mahyar salavati

This study aimed to investigate the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) in Persian in people with non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP).

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were employed to determine the CSQ's factor structure. Reliability was assessed using the Intraclass Coefficient and Cronbach's Alpha.

13 variables, accounting for 74.94% of the total variance, were identified using EFA; based on Parallel Analysis, the first four components—ignoring pain sensations, praying, diverting attention, and catastrophizing—were kept. A sufficient model fit was not shown by the CFA results (χ²/df = 1.77, CFI = 0.884, TLI = 0.84, and RMSEA = 0.081). All subscales had Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability between 0.75 and 0.88 and 0.7 and 0.83, respectively.

According to the study's findings, there are four-factor structures in the Persian version. Additionally, it was stated that the item-total correlations, agreement, and test-retest reliability were all at a good and acceptable level

The paraspinal muscles, including multifidus (MF) and erector spinae (ES) play key roles in the stability and movement of the lumbar spine. This study aimed to determine the intra-rater reliability of the ES and MF muscle thickness measures of the rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) in people with active extension pattern (AEP) non-specific chronic low back pain and controls.

Fifteen females with AEP and 19 controls participated in this test-retest intra-rater reliability study, including two different testing sessions performed in four to seven days apart. The primary (raw) and derived (normalized) measures of the L4 MF and ES muscles`thickness were examined in three different positions (prone, sitting, and standing) on both days. A two-way mixed average of intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC3, K) with confidence interval (CI = 95%) was used to determine the relative reliability. The standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC) values at a CI of 95% were computed to examine the absolute reliability.

The ICC values for the primary thickness of the L4 ES and MF muscles were from 0.85 to 0.91, except for MF muscle thickness in standing (ICC = 0.67) and sitting (ICC = 0.66) positions . The ICC values for derived data were lower in both groups. The SEM and MDC values were small enough to confirm the absolute reliability of the primary data.

This study supports the use of RUSI for examining the primary measures of the L4 MF and ES muscles in asymptomatic and AEP participants, but it should be used cautiously for assessing the derived measures.

To evaluate patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI), copers who had a sprain without instability, and healthy controls using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). In addition, the reach distance was assessed between the both legs in terms of dominant and non-dominant in all groups. A total of 75 subjects (25 healthy, 25 CAI, and 25 Coper) participated. The maximum reach distance in SEBT was assessed in anterior (ANT), postero-medial (PM), and postero-lateral (PL) directions in both legs for each subject. All data were analyzed by SPSS version 21. Tukey post hoc test was used to compare all groups. Paired T-test was used to compare dominant and non-dominant legs in each group.  In 75 subjects have participated in the data collection, no significant differences were reported among all groups for age and BMI measurements. Significant lower reach distance in scores of ANT in the dominant leg of the CAI was demonstrated when compared with the control and the coper groups (P=0.008). No statistical significant difference was determined between the dominant and non-dominant legs in each group (P>0.05). It seems that relevant strategies for postural control should be taken into account in the rehabilitation setup of individuals with CAI.Level of evidence: II

Ankle sprain is one of the most prevalent joint injury in the lower extremity. Valid and reliable measurement techniques is essential for the collection of accurate and meaningful data about joint injuries such as ankle sprain. We design this case-control study to evaluate the test–retest reliability of force plate measures and compare the static postural control values in in patients with chronic ankle Instability (CAI), ankle sprain copers & healthy controls. Seventy five patients (25 CAI, 25 copers & 25 healthy match controls) were asked to execute single-leg stance onto a force plate. Force plate parameters include, the COP area, COP length, mean total velocity and sway index were measured for static postural control evaluation. To evaluate test–retest reliability, 20 participants of each group repeated the tests 6–8 days after the first session. Relative reliability of the force plate measures was assessed using interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and absolute reliability using standard error of measurement (SEM), minimal metrically detectable change (MMDC) and coefficient of variance percent (CV%). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine differences between three groups. Static postural control measures have high test–retest reliability, ranging from 0.73 to 0.88. Greater postural sway has been observed in the CAI compared with the coper (P< 0.05) and the matched limb of the control group (P<0.05). Static postural control measures are reliable tests to evaluate functional performance of the patients with CAI, copers and healthy controls.

