Using item response theory to optimize measurement of chronic stress in pregnancy

作者：Borders Ann E B^*; Lai Jin Shei; Wolfe Kaitlin; Qadir Sameen; Peng Jie; Kim Kwang Youn; Keenan Devlin Lauren; Holl Jane; Grobman William

来源：Social Science Research, 2017, 64: 214-225.

DOI：10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.12.003

• Chronic stress
• Pregnancy
• Item response theory
• Self-reported stress
• Biomarkers

Objective: Utilize Rasch analysis to develop an optimized self-reported measure of stress in pregnancy and examine the association with patient demographics and biologic measures of stress.
Study design: Measured self-reported stress in pregnant women using 12 existing scales. Collected blood for biologic measures of stress (Epstein Barr Virus [EBV], C-Reactive Protein [CRP], Corticotropin Reactive Hormone [pCRH], and Adenocorticotropin Hormone [ACTH]). Used multidimensional scaling and Rasch analysis to produce an item reduced self-report measure.
Results: Enrolled 112 women. Survey items reduced to two factors: perceived stressors and buffers of stress. Women with a domestic partner had lower perceived stress (p = 0.003). Caucasian women reported higher buffers of stress (p = 0.045), as did women with private insurance (p < 0.001), a planned pregnancy (p < 0.01), and a domestic partner (p < 0.001). Women with higher buffers of stress had lower levels of pCRH (adjusted p = 0.01).
Conclusion: Item reduced, optimized measures of stress were associated with significant differences in patient demographics and biologic measures of stress.

• 出版日期2017-5
• 单位西北大学