OBJECTIVE: Health-state changes can lead to response shifts in internal standards. The most commonly used method for detecting such recalibration response shift is the retrospective pretest-posttest design, here referred to as thentest. Since this design faces significant problems, there is a pressing need to improve the stringency of studies using the thentest approach. Our objective is to provide guidelines for the optimal use of the thentest approach for detecting recalibration response shift. METHODS: Discussion of methods based on relevant literature. RESULTS: A checklist is provided that includes recommendations for studies using the thentest approach focusing on: (1) designing the study; (2) formulating hypotheses; (3) constructing the thentest; (4) identifying change; (6) taking alternative explanations into account; (7) using analytic standards; and (8) interpreting results. CONCLUSIONS: The guidelines-checklist has the potential to stimulate rigorous and replicable research using the thentest. This checklist might also be of use for journal editors and reviewers as 'gate keepers' of stringent research. Many of these suggestions also apply to other methods of detecting response shift.
OBJECTIVE: Health-state changes can lead to response shifts in internal standards. The most commonly used method for detecting such recalibration response shift is the retrospective pretest-posttest design, here referred to as thentest. Since this design faces significant problems, there is a pressing need to improve the stringency of studies using the thentest approach. Our objective is to provide guidelines for the optimal use of the thentest approach for detecting recalibration response shift. METHODS: Discussion of methods based on relevant literature. RESULTS: A checklist is provided that includes recommendations for studies using the thentest approach focusing on: (1) designing the study; (2) formulating hypotheses; (3) constructing the thentest; (4) identifying change; (6) taking alternative explanations into account; (7) using analytic standards; and (8) interpreting results. CONCLUSIONS: The guidelines-checklist has the potential to stimulate rigorous and replicable research using the thentest. This checklist might also be of use for journal editors and reviewers as 'gate keepers' of stringent research. Many of these suggestions also apply to other methods of detecting response shift.
Authors: Carolyn E Schwartz; H Brownell Wheeler; Bernard Hammes; Noreen Basque; Jean Edmunds; George Reed; Yunsheng Ma; Lynn Li; Patricia Tabloski; Julianne Yanko Journal: Arch Intern Med Date: 2002-07-22
Authors: Jonathan Rees; Michael G Clarke; Dympna Waldron; Ciaran O'Boyle; Paul Ewings; Ruaraidh P MacDonagh Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2005-03-30 Impact factor: 3.186
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Authors: Pranav K Gandhi; Carolyn E Schwartz; Bryce B Reeve; Darren A DeWalt; Heather E Gross; I-Chan Huang Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2016-04-09 Impact factor: 4.147