To evaluate intra and intersession reliability of the Center of Pressure (COP) parameters in AnteriorCruciate Ligament Reconstructed (ACLR) athletes with and without ankle vibration using a dual-task paradigm.

Postural sway of 14 ACLR individuals was assessed during a single-leg stance on a force platform. COPparameters were assessed with manipulating sensory inputs via vision and ankle vibration under single and dual-taskconditions. The outcome variables included COP displacement in medial-lateral (ML) and anterior-posterior (AP) range,mean velocity (mV), and area. During dual-task conditions, the auditory Stroop Task was applied. Intraclass correlationcoefficient (ICC) values and standard error of measurement (SEM) were assessed for relative and absolute reliability.

The COP measures had moderate to very high intrasession reliability (ICC range: 0.51-0.93) for conditionswith vibration and cognitive task, with the highest ICCs for mV and the lowest for area, regardless of eyes being openor closed. The intersession reliability was moderate to high for mV (ICC range: 0.60-0.82) and little to very high (ICCrange: 0.21-0.97) for the range of ML and AP, as well as an area in conditions with vibration and cognitive task.

The mV is the most reliable COP parameter for assessing postural control under ankle vibration and dualtaskconditions for both operated and non-operated sides. During closed-eye conditions, the application of vibrationaffected the intersession reliability with decreased ICCs on the operated side and increased ICCs on the non-operatedside.Level of evidence: III

The present study aimed to provide a field‑tested model of constituting factors affecting mental health in young Iranian adolescents.

In this cross‑sectional study, a conceptual model was proposed based on an extensive literature review. A total of 254 young adolescents aged 11–14 years were recruited from north, south, east, and west regions of Tehran megacity by a random cluster sampling procedure, of whom 244 adolescents participated. The adolescents and their mothers altogether completed eight questionnaires pertaining to the proposed conceptual model: (1) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), (2) Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire, (3) Child Exposure to Domestic Violence Scale, (4) Drug Abuse Screening Test‑10, (5) Baumrind Parenting Style Questionnaire, (6) Conflict Behavior Questionnaire, (7) General Health Questionnaire‑28, and (8) Garmaroodi Socioeconomic Status Questionnaire. The statistical analysis was performed using structural equation modeling.

This study demonstrated that parent mental health (b = −0.111), experience of father’s care (b = −1.112), conflict with mother (b = 0.309), conflict with father (b = 0.135), and exposure to domestic violence (b = 0.217), as well as age (b = 0.93) and gender (b = 0.139), had direct effect on adolescent mental health (all P < 0.05). Further, the results showed that exposure to domestic violence and conflict with mother had the greatest direct impact on adolescent mental health among all other family‑related factors, followed by conflict with father and parent mental health. Conflict with mother and conflict with father also affected adolescent mental health indirectly through experience of domestic violence and had a mediating effect for the influence of several other factors on adolescent mental health, thus playing an important role in the pathway leading to young adolescent mental health status in the Iranian population.

Overall, the final model proved to be fit and the factors constituting the final model were able to predict 88% of the variations in the mental health of Iranian adolescents. This model can guide clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health workers in a more realistic and effective prevention or treatment planning for their young clients. Moreover, it may help in arriving at a comprehensive preventive policymaking for mental health policymakers.

The present study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Per-sian version of the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire (CECA.Q), a tool based on a retrospective interview with the child.

To this aim, 251 adolescents from four regions of Tehran megacity completed the questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was examined, along with the face and content valid-ity. In addition, the construct validity was evaluated by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

EFA and CFA supported a 4-factor solu-tion including mother’s role scale items, father’s role scale items, maternal behavior scale items, and paternal behavior scale items. The total variance extracted in EFA ranged from 33.9 to 60.7. The internal consistency for mother’s role, father’s role, maternal behavior, and paternal behavior was 0.61, 0.65, 0.86, and 0.9 respectively. Thus, the questionnaire had a suitable fit, as well as reasonable reliability and validity.

