Tradução, adaptação cultural e análise das propriedades psicométricas do activities of daily living questionnaire - ADLQ - para avaliação funcional de pacientes com a doença de alzheimer

O Activities daily living questionnaire - ADLQ foi elaborado para avaliar atividades básicas e instrumentais em pacientes com a doença de Alzheimer. O objetivo principal deste estudo consistiu em realizar a tradução do ADLQ para a língua portuguesa, adaptação transcultural e análise das suas propriedades psicométricas. A amostra foi composta por 60 pacientes e os respectivos 60 cuidadores. O estudo iniciou-se com a tradução do instrumento pela técnica de retrotradução associada ao método bilíngüe. A versão traduzida foi respondida pelo cuidador e o Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM) aplicado ao paciente. A análise psicométrica foi realizada através da validade das medidas do instrumento. Os resultados verificaram uma correlação inversamente significativa (r=-0,793;p<0,05) entre os instrumentos avaliados, com uma explicação da variância total de 62%. A coerência interna do instrumento foi realizada através da correlação com os resultados do MEEM sugerindo uma versão condensada do ADLQ. Avaliando-se através do teste t para amostras correlacionadas, as médias do ADLQ-versão traduzida e versão condensada não apresentaram diferenças significativas, demonstrado assim que a simplificação do instrumento não alterou os valores do nível de dependência funcional observados. A análise fatorial realizada através da rotação Varimax indicou seis dimensões. Atividades como; comer, vestir-se, banho, necessidades fisiológicas, tomar comprimidos, participação em grupos, administrar finanças, manusear dinheiro, locomover pela vizinhança, usar telefone, compreensão, dentre outras, são os mais importantes preditores da capacidade funcional, no grupo estudado. Atividades com desempenho pouco comum a ambos os sexos, e no desempenho de papéis sociais enquanto gênero na sociedade brasileira (afazeres domésticos, consertos e manutenção em casa), na amostra estudada, não demonstraram ter importância na determinação da capacidade funcional com o paciente com a Doença de Alzheimer. O presente estudo disponibiliza uma nova ferramenta de avaliação funcional, visando contribuir para a mensuração mais cuidadosa do estado funcional do paciente por todos os profissionais da área da saúde

O impacto das tarefas de aprendizagem mediadas pela lousa digital interativa na motivação situacional de aprendizes de inglês

Some authors have suggested that learning tasks conducted in L2 classes can motivate learners in different ways. Similarly, Interactive Whiteboards (IWB) have already been linked as drivers to engagement and enthusiasm in L2 classes, which may cause some impact on affective variables that influence learning (e.g. motivation). This crosssectional mixed-methods study aims to understand how situational motivation caused by learning tasks mediated by the IWB impact participants. We seek to answer the following research questions: (1) How does motivation as a personality trait of the learner relate to his/her additional language learning performance?, (2) How does the type of learning task mediated by the IWB impact the learner s motivation?, (3) How does motivation vary along the learning task mediated by the IWB? and (4) What is the relation between the learning task motivation and the learners perception about the task mediated by the IWB? Data collection lasted four months with 29 learners from a private language school. The instruments used were the following: (a) an initial questionnaire (adapted from the Attitudes/Motivation Test Battery by GARDNER, 2004), (b) situation-specific on-line scales to assess learners motivation in three moments: before, during and after the task, and analyze how motivation varies along the task; (c) class observations and field notes resulting from these observations, (d) participants end-of-course grades to understand the connection between academic success and their motivational profiles and (e) a final questionnaire with the qualitative purpose to know learners perceptions about the tasks mediated by the IWB. Our theoretical framework is based on Task-Based Learning and cognitive aspects present in tasks (WILLIS, 1996; SKEHAN, 1996), theories on motivation and second language learning (GARDNER, 2001; DÖRNYEI e OTTÓ, 1998; DÖRNYEI, 2000; 2002) and conceptions about L2 learning mediated by technology (GIBSON, 2001; OLIVEIRA, 2001; MILLER et al, 2005). Our results do not point out to a significative correlation between learners end-of-course grades and their motivational profiles. However, they indicate that there is some variability in situational motivation along the tasks, even among learning tasks from the same type. Furthermore, they show that learners report different perceptions for each learning task and that the impact of the IWB on participants did not have a large proportion

Tradução e adaptação transcultural do instrumento de avaliação prenatal selfevaluation questionnaire

Introduction: The human gestation period is 40 weeks. This is the essential time for maternal psychosocial adaptation, in which there is the intense transformation of a life without offspring into a life with one or more children. The Pregnancy Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (PSEQ) has 79 items, subdivided into seven subcategories: acceptance of pregnancy, identification with the maternal role, well-being of mother and baby, preparing for labor, control in labor, relationship with the mother and the relationship with the partner. Objective: To translate and cross-culturally adapt the instrument PSEQ to be used with Brazilian women. Methods: It is a cross-sectional observational study. We followed some methodological steps to achieve the cross-cultural adaptation of this measuring instrument. They are: translation, synthesis, back translation, analysis of the committee of specialists and pre-test. Another questionnaire was applied to characterize the socio-demographic and clinical status of the pregnant women (n = 36). The descriptive statistics was gotten through the average, standard deviation (SD), absolute and relative frequency. The statistical test used for the analysis of the internal consistency was Cronbach's alpha coefficient, using SPSS version 17.0. Results: The volunteers had low socioeconomic status, average age of 25.1 years (± 5.52), and average gestational age of 25.9 weeks (± 8.11). 58.3% of these volunteers had not planned their current pregnancy. The pretest showed that 75% of pregnant women found the questionnaire easy to understand. There was an average of 76.9 (± 3.23) answered items among the participants. Regarding the instrument PSEQ, the identification with the maternal role was the subcategory which showed the highest average 24.8 (± 5.6), while the relationship with the mother had the lowest average 15.4 (± 7.7). The internal consistency ranged from 0.52-0.89. Conclusion: The translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the PSEQ to Portuguese language were carried out with methodological rigor and can be considered an instrument with good internal consistency

Validade e confiabilidade da versão informatizada do inventário Million de estilos de personalidade

Currently, several psychological and non-psychological tests can be found in publishes without standardization on procedures set in different psychological areas, like intelligence, emotional states, attitudes, social skills, vocation, preferences and others. The computerized psychological testing is a extension of traditional testing psychological practices. However, it has own psychometrics qualities, either by its matching in a computerized environment or by the extension that can be developed in it. The current research, developed from a necessity to study process of validity and reliability on a computerized test, drew a methodological structure to provide parallel applications in numerous kinds of operational groups, evaluating the influences of the time and approach in the computerization process. This validity refers to normative values groups, reproducibility in computerized applications process and data processing. Not every psychological test can be computerized. Therefore, our need to find a good test, with quality and plausible properties to transform in computerized application, leaded us to use The Millon Personality Inventory, created by Theodore Millon. This Inventory assesses personality according to 12 bipolarities distributed in 24 factors, distributed in categories motivational styles, cognitive targets and interpersonal relations. This instrument doesn t diagnose pathological features, but test normal and non adaptive aspects in human personality, comparing with Theodore Millon theory of personality. In oder to support this research in a Brazilian context in psychological testing, we discuss the theme, evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of such practices. Also we discuss the current forms in computerization of psychological testing and the main specific criteria in this psychometric specialized area of knowledge. The test was on-line, hosted in the site http://www.planetapsi.com, during the years of 2007 and 2008, which was available a questionnaire to describe social characteristics before test. A report was generated from the data entry of each user. An application of this test was conducted in a linear way through a national coverage in all Brazil regions, getting 1508 applications. Were organized nine groups, reaching 180 applications in test and retest subject, where three periods of time and three forms of retests for studies of on-line tests were separated. Parallel to this, we organized multi-application session offline group, 20 subjects who received tests by email. The subjects of this study were generally distributed by the five Brazilian regions, and were noticed about the test via the Internet. The performance application in traditional and on-line tested groups subsidies us to conclude that on-line application provides significantly consistency in all criteria for validity studied and justifies its use. The on-line test results were related not only among themselves but were similar to those data of tests done on pencil and paper (0,82). The retests results demonstrated correlation, between 0,92 and, 1 while multisessions had a good correlation in these comparisons. Moreover, were assessed the adequacy of operational criteria used, such as security, the performance of users, the environmental characteristics, the organization of the database, operational costs and limitations in this on-line inventory. In all these five items, there were excellent performances, concluding, also, that it s possible a self-applied psychometric test. The results of this work are a guide to question and establish of methodologies studies for computerization psychological testing software in the country

