Identifying potentially marker symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Background. For the diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) proposes that adherence to six symptoms in either group (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity) will lead to the diagnosis of one of three presentations of the disorder. Underlying this diagnostic algorithm is the assumption that the 18 symptoms have equal relevance for the diagnosis of ADHD, all are equally severe, and all have the same power to detect the presence of the disorder in all its degrees of severity, without considering the possibility of using marker symptoms. However, several studies have suggested that ADHD symptoms differ in both their power to discriminate the presence of the disorder and the degree of severity they represent. The aim of the present study was to replicate the results of previous research by evaluating the discriminative capacity and relative severity of ADHD symptoms, as well as to extend the investigation of this topic to Spanish-speaking Latin American samples. Methods. The properties of ADHD symptoms rated by the parents of 474 Chilean children were analyzed. Symptom parameters were estimated using the graded response model. Results. The results suggest that symptoms of ADHD differ substantially in both the accuracy with which they reflect the presence of the disorder, and their relative severity. Symptoms "easily distracted by extraneous stimuli'' and "have difficulty sustaining attention in tasks'' (inattention) and "is on the go, acting as if driven by motor'' (hyperactivity/impulsivity) were the most informative, and those with relatively lower severity thresholds. Discussion. The fact that symptoms differ substantially in the probability of being observed conditionally to the trait level suggests the need to refine the diagnostic process by weighting the severity of the symptom, and even to assess the possibility of defining ADHD marker symptoms, as has been done in other disorders.Support was provided by Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Cientifico y Tecnologico (Fondecyt) de Iniciacion No. 11140524 (http://www.conicyt.cl/fondecyt/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Toward a better “Person–Environment Fit” through items calibration of the SIS-C

Producción CientíficaThe Supports Intensity Scale–Children’s Version (SIS-C) is the only available tool to assess extraordinary support needs for children and adolescents with intellectual disability. In past years, several works have proclaimed the need for its ongoing improvement as a measurement instrument. To contribute to this line of research, the goal of this work is to analyze the reliability of the SIS-C and its usefulness to distinguish between different levels of intensity of support needs. To address this, 814 children and adolescents with intellectual disability (M = 11.13 years; SD = 3.41) were assessed using the SIS-C Spanish version. Item response theory analyses were conducted to estimate latent scores and assess measurement quality along the support needs continuum. The SIS-C items showed good overall discrimination and information values, and none showed problems that required their removal or modification. However, all the scales composing the SIS-C showed problems in discerning high levels of intensity of support needs, especially for children and adolescents with severe/profound intellectual disability. This ceiling effect may be an obstacle for both research and practice involving the SIS-C. Implications for research and practice are discussed, and future lines of research for improving the SIS-C are provided.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (PSI2015-65193-P y BES-2016-078252

EVALUACIÓN DE LA CARGA POSTURAL PROVOCADA POR LAS CONDICIONES ACTUALES DE LAS ESTACIONES DE TRABAJO DE LOS CAJEROS, EN LAS AGENCIAS DE UNA ENTIDAD FINANCIERA

