Estudo Preliminar das Propriedades Psicométricas do Inventário de Lateralidade de Edinburgh numa Amostra de Adultos da População Portuguesa

Introdução: A lateralidade é a diferença na capacidade de controlo entre os dois lados do corpo. Os métodos utilizados para avaliar a lateralidade manual incluem a observação efetiva do uso do membro dominante ou a aplicação de inventários respondidos pelo próprio indivíduo avaliado. O Inventário de Lateralidade de Edinburgh (EHI) é o instrumento mais utilizado para avaliar a lateralidade manual. Apesar do seu uso amplo, em Portugal não existem estudos que avaliem a sua validade e fidedignidade. Objetivos: Estudar as propriedades psicométricas do Inventário de Lateralidade de Edinburgh numa amostra da população portuguesa. Métodos: A amostra é constituída por 290 pessoas (135 homens e 155 mulheres), com idades compreendidas entre os 18 e os 65 anos. Todos os participantes preencheram uma declaração de consentimento informado e uma bateria de testes neuropsicológicos Resultados: A média no EHI foi de 62,36 (DP = 38,00). Os resultados demonstraram que das seis variáveis sociodemográficas (idade, sexo, escolaridade, zona de residência, regiões e profissão) três apresentaram ter influência significativa nas pontuações do EHI: idade, zona de residência e regiões. A confiabilidade e a estabilidade temporal do EHI apresentaram resultados adequados. A análise fatorial confirmatória mostrou que o modelo não é melhor explicado por um fator. Para dois fatores o modelo continua a não ser adequado. Conclusão: Apesar de termos obtido uma boa consistência interna não nos é possível considerar este teste como o mais adequado para medir o constructo da lateralidade. / Introduction: The handedness is the difference in the control capacity between the two sides of the body. The methods used to evaluate the manual handedness include the effective observation of the use of dominant member or application of inventories answered by the person assessed. The Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI) is the most used to evaluate manual handedness. Even though being widely used, in Portugal there are no studies that measure its validity and reliability. Objective: To study the psychometric properties of Edinburgh Handedness Inventory in a Portuguese sample. Methods: The sample consists of 290 people (135 men and 155 women), aged between 18 and 65 years. All participants filled an informed consent form and a battery of neuropsychological tests. Results: The average in EHI was 62.36 (SD = 38.00). The results showed that 3 of 6 sociodemographic variables showed significant influence in EHI scores. The reliability and temporal stability of EHI were adequate. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model is not better explained by one factor. A two-factor model was not also suitable. Conclusion: Even though we got a good internal consistency we cannot consider this test as the most appropriate for measuring the handedness construct.

Estudo Preliminar das Propriedades Psicométricas e dos Dados Normativos da Forma Geral das Matrizes Progressivas de Raven numa Amostra da Comunidade

Objetivo: Estudar as propriedades psicométricas e os dados normativos da Forma Geral das Matrizes Progressivas de Raven numa amostra da comunidade da população portuguesa. Método: A amostra é constituída por 697 pessoas (314 homens e 383 mulheres), com idades compreendidas entre os 12 e os 90 anos. Todos os participantes preencheram uma declaração de consentimento informado e uma bateria de testes neuropsicológicos, incluindo a Forma Geral das Matrizes Progressivas de Raven (FG-MPR), Teste de Memória de 15-Item de Rey, Escala de Autoavaliação de Ansiedade de Zung, Bateria de Avaliação Frontal e Figura Complexa de Rey. Resultados: A média na FG-MPR foi de 44,47 (DP = 10,78). Os resultados demonstraram que todas as variáveis sociodemográficas (idade, sexo, escolaridade, profissão, regiões e tipologia de áreas urbanas), exceto o estado civil, apresentaram ter influência significativa nas pontuações da FG-MPR. A confiabilidade e a estabilidade temporal da FG-MPR revelaram-se adequadas. A análise fatorial exploratória e confirmatória mostrou que o modelo para um fator não é adequado. Um modelo a quatro fatores continua a não ser adequado. Conclusão: Os dados do presente estudo sugerem que se trata de um instrumento com potencialidades na sua utilização junto da população portuguesa. / Purpose: To study the psychometric properties and date normative of the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices in a Portuguese community sample. Method: The sample consists of 697 people (314 men and 383 women), aged between 12 and 90 years. All participants filled an informed consent form and a battery of neuropsychological tests, which included Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM), Rey 15-Item Memory Test, Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Frontal Assessment Battery, and Rey Complex Figure Test. Results: The average in RSPM was 44.47 (SD = 10.78). The results showed that all of the sociodemographic variables (age, sex, education, profession, region, and typology of urban areas), with the exception of civil status, showed significant influence on RSPM scores. The reliability and temporal stability of RSPM were adequate. Exploratory and Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model is not better explained by one factor. A two-factor model was not also suitable. Conclusion: The data from this study suggest that it is an instrument with potential for its use among the Portuguese population.