Álcool e sociabilidade: a farra das adolescentes

The experience as a school psychologist allowed me to notice that expressions like I was like trash in the gang s barbecue , and we chatted away, only the girls, and we all got drunk , are very common in conversations between Elementary and High School students, pointing out to a concerning incidence of alcohol consumption among female adolescents. However, studies about this theme haven t gone deep in the nowadays reality these girls are living in. This study aimed at comprehending the aspects of the relation between girls and alcohol, starting from the point that exaggerated consumption indicates introductory rituals for some groups, making social relations easier and becoming a sociability factor. To give this study some support, a questionnaire was applied to 1028 female teenagers, between 12 and 18 years old, students in private schools in Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte. The context chosen for the development of the study - private schools -, arose from the notion that the majority of the data collection carried out about alcohol and other psychotropic drugs aim at public school students. The instrument used was divided in two parts, one that treated about the first contact with alcohol (experimentation), and other that points to the current relation with alcoholic beverages, with 27 closed questions but nevertheless with available space for manifestation like if other; which?, applied collectively in classrooms. The data received a statistic treatment from SPSS and showed that the first contact with alcoholic beverage happens in domestic environment, having parents and friends as companions, very precociously, around 10 years of age, as curiosity. At this moment, Ice drink is the most consumed beverage. The main reason that leads them to drink is to pass the time in parties, and they don t drink alone (93% of students researched), what gives alcohol this recreational and socializing characteristic. They do consider alcohol a kind of drug, but are not afraid of getting addicted. People that drink usually show to be extroverted, they get happier (40,3%) and are not shy at all (29,4%), have attitudes of moral character, like to get involved with unknown boys (18,5%), get numb (9,9%), or get sad (1,9%). They label as vulgar the girls that drink, depending on the amount, and to be stimulated by the boys to drink. The study shows that systematic interventions of the school are necessary, once it is an institution that should care about education and personality traits of children and adolescents, as well as the important role of the psychologist in this context. Besides, it claims the society to get effectively involved with the public policies that already exist

Tradução e adaptação da escala de dependência de substâncias do Millon Clinical Multiaxial III para o Brasil

Millon describes the normal personality by means of adaptation styles that are effective in normal environments and personality disorders such as unadapted operating styles. To operacionalize his theoretical model, Millon has built several instruments, including the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI-III), wich consists of a self report inventory composed by 175 true or false response items, containing four verification scales, and others scales wich evaluates 14 personality patterns and 10 clinical syndromes. The Substance Dependence scale (T) is placed along with Clinical Syndromes scales. This research is justified by the lack of a Brazilian instrument to assess personality psychopathological aspects, and aims to translate and semantically adapt the MCMI-III to the Brazilian context, checking validity elements of the Substance Dependence scale, and developing a computer application for assisting the evaluation of assessment results. To this intent, 2.588 individuals data was collected, male and female, aged between 18 and 85 years, characterized as belonging to a clinical or non-clinical group, who took part in the survey via the internet or in person. Respondents completed the MCMI-III, a socio-demographic questionnaire and a subgroup also answered to the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Besides descriptive statistics, we performed the analysis using the Student t test, principal components analysis and internal consistency. Despite difficulties related to translating very specific English terms, the assessment by judges, experts on Millon´s theory, and the back translation, attested the adequacy of the Brazilian version. Factorial analysis indicated the grouping of translated T scale items into three factors (social activities prejudice, lack of impulse control, and oppositional behavior), by presenting a single item on a fourth factor (apparently related to seeking pleasurable stimuli). The Cronbach alpha for this set of items was 0,82, indicating an acceptable scale reliability. The data analysis resulted in distinction of scores between clinical and non-clinical groups and between men and women; the relationship between high scores on the scale T and the other scales; scores of drug users according to the declared used substance; and the relationship between high scores on T and the verification of disorder or risk on GHQ mental health factor, indicating the instrument´s adequate sensistivity in identifying psychopathologies and the relationship between the different disorders or psychopathological personality patterns. Although further studies are necessary to develop the scores transformation factors, the computerized correction tool was adequate.