The main objective of the investigation was to evaluate the postural overload caused by the physical infrastructure of the working stations assigned to bank tellers of ten agencies of a financial institution in the city of Quito. A general musculoskeletal discomfort survey was conducted to a sample of workers composed by 43 subjects. A postural overload evaluation, using the methods OWAS and RULA, was applied to thirteen bank teller workstation users. This study recorded that 77% of participants show discomfort mainly in the neck and low and upper back. 60% of the postures evaluated with OWAS method reflected risk levels of physical injures on users. The application of this method helps to determine risk zones on bank teller working stations. The 37% of postures evaluated with RULA method showed the need of profound research and postural correction, whereas 25% of analyzed postures demanded urgent changes on the working place. A reengineering of the working stations was suggested, emphasizing the improvements on risk zonesto reduce the postural overload. The study also suggests the design of programs, these programs contain: the promotion of the physical activity, training on postural hygiene, vigilance of health and establishing ergonomic participative groups.El objetivo principal de la presente investigación fue evaluar la carga postural provocada por las condiciones físicas de las estaciones de trabajo de los cajeros, en diez agencias de una entidad financiera en la ciudad de Quito. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 43 personas, quienes llenaron un cuestionario general para determinar molestias músculo esqueléticas. Posteriormente se realizó la evaluación de la carga postural a trece usuarios del total de la muestra mencionada, utilizando los métodos OWAS y RULA. Se encontró que el 77% de participantes presentaban molestias principalmente en el cuello y zonas altas y bajas de la espalda. El 60% de las posturas evaluadas con el método OWAS reflejaron niveles donde existe la posibilidad de causar daño al usuario. El método determinó las zonas de riesgo en la estación de trabajo. El 37% de posturas evaluadas con el método RULA, exigieron un estudio a profundidad y corrección de posturas, mientras que el 25% de posturas analizadas, demandaron cambios urgentes en el puesto de trabajo. Se propone al final, realizar la reingeniería de las estaciones de trabajo enfatizando las mejoras en las zonas críticas para controlar los riesgos, plantear programas de promoción de la actividad física, acompañados de capacitación sobre higiene postural, vigilancia de la salud y ergonomía participativa

Digital resources and didactic methodology in the initial training of History teachers

This paper analyzes the links that exist between the perceptions of teachers-in-training regarding the use of digital resources in the Secondary Education classroom and their own methodological and epistemological conceptions. Shulman’s theories continue to largely guide current research on teacher knowledge. However, the impact caused by the new technologies has inspired new approaches like T-PACK, which put the focus on the teachers’ digital competence. In order to address this goal, information has been collected by means of a questionnaire implemented in 22 universities, 13 Spanish (344 participants) and 9 British (162 participants). The analysis of data was conducted along three phases: a) examination of the structure of assessments regarding the usefulness of digital resources by analyzing latent classes; b) estimation of confirmatory factor models for variable evaluation processes, History as a formative subject and historical competencies; c) estimation of interclass differences by using confirmatory factor models. The results showed four types of response regarding the use of digital resources in the classroom that were polarized about two items: comics and video games. Important interclass differences have likewise been found regarding methodological issues (traditional and innovative practices), as well as less important differences concerning epistemological conceptions and views on the development of historical competencies in the classroom

Is Small Still Beautiful for the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire? Novel Findings Using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling

Article first published online: June 17, 2018During the present decade a large body of research has employed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate the factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) across multiple languages and cultures. However, because CFA can produce strongly biased estimations when the population cross-loadings differ meaningfully from zero, it may not be the most appropriate framework to model the SDQ responses. With this in mind, the current study sought to assess the factorial structure of the SDQ using the more flexible exploratory structural equation modeling approach. Using a large-scale Spanish sample composed of 67,253 youths aged between 10 and 18 years (M = 14.16, SD = 1.07), the results showed that CFA provided a severely biased and overly optimistic assessment of the underlying structure of the SDQ. In contrast, exploratory structural equation modeling revealed a generally weak factorial structure, including questionable indicators with large cross-loadings, multiple error correlations, and significant wording variance. A subsequent Monte Carlo study showed that sample sizes greater than 4,000 would be needed to adequately recover the SDQ loading structure. The findings from this study prevent recommending the SDQ as a screening tool and suggest caution when interpreting previous results in the literature based on CFA modeling.The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this articl

Innovación en las enseñanzas universitarias: experiencias presentadas en las III Jornadas de Innovación Educativa de la ULL

