Objective: To determine the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and use of the Reflexive Behavioral “Baah” Test and NHSRC Level 1 and Level 2 Questionnaires in detecting hearing impairment in rural health communities. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted at the rural health unit of five municipalities. Infants less than six months old were screened for hearing impairments using the OAE device (standard), the Reflexive Behavioral “Baah” test, and the NHSRC Level 1 and Level 2 Questionnaires. The “Baah” test and the filling out of the NHSRC Level 1 and 2 Questionnaires were done by trained health workers while OAE was done by an audiologist. Results: A total of 103 babies, with a mean age of 41.9 days at the time of testing and a male to female ratio of 1.02:1 (52 males and 51 females) were tested. A hearing impairment prevalence of 4.9% (5 out of 103) was noted. The “Baah” test showed to have a sensitivity of 60%, specificity of 97.96% and an accuracy rate of 96.12%. The NHSRC Level 1 and Level 2 Questionnaires showed sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy rate of 40%, 67.35% and 66.02%, respectively for the former and 40%, 85.71% and 83.50%, respectively for the latter. Analysis of the complimentary use of the NHSRC Level 1 and Level 2 Questionnaires with the “Baah” test also showed no significant improvement to using the “Baah” test as a stand-alone screening tool with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 60%, 67.35% and 66.99%, respectively for the “Baah” test and Level 1 Questionnaire, and 60%, 83.67% and 82.52%, respectively for the “Baah” test and Level 2 Questionnaire. Conclusion The Reflexive Behavioral “Baah” test is a potentially accurate, sensitive, specific, and acceptable standalone hearing screening test to identify infants with higher risk of hearing impairment in the rural health community setting. On the other hand, the use of the NHSRC Questionnaires as a stand-alone or complementary tool for “Baah” is unnecessary as it results to more false positive and false negative results.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Infant, Newborn ; Audiometry ; Behavior Rating Scale

PURPOSE: This study was designed to develop a valid and reliable scale for the evaluation of preconception health behavior in women preparing for pregnancy. METHODS: The initial strategy included a literature review, interviews, and construction of a conceptual framework. The preliminary items were evaluated twice for content validity by experts, and modified two preliminary investigations. Participants in the 2 main investigations and the confirmation investigation were tested for reliability and validity of the preliminary scale in women preparing for pregnancy. The data were analyzed for different items exploratory and confirmatory factors. RESULTS: The 5-point Likert scale consisted of 6 factors and 27 items. The 6-factors included ‘hazardous substance factor,’ ‘medical management factor,’ ‘rest and sleep factor,’ ‘stress management factor,’ ‘information acquisition factor,’ and ‘resource preparation factor.’ Goodness of fit of the final research model was very appropriate and based on the following measures: Q=1.98, comparative fit index=.91, Tucker-lewis index=.89, standardized root mean square residual=.07, and root mean square error of approximation=.07. The criterion validity was .64. The reliability coefficient was .92 and the test-retest reliability was .61. CONCLUSION: The study findings indicate that the scale can be used for the development of nursing interventions to promote preconception health behavior in women preparing for pregnancy.
Behavior Rating Scale ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Nursing ; Preconception Care ; Pregnancy ; Reproducibility of Results

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify the effects of environmental factors on depressive-like behavior and memory function during adolescence. We performed behavior tests in adolescent rats exposed to environmental enrichment, handling, and social deprivation for eight weeks. METHODS: Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control, environmental enrichment, handling, and social deprivation groups at the age of four weeks. RESULTS: In the forced swim test, the immobility time in the environmental enrichment group was decreased than that in the control group (p=.038), while the immobility time in the social deprivation group was increased than that in the control group (p=.035), the environmental enrichment group (p<.001), and the handling group (p=.001). In the Morris water maze test, the social deprivation group had an increased latency time than the control group (p=.013) and the environmental enrichment group (p=.001). In the passive avoidance test, the environmental enrichment group had an increased latency time than the control group (p=.005). However, the social deprivation group had reduced latency time than the socially housed groups (control: p=.030; environmental enrichment: p<.001; handling: p<.001). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that environmental factors play an important role in emotion and memory function during adolescence.
Adolescent* ; Animals ; Behavior Rating Scale ; Cognition ; Depression ; Humans ; Memory* ; Rats* ; Rats, Wistar ; Social Environment ; Water

