Development of a support needs assessment scale for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities

RESUMEN: El artículo presentado está orientado al desarrollo de una escala de evaluación de necesidades apoyos para niños y adolescentes (5-16 años) con discapacidad intelectual. Esta herramienta es coherente con la concepción más reciente de discapacidad intelectual y se desarrolla en castellano a partir de una propuesta internacional iniciada desde la Asociación Americana de Discapacidades Intelectuales y del Desarrollo (AAIDD). El foco principal de este estudio es analizar las características psicométricas de la escala en el contexto español. El instrumento ha sido aplicado a una muestra piloto de 143 niños y adolescentes con discapacidad intelectual y analizado bajo los supuestos de la Teoría de Respuesta a los Ítems (TRI); concretamente, se han asumido los supuestos del Modelo de Escalas de Clasificación. Los resultados alcanzados muestran evidencias iniciales de la fiabilidad y validez de la escala, así como el adecuado ajuste de los datos al modelo propuesto.ABSTRACT: The paper presented is focused on the development of a scale for assessing support needs for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. This tool adheres to the most recent conception of intellectual disability and it is being developed in Spanish following the international proposal initiated by the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). The main focus of the research is to analyze, the psychometric characteristics of the scale within the Spanish context. The tool has been used so far with a pilot sample of 143 people (both children and adolescents) with intellectual disabilities and it has also been according to the framework of Item Response Theory (IRT), specifically the assumptions of the Rating Scale Model (RSM) have been taken into account. The results achieved so far show preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the scale, as well as the adequate adjustment of the data to the proposed model.Este artículo se ha escrito en el marco del proyecto de investigación I+D PSI2012-36278 financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad

Confirmatory factor analysis of the supports intensity scale for children

Abstract: Support needs assessment instruments and recent research related to this construct have been more focused on adults with intellectual disability than on children. However, the design and implementation of Individualized Support Plans (ISP) must start at an early age. Currently, a project for the translation, adaptation and validation of the supports intensity scale for children (SIS-C) is being conducted in Spain. In this study, the internal structure of the scale was analyzed to shed light on the nature of this construct when evaluated in childhood. A total of 814 children with intellectual disability between 5 and 16 years of age participated in the study. Their support need level was assessed by the SIS-C, and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), including different hypotheses, was carried out to identify the optimal factorial structure of this scale. The CFA results indicated that a unidimensional model is not sufficient to explain our data structure. On the other hand, goodness-of-fit indices showed that both correlated first-order factors and higher-order factor models of the construct could explain the data obtained from the scale. Specifically, a better fit of our data with the correlated first-order factors model was found. These findings are similar to those identified in previous analyses performed with adults. Implications and directions for further research are discussed.Work on this research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of the Economy and Competitiveness (R&D Projects, PSI2012-36278), and the Autonomous Community of Castile and Leon (R&D Projects, SA120U13)

Comparación entre las versiones en castellano y catalán de la Escala de Intensidad de Apoyos para niños y adolescentes (SIS-C)

Abstract: Background: The new socio-ecological model of disability directs attention to the importance of the environment in understanding individual functioning and promotes the provision of support from an early age. Following on from that thinking, the SIS-C (Supports Intensity Scale for Children) has been developed as an innovative assessment tool focused on designing individualized support plans. The aim of this study was to establish a comparison between the psychometric properties of the Spanish and Catalan versions of this scale. Method: The SIS-C allows us to assess the support needs of children (5-16 years old) with intellectual disabilities to fully participate in 61 daily activities within seven different contexts. The Spanish version was administered to 814 participants and the Catalan version to 949. Results: Findings show that both versions have adequate psychometric properties, such as high levels of internal consistency and criterion validity. In terms of scale structure, adjustment indices derived from factor analysis showed that both versions reproduced a correlational model composed of seven factors better than unidimensional or hierarchical models. Conclusions: Although the Spanish version of the scale showed better statistical indices, both versions are similarly suitable for accurately assessing the support needs of this population.Resumen: Antecedentes: la nueva concepción socioecológica de la discapacidad centra su mirada en la importancia del entorno para comprender el funcionamiento individual y promueve la provisión de apoyos desde edades tempranas. Surge así la SIS-C (Supports Intensity Scale for Children) como herramienta de evaluación innovadora para diseñar planes de apoyo personalizados. El objetivo del presente estudio consistió en establecer una comparación entre las propiedades psicométricas de las versiones castellana y catalana de esta escala. Método: la SIS-C permite evaluar las necesidades de apoyo de niños y adolescentes (5-16 años) con discapacidad intelectual para participar satisfactoriamente en 61 actividades diarias desarrolladas¡ en siete contextos diferentes. La versión castellana fue administrada a 814 participantes y la catalana a 949. Resultados: los datos reflejan que ambas versiones poseen adecuadas propiedades psicométricas, obteniéndose elevados índices de consistencia interna y validez. En relación a su estructura, los índices de ajuste derivados de los análisis factoriales realizados mostraron que las dos versiones reproducen mejor un modelo correlacional de siete factores que un modelo unidimensional o de segundo orden. Conclusiones: aunque estadísticamente la versión castellana de la escala presentó mejores datos, ambas versiones lingüísticas obtuvieron resultados similares para evaluar adecuadamente las necesidades de apoyo de esta población.The development of the instrument in Spanish was funded by the Ministry of the Economy and Competitiveness (R&D project PSI2012-36278) and the Autonomous Community of Castile and Leon (R&D project SA120U13). The adaptation and validation of the SIS-C in Catalan was conducted thanks to the support and fi nancing of the Department of Education of the Regional Government of Catalonia