The Persian ver-sion of the CECA.Q had adequate reliability and validity as a self-report measurement for childhood experience of care and abuse.

Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease and the most common form of joint inflammation. Moreover, it is the most common cause of functional disability in the elderly. Among the multiple and predisposing factors influencing the disease are demographic indicators and occupational factors. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between age, pain severity, Body Mass Index (BMI), occupation, and educational level, and the severity of functional disability in patients with Knee Osteoarthritis (KO).

This descriptive study was performed on 97 KO patients referring to the Novin private physiotherapy clinic of Semnan University of Medical Sciences from April to March 2017. The study participants were selected through a simple nonprobability sampling technique. Literate individuals with the educational level of guidance school and above and diagnosed with KO were included in the study. Individuals with a history of inflammatory arthritis diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, soft tissue rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia syndrome, bursitis, tendonitis, the neurological and vascular conditions of the lower extremity, mental problems, and malignancy were excluded from this research. The data related to the variables such as age, gender, occupation, history of osteoarthritis, pain intensity, involved side, educational level, and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) for knee disability were collected by a self-report questionnaire. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences. Using SPSS, Spearman’s correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the relationship between the study variables.

Spearman’s correlation coefficients revealed no significant correlation between the KOOS scores and age, occupation, and educational level. The obtained results suggested a poor significant association between KOOS and BMI; however, there was a strong significant correlation between KOOS and pain intensity Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (P<0.05).

The severity of functional disability in patients with KO based on KOOS questionnaire scores, was well correlated with pain severity, but poorly associated with age and BMI. The obtained data indicated no significant relationship between disability and occupation and educational level.

Substance abuse is a critical problem in most countries, especially in developing ones. Earlydetection is the pre-requisite of early control, for which reliable and valid tools are required. In the presentstudy, we aimed at measuring the psychometric properties of the 10-item Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10)in Iranian individuals.

After translation and back-translation of the questionnaire, 244 adults were recruited from TehranMegacity, Iran, and completed the questionnaires. Participants were recruited by a multistage randomizedcluster sampling method. Reliability was determined by Cronbach’s alpha. Also, construct validity wasevaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA).

The internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the total score of the Persianversion of DAST-10 was 0.93. EFA evoked only one factor for DAST-10. The CFA for 1-factor models forDAST-10 indicated an acceptable fit for the proposed models.

The results prove desirable reliability and validity of the Persian version of the DAST which canbe utilized as a screening instrument for drug abuse among Iranian adults.

There are several tests to determine the type and severity of aphasia, but they take a long time to administer when assessing aphasic patients. In recent years, the analysis of spontaneous speech has gained great attention because it is important to diagnose and follow post-treatment improvement in aphasic patients. 
This study was done to assess some parameters of connected speech in aphasic patients. In addition, the correlation between connected speech parameters and the type and severity of aphasia was measured.

We compared the connected speech parameters of 27 aphasics (10 fluent and 17 non-fluent), Persian speakers, compared with the control group. There were two groups matched by age, sex, and education. Nest’s bird story pictures were used to elicit a speech sample. In the next step, the connected speech was analyzed to define speech parameters, including speech rate, mean length of utterance, number of utterances, total words, content words, function words, nouns, and verbs. Moreover, the severity of aphasia was measured using a Persian Western Aphasia Battery (WAB). 

The findings showed significant differences between groups in all parameters of the connected speech (P<0.01). The correlation coefficient between speech parameters and severity of aphasia demonstrated that all parameters were highly correlated (r >0.71) with the severity of aphasia (P<0.01) except for speech rate and the number of function words. There were some typical differences between linguistics grammatical and pragmatical characters of different types of aphasia.

Connected speech is one of the most sensitive parts of language in all types of aphasic patients. There are some clinical signs for differential diagnosis of aphasia based on speech measures. According to the findings, the type and severity of aphasia and connected speech were highly correlated. Thus, the use of the connected speech analysis is necessary as an assessment tool for the diagnosis of aphasia.