Estudos de validade da escala de dependência alcoólica do millon clinical multiaxial inventory iii para o Brasil

This study has as main objectives to translate and to adapt the MCMI-III to brazilian Portuguese, as well as investigate and analyze the involved modifications in the Alcohol Dependence Scale concerning to the results obtained on the validity and on the process of adaptation to Brazil. The inventory was translated and, posteriorly, applied on people with different reading levels to certify that the items are understandable to public in general, from diverse places of the country, divided into clinical and non-clinical groups. Were evaluated 2855 subjects between the ages of 18 and 85 years old, male and female, resident and dwellers of Brazilian cities. The application methods were face-to-face and computerized. Results showed that the clinical group presented significant differences between the means in comparison to the non-clinical group. Through the application of the General Health Questionnaire were developed studies related to the achievement of convergent validity and its results pointed to the relation between the instrument scores and the MCMI-III. The Alcohol Dependence Scale analysis indicated that people who reported abusive use of alcohol had highest scores, indicating adequacy of the instrument on identifying manifestation of disorders and syndromes. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to the establishment of normative patterns to the Brazilian sample

Rendimento acadêmico e sua relação com os estilos de personalidade de estudantes universitários

One of the Psychology challenges, especially among the assessment and educational areas, is to understand and predict individual differences. In this context, this research aimed to verify the personality styles of students with high and low academic performance. The study included 236 university students from Petrolina-PE and Juazeiro-BA campus of the UNIVASF (Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco). They were uniformly distributed in four disciplines (medicine, psychology, administration and civil engineering), 10 students from each semester (five highest scores average students and five lowest scores average students) took place of the sample. The Millon Index Personality Styles (MIPS) was applied to analyze the personality/behavioral styles of the students. The MIPS is a 180 dichotomous (true/false) item scale. It was also developed and applied a questionnaire about the students characteristics and their academic information. Descriptive and central tendency statistics analysis (mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentage) were done to provide sample information. Then we performed a Mann-Whitney test in the overall sample and in each course and a factorial ANOVA. The results suggest that the university population is heterogeneous and there are significant differences (p <0.05) between the personality styles of students with high and low academic performance, when analyzing the overall sample and in courses of different areas of knowledge. Students of Medicine who have higher performance as personality styles prevalent the conformism and compliance, while students with lower income in this course, the styles are: innovation and discrepancy. Psychology students with higher income are more systematic and lower income students to score significantly on accommodation. The civil engineering students of the two groups differed only in personality style intuition, being such a style more characteristic of higher income students. Students of Management with higher yield stand out more in the style of the doubt and lower yields in these styles: individual, reflection and discrepancy. This study is correlational, but had an exploratory nature because there are no studies about this relationship in Brazil. Therefore, it provided a better understanding of the action characteristics of students with high and low academic performance. Further studies using the Big Five Personality Factors instruments are required because it is the most used model in understanding the influence of personality on students performance. This way, the relation between personality and academic performance will be better discussed. Otherwise, it will be possible to compare with the existing studies in the area

Evidências de validade do Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD) na avaliação psicológica de candidatos à cirurgia bariátrica

the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic is an instrument, developed from a consensus among health professionals, to identify psychological factors that may compromise the conducting of medical treatment in order to allow a better adhesion. As it has been one of the most used tools to assess bariatric surgery, the objective of this research is to verify the evidence validity of Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD) for psychological assessment of candidates for bariatric surgery. Method: males and females volunteers, aged 18 to 70, grouped in 150 patients admitted for surgical procedures or suffering from chronic diseases (control group) and 426 patients candidates for bariatric surgery, contacted in person or by the internet. For the study in the face group were also administered Millon Index of Personality Styles (MIPS), the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III) and the General Health Questionnaire of Goldberg, just in bariatric surgery patients. Results: there are indicators of semantic adaptation of the instrument, with 27 factors in five areas of the instrument, all with satisfactory levels of validity. The reliabitity indicators were satisfactory in 18 of the 32 scales that comprise the MBMD, while relations with the other three instruments showed significant variations compared to the original indicators. The MBMD was sensitive to differences between groups about gender, age, education, marital status, body mass index, comorbidities and chronic disease patients and with or without obesity. The use of this instrument in the assessment of candidates for bariatric surgery presents indicators of validity in view the limitations as to the realiability of certain scales