En este libro se recoge un conjunto de experiencias de innovación educativa desarrolladas en la ULL en el curso 2011-12. Se abordan distintos ámbitos y ramas del conocimiento, y ocupan temáticas variadas que han sido desarrolladas con rigor, y con un claro potencial para su extrapolación a efectos de la mejora educativa en el ámbito universitario. Esta publicación constituye una primera edición de una serie que irá recogiendo las experiencias de innovación educativa de la ULL. Este es un paso relevante para su impulso en nuestra institución, como lo es el de su vinculación con la investigación educativa, para potenciar su publicación en las revistas científicas en este ámbito cada vez más pujante y relevante para las universidades. Sobre todo representan el deseo y el compromiso del profesorado de la ULL para la mejora del proceso educativo mediante la investigación, la evaluación y la reflexión compartida de nuestras prácticas y planteamientos docentes

Toward a Better “Person–Environment Fit” through Items Calibration of the SIS-C

The Supports Intensity Scale–Children’s Version (SIS-C) is the only available tool to assess extraordinary support needs for children and adolescents with intellectual disability. In past years, several works have proclaimed the need for its ongoing improvement as a measurement instrument. To contribute to this line of research, the goal of this work is to analyze the reliability of the SIS-C and its usefulness to distinguish between different levels of intensity of support needs. To address this, 814 children and adolescents with intellectual disability (M = 11.13 years; SD = 3.41) were assessed using the SIS-C Spanish version. Item response theory analyses were conducted to estimate latent scores and assess measurement quality along the support needs continuum. The SIS-C items showed good overall discrimination and information values, and none showed problems that required their removal or modification. However, all the scales composing the SIS-C showed problems in discerning high levels of intensity of support needs, especially for children and adolescents with severe/profound intellectual disability. This ceiling effect may be an obstacle for both research and practice involving the SIS-C. Implications for research and practice are discussed, and future lines of research for improving the SIS-C are provided

A valid and reliable explanatory model of learning processes in heritage education

Abstract Background The main challenge in heritage education is to identify the verbs—and their hierarchical relations—that explain heritage learning as based on empirical evidence. The Heritage Learning Sequence (HLS) selects seven verbs (Knowing-Understanding-Respecting-Valuing-Caring-Enjoying-Transmitting) on the basis of (a) theoretical studies, (b) analyses of international standards, and (c) evaluation of heritage education programs. The study has the following objectives: (a) to clarify the heritage learning process; (b) to test a theoretical model that groups the verbs that make up the Heritage Learning Sequence (HLS), as well as the relationships between them; (c) to identify possible sub-models that explain the different heritage learning itineraries. Methods The Q-Herilearn scale (previously calibrated using SEM and IRT models) was administered to $$N = 1454$$ N = 1454 individuals, focusing on seven factors (corresponding to each HLS verb) that measure heritage learning. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used as a general analytical strategy. Findings The results obtained provided sufficient guarantees to validate the HLS and showed the adequate explanatory and predictive power and general fit of the proposed model (Heritage Learning Model); all twelve hypothesized direct influence relations between the main verbs that define heritage learning were confirmed. The statistical significance values suggested the existence of other internal subsequences that could be explored in further studies. Contribution Learning modeling provides a key structural framework for (a) the design of effective, efficient, and comprehensive tools to measure heritage learning and (b) their operationalization in heritage education designs

Q-Herilearn: Assessing heritage learning in digital environments. A mixed approach with factor and IRT models.

The assessment of heritage learning in digital environments lacks instruments that measure it with sufficient guarantees of accuracy, validity, and reliability. This study attempts to fill this gap by developing an instrument that has shown solid metric qualities. The process of design and calibration of a scale applied to 1,454 participants between 19 and 63 years of age is presented in this article. Exploratory factor analysis (Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling ESEM) and Item Response Theory models (Graded Response Model GRM) were used. Sufficient evidence of both reliability and validity based on content and internal structure was obtained. Invariance of scores as a function of gender and age of participants has also been demonstrated. The discrimination parameters of the items have been found to be high, and the test information curves have shown that the subscales measure with sufficient precision wide ranges of the respective latent variables. The instrument presents wide possibilities of application to various areas of Heritage Education (e.g., design of programs in HE, definition and planning of teaching objectives, evaluation of programs, etc., in virtual environments)