Similarity Structure Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling in Studying Latent Structures: An Application to the Attitudes towards Portuguese Language Questionnaire

Several international studies such as PISA and PILRS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study), have stressed the importance of positive attitudes and behaviours as facilitators of individuals reading literacy during the school years and throughout their lives. Considering that there are not available instruments for assessing attitudes Towards Portuguese Language, it was proposed the development of the Attitudes towards Portuguese Language Questionnaire – ATPLQ (Questionário de Atitudes Face à Língua Portuguesa: QAFLP, Neto et al., 2011; Rebelo, 2012). The questionnaire has 22 Likert-type items, with four levels of response (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree), spread, through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), over three attitudinal dimensions: Behavioural, Affective, and Motivational.In this study we aimed to analyse the ATPLQ’s latent structure with a pooled sample data of 1441 participants, applying similarity structure analysis (SSA) and confirmatory factor analysis of ordinal data (CFA). The SSA was carried out with Hudap in order to identify the structural properties of the questionnaire and to assess its adequacy in a Portuguese population. The CFA was carried out with LISREL in order to assure structural validity, i.e., accounting for factorial validity, but also for factors’ convergent and discriminant validity, and composite reliability. These psychometric features allowed the comparison of both the EFA derived model and the SSA derived model. We justify the selection of the SSA’s model, and we discuss the similarities between the results generated by SSA and LISREL procedures, highlighting their use in modeling constructs with ordinal indicators

Social and Emotional Learning and Academic Achievement in Portuguese Schools: a bibliometric study.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is an educational movement that is gaining ground throughout the world. We can define SEL as the capacity to recognize and manage emotions, solve problems effectively, and establish positive relationships with others. Research has demonstrated the significant role of SEL in promoting healthy student development and academic achievement. Extensive research confirms that SEL competencies: can be taught, that they promote positive development and reduce problem behaviors, and that they improve students’ academic achievement and citizenship. At the international level, several rigorous studies have identified programs and practices that promote SEL. In Portugal, however, no review has yet been published regarding the implementation of SEL programs. Such a study would elucidate the current panorama of SEL programs in Portugal. This study aims to identify research on SEL programs implemented in Portuguese schools and the relationship of those programs with academic achievement. To this end, we have consulted the following databases: Scientific Repository of Open Access of Portugal (RCAAP), Online Knowledge Library (b-on), and Web of Science (WoS). The criteria were: (a) all time frames; (b) publications in either Portuguese or English; (c) programs that developed socio-emotional competencies in Portuguese schools; (d) academic levels including elementary, middle, and high school and (e) students of regular education. Few publications on SEL programs implemented in Portugal were found, although the recent decade has witnessed an upsurge of interest in the topic, principally that arising from academic research.Fundação Calouste Gulbenkia

Cognitive Assessment System (CAS): Psychometric studies with Portuguese children from 7 to 15 years.

The Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) is a new measure of cognitive abilities based on the Planning, Attention, Simultaneous and Successive (PASS) Theory. This theory is derived from research in neuropsychological and cognitive Psychology with particular emphasis on the work of Luria (1973). According to Naglieri (1999) and Naglieri and Das (1997), the PASS cognitive processes are the basic building blocks of human intellectual functioning. Planning processes provide cognitive control, utilization of processes and knowledge, intentionality, and self-regulation to achieve a desired goal; Attention processes provide focused, selective cognitive activity and resistance to distraction; and, Simultaneous and Successive processes are the two forms of operating on information. The PASS theory has had a strong empirical base prior to the publication of the CAS (see Das, Naglieri & Kirby, 1994), and its research foundation remains strong (see Naglieri, 1999; Naglieri & Das, 1997). The four basic psychological processes can be used to (1) gain an understanding of how well a child thinks; (2) discover the child’s strengths and needs, which can then be used for effective differential diagnosis; (3) conduct fair assessment; and (4) select or design appropriate interventions. Compared to the traditional intelligence tests, including IQ tests, the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) has the great advantage of relying on a modern theory of cognitive functioning, linking theory with practice

The use of Similarity Structure Analysis in the identification of students’ functional profiles of competence

This study aims to identify students’ functional profiles - describing the representational functions available to consolidate certain school competences, in a sample of 670 students of Portuguese Basic Schools, in which 58,3% were girls and 41,7% were boys (33,6% from 1st level, 36,0% from 2nd level and 30,4% from 3rd level). Four instruments were used: Questionnaire of the Attitudes Towards School, Questionnaire of the Attitudes Towards Portuguese Language, Questionnaire of the Attitudes Towards Mathematics and EQi-yv. Based on the SSA the polar structure observed, combined with the relative position of the external variable, it is possible to suggest the existence of differentiated profiles considering personal and scholarly features that become more efficient with school progress, pointing out the necessity to consider these variables independently when school policy decisions are taken. The advantages of these techniques to improve the characterization and interpretation of the complexity and multidimensionality of students´ profiles and their consequences for educational and psychological assessment and intervention are discussed

Student's attitutes toward learning and school - Study of exploratory models about the effects of socio-demographics and personal attributes

We study student's attitutes toward learning and school. This is an exploratory study about the effects of socio-demographics and personal attributes

Formar para incluir: Referencial de reabilitação profissional Appacdm-Évora.