Support for adolescents with high abilities from the University of Cantabria: Experience of the Amentúrate program (III edition)

Amentúrate es una iniciativa desarrollada por la Facultad de Educación de la Universidad de Cantabria con el apoyo de la Consejería de Educación y la Asociación Cántabra de Apoyo a las Altas Capacidades (ACAACI). El eje central de su actividad gira en torno a procesos de mentoría entre profesorado e investigadores de la UC y alumnado con altas capacidades preuniversitario. La finalidad de este programa es que toda la comunidad educativa, las familias y alumnos preuniversitarios con altas capacidades puedan participar en actividades científicas que se realizan en la Universidad y que promueven su enriquecimiento cognitivo, socioafectivo y creativo, y que incentivan sus vocaciones científicas, humanísticas, tecnológicas o artísticas por medio de la experimentación. Al mismo tiempo es un programa que sensibiliza en la comprensión actual de las altas capacidades y evalúa los impactos personales que las mentorías, como actuación educativa de éxito, tiene para este alumnado. Finalizada la III edición del programa este año 2021 podemos decir que la experiencia, incluso en su modalidad virtual por situación de pandemia, ha sido satisfactoria. Concretamente, destacamos los siguientes aspectos positivos: (1) se ha ayudado a cubrir necesidades de partida a nivel individual y familiar; (2) se ha divulgado el proyecto a la comunidad con su alta participación en actividades promovidas por la UCC+i; y (3) se ha apoyado la igualdad de género en el mundo científico, promoviendo la paridad de género entre mentores y mentoras participantes, así como en el acceso de los jóvenes al programa.Amentúrate is an initiative developed by the Faculty of Education of the University of Cantabria with the support of the Regional Ministry of Education and the Cantabrian Association for the Support of High Abilities (ACAACI). The central axis of its activity revolves around mentoring processes between teachers and researchers of the University of Cantabria and students with high pre-university abilities. The purpose of this program is that the entire educational community, families and pre-university students with high abilities can participate in scientific activities carried out at the University that promote their cognitive, socio-affective and creative enrichment, and that encourage their scientific, humanistic, technological or artistic vocations through experimentation. At the same time, it is a program that raises awareness of the current understanding of high abilities and evaluates the personal impact that mentoring, as a successful educational action, has for these students. At the end of the III edition of the program this year 2021, we can say that the experience, even in its virtual modality due to the pandemic situation, has been satisfactory. Specifically, we highlight the following positive aspects: (1) it has helped to cover initial needs at the individual and family level; (2) the project has been disseminated to the community with its high participation in activities promoted by the UCC+i; and (3) it has supported gender equality in the scientific world, promoting gender parity among participating mentors, as well as in the access of young people to the program

¿Qué sabemos de la inteligencia emocional de los estudiantes con altas capacidades?

There are few studies researching the Emotional Intelligence of gifted students and their results are contradictory. Some researchers consider that gifted students are vulnerable and, according to some reports, are more involved in bullying situations as victims and/or bullies (Casino-Garcia et al., 2019). The different vulnerability models show the importance of identifying not only the risk factors, but also the protective factors that allow the design of more effective preventive interventions (Ezpeleta, 2005). From this perspective, this paper presents the results of the administration of the TMSS-24 Emotional Intelligence questionnaire in a population of gifted students. It should be noted that these results are part of a broader research where we assess the quality of life and perceived social support of gifted students (between 12 and 17 years old) who participate in Amentúrate, a mentoring program carried out at the University of Cantabria. Thus, the data and reflections showed must be understood as partial and exploratory initiatives to understand gifted students in the Cantabrian region. The results revealed that pour participants have, in general, a good Emotional Intelligence. In relation to gender differences, no significant differences were found, but it stands out that the girls obtained higher scores than the boys in terms of the clarity of their feelings and the ability to repair them. Finally, the results are discussed, theoretical and practical contributions to the literature are proposed, and implications for parents and teachers are suggested.Los estudios que investigan Inteligencia Emocional en alumnos con altas capacidades son escasos y presentan resultados contradictorios. Algunas investigaciones consideran que los estudiantes con altas capacidades son grupos vulnerables y, según algunos informes, están más involucrados en situaciones de acoso como víctimas y/o acosadores (Casino-Garcia et al., 2019). Los diferentes modelos de vulnerabilidad muestran la importancia de identificar no sólo los factores de riesgo, sino también los factores de protección que permiten diseñar intervenciones preventivas más eficaces (Ezpeleta, 2005). Dentro de esta perspectiva, este trabajo presenta los resultados de la aplicación del cuestionario de Inteligencia Emocional TMSS-24 en una población de estudiantes con altas capacidades. Cabe señalar que estos resultados forman parte de una investigación más amplia que investiga la calidad de vida y el apoyo social percibido de jóvenes (de entre 12 y 17 años) con altas capacidades que participan en Amentúrate, un programa de mentorías realizado en la Universidad de Cantabria. En este sentido, los datos y reflexiones aquí publicados deben entenderse como parciales y son iniciativas exploratorias para comprender el universo de este alumnado en la región Cántabra. Los resultados mostraron que los participantes presentaban, en general, una buena Inteligencia Emocional. En relación con las diferencias de género, no se encontraron diferencias significativas, pero destaca que las chicas obtuvieron mejores puntuaciones que los chicos en cuanto a la claridad de sus sentimientos y a la capacidad de reparación sobre los mismos. Para terminar, se discuten los resultados, se proponen aportes teóricos y prácticos a la literatura y se sugieren implicaciones para padres y docentes.

Funcionamiento de la escala de intensidad de apoyos en niños y adolescentes con autismo

Funcionamiento de la escala de intensidad e apoyos SIS-C específicamente en personas con TEA

University mentoring program in Spain: an experience report with gifted students

RESUMO: Trata-se de um relato de experiência vinculada à experiência profissional e acadêmica no Amentúrate Programa de Mentorias Universitárias. Programa do departamento de Educação da Universidade da Cantábria - UC ? Santander ? Espanha, que oferece a estudantes dos anos finais do ensino fundamental ou ensino médio com altas habilidades ou superdotação ? AH/SD, uma experiência de mentoria universitária. A mentoria é entendida como uma relação didática, relativamente estável ao longo do tempo, entre um mentor experiente (professor) e um mentee (pupilo,estudante AH/SD) menos experiente. O programa está no seu quarto ano de funcionamento e já atendeu mais de 90 estudantes da região. Destacamos a importância do Relato de Experiência ? RE, como mais uma possibilidade de criação de narrativa científica, especialmente no campo das pesquisas capazes de englobar processos e produções subjetivas, como é o caso da psicologia. Nesse sentido, e considerando que essa experiência compõe uma trajetória acadêmica de uma doutoranda, foi possível identificar a repetição de um discurso científico sobre a educação de superdotados, no que se refere a quatro questões: a) dificuldade em nomear e conceituar o fenômeno; b) maior participação masculina no programa; c) pouca ou nenhuma participação de estrangeiros como latinos ou africanos no programa e (d) estratégias educativas mais desafiadoras, complexas e que promovam a autonomia dos estudantes. Essas questões nos colocam frente a barreiras sociais e ideológicas, como o sexismo, o racismo e o classicismo que interferem no bem-estar e na qualidade de vida da pessoa superdotada. A invisibilidade de mulheres com AH/SD em programas de desenvolvimento de talentos nos provoca a questionar: por onde andam essas mulheres?ABSTRACT: This is an experience report linked to professional and academic experience in the Amentúrate University Mentorship Program. Program of the Department of Education at the University of Cantabria - UC ? Santander ? Spain, which offers gifted students in the final years of elementary school or high school a mentoring experience at the university. Mentoring is understood as a didactic relationship, relatively stable over time, between an experienced mentor (teacher) and a less experienced mentee (gifted student). The program is in its fourth year of operation and has already served more than 90 students in the region. We highlight the importance of the Experience Report, as one more possibility of creating a scientific narrative, especially in the field of research capable of encompassing subjective processes and productions, as is the case of psychology. In this sense, and considering that, this experience makes up the academic trajectory of a doctoral student, it was possible to identify the repetition of a scientific discourse on gifted education, with regard to four issues: a) difficulty in naming and conceptualizing the phenomenon; b) greater male participation in the program; c) little or no participation of foreigners such as Latinos or Africans in the program and (d) more challenging, complex educational strategies that promote student autonomy. These issues place us in the face of social and ideological barriers, such as sexism, racism and classicism that interfere with the well-being and quality of life of gifted people. The invisibility of gifted women in talent development programs makes us a question: where are these women

University Mentoring Programmes for Gifted High School Students: Satisfaction of Workshops

Abstract: This paper analyses the degree of participant (mentees, mentors, and technical-research team) satisfaction with two university mentoring programmes for pre-university students with high intellectual capacities in Spain. Three versions of a Likert-type scale questionnaire were applied (mentees, mentors, and technical research team), resulting in a total sample of 43 questionnaires from mentors, 314 from mentees, and 43 from the technical-research team in 43 workshops o ered by the GuíaMe-AC-UMA Programme; and 27 questionnaires from mentors, 203 from mentees, and 27 from the technical-research team in the 27 workshops o ered by the Amentúrate Programme. The results indicate a high level of satisfaction with the development of the workshops o ered by both programmes, on the part of all participants. No significant di erences were found in terms of thematic area or gender, although there were di erences in age. The participation of the three agents involved in this training o er was very successful, and our results supported the findings of previous investigations. More work is required on the transfer and maintenance of the impact that this type of programme can have on young pre-university students with high abilities

Support Intensity Scale for Children (SIS-C) in the Spanish Context

RESUMEN: El constructo de necesidades de apoyo es uno de los elementos centrales en el actual modelo socioecológico de la discapacidad. Se considera que las personas con discapacidad intelectual necesitan más apoyos que la población general para participar con satisfacción en su vida diaria, siendo la evaluación de estas necesidades esencial para la elaboración de planes de apoyo individualizados que mejoren su funcionamiento individual y su calidad de vida. Se presenta en este artículo el desarrollo en español de la Escala de Intensidad de Apoyos para Niños y Adolescentes (Support Intensity Scale for Children, SIS-C), elaborada a partir de su homóloga para adultos (SIS-A), que tiene como finalidad suplir la carencia de instrumentos capaces de evaluar de manera eficaz las necesidades de apoyo de las personas con discapacidad intelectual en la infancia y la adolescencia. Asimismo, se proporciona una descripción de los objetivos y áreas de evaluación de la escala así como el procedimiento de aplicación del instrumento y algunas evidencias sobre su fiabilidad y validez analizadas con una muestra de 650 participantes. Los resultados muestran un apropiado funcionamiento de la escala en el contexto español que nos alienta a continuar trabajando en la validación y baremación de la misma.ABSTRACT: Support needs is one of the main components in the current socioecological model of disability. It is considered people with intellectual disabilities need more support than general population to participate in their daily life activities properly and the assessment of these needs is essential to create individualized supports plans which enhance their individual functioning and their quality of life. It is presented in this article the development of the Supports Intensity Scale for Children (SIS-C), based on the SIS for Adults (SIS-A), whose goal is to meet the lack of capable tools of assessing people with intellectual disabilities efficiently in their childhood. Likewise, it is given a description of the scale aim and its areas as well as the steps to administer it and some analyses which show different evidences about its reliability and validity, obtained with a preliminary sample made out of 650 participants. These results show the scale has a proper functioning in the Spanish context and encourage us to continue working in this scale to reach a validated and standardized scale.Este artículo se ha escrito en el marco del proyecto de investigación investigación I+D PSI2012-36278 financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad