O bom leitor: Preditores da literacia de leitura dos alunos portugueses no PIRLS 2016

In 2016, 4642 Portuguese students, randomly selected from all Portuguese regions, attending fourth grade in public and private schools, participated in the PIRLS 2016. In this edition, Portuguese students achieved an average performance of 528 points (SE = 2.3), 13 points significantly below the average observed in PIRLS 2011. In this paper, using hierarchical linear regression models applied to the students’ plausible values of literacy, variables at the students’ and the families’ level and at the teachers’ and the schools’ levels are identified that can better explain the variability observed in the PIRLS 2016 reading literacy. About 26% and 32% of this variability can, respectively, be explained by a reduced set of variables characterizing the student and their family, and teachers and schools. At the student and family level, student confidence as readers and the educational resources available at home are the best predictors of students’ performance variation. At the school and teacher level, the school’s emphasis on academic success and teachers ‘perceptions of students’ willingness to succeed academically are the best predictors of the observed variation of the Portuguese students’ performance in PIRLS 2016.En 2016, 4642 étudiants Portugais, sélectionnés au hasard dans toutes les régions Portugaises, fréquentant la 4ème année de scolarité dans les écoles publiques et privées, ont participé au PIRLS 2016. Dans cette édition, les élèves nationaux ont obtenu une performance moyenne de 528 points (SE = 2,3), soit 13 points de moins que la moyenne observée dans PIRLS 2011. Dans cet article, en utilisant des modèles de régression linéaire hiérarchique appliqués aux valeurs plausibles de la littéracie de lecture, nous avons tenté d’identifier les variables au niveau de l’élève, des familles, des enseignants et des écoles capables d’expliquer la variabilité observée dans les résultats de la littéracie de lecture d’étudiants Portugais. Environ 26% et 32% de cette variabilité peuvent, respectivement, s’expliquer par un ensemble réduit de variables caractérisant l’élève et la famille, les enseignants et les écoles. Au niveau de l’apprenant et de la famille, la confiance des élèves en tant que lecteurs et les ressources éducatives disponibles à la maison sont les meilleurs prédicteurs de la variation du rendement des élèves. Au niveau de l’école et de l’enseignant, l’accent mis par l’école sur la réussite scolaire et la perception des enseignants de la volonté des élèves de réussir sur le plan scolaire sont les meilleurs prédicteurs de la variation observée dans la performance des élèves Portugais dans PIRLS 2016.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Do Self-Reported Psychopathic Traits Moderate the Relations Between Delinquent History Predictors and Recidivism Outcomes in Juvenile Delinquents?

The present study investigates whether self-reported psychopathic traits moderate the relationships between delinquent career features (i.e., age of first detention in a juvenile detention center, crime frequency, crime diversity, crime charges, and Conduct Disorder) and 1-year general delinquency and violent delinquency recidivism outcomes. The sample was composed of male youth (N = 214, M = 16.4 years, SD = 1.3 years) originating from the juvenile detention centers managed by the Ministry of Justice of Portugal. Results mostly suggest that neither the Antisocial Process Screening Device––Self-Report total score nor its Callous-Unemotional, Impulsivity, and Narcissism factor scores moderate the relationships between the delinquent career variables and general and violent delinquency recidivism outcomes. The notable exception was the interaction between crime frequency and callous-unemotional traits in predicting general recidivism. The current findings question the relevance of self-reported psychopathic traits as moderators of recidivism among juveniles despite the general association between psychopathy and conduct problems among youthinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An antisocial alchemy: Psychopathic traits as a moderator of the different forms and functions of aggression in delinquency and conduct disorder among youth

The aim of the present study is to examine the possible role of psychopathic traits as a moderator of the aggression-antisociality/delinquency link. Our sample was composed of 567 youth (M = 15.91 years, SD = 0.99 years, age range = 14-18 years) from Portugal. Results indicated that psychopathic features significantly moderate four different forms and functions of aggression - proactive overt, proactive relational, reactive overt, and reactive relational - when predicting delinquency. However, psychopathic traits only significantly moderate proactive relational aggression when predicting Conduct Disorder. Psychopathic traits and aggression constitute an antisocial alchemy for antisocial behavior but more research is needed about moderation effects therein particularly among clinical and justice system involved samples of youth to inform behavioral interventions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Burnout e intenção de desistir do curso: o efeito moderador do envolvimento académico

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Social comparison in parents of children with chronic conditions: results from the Portuguese version of the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure

ABSTRACT: Aim: The Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) is a measure for assessing individual differences in social comparison orientation. Despite the relevance of social comparison orientation in understanding adult patients' adjustment responses to chronic health conditions, the impact of parental social comparison processes in the context of chronic pediatric conditions remains unexplored. This study’s main goal was to examine the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the INCOM with parents of children with chronic health conditions. Method: Two samples of parents of children with chronic pediatric conditions (asthma, epilepsy, diabetes and obesity) were used (test sample, N = 301; validation sample, N = 192). Parents completed self-reported measures of social comparison orientation, anxiety and depression symptoms and neuroticism. Results: Regarding factorial validity, results supported the unidimensionality of a revised INCOM scale, comprised of nine items. Results also supported the reliability of the measure, and provided evidence of concurrent validity: parents with higher social comparison orientation presented more anxiety and depressive symptoms, and higher neuroticism scores, consistent with what was theoretically expected. Conclusion: This study opens an important door in the field of pediatric chronic conditions, supporting the relevance of examining parents’ social comparison differences in future research, and the utility of the INCOM in the assessment of those differences.Objetivo: O Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) é uma medida para avaliar as diferenças individuais na orientação para a comparação social. Na compreensão do ajustamento psicossocial de doentes adultos com condições crónicas de saúde, os processos de comparação social tem-se relevado importantes determinantes. Permanece por explorar a importância destes processos no contexto das condições crónicas pediátricas. O principal objetivo deste estudo consiste em analisar as propriedades psicométricas da versão Portuguesa do INCOM com pais de crianças com condições crónicas de saúde. Método: Foram utilizadas duas amostra de pais de crianças com condições crónicas pediátricas (asma, diabetes, epilepsia e obesidade) (amostra teste, N = 301; amostra de validação, N = 192). Os pais preencheram questionários de comparação social, neuroticismo e sintomatologia ansiosa e depressiva. Resultados: Os resultados apoiam a unidimensionalidade da versão revista da INCOM, composta por 9 itens, a fiabilidade da escala, e a respetiva validade concorrente: pais com níveis superiores de comparação social evidenciam maior sintomatologia ansiosa e depressiva, e níveis superiores de neuroticismo, consistente com o esperado teoricamente. Conclusão: Este estudo abre oportunidades de investigação futura ao atestar a relevância de examinar as diferenças na orientação para a comparação social entre os pais de crianças com condições crónicas pediátricas, e a utilidade da INCOM na avaliação dessas diferençasFundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Different MMSE domains are associated to cognitive decline and education

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a long-established test to screen for dementia, estimate the severity and monitor the progression of cognitive impairment. The MMSE total score is dependent upon demographic factors, particularly education, but little is known about how education influences the 6 distinct MMSE cognitive domains. The present study aims to understand how the performances in the MMSE cognitive domains reflect clinical diagnosis and educational level. The study recruited 1043 participants, comprising 388 healthy controls, 360 patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and 295 patients with dementia. The association of the MMSE cognitive domains scores with clinical diagnosis (healthy, MCI, dementia) and educational level (primary education, middle school, high school and university/college) was analyzed with a multivariate ordinal regression model. The scores in all MMSE domains were generally higher in healthy controls as compared to patients with MCI, and higher in these as compared to patients with dementia. The MMSE domain Constructional ability was associated to the education level, the domains Orientation, Recall and Language were associated to diagnosis, Attention and calculation was associated to both education level and diagnosis, and Registration was not associated to either education or diagnosis. In conclusion, impairment in specific MMSE domains pinpoints cognitive decline, probably indicating brain areas affected by neurodegeneration, and impairment in others reflects lower education levels and the lack of acquisition of relevant schooling abilities.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

What are the motives underlying Brazilians' food choices? An analysis of the Food Choice Questionnaire and its relationship with different sample characteristics

ABSTRACT: The first aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ)—using the original model—in a sample of 1480 Brazilian adults (69.5% female). The second aim was to rank the reasons underlying the participants' food choices using average FCQ scores and 95% confidence interval. The third aim was to evaluate the relationship between food choice motives and sample characteristics using multiple logistic regression and odds ratios. The validity, the invariance across different groups, and the reliability of the FCQ were confirmed for the sample. Sensory appeal and price emerged as the most important reasons, while ethical concern was the least valued. The factors associated with greater odds of choosing food for specific reasons were being older, female, and a student; practicing physical activity; dieting frequently; self-rating eating quality as good; having a higher body mass index; and having low income. Practical Applications Assessing food choice is a complex task, as it encompasses several factors, such as sensory characteristics, health status, income, culture, lifestyle, and cognitive-affective issues; therefore, the use of appropriate tools should be encouraged. The set analyses followed confirmed that the FCQ was an adequate instrument to evaluate the reasons for food choice of the participants who valued strongly the sensory aspects of the foods and presented specific characteristics (e.g., diet practice) that may influence their decisions. These findings may guide future research and clinical interventions aimed at producing food choices that are more oriented to health and well-being.FAPESPinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Weight management strategies in Middle-Aged Women (MAW): Development and validation of a questionnaire based on the Oxford Food and Activity Behaviors Taxonomy (OxFAB-MAW) in a Portuguese sample

