PONE-D-23-39588Designing multimedia patient education materials for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial of patient education videosPLOS ONE

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Does the manuscript provide a valid rationale for the proposed study, with clearly identified and justified research questions?

The research question outlined is expected to address a valid academic problem or topic and contribute to the base of knowledge in the field.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Partly

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2. Is the protocol technically sound and planned in a manner that will lead to a meaningful outcome and allow testing the stated hypotheses?

The manuscript should describe the methods in sufficient detail to prevent undisclosed flexibility in the experimental procedure or analysis pipeline, including sufficient outcome-neutral conditions (e.g. necessary controls, absence of floor or ceiling effects) to test the proposed hypotheses and a statistical power analysis where applicable. As there may be aspects of the methodology and analysis which can only be refined once the work is undertaken, authors should outline potential assumptions and explicitly describe what aspects of the proposed analyses, if any, are exploratory.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Is the methodology feasible and described in sufficient detail to allow the work to be replicable?

Descriptions of methods and materials in the protocol should be reported in sufficient detail for another researcher to reproduce all experiments and analyses. The protocol should describe the appropriate controls, sample size calculations, and replication needed to ensure that the data are robust and reproducible.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above and, if applicable, provide comments about issues authors must address before this protocol can be accepted for publication. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about research or publication ethics.

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(Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: In this study protocol, a three-arm feasibility randomized control trial is accruing which aims to determine the feasibility of examining how the implementation of scientific advice on design affects patient outcomes.

Minor revisions:

1- The standard statistical term for average is mean.

2- Page 18: State the power of the ANOVA test with n=92.

3- Indicate the statistical software that will be used for the analysis.

4- To assist in the review process, please add line numbers to the document.

Reviewer #2: Dear Authors,

I have thoroughly reviewed your manuscript submitted to PLOS ONE, titled "Designing multimedia patient education materials for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial of patient education videos". Based on my assessment, I provide the following feedback for your consideration:

Exclusion Criteria: I recommend revising the exclusion criteria to explicitly exclude individuals who have undergone any previous treatments for scoliosis. This will help in minimizing variability that could confound the study outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria Regarding Cobb Angle: The manuscript considers including patients with a Cobb angle greater than 10 degrees. However, clinical guidelines generally recommend interventions for curves exceeding 20 degrees. Aligning your inclusion criteria with these guidelines may enhance the clinical relevance of your findings.

Age Range of Participants: The current age range for participants is set between 10 to 18 years. Given that adolescence typically ends around 15 or 16 years due to skeletal maturity, I suggest adjusting this range to more accurately reflect adolescent scoliosis, thereby avoiding the inclusion of adult scoliosis cases.

Recruitment Methods: The recruitment strategy involving social media and word of mouth might not ensure the targeted and rigorous approach necessary for this study. A more structured recruitment method, perhaps involving referrals from healthcare professionals, is advisable.

Study Timeline: It is crucial to update all study materials to accurately reflect the current timeline, especially considering the mentioned start date of January 2024.

While I appreciate the effort and dedication behind your manuscript, these recommendations aim to enhance its scientific rigor and alignment with clinical practices.

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes: Mojtaba Kamyab

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Designing multimedia patient education materials for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial of patient education videos

PONE-D-23-39588R1

Dear Dr. Garett Van Oirschot,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Kind regards,

Holakoo Mohsenifar

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Reviewers' comments: