leisure activity which can turn out to be problematic. Indeed, some gamblers can lose control over their gambling practice and suffer negative social, personal or professional consequences. Moreover, people who gamble online seem to be particularly at risk of gambling problems. Screening of problematic gambling practices, in particular on the Internet, is an important step in the setting of prevention measures. The main objective of the present thesis was to define a typology of online gambling behaviors, in order to identify risky gambling behaviors. A multilevel latent class cluster analysis was performed based on player account-based data of gamblers owning an account on a gambling operator website. The model highlighted distinct clusters of monthly gambling behaviors, including ones corresponding to likely problematic gambling behaviors. We also identified gamblers profiles, some of which could correspond to at risk gamblers. By linking these results with gambler reported data collected through questionnaires, it would be possible to set up targeted prevention measures, adapted to gamblers profile

validscale: A command to validate measurement scales

Subjective measurement scales are used to measure nonobservable respondent characteristics in several fields such as clinical research, educational sciences, or psychology. To be useful, the scores resulting from the questionnaire must be validated; that is, they must provide the psychometric properties validity, reliability, and sensitivity. In this article, we present the validscale command, which carries out the required statistical analyses to validate a subjective measurement scale. We have also developed a dialog box, and validscale will soon be implemented online with Numerics by Stata

Validscale: A Command to Validate Measurement Scales

International audienc

validscale: A command to validate measurement scales

Subjective measurement scales are used to measure nonobservable respondent characteristics in several fields such as clinical research, educational sciences, or psychology. To be useful, the scores resulting from the questionnaire must be validated; that is, they must provide the psychometric properties validity, reliability, and sensitivity. In this article, we present the validscale command, which carries out the required statistical analyses to validate a subjective measurement scale. We have also developed a dialog box, and validscale will soon be implemented online with Numerics by Stata

A Typology of Buyers Grounded in Psychological Risk Factors for Compulsive Buying (Impulsivity, Self-Esteem, and Buying Motives): Latent Class Analysis Approach Ina Community Sample

International audienceOur objective was to identify meaningful subgroups of buyers based on psychological risk factors for compulsive buying. A community sample of 242 adult women fulfilled an online survey exploring buying habits and motives, impulsivity, self-esteem, and severity of compulsive buying. A latent class cluster analysis was performed. A nonproblematic cluster (28%) was characterized by low levels of impulsivity and buying motives. An intermediary cluster (51%) was characterized by higher levels of positive and negative reinforcement-related buying motives. Both clusters were characterized by a low frequency of compulsive buying (2 and 8%, respectively), but the severity of compulsive buying was higher for the intermediary cluster. A third cluster (21%) was characterized by a higher frequency of compulsive buying (43%), a higher severity of compulsive buying, a stronger feeling of losing control, and higher levels of negative urgency and coping motive. These results present similarities with the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model of addiction and the negative reinforcement model of drug addiction, which both postulate that negative feelings play a central role in motivating and maintaining addiction. These results also echo other typologies performed in problem gamblers and problematic videogame users. These similarities of psychological profiles with other addictive behaviors, and with common symptoms and clinical expressions, are supplementary arguments to consider conceptualizing compulsive buying as an addictive disorder

Exhausted Implanted Pulse Generator in Sacral Nerve Stimulation for Faecal Incontinence: What next in Daily Practice for Patients?

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Gambling and COVID-19: Swedish national gambling data from a state-owned gambling sports and casino operator

International audienceAbstract Background and aims The lockdown of sports and gambling venues during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a fear of increased gambling on other online gambling types, with a risk for transfer to more addictive gambling than otherwise. This study aimed to estimate changes in gambling activity during COVID-19-affected periods among all gamblers at a Swedish state-owned gambling operator and to analyse observable sex differences. Methods This study included gambling tracking data from the Swedish state-owned gambling operator Svenska Spel Sports & Casino (sports betting, online bingo, casino and poker). All individuals ( n = 616,245) who gambled at least once from February 10 to July 19, 2020, were included. The study period was divided into four periods according to their expected level of COVID-19 impact on gambling opportunities: one pre-COVID period and three COVID-affected periods (sports cancellation, emerging return of sports, substantial return of sports). Results Sports betting experienced an apparent decrease, followed by a gradual normalization and an end level substantially below prepandemic levels. For online bingo, gambling levels increased upon sports interruption and then decreased with the return to normality in sports events but remained higher than baseline levels. We observed a similar trend for online poker during the interruption of sports, but with a lower level than baseline levels when sports events normalized. We noticed a trend favouring online casinos during the sports interruption period regarding gambling intensity but not wagering levels. Discussion and conclusions Dramatic changes in the content of the gambling market may divert some gamblers to other gambling types, but maintained effects could not be demonstrated