The Micro Manual Muscle Tester (MMMT) is a Hand-Held Dynamometer (HHD). The current study aimed to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of this device. To determine the reliability of the MMMT, two previously trained assessors to work with HHD performed HHD measurements on 7 muscle groups of the lower extremities (hip flexors, hip extensors, hip abductors, knee extensors, knee flexors, ankle plantar-, and dorsiflexors) using the make-test method. The study participants were evaluated thrice by two occupational therapists in 10 separate days. All the inter- and intra-correlations were reported as excellent (ICC>0.90), except for ICC2,3 in the hip flexor muscles; and ICC2,3 in the dorsiflexor muscles that were similarly good (ICC=0.75-0.89) at a high significance level (P˂0.001). The MMMT had an acceptable reliability. Furthermore, this device is useful for investigating changes in strength after rehabilitation interventions.

Context: The present study aimed at developing a conceptual co-relational model of personal and environmental factors affecting mobility in children with CP. Evidence Acquisition: This perspective article describes a path model for mobility in children with CP. A conceptual framework for the model was supported by the relevant literature, and published papers on the personal and environmental factors affecting mobility in children with CP were reviewed. A literature search was performed using PubMed, SCOPUS and Google Scholar on papers published from 1970 to 2016. From the initial 228 articles related to personal and environmental factors for children with cerebral palsy, 72 articles met the inclusion criteria. Different factors, affecting the mobility, directly and indirectly, were analyzed based on available evidence. If contributing factors that lead to changes in basic motor abilities are identified and subjected to manipulation, the identified determinants that can be optimized through interventions might enhance long-term results of mobility.

This methodological study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the questionnaire for patients’ satisfaction with physical therapy.

The Persian version of this questionnaire was prepared through forward and backward translation. Its reliability was examined by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha. Structural validity was evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis and assessing the correlation between the score of the questionnaire with the visual analog score (VAS) and global rating of change (GRC) scale. The correlation of the questionnaire was checked with PTPSQ.

A total of 297 patients with musculoskeletal disorders at public physical therapy centers in Kerman, Iran, participated in this study and 40 participants, five to seven days later, answered the questionnaire again. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.95 and ICC was 0.88. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the four-factor solution. The correlation coefficients of the total score of the questionnaire with the VAS and GRC scores were -0.24 (P = 0.0001) and -0.32 (P = 0.0001), respectively. The correlation of this questionnaire with the other physiotherapy satisfaction questionnaire was good.

The Persian version of the 14 items on patient satisfaction with physical therapy questionnaire exhibited acceptable reliability and validity

Ankle Instability Instrument (AII) is a questionnaire for determination of ankle stability status. The aim of this study is to cross-culturally translate and investigate the reliability and validity of AII in a sample of Persian-speaking Iranians, suffering from ankle sprain. One hundred twenty persons with a history of ankle sprain were recruited in the study. All participants completed the Persian version of Ankle Instability Instrument, Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) and Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) at the baseline. Out of them, 60 randomly selected subjects completed the questionnaires once more, one week later. Face validity, Test–retest reliability, internal consistency, standard error of measurement, minimal metric detectable change, spearman’s correlation coefficient and confirmatory factor analysis of AII measured. We used Lisrel v 8.80 software with significant level of p<0.05. Persian version of AII is clear and unambiguous and its qualitative face validity was confirmed in the pilot study on the 20 subjects with a lateral ankle sprain. The interclass correlation coefficient, Cronbach’s alpha, standard error of measurement and minimal metric detectable change were 0.93, 0.87, 0.81 and 2.25 (95% confidence interval, 0.85-0.96). The Spearman correlations coefficients between AII, and CAIT, FAAM and FAOS measures were 0.91, 0.71 and 0.69 respectively. The original three factor structure of AII was replicated based on the confirmatory factor analysis. Which showed an adequate fit of the model to the data and goodness-of-various fit indices. The Ankle Instability Instrument Persian Version (AII-PV) is a reliable and valid measure for assessing the ankle stability status.

