Circadian preferences in young adults: Psychometric properties and factor structure of the Portuguese version of the Preferences Scale (PS-6)

Morningness is a trait-like variable which has been extensively studied within chronobiology. Despite the number of existing measures to assess morningness, there is a need for brief instruments that are psychometrically sound to be used in applied settings. Accordingly, the modified version of the Preferences Scale (PS-6) comprises six items and was reported to have adequate reliability and satisfactory validity indicators. In this article, the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the PS-6 are reported. A total of 700 students attending medical school were recruited, and this sample was randomly divided into two groups. In the first group (n = 352), we assessed the internal consistency calculations and conducted a principal component analysis of the posited structure. In the second group (n = 348), we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using structural equation modeling. Overall, the results indicated that the PS-6 has adequate reliability (α = .75) and is constituted by two components: (I) preferred cognitive activities timings and (II) preferred sleeping-eating timings, respectively. In conclusion, the Portuguese version of the PS seems suitable for use in research and applied settings such as shift work schedules management. However, the applicability of the PS-6 in other samples and further validity indicators should be both investigated. The use of actigraphy and biological measures should also be collected to enhance the robustness of the PS-6

Sleep–Wake Patterns Reported by Parents in Hyperactive Children Diagnosed According to ICD-10, as Compared to Paired Controls

This study aimed primarily to compare the parent-reported sleep of children with ICD-10 hyperkinetic disorder (HKD) versus community children. Thirty children aged 5-13 years (83.3% boys) diagnosed with HKD by their child and adolescent psychiatrists took part in this study, plus 30 community children, matched for sex, age, and school year. Compared to the controls, the HKD children showed significantly later bedtimes, stronger bedtime resistance, longer sleep latency, shorter sleep; more frequent behaviors and symptoms concerning falling asleep into parents bed, needing something special to initiate sleep, nightmares, sleep talking, sleep bruxism, fear from darkness, bedwetting, and, most notably, loud snoring (26.7%); they also tended to show higher daytime somnolence. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)/HKD children may thus have more sleep-related problems than typically developing children. Alternatively, our results may reflect misdiagnoses; thus, special attention should be directed to comorbidity and differential diagnosis issues between sleep disturbances and ADHD/HKD

Basic Scale on Insomnia complaints and Quality of Sleep (BaSIQS): Reliability, initial validity and normative scores in higher education students

Based on successive samples totaling more than 5000 higher education students, we scrutinized the reliability, structure, initial validity and normative scores of a brief self-report seven-item scale to screen for the continuum of nighttime insomnia complaints/perceived sleep quality, used by our team for more than a decade, henceforth labeled the Basic Scale on Insomnia complaints and Quality of Sleep (BaSIQS). In study/sample 1 (n = 1654), the items were developed based on part of a larger survey on higher education sleep-wake patterns. The test-retest study was conducted in an independent small group (n = 33) with a 2-8 week gap. In study/sample 2 (n = 360), focused mainly on validity, the BaSIQS was completed together with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). In study 3, a large recent sample of students from universities all over the country (n = 2995) answered the BaSIQS items, based on which normative scores were determined, and an additional question on perceived sleep problems in order to further analyze the scale's validity. Regarding reliability, Cronbach alpha coefficients were systematically higher than 0.7, and the test-retest correlation coefficient was greater than 0.8. Structure analyses revealed consistently satisfactory two-factor and single-factor solutions. Concerning validity analyses, BaSIQS scores were significantly correlated with PSQI component scores and overall score (r = 0.652 corresponding to a large association); mean scores were significantly higher in those students classifying themselves as having sleep problems (p < 0.0001, d = 0.99 corresponding to a large effect size). In conclusion, the BaSIQS is very easy to administer, and appears to be a reliable and valid scale in higher education students. It might be a convenient short tool in research and applied settings to rapidly assess sleep quality or screen for insomnia complaints, and it may be easily used in other populations with minor adaptations.Projects: LEIES (FCGPortugal); SPASHE (FCT-Portugal); Research Units CCPSF / CIECC (FCT-Portugal)

Portuguese validation of the children's eating attitudes test

BACKGROUND: The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) is the most widely used instrument for evaluating eating disorders in adults and adolescents in a variety of cultures and samples. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT). METHOD: Nine hundred and fifty-six Portuguese secondary students (565 girls and 391 boys) answered the ChEAT. The test-retest reliability was obtained with data from 206 participants from the total sample who re-answered the questionnaire after 4-6 weeks. Psychometric analyses were carried out for the total sample and separately for girls and boys. RESULTS: Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were satisfactory. Principal components factorial analysis yielded four factors in the total sample, accounting for 42.35% of the total variance. Factor structure was similar in the total sample and in both genders. Factors were labelled: F1 "Fear of Getting Fat", F2 "Restrictive and Purgative Behaviours", F3 "Food Preoccupation" and F4 "Social Pressure to Eat". The concurrent validity, explored using the Contour Drawing Figure Rating Scale (CDRS) was high. DISCUSSION: The Portuguese version of the ChEAT is a valid and useful instrument for the evaluation of abnormal eating attitudes and behaviours among Portuguese adolescents

