Efficacy of ICT-based neurocognitive rehabilitation programs for acquired brain injury: a systematic review on Its assessment methods

This systematic review aims to analyze the methods used in the assessment of the efficacy of Neurocognitive Rehabilitation Programs (NRP) based on Information and Communication Technologies in patients with Acquired Brain Injury, namely platforms and online rehabilitation programs. Studies with the main purpose of evaluating the efficacy of those programs were retrieved from multiple literature databases, accordingly to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The inclusion and analysis of the studies followed preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) and Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines. Thirty-one studies were included in this review. Results showed that most studies used a pre-post methodological design, with few studies performing assessment moments during intervention or follow-up. Attention, memory, and executive functions were the cognitive variables considered by a larger number of studies at the assessment of NRP efficacy. Despite that, there is a growing evidence on the inclusion of variables related to everyday functioning in this process, increasing its ecological validity. Concerning the instruments used, the studies presented a large heterogeneity of the instruments and methods used, even for the same assessment purpose, highlighting a lack of consensus regarding assessment protocol. Psychophysiological and neuroimaging techniques are seldom used on this field. This review identifies the main characteristics of the methodology used at the assessment of NRP and potential limitations, providing useful information to guide the practice of the health care professionals in rehabilitation of Acquired Brain Injury. It also suggests new directions for future studies.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Programas de reabilitação neurocognitiva na lesão encefálica adquirida: processo de avaliação dos programas com base nas novas tecnologias da informação e da comunicação

Os avanços tecnológicos têm contribuído de forma muito positiva para a minimização dos défices neurocognitivos associados à Lesão Encefálica Adquirida (LEA), através do desenvolvimento de novas intervenções com recurso a programas de de reabilitação neurocognitiva (PRNC) baseados na utilização das novas Tecnologias da Informação e da Comunicação (TIC). No entanto, alguns profissionais reportam dificuldades na avaliação da eficácia destes programas relacionadas, principalmente, com o elevado número de variáveis a considerar.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Role of Temperament in Mediating the Association between Adolescence Dating Violence and Early Traumatic Experiences

Violence in adolescent intimate relationships poses a real threat to adolescent well-being and is a risk factor for recurrent violent patterns in adult marital relationships. The present study aimed to understand the relationship between different dimensions of childhood trauma and dating violence perpetration and the mediating role of temperament. The sample was composed of 3497 adolescents (n = 1549 boys, n = 1948 girls; M = 1.56, SD = 0.497) aged between 10 and 22 years (M = 15.15, SD = 1.83). Instruments used in this study included the Social Desirability Scale, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire (EATQ). The results show that temperament plays a mediating role in the relationship between dating violence perpetration and emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Furthermore, the results suggest that adolescents who have been abused in childhood tend to demonstrate more temperamental problems and a greater susceptibility to the perpetration of teen dating violence, but only in the more severe dimensions of childhood trauma

Do Juveniles Who Have Committed Sexual Offenses Have Higher Callous-Unemotional Traits Compared to Juveniles Who Have Committed General Offenses? A Systematic Review

The importance of assessing psychopathic traits in juveniles who have committed sexual offenses has been established in individuals who demonstrate a particularly severe and violent pattern of behavior. Additionally, the assessment of these traits in other juveniles might be relevant considering that higher levels of these traits represent an increased probability of the juvenile committing offenses. This study is a systematic review of the literature about the presence of callous-unemotional (CU) traits in juveniles who have committed sexual and non-sexual offenses, in order to ascertain eventual differences between these groups regarding the presence of CU traits. Studies were obtained from multiple databases, with predefined exclusion and inclusion criteria, according to PRISMA-P guidelines. A total of 18 studies were reviewed and included in the final analysis. The 18 studies used measures of CU traits and reported descriptive categories of CU traits in juveniles who have committed general offenses or juveniles who have committed sexual offenses. Meta-analytic procedures such as pooled means, pooled variances, and pooled standard deviations are presented in this study. The main conclusion obtained is that juveniles who have committed general offenses present higher levels of CU traits compared to juveniles who have committed sexual offenses. Although the review highlights limitations in the literature, the identification of these characteristics in different types of juveniles who have committed offenses is important to shed light on the phenomenon and develop interventions better suited to their characteristics. Recommendations for future research are also presented

Propriedades psicométricas da versão portuguesa para professores do Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits para Crianças Pré-Escolares

Several authors suggest that Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits may be useful in identifying adolescents who exhibit initial, severe, chronic, and aggressive conduct problems. The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU) was developed to assess these traits, later associated with psychopathy, in children and adolescents. This study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the teacher-report ICU for preschool-age children. The sample was collected in public schools and comprised the responses of 46 preschool teachers concerning 131 children (62 girls) between 3 and 6 years of age. Results indicate that a two-factor model revealed the best fit to our data, including a Callous and an Uncaring factor, resorting to 12 of the original 24 items. Additionally, the results of this study also provide evidence of measurement invariance across sex for the ICU, allowing us to compare mean levels of CU traits between boys and girls. The results of the present study showed that the Portuguese version of the ICU scale (teacher’s version) seems reliable and valid for evaluating CU traits in preschool children.Vários autores sugerem que os traços de frieza emocional podem ser úteis na identificação de adolescentes que apresentam problemas de conduta iniciais, graves, crónicos e agressivos. O Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU) foi desenvolvido para avaliar estes traços, mais tarde associados à psicopatia, em crianças e adolescentes. Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar as propriedades psicométricas da versão portuguesa do ICU, reportada pelo professor, para crianças em idade pré-escolar. A amostra foi recolhida em escolas públicas e incluiu as respostas de 46 professores do ensino pré-escolar relativamente a 131 crianças (62 raparigas) entre os 3 e os 6 anos de idade. Os resultados indicam que um modelo de dois fatores foi o que melhor se ajustou aos nossos dados, incluindo o fator Callous e o fator Uncaring, recorrendo a 12 dos 24 itens originais. Além disso, os resultados deste estudo também fornecem evidências de invariância de medição entre sexos para o ICU, permitindo comparar os níveis médios de traços de frieza emocional entre rapazes e raparigas. Os resultados do presente estudo mostraram que a versão portuguesa do inventário ICU (versão do professor) parece ser fiável e válida para avaliar os traços de frieza emocional em crianças em idade pré-escolar