The use of standardised tools is an essential component of evidence-based practice. Reliance on standardised tools places demands on clinicians to understand their properties, strengths, and weaknesses, in order to interpret results and make clinical decisions. This paper makes a case for clinicians to consider measurement error (ME) indices Coefficient of Repeatability (CR) or the Smallest Real Difference (SRD) over relative reliability coefficients like the Pearson’s (r) and the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), while selecting tools to measure change and inferring change as true. The authors present statistical methods that are part of the current approach to evaluate test–retest reliability of assessment tools and outcome measurements. Selected examples from a previous test–retest study are used to elucidate the added advantages of knowledge of the ME of an assessment tool in clinical decision making. The CR is computed in the same units as the assessment tool and sets the boundary of the minimal detectable true change that can be measured by the tool.

Siblings who attended Camp Onwards demonstrated improved mental health outcomes that were sustained at follow-up, demonstrating its effectiveness as an intervention strategy in supporting sibling adjustment.

Although the fatigue self-management group improved over time, results did not demonstrate additional benefit in most outcome measures when compared with the control group.

In the occupational therapy literature reviewed, limited empirical research has tested the links between the occupation of leisure and health. This study examines the influences of leisure participation on mental health outcomes in adolescents and investigates the mediating constructs of self-efficacy, competence, and global self-worth as hypothesized in an a priori model developed from earlier research. With the use of a population-based approach, this study surveyed 850 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, using a standardized self-report battery. Structural equation modeling was employed to investigate relationships and test the goodness-of-fit of the hypothesized model. Results demonstrate that leisure participation has a significant and positive relationship with mental health, and positively influences self-efficacy, competence, and global self-worth. However, results also show that only selected forms of leisure are positive influences on adolescent mental health development. These findings provide evidence to support a theoretical basis for the relationship between the occupation of leisure and health, and are discussed in relation to occupational therapy ideology.

The current paper presents the findings from the reliability and validity testing of an 18-item Diabetes Self-efficacy Scale derived from the 28-item Insulin Management Diabetes Self-efficacy Scale. Testing in the Australian context occurred at three points over 9 months. Diabetes self-efficacy is defined as the individual's judgement of confidence to carry out tasks specific to diabetes management. Data were obtained from an Australian metropolitan sample of adult, English speaking men and women with diabetes (N = 226). Participants were insulin-using and non-insulin-using. Factor analysis indicated five subscales. The data support the construct validity and reliability of the 18-item scale in terms of stability, internal consistency and item-total correlation matrices. This study provides consistent evidence that the Diabetes Self-efficacy Scale is a valid and reliable measure over time when the individual's efficacy beliefs are changing. Hence this instrument should be a useful outcome measure for educational diabetes related interventions.

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Although more is understood about childhood cancer's impact on the often forgotten siblings in the family, developing empirically tested interventions that support positive health outcomes is only just emerging. As family support is of key importance in sibling adjustment, further knowledge about their needs is crucial to the development of effective interventions. This investigation focused on examining parental perceptions regarding the concerns and issues for siblings of children with cancer and explored what support is helpful. Focus group methods were used to gather the data with probe questions developed from the literature and from clinical experience. Emergent topics generated were further analyzed using content analysis with 3 major topics identified: the universality of losses arising from the illness experience, behavioral challenges and adaptation, and parent-sibling communication. Parents also discussed helpful interventions. These are described and discussed in relation to the literature. The information obtained will contribute to developing interventions for siblings, specifically to produce a protocol for a therapeutic peer-support camp.

Students negotiate the transition to secondary school in different ways. While some thrive on the opportunity, others are challenged. A prospective longitudinal design was used to determine the contribution of personal background and school contextual factors on academic competence (AC) and mental health functioning (MHF) of 266 students, 6-months before and after the transition to secondary school. Data from 197 typically developing students and 69 students with a disability were analysed using hierarchical linear regression modelling. Both in primary and secondary school, students with a disability and from socially disadvantaged backgrounds gained poorer scores for AC and MHF than their typically developing and more affluent counterparts. Students who attended independent and mid-range sized primary schools had the highest concurrent AC. Those from independent primary schools had the lowest MHF. The primary school organisational model significantly influenced post-transition AC scores; with students from Kindergarten - Year 7 schools reporting the lowest scores, while those from the Kindergarten - Year 12 structure without middle school having the highest scores. Attending a school which used the Kindergarten - Year 12 with middle school structure was associated with a reduction in AC scores across the transition. Personal background factors accounted for the majority of the variability in post-transition AC and MHF. The contribution of school contextual factors was relatively minor. There is a potential opportunity for schools to provide support to disadvantaged students before the transition to secondary school, as they continue to be at a disadvantage after the transition.