Avaliação breve do défice executivo em pessoas idosas com Acidente Vascular Cerebral: Validação da Bateria de Avaliação Frontal

RESUMO Objetivos: O Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) potencia o desenvolvimento de disfunção executiva, conduzindo a défice no desempenho das tarefas do quotidiano. A avaliação neuropsicológica das funções executivas é importante para desenvolver estratégias de reabilitação adequadas. Assim, são objetivos descrever os dados normativos, precisão de diagnóstico, propriedades psicométricas e análise fatorial da Bateria de Avaliação Frontal (FAB), instrumento breve e de rápida administração, numa amostra de idosos com AVC. Métodos: Inserida no projeto Trajetórias do Envelhecimento de Idosos em Resposta Social, esta investigação conta com uma amostra de 112 pessoas idosas com diagnóstico médico de AVC e 157 pessoas idosas de um subgrupo de controlo sem AVC. Os sujeitos apresentam idades compreendidas entre os 60 e os 100 anos (M = 78,20; DP = 7,57) sendo maioritariamente do sexo feminino (n = 194). A avaliação inclui entrevistas e testes neuropsicológicos agrupados em medidas de funcionamento executivo, medidas cognitivas de referência e medidas clínicas de controlo. Resultados: As variáveis idade e escolaridade interferiram nas pontuações obtidas na amostra clínica, não sendo verificado impacto da variável sexo. Para um ponto de corte de 7, a FAB teve uma sensibilidade de 83,4% e especificidade de 66,1 % (AUC = 0,64); revelou um alfa de Cronbach de 0,79 e correlações fortes com os testes executivos (teste de Stroop, Figura Complexa de Rey, fator Atencional-Executivo do Montreal Cognitive Assessment e Alternância nos testes de Fluência verbal). A análise fatorial confirmatória apontou uma estrutura com um fator. Conclusões: A FAB apresenta boa consistência interna, validade convergente e validade de constructo, aparentando ser uma escala útil para avaliar o défice executivo em pessoas idosas com AVC. Dadas algumas limitações do estudo, que poderão explicar a fraca precisão diagnóstica da FAB, são incentivadas investigações futuras pois a FAB revelou-se um instrumento com propriedades psicométricas promissoras. ABSTRACT Goals: Stroke potentiates the development of executive dysfunction, leading to impairment in performance of daily activities. The neuropsychological assessment of executive functions is important to develop adequate rehabilitation strategies. Thus, describing the normative data, diagnostic accuracy, psychometric properties and factor analysis of the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), a brief and easy to administer instrument, in a clinical sample with stroke are objectives of this study. Methods: Being part of the Aging Trajectories of Institutionalized Elderly, this research has a sample 112 elderly people with a medical diagnosis of stroke and a control subgroup of 157 elderly people. The subjects have ages between 60 and 100 years old (M = 78.20, SD = 7.57), mostly females (n = 194). The measurements used include interviews and neuropsychological tests grouped in executive functioning measures, cognitive measures of reference and clinical measures of control. Results: The variables age and education affect the scores obtained in the clinical subgroup, having the variable gender no impact on these. Using a cutoff score of 7, the FAB had a sensitivity of 83.4% and a specificity of 66.1% for screening stroke (AUC = 0.64); showed a Cronbach's α of 0.79, and strong correlations with executive tests (Stroop test, Rey Complex Figure, Attentional-Executive factor of Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Switching in the verbal fluency tests). The confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-factor structure. Conclusions: The FAB presents good internal consistency, convergent, and construct when used for elderly with stroke. Due to some limitations of the study, which may explain the weak discriminant validity, further investigations are encouraged because FAB has showed promising psychometric properties.

