Adaptation and validation into Portuguese language of the HIV Antibody Testing Attitude Scale

Objective. To culturally adapt and validate a version in European Portuguese language of the HIV Antibody Testing Attitude Scale. Methods. Study conducting a methodological investigation for the adaptation and validation of an attitude measurement instrument. The instrument translation and back-translation were performed. Then, a pre-test was conducted. The study used a sample of 317 subjects from the academic community - students, professors and other professionals - who were contacted in the campus. Ethical principles were observed. Results. Three analyses were conducted using the method of principal component analysis (PCA) with five, four and three factors. A three-factor solution was achieved, which presents 50.82% variance. In the analysis of inter-item correlation, values between -0.018 and 0.749 were observed. Internal consistency shows Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.860 overall and between 0.865 and 0.659 in the three factors. Conclusion. The instrument version shows psychometric properties that allow its use in Portuguese-speaking countries.

Medidas individualizadas de mudança: análise das propriedades psicométricas do PSYCHLOPS

Neste estudo apresentam-se dados referentes à fiabilidade, validade e sensibilidade para detetar mudança de uma medida individualizada de mudança (MIM), o PSYCHLOPS. Os dados foram recolhidos em quatro países, e dividem-se por seis amostras, totalizando 1053 participantes. Pretende-se aprofundar o conhecimento acerca das propriedades psicométricas e da sua adequabilidade, em MIM no geral, e no PSYCHLOPS, em particular. Após avaliar as propriedades psicométricas separadamente por amostra, procedeu-se à sua integração mediante métodos de meta-análise. O valor global de alfa de .82 indica uma boa consistência interna, mas a sua interpretação é dificultada pela não equivalência de itens. A correlação entre o PSYCHLOPS e o CORE-OM é de .63, e a correlação entre os scores de mudança das duas medidas é .67. Os dados suportam as hipóteses referentes à validade, mas suscitam dúvidas quanto à estrutura do PSYCHLOPS, e quanto à adequabilidade da avaliação psicométrica tradicional em MIM; Abstract: Various evidence regarding reliability, validity, and responsiveness of PSYCHLOPS, a patient-generated outcome measure (PGOM), are presented. Data comes from three countries, in a total of seven data sets comprising 1053 participants. The purpose of this study is to deepen the understanding of psychometric properties in PGOMs, and in PSYCHLOPS in particular. Following psychometric analysis by sample, meta-analysis procedures were used to calculate overall values. Overall mean internal consistency (alpha) was .82. Overall mean correlation between PSYCHLOPS and CORE-OM is r = .63, and overall mean correlation between change scores is r = .67. Overall mean internal consistency is good, but item non-equivalency makes interpretation difficult. Data support hypotheses regarding correlations, but cast doubt over PSYCHLOPS’ internal structure, and over suitability of classical psychometric evaluation in PGOM.

VALIDATION STUDY OF HEALTH BELIEFS SCALE

Introduction: The Health Belief Scale is a questionnaire used to assess a wide range of beliefs related to health. The objective of this study was to undertake construction and culturally adapt the Health Belief Scale (HBS) to the Portuguese language and to test its reliability and validity. Methods: This new version was obtained with forward/backward translations, consensus panels and a pre-test, having been inspired by some of the items from “Canada’s Health Promotion Survey” and the “European Health and Behaviour Survey”, with the inclusion of new items about food-related beliefs. The Portuguese version of Health Belief Scale and a form for the characteristics of the participants were applied to 849 Portuguese adolescents. Results: Reliability was good with a Cronbach’s alpha coeficient of 0.867, and an intraclass correlation coeficient (ICC) of 0.95. Corrected item-total coeficients ranged from 0.301 to 0.620 and weighted kappa coeficients ranged from 0.72 to 0.93 for the total scale items. We obtained a scale composed of 13 items divided into ive factors (smoking and alcohol belief, food belief, sexual belief, physical and sporting belief, and social belief), which explain 57.97% of the total variance. Conclusions: The scale exhibited suitable psychometric properties, in terms of internal consistency, reproducibility and construct validity. It can be used in various areas of research.

Portuguese Version of the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised: Validation Data and the Establishment of a Cut-Score for Screening Purposes

The aim of the present study is to provide validation data regarding the Portuguese version of the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire Revised in nonclinical individuals. Two studies were undertaken with two different nonclinical samples in order to demonstrate reliability, concurrent, predictive, and construct validity, and in order to establish an appropriate cut-score for nonclinical individuals. A sample of 810 community adults participated in Study 1. Results from this study provided information regarding scale internal consistency, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and concurrent validity. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis established a cut-off score to be used for screening purposes with nonclinical individuals. A sample of 440 young adults participated in Study 2, which demonstrated scale score internal consistency and 5-month predictive validity. Further, 5-month test-retest reliability was also evaluated and the correlations of SBQ-R scale scores with two other measures that assess constructs related to suicidality, depression and psychache, were also performed. In addition, confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken to demonstrate the robustness of the result obtained in Study 1. Overall, findings supported the psychometric appropriateness of the Portuguese Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revise

Adaptation and validation of HIV Antibody Testing Attitude Scale in Portuguese

Introduction; The awareness of HIV positiveness is important for health of the individual and of the comunity. The identicatio of HIV antibodies is possible both using conventional lab tests and quick result tests. In the bibliography it was made clear that there are no instruments in Portuguese to assert the reactions to the HIV quick tests and it was therefore considered it would be useful to adapt and validate a scale in Portuguese, since the language is the official language of 7 different countries and spoken by more than 250 milion people, Objectives: the purpose is to validate a version in European Portuguese of the HIV Antibody Testing Attitude Scale. Methods: the study refers to methodological research for the adaptation and validation of an instrument of attitude measurement. A translation and back-translation was prepared and a trial test was then carried out. A total of 317 students, lectures and co-workers of a Portuguese University was interviewes. Ethical principles were taken into consideration. the pool was obtained in the seven components of the University campus. Results: 3 trials of factorial testing of the main components of 5, 4 and 3 factors. It ended up a solution of 3 factors that explains 50.82% of the variability. In the analysis of the inter-items correlation values of between 0.018 and 0.749 were observed. The internal consistency reveals an alpha Cronbach coefficient of 0.860 as a whole, and in between 0,865 and 0.659 in the 3 factors. Conclusions: this version of the instrument shows that the psychometric properties allow its use in the Portuguese speaking countries.

Self-care in Patients with Heart Failure

Objectives: To adapt for the Portuguese language the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index V6.2, analyse the self-care in maintenance, management skills and self-confidence of patients with heart failure who attend the nursing consultation of two Hospitals. Method: Explo- ratory study, sample 110 patients who frequented the nursing consultation for patients with heart failure of two Portuguese hospitals, conducted in the period of 6 months. He appea- led to the descriptive statistics and psychometric tests. Results: Internal consistency similar to the original scale. Mostly elderly, low literacy patients in self-care, low values associated with physical activity to the control of salt in meals taken away from home and inadequate control of signs and symptoms. Conclusion: Patients’ present difficulties in maintenance and management of the disease are self-confident face anyway. This instrument allows for individualized assessment leading to decision-making and action adjusted.