PURPOSE: Our study aimed to examine psychometric properties and cross-cultural utility of the Behavior Assessment System for Children-2, Parent Rating Scale-Child (BASC-2 PRS-C) in Korean children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two study populations were recruited: a general population sample (n=2115) of 1st to 6th graders from 16 elementary schools and a clinical population (n=219) of 6–12 years old from 5 child psychiatric clinics and an epidemiological sample of autism spectrum disorder. We assessed the validity and reliability of the Korean version of BASC-2 PRS-C (K-BASC-2 PRS-C) and compared subscales with those used for US populations. RESULTS: Our results indicate that the K-BASC-2 PRS-C is a valuable instrument with reliability and validity for measuring developmental psychopathology that is comparable to those in Western population. However, there were some differences noted in the mean scores of BASC-2 PRS-C between Korean and US populations. CONCLUSION: K-BASC-2 PRS-C is an effective and useful instrument with psychometric properties that permits measurement of general developmental psychopathology. Observed Korean-US differences in patterns of parental reports of children's behaviors indicate the importance of the validation, standardization and cultural adaptation for tools assessing psychopathology especially when used in populations different from those for which the instrument was originally created.
Autism Spectrum Disorder ; Behavior Rating Scale ; Child* ; Cross-Cultural Comparison ; Humans ; Parents* ; Psychometrics ; Psychopathology ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVES: This research was carried out to identify the synergistic effect of dexmedetomidine and ketorolac on neuropathic pain alleviation. METHODS: The anti-allodynic effect of intrathecal dexmedetomidine and ketorolac was investigated in rats after L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL). Mechanical allodynia was assessed using Von Frey filaments. Every day for 3 consecutive days, beginning on the 10th day after SNL, behavioral tests were carried out at 1, 2, and 4 hr after drug injection. RESULTS: Significant increases in ipsilateral paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) were observed 1, 2, and 4 hr after drug injection in the groups of rats which received intrathecal injection of either dexmedetomidine (group D) or ketorolac (group K), compared to group S (P < 0.05). And group DK, which received simultaneous intrathecal injection of both dexmedetomidine and ketorolac, showed statistically significantly higher ipsilateral PWTs than groups D and K, which received only one of them (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this research demonstrated the anti-allodynic effect of dexmedetomidine and ketorolac on neuropathic pain induced by SNL in rats. They also suggest that synergistic analgesia can be induced by the simultaneous injection of dexmedetomidine and ketorolac, and that combination therapy is an effective approach to treating chronic neuropathic pain syndrome.
Analgesia ; Animals ; Behavior Rating Scale ; Dexmedetomidine* ; Hyperalgesia* ; Injections, Spinal ; Ketorolac* ; Ligation* ; Neuralgia ; Rats* ; Spinal Nerves*

Behavioral analysis in mice provided important contributions in helping understand and treat numerous neurobehavioral and neuropsychiatric disorders. The behavioral performance of animals and humans is widely different among individuals but the neurobehavioral mechanism of the innate difference is seldom investigated. Many neurologic conditions share comorbid symptoms that may have common pathophysiology and therapeutic strategy. The forced swim test (FST) has been commonly used to evaluate the “antidepressant” properties of drugs yet the individual difference analysis of this test was left scantly investigated along with the possible connection among other behavioral domains. This study conducted an FST-screening in outbred CD-1 male mice and segregated them into three groups: high performers (HP) or the active swimmers, middle performers (MP), and low performers (LP) or floaters. After which, a series of behavioral experiments were performed to measure their behavioral responses in the open field, elevated plus maze, Y maze, three-chamber social assay, novel object recognition, delay discounting task, and cliff avoidance reaction. The behavioral tests battery revealed that the three groups displayed seemingly correlated differences in locomotor activity and novel object recognition but not in other behaviors. This study suggests that the HP group in FST has higher locomotor activity and novelty-seeking tendencies compared to the other groups. These results may have important implications in creating behavior database in animal models that could be used for predicting interconnections of various behavioral domains, which eventually helps to understand the neurobiological mechanism controlling the behaviors in individual subjects.
Animals ; Behavior Rating Scale ; Delay Discounting ; Humans ; Individuality ; Male ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Motor Activity

OBJECTIVE: We reported that postnatal exposure of rats to valproic acid (VPA) stimulated proliferation of glial precursors during cortical gliogenesis. However, there are no reports whether enhanced postnatal gliogenesis affects behaviors related to neuropsychiatric disorders. METHODS: After VPA treatment during the postnatal day (PND) 2 to PND 4, four behavioral test, such as open field locomotor test, elevated plus maze test, three-chamber social interaction test, and passive avoidance test, were performed at PND 21 or 22. RESULTS: VPA treated rats showed significant hyperactive behavior in the open field locomotor test (p<0.05). Moreover, the velocity of movement in the VPA group was increased by 69.5% (p<0.01). In the elevated plus maze test, VPA exposed rats expressed significantly lower percentage of time spent on and of entries into open arms more than the control group (p<0.05). Also, both sociability and social preference indices with strangers in the three-chamber social interaction test were significantly lower in the VPA exposed rats (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that altered glial cell development is another locus at which pathogenetic factors can operate to contribute to the neurodevelopmental disorder.
Animals ; Anxiety ; Arm ; Autistic Disorder ; Behavior Rating Scale ; Interpersonal Relations ; Neurodevelopmental Disorders ; Neuroglia ; Rats* ; Social Behavior ; Valproic Acid*

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of eating behavior on nutritional status according to temperament type.METHODS: One thousand one hundred three preschool children aged 2 to 6 years in Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do from April to June 2018 were surveyed about their eating behavior and nutritional status using DBT (Dietary Behavior Test) and NQ (Nutrition Quotient) which are proven tests. The dietary behaviors of the children were classified into four categories: approach avoidance, sensory sensitivity, hyperactivity, and irregularity. NQ scores were divided into five categories: balance, diversity, moderation, regularity, and practice.RESULTS: The mean of the children's age was 3.42 ± 1.4 (596 boys and 507 girls). The percentage distribution of the NQ grade was as follows: 5.5% (highest), 12.5% (high), 47.1% (medium), 22.2% (low), and 12.6% (lowest). The risk group of approach avoidance and sensory sensitivity had significantly (p < 0.001) lower scores than the normal group in balance factor (51.9 ± 12.0 vs. 57.8 ± 15.9 in approach avoidance type, 52.6 ± 17.6 vs. 57.7 ± 15.9 in sensory sensitivity type) and diversity factor (32.5 ± 24.4 vs. 50.1 ± 22.4 in approach avoidance type, and 32.5 ± 24.0 vs. 50.7 ± 22.2 in sensory sensitivity type). The scores of the hyperactivity risk group were significantly lower in moderation factor (78.2 ± 12.1 vs. 81.2 ± 11.9), and those of the irregular risk group were significantly lower in variety (35.9 ± 24.5 vs. 48.8 ± 23.2), regularity (57.6 ± 37.1 vs. 66.1 ± 17.6), and practice (57.1 ± 19.4 vs. 65.1 ± 22.5) factors than the normal group (p < 0.001). Especially, the risk group of approach avoidance and sensitivity type had significantly (p < 0.001) lower intakes of whole grain, fruit, bean and bean products, vegetables, and Kimchi.CONCLUSION: This present study suggested that the eating behavior based on temperament of demanding preschool children affected food choice resulting in food consumption diversity of children. Therefore, it is important to provide customized nutrition education programs based on temperament type.
Behavior Rating Scale ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Eating ; Education ; Feeding Behavior ; Fruit ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Nutritional Status ; Temperament ; Vegetables ; Whole Grains

The crosscheck principle is just as important in pediatric audiology as it was when first described 40 years ago. That is, no auditory test result should be accepted and used in the diagnosis of hearing loss until it is confirmed or crosschecked by one or more independent measures. Exclusive reliance on only one or two tests, even objective auditory measures, may result in a auditory diagnosis that is not clear or perhaps incorrect. On the other hand, close and careful analysis of findings for a test battery consisting of objective procedures and behavioral tests whenever feasible usually leads to prompt and accurate diagnosis of auditory dysfunction. This paper provides a concise review of the crosscheck principle from its introduction to its clinical application today. The review concludes with a description of a modern test battery for pediatric hearing assessment that supplements traditional behavioral tests with a variety of independent objective procedures including aural immittance measures, otoacoustic emissions, and auditory evoked responses.
Audiology* ; Behavior Rating Scale ; Diagnosis ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Hand ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss

The change of steroid levels may also exert different modulatory effects on the number and class of serotonin receptors present in the plasma membrane. The effects of chronic treatment of testosterone for anxiety were examined and expression of 5-HT(2A) serotonergic receptor, neuron, astrocyte, and dark neuron density in the hippocampus of gonadectomized male mice was determined. Thirty-six adult male NMRI mice were randomly divided into six groups: intact-no testosterone treatment (No T), gonadectomy (GDX)-No T, GDX-Vehicle, GDX-6.25 mg/kg testosterone (T), GDX-12.5 mg/kg T, and GDX-25 mg/kg T. Anxiety-related behavior was evaluated using elevated plus maze apparatus. The animals were anesthetized after 48 hours after behavioral testing, and decapitated and micron slices were prepared for immunohistochemical as well as histopathological assessment. Subcutaneous injection of testosterone (25 mg/kg) may induce anxiogenic-like behavior in male mice. In addition, immunohistochemical data reveal reduced expression of 5-HT(2A) serotonergic receptor after gonadectomy in all areas of the hippocampus. However, treatment with testosterone could increase the mean number of dark neurons as well as immunoreactive neurons in CA1 and CA3 area, dose dependently. The density of 5-HT(2A) receptor-immunoreactive neurons may play a crucial role in the induction of anxiety like behavior. As reduction in such receptor expression have shown to significantly enhance anxiety behaviors. However, replacement of testosterone dose dependently enhances the number of 5-HT(2A) receptor-immunoreactive neurons and interestingly also reduced anxiety like behaviors.
Adult ; Animals ; Anxiety ; Astrocytes ; Behavior Rating Scale ; Cell Membrane ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Male* ; Mice* ; Neurons* ; Receptors, Serotonin ; Testosterone*