A confiança interorganizacional nas compras

This research is part of the field of organizational studies, focusing on organizational purchase behavior and, specifically, trust interorganizational at the purchases. This topic is current and relevant by addressing the development of good relations between buyer-supplier that increases the exchange of information, increases the length of relationship, reduces the hierarchical controls and improves performance. Furthermore, although there is a vast literature on trust, the scientific work that deal specifically at the trust interorganizational still need further research to synthesize and validate the variables that generate this phenomenon. In this sense, this investigation is to explain the antecedents of trust interorganizational by the relationship between the variable operational performance, organizational characteristics, shared values and interpersonal relationships on purchases by manufacturing industries, in order to develop a robust literature, most consensual, that includes the current sociological and economic, considering the effect of interpersonal relationships in this phenomenon. This proposal is configured in a new vision of the antecedents of interorganizational trust, described as significant quantitative from models Morgan and Hunt (1994), Doney and Cannon (1997), Zhao and Cavusgil (2006) and Nyaga, Whipple, Lynch (2011), as well as qualitative analysis of Tacconi et al. (2011). With regard to methodological aspects, the study assumes the form of a descriptive, survey type, and causal trace theoretical and empirical. As for his nature, the investigation, explicative character, has developed a quantitative approach with the use of exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling SEM, with the use of IBM software SPSS Amos 18.0, using the method of maximum verisimilitude, and supported by technical bootstraping. The unit of analysis was the buyer-supplier relationship, in which the object under investigation was the supplier organization in view of the purchasing company. 237 valid questionnaires were collected among key informants, using a simple random sampling developed in manufacturing industries (SIC 10-33), located in the city of Natal and in the region of Natal. The first results of descriptive analysis demonstrate the phenomenon of interorganizational trust, in which purchasing firms believe, feel secure about the supplier. This demonstration showed high levels of intensity, predominantly among the vendors that supply the company with materials that are used directly in the production process. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, performed on each variable alone, generated a set of observable and unobservable variables more consistent, giving rise to a model, that needed to be further specified. This again specify model consists of trajectories was positive, with a good fit, with a composite reliability and variance extracted satisfactory, and demonstrates convergent and discriminant validity, in which the factor loadings are significant and strong explanatory power. Given the findings that reinforce the model again specify data, suggesting a high probability that this model may be more suited for the study population, the results support the explanation that interorganizational trust depends on purchases directly from interpersonal relationships, sharing value and operating performance and indirectly of personal relationships, social networks, organizational characteristics, physical and relational aspect of performance. It is concluded that this trust can be explained by a set of interactions between these three determinants, where the focus is on interpersonal relationships, with the largest path coefficient for the factor under study

Motivação no trabalho voluntário: expectativas e motivos na Pastoral da Criança

The present study has proposed a structural model to identify the reasons why individuals become voluntary, keep and exit this type of work. The empirical space was the Pastoral da Criança - social action agency of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) - community-based institution that has its work based on solidarity and the sharing of knowledge. The theoretical framework has the context in which are volunteering studies in Brazilian and world level. Then discuss the various concepts of volunteering and presented the theoretical models of volunteer motivation. Studies of Mostyn (1983) and studies conducted by the BEPEGE-Base for Studies and Research in Management Policies and Strategies - in their line of research GERQUAL - Human Resource Management and Organizational Quality - of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte as Carvalho e Souza(2006), Souza, Medeiros e Fernandes (2006), Souza et al (2009, 2010), Cavalcante et al (2011a, 2011b, 2011c, 2011d) were the main theoretical references for the construction of the model that was tested. Data collection was done through a survey with 71 indicators, in 2 visits to cities from the Diocese of Pesqueira, Pernambuco. The first data collection occurred in the period between May 30 and June 3, 2011, in Buique/PE and the second collection happened in Pesqueira/PE, in St. Joseph Seminary, in the period between July 6-8, 2011. 720 questionnaires were collected. The sample was divided into two parts. Exploratory Factor Analysis was applied in first part and Confirmatory Factor Analysis - structural equation modeling - in the second half. The examination of the results achieved by the expectations, reasons for entry, reasons for staying and exit reasons showed that all hypotheses were accepted. So the motivation of voluntary Pastoral da Criança can be explained by a set of interactions between these five constructs: Altruistic, Affectionate, Amiable, Adjusted and Astute