Background: The Oxford Food and Activity Behaviors (OxFAB) taxonomy systematize the cognitive-behavioral strategies adopted by individuals who are attempting to manage their weight. The present study aimed to (1) develop a questionnaire based on the OxFAB taxonomy, specifically adapted for middle-aged women—the OxFAB-MAW—stage of life and sex, which present a high incidence of obesity, (2) assess the psychometric properties of this tool, and (3) evaluate the discriminative power of the OxFAB-MAW (normal weight vs. obesity). Methods: Overall, 1,367 Portuguese middle-aged women between 45 and 65 years (M = 52.3, SD = 5.15) filled in a sociodemographic, health, and menopause-related questionnaire, as well as the OxFAB-MAW. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated an acceptable model fit (comparative fit index = 0.928, Tucker–Lewis index = 0.913, root mean square error of approximation = 0.072, and standardized root mean square residual = 0.054). Five domains with one item were grouped into other domains, and the Weight Management Aids domain was also removed. The OxFAB-MAW showed factorial, convergent, discriminant, and external validity, as well as composite reliability. Conclusion: The OxFAB-MAW questionnaire is a valid, reliable, and theorydriven tool for assessing weight management strategies in middle-aged women, being able to discriminate between clinical and non-clinical groups (normal weight vs. obesity) in several domains. This instrument can be used to gather valid and reliable data, useful in both research and clinical settings (especially focused on structuring interventions and preventive obesity programs within this specific life cycle stage).Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Psychometric evaluation of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale among Iranian population

Background The resilience construct is considered a personal trait composed of multiple aspects. Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale is a standard tool composed of fve factors and 25 items. This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of this scale. Methods In this cross-sectional study, after the scale translation, the factorial structural validity was assessed via the confrmatory factor analysis with 70 180 samples. Internal consistency, composite reliability, convergent validity were assessed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, maximum reliability, and Average Variance Extracted. The discriminant validity was assessed using Heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations matrix and also, measure invariance was evaluated. Results The original fve-factor model had good model ft indices but due to low factor loading of item 2 and 20, the model was modifed. The Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability for four factors were above 0.7 (except for factor 5). The convergent validity for all fve factors were achieved. Between factors 1 with 2 and 4, 2 with 3 and 4 discriminant validity was not established (correlations>0.9) and the results suggested that there might be a secondorder latent construct behind these factors. Therefore, a second-order assessment was performed. The results of the second-order latent construct assessment showed a good goodness-of ft and strong measurement invariance for both men and women. Conclusion The 23-item version of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale is a reliable and valid scale to measure resilience as a complex construct in the Iran contextinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Portuguese Adaptation of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale and a Test of Its Utility with Brazilian Young Adults

The aims for this study were to perform a Portuguese language cross-cultural adaptation of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS) and to evaluate the scale's psychometric properties, including verifying the frequency of behaviors characteristic of orthorexia nervosa and healthy orthorexia, among a group of Brazilian gym users. First, we adapted the Spanish version of the TOS to the Brazilian Portuguese language following international protocols to guarantee idiomatic, semantic, conceptual, and cultural equivalence. Then participants completed both the new Portuguese version of the TOS and a socioeconomic questionnaire. Among our sample of 226 young Brazilian adults (63.7% men; M age = 28.8, SD = 5.1 years), we assessed the bi-factorial model of the TOS through factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity, reliability, and factorial invariance. We calculated the mean scores of the TOS factors and the frequency of behaviors of both orthorexia nervosa and healthy orthorexia. The new Portuguese version was well understood by participants, and the TOS bi-factorial model presented adequate psychometric properties and showed invariance in independent subsamples and in men and women. The mean scores were different between sexes only for orthorexia nervosa, with women obtaining higher values. The frequency of orthorexia nervosa behaviors was 5.3% and of healthy orthorexia was 41.2%. Based on these findings, the Brazilian Portuguese version of the TOS can be a useful tool for investigating orthorexia-like behaviors in future research.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio