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Patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS) domain names and definitions revisions: further evaluation of content validity in IRT-derived item banks

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Abstract

Purpose

Content validity of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) is evaluated primarily during item development, but subsequent psychometric analyses, particularly for item response theory (IRT)-derived scales, often result in considerable item pruning and potential loss of content. After selecting items for the PROMIS banks based on psychometric and content considerations, we invited external content expert reviews of the degree to which the initial domain names and definitions represented the calibrated item bank content.

Methods

A minimum of four content experts reviewed each item bank and recommended a domain name and definition based on item content. Domain names and definitions then were revealed to the experts who rated how well these names and definitions fit the bank content and provided recommendations for definition revisions.

Results

These reviews indicated that the PROMIS domain names and definitions remained generally representative of bank content following item pruning, but modifications to two domain names and minor to moderate revisions of all domain definitions were needed to optimize fit with the item bank content.

Conclusions

This reevaluation of domain names and definitions following psychometric item pruning, although not previously documented in the literature, appears to be an important procedure for refining conceptual frameworks and further supporting content validity.

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Acknowledgments

The patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Roadmap initiative to develop a computerized system measuring patient-reported outcomes in respondents with a wide range of chronic diseases and demographic characteristics. PROMIS was funded by cooperative agreements to a Statistical Coordinating Center (Northwestern University, PI: David Cella, PhD, U01AR52177) and six Primary Research Sites (Duke University, PI: Kevin Weinfurt, PhD, U01AR52186; University of North Carolina, PI: Darren DeWalt, MD, MPH, U01AR52181; University of Pittsburgh, PI: Paul A. Pilkonis, PhD, U01AR52155; Stanford University, PI: James Fries, MD, U01AR52158; Stony Brook University, PI: Arthur Stone, PhD, U01AR52170; and University of Washington, PI: Dagmar Amtmann, PhD, U01AR52171). NIH Science Officers on this project have included Deborah Ader, PhD, Susan Czajkowski, PhD, Lawrence Fine, MD, DrPH, Laura Lee Johnson, PhD, Louis Quatrano, PhD, Bryce Reeve, PhD, William Riley, PhD, Susana Serrate-Sztein, MD, and James Witter, MD, PhD. This manuscript was reviewed by the PROMIS Publications Subcommittee prior to external peer review. See the Web site at www.nihpromis.org for additional information on the PROMIS cooperative group.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, 6701 Rockledge Dr., MSC 7936, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    William T. Riley

  2. Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Nan Rothrock, Elizabeth A. Hahn & David Cella

  3. Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Bonnie Bruce

  4. Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA

    Christopher Christodolou

  5. University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Karon Cook

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  1. William T. Riley
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  2. Nan Rothrock
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  3. Bonnie Bruce
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  4. Christopher Christodolou
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  5. Karon Cook
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  6. Elizabeth A. Hahn
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  7. David Cella
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Correspondence to William T. Riley.

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Riley, W.T., Rothrock, N., Bruce, B. et al. Patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS) domain names and definitions revisions: further evaluation of content validity in IRT-derived item banks. Qual Life Res 19, 1311–1321 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-010-9694-5

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