Validation of the self-regulated online learning questionnaire

Abstract The number of students engaged in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is increasing rapidly. Due to the autonomy of students in this type of education, students in MOOCs are required to regulate their learning to a greater extent than students in traditional, face-to-face education. However, there is no questionnaire available suited for this online context that measures all aspects of self-regulated learning (SRL). In this study, such a questionnaire is developed based on existing SRL questionnaires. This is the self-regulated online learning ques- tionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the first dataset led to a set of scales differing from those theoretically defined beforehand. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on a second dataset to compare the fit of the theoretical model and the exploratively obtained model. The exploratively obtained model provided much better fit to the data than the theoretical model. All models under investigation provided better fit when excluding the task strategies scale and when merging the scales measuring metacognitive activities. From the results of the EFA and the CFA it can be concluded that further development of the questionnaire is necessary.

Síndrome de Burnout : um estudo com guias de turismo regional em Natal-RN

Burnout is a psychological syndrome triggered in response to continuous exposure to interpersonal stressors. It is considered a multifactorial construct, which is commonly characterized by three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, dehumanization, and lack of personal accomplishment.This study aimed to verify if the three characteristics of burnout (exhaustion, lack of dehumanization and personal accomplishment) are present in people working as guides Tourism in Natal - RN. It is a descriptive and quantitative study. 109 subjects were surveyed. Data collection was done through the use of questionnaires, the instrument used was the characterization of the Burnout Scale (ECB) created and validated in Brazil by Trocoli and Tamayo (2000). In order to analyze data we used descriptive statistics, analysis of core measures, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, cluster analysis, multiple discriminant and Spearman correlation. Factor analysis identified four factors that explain 58.3% of the total variance. Those factors were named exhaustion, deception, avoidance, and dehumanization. The reliability of the instrument, as measured by Cronbach's Alpha was 0.918, which is considered excellent reliability. The 109 subjects were grouped into three cluster, which had the deception, avoidance, and dehumanization as discriminant. It is possible to conclude that the characteristics of burnout syndrome are present in the studied population where 19 people are on the high level of burnout, moderate in 32 and 56 in the light. The correlations between socio-demographic variables studied and the dimensions of burnout, were few and weak. The variable leave for health reasons in the study appeared to be related to feelings of exhaustion and avoidance behavior appeared related to younger individuals and who work only in the activity of Receptive Tourism Guide. Verification of the incidence of burnout in individuals surveyed suggest the need to adopt intervention strategies are individual, organizational and / or combined

Escala de perceção dos alunos sobre a sua identificação escolar: construção e estudo psicométrico

O presente estudo descreve o processo de construção e estudo psicométrico de uma escala que mede a perceção dos alunos dos ensinos básico e secundário sobre o seu grau de identificação escolar. Os questionários foram aplicados a uma amostra de 1089 alunos dos 6º, 7º, 9º e 10º anos de escolaridade (mediana da idade=13 anos) em Portugal continental. Uma subamostra foi submetida a análise fatorial exploratória (n1=354), sendo uma segunda sub-amostra sujeita a uma análise fatorial confirmatória (n2=388). As análises revelaram uma estrutura tridimensional: (a) Valorização pessoal/intrínseca, α=.74; (b) Valorização no sentido prático/utilitarista, α=.74; e (c) Sentimentos de pertença e bem--estar, α=.78. As escalas revelam-se úteis e adequadas para avaliar as perceções dos alunos sobre a sua identificação escolar.

