Construction and Psychometric Properties of Sentence Repetition Test (SRT) for Latvian Primary School Children

This study was conducted to determine psychometric properties of newly developed Sentence Repetition Test (SRT). The test evaluates ability to recall orally presented sentences in Latvian language, and it was constructed specifically for junior primary school children. The sample consisted of 136 first and second graders aged 7 to 9 years (52% girls). Final version of Sentence Repetition Test is composed of 12 items in increasing level of difficulty. Spearman-Brown split-half reliability coefficient of the test is sufficiently high to recognize SRT as reliable. Convergent and concurrent validities of the test were determined in smaller sub-sample of 64 children, using measurements of Digit Span sub-test from Latvian edition of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV (Wechsler, 2003) and Phoneme Segmentation Fluency from Latvian edition of Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS Next) (Good & Kaminski et al., 2011; Rascevska et al., 2013a). Sentence Repetition Test has medium strong statistically significant correlations with both tests. The study affirms sufficient reliability and validity of the new test. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n4p10

RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE LATVIAN VERSION OF THE COMPUTERIZED EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS TEST “EXAMINER” IN A STUDENTS SAMPLE: RESULTS OF THE PILOT STUDY

The aim of this pilot-study was to assess reliability and validity of the Latvian version of the computerized executive functions test EXAMINER (Executive Abilities: Measures and Instruments for Neurobehavioral Evaluation and Research) in a sample of high school students and university students. The adaptation procedure included translation of the instructions and technical configuration of the test’s computerized version. The Latvian version of the EXAMINER includes tasks that measure executive functions of inhibition, set shifting and working memory updating. Participants included two sub-groups: 22 (14 males, 8 female) students from high school and 39 students (11 males, 28 female) from university.  Results showed statistically significant differences between both sub-groups on most of the EXAMINER tasks. The main tendency was that the high school students showed faster reaction time, but made more mistakes. Results also showed good reliability for most of the EXAMINER tasks and good criterion validity. Potential improvements of the test and its potential use in schools and clinics are discussed

Mental Health and Work Engagement as Predictors of Different Burnout Conceptualizations in a Multi-Occupational Sample from Latvia

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of mental health concepts (depression, anxiety, and stress) and work engagement in the prediction of burnout sub-variables in different conceptual models and which sub-variable they explain the most. It was assumed, that conceptualization of burnout subtypes could be more successful in the distinction of the burnout from other mental health phenomena compared to the well-known approach. A cross-sectional study among multi-occupational sample (N= 394) was conducted. A correlational and multivariative design was done. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales was used for measure depression, anxiety, and stress and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for measure work engagement. Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey and Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire were used for burnout measures. Anxiety, work engagement, and stress were significant predictors of Frenetic subtype, Work engagement and depression explained Underchallenged subtype, depression, work engagement and anxiety explained Worn-Out, but all independent variables explained Exhaustion, in turn depression and work engagement predicted Cynicism and Professional efficacy. Sociodemographic factors were controlled. Work engagement had greater predictive value of the burnout in the Montero Marín model, but the mental health factors played a more dominant role in the Maslach model. The results indicate a greater role of depression in the classical burnout model