Portuguese validation of the children's eating attitudes test

CONTEXTO: O Teste de Atitudes Alimentares é o instrumento mais utilizado para avaliar distúrbios alimentares em adultos e adolescentes em uma variedade de culturas e amostras. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as propriedades psicométricas da versão portuguesa da Escala de Atitudes Alimentares para Crianças (ChEAT). MÉ;TODO: Novecentos e cinquenta e seis alunos do ensino secundário (565 moças e 391 moços) responderam ao ChEAT. O cálculo da fidelidade teste-reteste foi feito por meio das respostas de 206 participantes da amostra total que voltaram a responder ao questionário após quatro a seis semanas. As análises psicométricas foram realizadas para o total da amostra e para ambos os sexos separadamente. RESULTADOS: A consistência interna e a fidelidade teste-reteste foram satisfatórias. A análise fatorial em componentes na amostra total resultou em quatro fatores que explicam 42,35% da variância total. A composição dos fatores foi semelhante na amostra total e em ambos os sexos. Os fatores denominaram-se: F1 "Medo de Engordar"; F2 "Comportamentos Restritivos e Purgativos"; F3 "Preocupação com a Comida" e F4 "Pressão Social para Comer". A validade concorrente foi explorada com a Escala de Silhuetas Corporais (CDFRS) e foi elevada. CONCLUSÃO: A versão portuguesa do ChEAT é um instrumento útil e válido para a avaliação de atitudes e comportamentos alimentares em adolescentes portugueses.BACKGROUND: The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) is the most widely used instrument for evaluating eating disorders in adults and adolescents in a variety of cultures and samples. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT). METHOD: Nine hundred and fifty-six Portuguese secondary students (565 girls and 391 boys) answered the ChEAT. The test-retest reliability was obtained with data from 206 participants from the total sample who re-answered the questionnaire after 4-6 weeks. Psychometric analyses were carried out for the total sample and separately for girls and boys. RESULTS: Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were satisfactory. Principal components factorial analysis yielded four factors in the total sample, accounting for 42.35% of the total variance. Factor structure was similar in the total sample and in both genders. Factors were labelled: F1 "Fear of Getting Fat", F2 "Restrictive and Purgative Behaviours", F3 "Food Preoccupation" and F4 "Social Pressure to Eat". The concurrent validity, explored using the Contour Drawing Figure Rating Scale (CDRS) was high. DISCUSSION: The Portuguese version of the ChEAT is a valid and useful instrument for the evaluation of abnormal eating attitudes and behaviours among Portuguese adolescents

O uso inadequado de benzodiazepínicos e seus efeitos colaterais

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are drugs that act on the central nervous system, generally used for their anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic functionalities. The aim of the study is to demonstrate that the chronic and indiscriminate use of BZDs can bring many adverse events, which can lead to tolerance, dependence and withdrawal crises. This is a qualitative, descriptive research, carried out through an integrative literature review, in the SciELO, Google Scholar, Capes Journal Portal, and PubMed search bases. Ten studies were selected, which met the scope of the work. For the discussion, the following categories were listed: Benzodiazepines, The lack of guidance from a specialized doctor and its consequences in the use and Factors that influence the inappropriate use of benzodiazepines. Therefore, we sought to expand the offer of available studies on benzodiazepine drugs, alerting to the consequences arising from the prolonged use of drugs of this class.Os benzodiazepínicos (BZDs) são drogas que agem no sistema nervoso central, geralmente utilizados por suas funcionalidades ansiolíticas e sedativo-hipnóticas. O objetivo do estudo é demonstrar que o uso crônico e indiscriminado dos BZDs pode trazer muitos eventos adversos, podendo levar a tolerância, dependência e crises de abstinência. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, do tipo descritiva, realizada por meio de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, nas bases de pesquisa SciELO, Google Acadêmico, Portal de Periódicos da Capes, e PubMed. Selecionou-se 10 estudos, que atendiam ao escopo do trabalho. Para a discussão, elencaram-se as seguintes categorias: Benzodiazepínicos, A falta de orientação de um médico especializado e suas consequências no uso e Fatores que influenciam no uso inadequado dos benzodiazepínicos. Portanto, buscou-se ampliar a oferta de estudos disponíveis sobre os fármacos benzodiazepínicos, alertando para as consequências oriundas do uso prolongado dos medicamentos desta classe

O uso inadequado de benzodiazepínicos e seus efeitos colaterais

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are drugs that act on the central nervous system, generally used for their anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic functionalities. The aim of the study is to demonstrate that the chronic and indiscriminate use of BZDs can bring many adverse events, which can lead to tolerance, dependence and withdrawal crises. This is a qualitative, descriptive research, carried out through an integrative literature review, in the SciELO, Google Scholar, Capes Journal Portal, and PubMed search bases. Ten studies were selected, which met the scope of the work. For the discussion, the following categories were listed: Benzodiazepines, The lack of guidance from a specialized doctor and its consequences in the use and Factors that influence the inappropriate use of benzodiazepines. Therefore, we sought to expand the offer of available studies on benzodiazepine drugs, alerting to the consequences arising from the prolonged use of drugs of this class.Os benzodiazepínicos (BZDs) são drogas que agem no sistema nervoso central, geralmente utilizados por suas funcionalidades ansiolíticas e sedativo-hipnóticas. O objetivo do estudo é demonstrar que o uso crônico e indiscriminado dos BZDs pode trazer muitos eventos adversos, podendo levar a tolerância, dependência e crises de abstinência. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, do tipo descritiva, realizada por meio de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, nas bases de pesquisa SciELO, Google Acadêmico, Portal de Periódicos da Capes, e PubMed. Selecionou-se 10 estudos, que atendiam ao escopo do trabalho. Para a discussão, elencaram-se as seguintes categorias: Benzodiazepínicos, A falta de orientação de um médico especializado e suas consequências no uso e Fatores que influenciam no uso inadequado dos benzodiazepínicos. Portanto, buscou-se ampliar a oferta de estudos disponíveis sobre os fármacos benzodiazepínicos, alertando para as consequências oriundas do uso prolongado dos medicamentos desta classe