Validation statistique et structurale du questionnaire analytique de diagnostic de la personnalité (Q.A.P.)

The French Analytical Questionnaire of diagnostic of the Personality (Q.A.P., 1996), who took over from the characterological questionnaire of Berger (1950), is a interesting one for psychologists and characterologists because this test is based on very coherent theoretical corpus. This questionnaire is divided in two parts, the first one consists of three factor or fundamental scales which allow to determine the characterological type of individuals, the second part is made of nine complementary scales allowing to determine more precisely the personality of the subjects. We have done a structural validation of that questionnaire using a large sample (n=865). Several factor analyses were conducted on both part of the test. We also made a reliability analysis of each scale using the alpha of Cronbach and a homogeneity analysis of each question. Thank to these analyses we were able to evalue that instrument and we were able to set up that the factorial structure of the test corresponds to the theoretical one developped by the french school of characterology. The Analytical Questionnaire of diagnostic of the Personnality is globaly reliable in particullary the fist part which is very consistent. The second part is less reliable, and this is partly on due to the correlations between the scales. We have also done a correlational analysis between the first part of the Q.A.P., the questionnaire of Berger and the Rapid Questionnaire of Diagnostic of the Personnality (Q.R.D.P., 1996). The Q.A.P. might be the more reliable one. Finally we have evaluated the impact of gender, age and profession on the factors of the Analytical Questionnaire of diagnostic of the Personnality.

Validation de la version française de l'échelle de contrôle de Levenson (IPC), influence de variables démographiques et de la personnalité

We have examined the internal validity of the Levenson's locus of control scales (IPC, Internal, Powerful others and Chances), translated by Loas et al. (1994). The impact of different demographic variables on the Levenson's locus of control scales was assessed. After, we studied the relation between the IPC scales and the NEO PI R, personality inventory that measures the big five. A large sample (n=200) of subjects of different age, gender and profession and a sample of Swiss students (n=161) responding anonymously were used. The reliability of the IPC scale is acceptable. The analyses of the impact of the demographic variables show that gender and level of education have an influence on the I (intern) scale. Age, gender, level of education and profession have an impact on the P (powerful others) scale. The analyses of the relationship between locus of control and personality showed that there was a negative correlation between I (intern) and Neuroticism and a positive correlation between I and Extraversion and Consciousness. The P (powerful others) scale correlate positively with Neuroticism and negatively with Openness and Agreability. The C scale (chance) correlate positively with Neuroticism. Our study also gives the researchers and the practitioner a reference score table according to the gender, the age, the level of education and the profession.

Iodine intakes of 100-300 μg/d do not modify thyroid function and have modest anti-inflammatory effects.

Little information is available as to whether doses of iodide similar to those recommended in clinical practice for the prevention of iodine deficiency in pregnant women affect thyroid function. The aim of the present study was to analyse whether doses of iodide can affect thyroid function in adults, and evaluate its effect on plasma markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and acute-phase proteins. A total of thirty healthy volunteers (ten men and twenty women) with normal thyroid function were randomly assigned to three groups (n 10). Each group received a daily dose of 100, 200 or 300 μg of iodide in the form of KI for 6 months. Free tetraiodothyronine (FT4) levels at day 60 of the study were higher in the groups treated with 200 and 300 μg (P = 0·01), and correlated with the increase in urinary iodine (r 0·50, P = 0·007). This correlation lost its significance after adjustment for the baseline FT4. The baseline urinary iodine and FT4 correlated positively with the baseline glutathione peroxidase. On day 60, urinary iodine correlated with C-reactive protein (r 0·461, P = 0·018), and free triiodothyronine correlated with IL-6 (r - 0·429, P = 0·025). On day 60, the changes produced in urinary iodine correlated significantly with the changes produced in α1-antitrypsin (r 0·475, P = 0·014) and ceruloplasmin (r 0·599, P = 0·001). The changes in thyroid-stimulating hormone correlated significantly with the changes in α1-antitrypsin (r - 0·521, P = 0·005) and ceruloplasmin (r - 0·459, P = 0·016). In conclusion, the administration of an iodide supplement between 100 and 300 μg/d did not modify thyroid function in a population with adequate iodine intake. The results also showed a slight anti-inflammatory and antioxidative action of iodide.