One of the most important indicators for assessing the validity of a scale is the determination of the construct validity of that scale. Since no standard gold test exists to measure the upper limb function in patients with stroke, the study of the construct validity of the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) is of particular importance.
To evaluate the construct validity of the scores of the Persian version of the WMFT with functional variables, as well as to verify its convergence validity with the physical component summary of the SF-36 Health Survey, and its discriminant validity with the mental component summary of SF-36 Health Survey.
The tests were conducted on 56 patients with stroke, and the scores were calculated. By using this data, the construct validity of the Wolf scale and the convergence and discriminant validity of the scores derived from the Persian version of WMFT, and the physical and mental component summary of the SF-36 Health Survey were obtained.
There was no significant correlation between the age and duration of the stroke in patients, and the total functional score and the median time of performing the tasks of the Persian version of WMFT (P>0.05).
No significant difference was seen between the sexes in terms of the total score of performing tasks, but the median time of performing the tasks was significantly different between men and women (P=0.04). There was a moderate statistical correlation between the scores of the Persian version of WMFT and the physical component summary (r=0.60, P The Persian version of WMFT has acceptable construct validity with functional variables and the overall score of the SF-36 questionnaire.

The kinematics of a controlled functional task in female volleyball athletes may be an interesting area of study. Therefore, investigating if there are kinematic changes in a jump landing jump task among female athletes with low back pain (LBP) may help therapists and trainers better prevent and/or rehabilitate LBP in athletes.

The purpose of this study was to examine lumbopelvic and lower extremity kinematics in athletes with persistent LBP during a jumping task.

A comparative cross sectional study conducted in a university research laboratory. Professional female volleyball players with (n = 20) and without (n = 18) LBP were recruited from the Iranian female volleyball league. To reduce heterogeneity, one particular subgroup of athletes with LBP were selected. Kinematic data including lumbar extension, hip flexion, rotation and adduction and knee flexion and abduction angles when the center of mass was at minimum height during a jump-landing-jump maneuver were collected using a Vicon motion analysis system and analysed using MATLAB software. Independent t-tests were used to compare mean values between the groups.

Athletes with LBP had significantly greater hip flexion (LBP: -73.62±11.06˚; Control: -62.88±7.03˚, p=0.016) and significantly less knee flexion (LBP: 77.06±7.27 ˚, Control: 81.62±4.70 ˚, p=0.029) at the lowest point of the jump than athletes without LBP. There were no other significant differences between the groups (p>0.05).

A subgroup of female athletes with LBP display altered lower extremity kinematics during a jump task than athletes without LBP. This may have important implications for lower limb performance and injury.

Chronic diseases affect patients’ Quality of Life (QoL) and even their caregivers. By evaluating the QoL of patients with multiple sclerosis, the undiagnosed problems of the patients can be detected and the appropriate treatment objectives can be determined. This study was conducted to evaluate the QoL in patients with different types of MS. A total of 314 patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) referred to “Society for the support of MS patients”, “Raad Charity and Education complex”, and an outpatient clinic in Tehran during fall and winter 2014-2015 were recruited. All patients completed the 36-Item Short Form questionnaire (SF-36) and Dartmouth Coop Functional Health Assessment/World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Association of General Practitioners (COOP/WONCA) functional health assessment charts as self-report. To investigate the research hypothesis and analyzing the results of the two questionnaires, 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. The results of the analysis showed a significant difference between the three types of MS (relapsing-remitting, secondary progressive and primary progressive) in the scores of all SF-36 questionnaire subscales. A significant difference was also found between the three types of MS regarding the scores of all charts of COOP/WONCA, except for social support. Then with the use of LSD post hoc test, scores of both questionnaires subscales in these three types of MS were pair-wisely compared. The results showed that the type of MS disease can affect the patients’ QoL. Patients with relapsing-remitting MS had the best level of QoL among all others. The COOP/WONCA charts were more sensitive in measuring the differences between the secondary-progressive MS and primary-progressive MS.