Escala de perceção dos alunos sobre o feedback dos professores: construção e validação

O presente estudo procura testar as propriedades psicométricas de um questionário que avalia (a) perceção do aluno sobre o feedback do professor; a identificação escolar do aluno; as trajetórias escolares (factos e expectativas) e; a perceção do aluno sobre o seu envolvimento escolar. O questionário foi aplicado a 1089 alunos dos 6º, 7º, 9º e 10º anos de escolaridade (M=13.4, DP=1.7), sendo que 52% são do sexo feminino. A amostra é composta por alunos essencialmente de nacionalidade portuguesa (95.9%). A partir dos resultados da análise factorial e seguindo o racional teórico, chegou-se a uma estrutura composta por oito dimensões principais. O QFITE apresenta bons índices de consistência interna, com sete das oito principais dimensões a obterem valores entre .77 e .89. Assim, as análises psicométricas realizadas revelam valores satisfatórios, concluindo-se que o QFITE é um instrumento útil e adequado para avaliar a identificação escolar dos alunos, o envolvimento comportamental escolar, e as perceções dos alunos sobre o feedback do professor.

Parental involvement in sport: psychometric development and empirical test of a theoretical model

The purposes of the present multistudy were to develop and provide initial construct validity for measures based on the model of parental involvement in sport (Study 1) and examine structural relationships among the constructs of the model (Study 2). In Study 1 (nparents = 342, nathletes = 223), a confirmatory factor analysis was used to verify the psychometric properties of the measures. Content and construct validity were evaluated, as well individual and composite reliability. Multi-group analysis with two independent samples provided evidence of factorial invariance. In Study 2 (nparents = 754, nathletes = 438), structural equation modeling analysis supported the hypothesised model in which athletes’ perceptions of parents’ behaviours mediated the relationship between parents’ reported behaviours and the athletes’ psychological variables conducive to their achievement in sport. The findings provide support for the parental involvement in sport model and demonstrate the role of perceptions of parents’ behaviours on young athletes’ cognitions in sport.

Dietary restraint and subjective well-being in university students in Chile

Objective: To characterize university students typologies according to chronic food restriction, satisfaction with life and food consumption. Materials and method: A questionnaire was applied on a non-probability sample of 369 male and female students from five Chilean universities. The questionnaire included: Revised Restraint Scale (RRS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFL) and the Health-related Quality of Life Index. The survey included food and drink consumption habits, weight and approximate height and sociodemographic variables. Results: Two factors in the RRS were detected by exploratory factor analysis: Preoccupation with Diet (PD) and Weight fluctuations (WF). A confirmatory factor analysis validated the bifactor structure of the RRS with an acceptable adjustment kindness. The cluster analysis allowed a distinction of four typologies with a significant variation in PD, WF, SWLS and SWFL scoring, number of days with mental health problems, frequency of alcoholic drinks consumption, restraint on the consumption of certain foods, drinks and spices, consumption frequency of fruit out of the main meals and types. Typologies did not differ on their body mass index. Conclusions: Both, students preoccupied with diet and those who are not, experience higher levels of satisfaction with life and with food. Lower levels of global life satisfaction and satisfaction with food are related with the fluctuations in weight.

[Development of the short version of the informal caregiver burden assessment questionnaire]

OBJETIVE to create a reduced version of the QASCI, which is structurally equivalent to the long one and meets the criteria of reliability and validity. METHOD Through secondary data from previous studies, the participants were divided into two samples, one for the development of reduced version and the second for study of the factorial validity. Participants responded to QASCI, the SF 36, the ADHS and demographic questions. RESULTS A reduced version of 14 items showed adequate psychometric properties of validity and internal consistency, adapted to a heptadimensional structure that assesses positive and negative aspects of care. CONCLUSION Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good fit with the advocated theoretical model.

Der Zusammenhang der Theorie des geplanten Verhaltens mit der selbstberichteten Individualisierungspraxis von Lehrpersonen

Einstellungen stellen als Teil der professionellen Handlungskompetenz von Lehrpersonen eine wichtige handlungsleitende Determinante des Unterrichtsgeschehens dar. Hierzu wird auf Basis der Theorie des geplanten Verhaltens ein Erwartungs-mal-Wert-theoretisches Einstellungsinstrument faktoriell validiert und der Zusammenhang der inklusiven Einstellung, Normvorstellung und Lehrerselbstwirksamkeitsüberzeugung mit der selbstberichteten Individualisierungspraxis von Lehrpersonen betrachtet. Die Ergebnisse einer exploratorischen Faktorenanalyse zeigen in Studie I drei Einstellungsfaktoren, die in Studie II konfirmatorisch bestätigt wurden. Studie III zeigt, dass die selbstberichtete Individualisierungspraxis durch die Normvorstellung und die Intention, sich den Herausforderungen eines inklusiven Unterrichtes anzunehmen, vorhergesagt werden kann. Die Intention mediiert dabei den Zusammenhang der selbstberichteten Individualisierungspraxis mit der Einstellung vollständig und mit der Normvorstellung partiell. Die Lehrerselbstwirksamkeitsüberzeugung sagt demgegenüber die selbstberichtete Individualisierungspraxis weder direkt noch indirekt vorher. (DIPF/Orig.)

Knowledge management capabilities and organizational performance: an investigation into the effects of knowledge infrastructure and processes on organizational performance

Knowledge is one of the most important assets for surviving in the modern business environment. The effective management of that asset mandates continuous adaptation by organizations, and requires employees to strive to improve the company's work processes. Organizations attempt to coordinate their unique knowledge with traditional means as well as in new and distinct ways, and to transform them into innovative resources better than those of their competitors. As a result, how to manage the knowledge asset has become a critical issue for modern organizations, and knowledge management is considered the most feasible solution. Knowledge management is a multidimensional process that identifies, acquires, develops, distributes, utilizes, and stores knowledge. However, many related studies focus only on fragmented or limited knowledge-management perspectives. In order to make knowledge management more effective, it is important to identify the qualitative and quantitative issues that are the foundation of the challenge of effective knowledge management in organizations. The main purpose of this study was to integrate the fragmented knowledge management perspectives into the holistic framework, which includes knowledge infrastructure capability (technology, structure, and culture) and knowledge process capability (acquisition, conversion, application, and protection), based on Gold's (2001) study. Additionally, because the effect of incentives ̶̶ which is widely acknowledged as a prime motivator in facilitating the knowledge management process ̶̶ was missing in the original framework, this study included the importance of incentives in the knowledge management framework. This study also identified the relationship of organizational performance from the standpoint of the Balanced Scorecard, which includes the customer-related, internal business process, learning & growth, and perceptual financial aspects of organizational performance in the Korean business context. Moreover, this study identified the relationship with the objective financial performance by calculating the Tobin's q ratio. Lastly, this study compared the group differences between larger and smaller organizations, and manufacturing and nonmanufacturing firms in the study of knowledge management. Since this study was conducted in Korea, the original instrument was translated into Korean through the back translation technique. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the validity and reliability of the instrument. To identify the relationship between knowledge management capabilities and organizational performance, structural equation modeling (SEM) and multiple regression analysis were conducted. A Student's t test was conducted to examine the mean differences. The results of this study indicated that there is a positive relationship between effective knowledge management and organizational performance. However, no empirical evidence was found to suggest that knowledge management capabilities are linked to the objective financial performance, which remains a topic for future review. Additionally, findings showed that knowledge management is affected by organization's size, but not by type of organization. The results of this study are valuable in establishing a valid and reliable survey instrument, as well as in providing strong evidence that knowledge management capabilities are essential to improving organizational performance currently and making important recommendations for future research.

A Multidimensional Approach to Social Support: the Questionnaire on the Frequency of and Satisfaction with Social Support (QFSSS)

The Questionnaire on the Frequency of and Satisfaction with Social Support (QFSSS) was designed to assess the frequency of and the degree of satisfaction with perceived social support received from different sources in relation to three types of support: emotional, informational, and instrumental. This study tested the reliability of the questionnaire scores and its criterion and structural validity. The data were drawn from survey interviews of 2042 Spanish people. The results show high internal consistency (values of Cronbach's alpha ranged from .763 to .952). The correlational analysis showed significant positive associations between QFSSS scores and measures of subjective well-being and perceived social support, as well as significant negative associations with measures of loneliness (values of Pearson's r correlation ranged from .11 to .97). Confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modelling verified an internal 4-factor structure that corresponds to the sources of support analysed: partner, family, friends, and community (values ranged from .93 to .95 for the Goodness of Fit Index (GFI); from .95 to .98 for the Comparative Fit Index (CFI); and from .10 to .07 for the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA)). These results confirm the validity of the QFSSS as a versatile tool which is suitable for the multidimensional assessment of social support.