Psychometric Properties of the Brazilian 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2)

The 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey, in its initial (SF-12) and revised form (SF-12v2) is a widely used measure to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The present study evaluates the factor structure and reliability of the Brazilian version of the SF-12v2. Participants were 627 subjects (74.1% women), aged from 18 to 88 years (M = 38.6; SD = 13.16), from 17 Brazilian states. Confirmatory factor analyses suggested two pairs of error terms to be highly correlated (3a-3b; and 4a-4b). A qualitative inspection showed an overlap of content among these items. The respecified model presented adequate fit indices. Convergent validity was also tested with measures of health-related self-care, subjective happiness, life satisfaction, depression and self-efficacy. Expected correlations were found between the SF-12v2 and these measures. Results showed initial evidence in favor of using the SF-12v2 as a measure of physical and mental health in the Brazilian context

Students with autism spectrum disorder and their parents in the transition into higher education: Impact on dynamics in the parent–child relationship

This study examined how 34 senior students and first-year college students with autism spectrum disorder, their mothers (n = 34) and fathers (n = 26) navigate the higher education transition, and how this context impacts on dynamics in the par- ent–child relationships. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed based on grounded theory and dyadic analysis principles. Both parties were confronted with an abundance of challenges and experienced strong feelings of ambivalence, stress and anxiety. Differences in perspectives occurred regarding the construction of adulthood, the acquisition of autonomy, disclo- sure and subscribing to support services. These differences caused tensions in the parent–child relationship, hindering the transformation of the relationship into an adult-like mutual relationship. Clinical implications are extrapolated on the basis of these findings