The present study aimed to adapt articulation assessment, a subtest of the diagnostic evaluation of articulation and phonology, and to determine its reliability and validity for Persian speaking children.
The Persian version of articulation assessment (PAA) was administered to 387 children aged between 36 - 72 months, M (SD):53.7 (± 10.1) by month, after the adaptation process. A methodological study including test–retest reproducibility, score-rescore consistency and evaluating validity (through content, convergent and discriminative validity) was then carried out in order to determine the psychometric properties of the instrument.
Content validity ratio for Persian item’s content coverage, agreement image and syllable structure were 0.86 - 1, 0.92 and 0.94, respectively. Minimum content validity index of 0.93 exceeded in terms of relevancy, simplicity and clarity of instructions. The percentage agreement for the test-retest was 91.35-100% and the score-rescore analysis was 92.95-100%. The convergent validity was reasonable. The Persian Articulation Assessment’s mean scores for individuals with articulation disorders being significantly lower than those by normal children, showed discriminative validity (t = 7.245, df = 34, P The Persian version of Articulation Assessment is suggestive of a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating the articulation skills in Persian speaking children.

Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) is used in the assessment of upper extremity motor function in stroke patients. This scale contains 15 items and assesses joint-segment movements and functional tasks.
Translation and assessment of internal consistency and reliability of the Persian version of WMFT in Iranian stroke patients.
After translation (based on the international quality of life assessment method), the Persian version of WMFT was used in 56 stroke patients. Item-level internal consistency was assessed using Spearman’s correlation, reliability in frequent tests using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), and internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha coefficient.
Translation was simple in 94.4% of items, and the quality of translation was favorable in 89.7% of cases. A high correlation was observed between the most of items and total WMFT score. Based on ICC, reliability in frequent tests was high (from 0.97 and 0.99). Internal consistency was 0.78 in scores obtained.
The Persian version of WMFT has a favorable reliability for use in the assessment and development of rehabilitation programs for improving functional abilities of upper extremities in Iranian stroke patients.

Reconstruction surgery is one of the treatment methods after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury especially in athletes. Reconstructed ACL is associated with altered joint biomechanics, abnormal muscle strength, gait disorder and decreased athletic performance. Abnormal walking pattern has been shown to be one of the functional consequences of ACL reconstruction..
The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of kinematic and spatiotemporal gait parameters after ACL reconstruction using Zebris ultrasound movement analysis system..
A sample of convenience including 20 healthy athletes and 20 athletes 4 to 6 months after ACL reconstruction participated. Subjects walked on a treadmill for one minute at preferred, high and low speeds and kinematic and spatio - temporal parameters including stride time, stride length, maximum knee flexion, maximum knee flexion velocity and maximum knee extension velocity are calculated..
In the patient group, relative reliability measures for almost all parameters were high at low (ICC: 0.7 - 0.97), preferred and high speeds (ICC: 0.75 - 0.97). This was also true for the control group, were reliability for all parameters was high at low, preferred (ICC: 0.74 - 0.99) and high (ICC: 0.83 - 0.99) speeds, except for stride time of the left leg which showed moderate reliability. Additionally, at high speed, all parameters revealed very high reliability..
Zebris movement analysis system is a highly reliable instrument for the measurement of gait parameters at different speeds in healthy athletes and those after ACL reconstruction surgery. This implies its use in the assessment and treatment process of gait deficits in such a clinically important population..

Spasticity is a common motor disorder in multiple sclerosis (MS). The modified Tardieu scale (MTS) is one of the most widely used test for assessing muscle spasticity. The aim of this study was to investigate the inter rater reliability of MTS in measuring of Knee Extensor muscle spasticity in MS patients.
Knee extensors of 20 MS patients with mean age of 41.50(SD =11.95) were assessed by two inexperienced physiotherapists. The order of assessments by the two raters was randomized. The inter rater reliability of MTS was determined by ICC two-way random effects model.
Inter-rater reliability for quality of muscle reaction and R2-R1 as dynamic component of spasticity in knee extensors muscle was high and moderately high respectively (ICC= 0.89, 0.77).
The results indicated MTS can be used as a reliable measurement for assessing knee extensors spasticity.

