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Psychometric assessment of the Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System and the MOTHER NAS Scale
Author(s) -
Jones Hendrée E.,
Seashore Carl,
Johnson Elisabeth,
Horton Evette,
O'Grady Kevin E.,
Andringa Kim,
Grossman Matthew R.,
Whalen Bonny,
Holmes Alison Volpe
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the american journal on addictions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.997
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-0391
pISSN - 1055-0496
DOI - 10.1111/ajad.12388
Subject(s) - cronbach's alpha , abstinence , methadone , clinical psychology , medicine , internal consistency , addiction , buprenorphine , scale (ratio) , psychology , psychiatry , psychometrics , randomized controlled trial , opioid , physics , receptor , quantum mechanics
Background and Objectives The present study examined the psychometric characteristics of the Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System (NASS; “Finnegan Scale”) and the MOTHER NAS Scale (MNS). Methods Secondary analysis of data from 131 neonates from the Maternal Opioid Treatment: Human Experimental Research (MOTHER) study, a randomized trial in opioid‐dependent pregnant women administered buprenorphine or methadone. Results Both the NASS and MNS demonstrated poor psychometric properties, with internal consistency (Cronbach's αs) failing to exceed .62 at first administration, peak NAS score, and NAS treatment initiation. Conclusions Findings support the need for development of a NAS measure based on sound psychometric principles. Scientific Significance This study found that two frequently used measures of neonatal abstinence syndrome suffer inadequacies in regard to their basic measurement characteristics. (Am J Addict 2016;25:370–373)