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) developmental care refers to interventions in the infant’s environment in neonatal intensive care unit to reduce environmental stresses and provide greater family-infant compatibility.
The aim of this study was to assess current developmental care performance and factors influencing implementation of this care at NICUs in Tehran, Iran.
This cross-sectional study as part of a larger mixed method study assessed the quality of developmental care in Tehran NICUs. The study was performed on 400 nurses working in level III NICUs in 27 hospitals of Tehran during years 2014 and 2015. Data were collected using two scales, «NICU developmental care assessment (NDCA) scale » and «NICU developmental care structural (NDCS) checklist». The scales validity was detected by content, face and construct and reliability by internal consistency and test-retest. The overall and each domain score were calculated in percentages. Data were analyzed using the SPSS-21 software using descriptive statistics tests and regression analysis.
The total score of quality of providing developmental care was 74. 84%. Among all domains, «daily routine care» had the highest score (85. 67%) and «sleep and pain care» had the lowest score (66. 63%). Total score of structure was 43. 06%. The number of neonates admitted per day (B -0. 328, P = 0. 019) and number of infants managed by each nurse (B -2. 543, P = 0. 019) were significant predictor variables for better quality of total developmental care.
The number of infants cared and admitted were the only significant factors contributing to high quality of developmental care. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that in case of Tehran, work-load and structure of services should receive greater attention.

Developmental care comprises a wide range of medical and nursing interventions used in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to mitigate and reduce stressors affecting preterm or ill neonates. Because patient satisfaction survey is a valuable quality improvement tool, we aimed to develop and test the psychometric properties of a tool for measuring parent satisfaction of developmental care in the NICU.
In this psychometric methodological study, the item pool and initial questionnaire were designed based on a comprehensive literature review and exploring NICU parent satisfaction questionnaires. The validity of the designed questionnaire was determined using face, content (qualitative and quantitative), and construct validity. Exploratory factor analysis was performed using responses from 400 parents of infants hospitalized in the NICUs of 34 hospitals in 2015 in Tehran, Iran. The reliability of the questionnaire was identified using Cronbach’s alpha and stability measures.
The initial questionnaire was designed with 72 items in five domains. After testing the face validity, 3 items were omitted. The results of validity testing were acceptable. The exploratory factor analysis was performed on 69 items, and 5 factors (care and treatment with 20 items, information with 15 items, hospital facilities with 9 items, parental education with 7 items, and parental participation with 8 items) were extracted. The reliability was supported by high internal consistency (α = 0.92).
This questionnaire could be valid and reliable tool for measuring parents’ satisfaction.

This study evaluated the relationship between fear of falling, and the level of education and the living style of Iranian elderly.
This was a descriptive-analytical study on 191 elderly living in the community and nursing homes. The participants were selected through simple non-probability sampling. The fear of falling, level of education, and living style were determined using a multiple choice questionnaire and the relationship between was studied. The Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis.
The results of Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant difference between individuals with different life styles in terms of fear of falling (P = 0.25).The Spearman correlation coefficient also showed no significant relationship between fear of falling and educational level (P = 0.32, r = 0.07).
This study results showed that there is no relationship between fear of falling, and education level and living style in Iranian elderly.

To evaluate the reliability of head and trunk acceleration measured by MTx sensors during walking on Level and Irregular surfaces and to compare the differences between healthy young and old adults. Participants were 20 young female university students and 20 non faller elderly women in Iran, 2013. Two MTX sensors were used to measure head and trunk accelerations in the vertical (VT), anterior-posterior (AP), and medial-lateral (ML) directions while participants walked on a 7-meter walkway. ICC values in young group were higher as compared to non- faller elderly group; ICC was greater than 0.7 for 89.47% (34/38) of variables in young group and for 60.52% 23/38) in non- faller. Intersession reliability for upper trunk coordination indices in regular surface and in young group showed highest values as compared with other conditions in both groups, whereas the lowest intersession reliability was found in irregular floor surface indices in non-faller elderly group. The calculated ICC, SEM, CV%, MDC values suggest that the MTX sensors provide precise recordings and detect small changes in upper trunk accelerometric parameters. ICC values were influenced by the age and the floor condition. In healthy young, all ICC values in regular surface were higher than 0.7. Floor condition effect was noticeable in elderly especially in ML direction. During walking on irregular surface, ML acceleration, velocity and harmonic ratio in elderly showed lower repeatability.