O programa Referencial de Reabilitação Profissional (RRP-APPACDM) tem as suas raízes no Programa Holístico de Reabilitação Neuropsicológica, que teve inicio no Centro de Reabilitação Profissional de Gaia (CRPG) (Guerreiro, Almeida, Fabela, Dores, & Castro-Caldas, 2009; Almeida et al., 2015). O modelo de Ben Yashai (Ben Yashai & Daniels-Zide, 2000) é o referencial seguido pelo RRP-APPACDM e CRPG, tendo estabelecido como principais objetivos: a) a promoção do funcionamento físico e psicológico empoderando a autonomia; b) melhorar o ajustamento psicossocial, através do desenvolvimento de competências interpessoais e aceitação da nova condição; e c) apoiar a criação de projetos de integração práticos. Especialmente, no que diz respeito ao RRP-APPACDM, os objetivos são: 1) Readaptação pessoal e social através da recuperação, atualização e otimização de competências pessoais; 2) desenvolvimento de autoconsciência, de potencial e áreas de crescimento, aceitando simultaneamente as limitações; 3) promoção de aceitação de objetivos realistas e exequíveis; 4) empoderar o desenvolvimento de estratégias de coping, resolução de problemas e flexibilização cognitivo-comportamental; 5) apoiar o desenvolvimento e melhoria nas relações interpessoais e fortalecimento de redes de suporte social; 6) encorajar as experiências vocacionais que facilitem a reorganização dos valores vocacionais enquanto (re)constroem perceções ajustadas sobre a formação vocacional e mercado de trabalho; 7) requalificação e/ou reabilitação vocacional procurando uma formação vocacional ajustada; 8) requalificação e/ou reabilitação vocacional com o objetivo de promover medidas de apoio à integração profissional recorrendo às competências e conhecimentos adquiridas antes da lesão, beneficiando de apoio técnico especializado para integração socio-vocacional, apoio para tarefas e papéis necessários para um cargo laboral e mediação de comportamentos pessoas e sociais adequados ao estatuto laboral. A nível de competências transversais abordadas, o programa da APPACDM trabalha competências tais como: flexibilidade, resolução de problemas, autodiretividade, autorregulação e criatividade. Estes transversal skills são trabalhados nos módulos: Comunicação e Relacionamentos Interpessoais; Atividades de Vida Diária; nas Terapias individuais (e.g., Psicologia, Fisioterapia, Terapia ocupacional, terapia da fala, reabilitação funcional em grupo, treino cognitivo).FCT e três projetos ENABLIN+ (Leonardo Da Vinci), Cognition & Inclusion (ERASMUS+) e LLL-HUB (Lifelong Learning Programm) e da I Conferência Europeia em Life Long Learning (realizada na Universidade de Évora com os apoios do Departamento de Psicologia e da Escola de Ciências Sociais), e da Associação Portuguesa de Gestão de Pessoas (APG) e a Associação Nacional para a Qualificação e Ensino Profissiona

Test of Emotion Comprehension: Exploring the underlying structure through Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Similarity Structure Analysis

Some decades of research on emotional development have underlined the contribution of several domains to emotional understanding in childhood. Based on this research, Pons and colleagues (Pons & Harris, 2002; Pons, Harris & Rosnay, 2004) have proposed the Test of Emotion Comprehension (TEC) which assesses nine domains of emotional understanding, namely the recognition of emotions, based on facial expressions; the comprehension of external emotional causes; impact of desire on emotions; emotions based on beliefs; memory influence on emotions; possibility of emotional regulation; possibility of hiding an emotional state; having mixed emotions; contribution of morality to emotional experiences. This instrument was administered individually to 182 Portuguese children aged between 8 and 11 years, of 3rd and 4th grades, in public schools. Additionally, we used the Socially in Action-Peers (SAp) (Rocha, Candeias & Lopes da Silva, 2012) to assess TEC’s criterion-related validity. Mean differences results in TEC by gender and by socio-economic status (SES) were analyzed. The results of the TEC’s psychometric analysis were performed in terms of items’ sensitivity and reliability (stability, test-retest). Finally, in order to explore the theoretical structure underlying TEC a Confirmatory Factor Analysis and a Similarity Structure Analysis were computed. Implications of these findings for emotional understanding assessment and intervention in childhood are discussed

As crianças sobredotadas: Inteligencia emocional e relações afectivas.

Aborda-se o desenvolvimento da inteligencia emocional e as relações afectivas em crianças sobredotadas

O Portefólio na Formação e Avaliação Profissional de Professores

Descreve o uso do portefolio na avaliação e formação profissional de professores

Seismic Testing of Adjacent Interacting Masonry Structures

In many historical centres in Europe, stone masonry buildings are part of building aggregates, which developed when the layout of the city or village was densified. In these aggregates, adjacent buildings share structural walls to support floors and roofs. Meanwhile, the masonry walls of the façades of adjacent buildings are often connected by dry joints since adjacent buildings were constructed at different times. Observations after for example the recent Central Italy earthquakes showed that the dry joints between the building units were often the first elements to be damaged. As a result, the joints opened up leading to pounding between the building units and a complicated interaction at floor and roof beam supports. The analysis of such building aggregates is very challenging and modelling guidelines do not exist. Advances in the development of analysis methods have been impeded by the lack of experimental data on the seismic response of such aggregates. The objective of the project AIMS (Seismic Testing of Adjacent Interacting Masonry Structures), included in the H2020 project SERA, is to provide such experimental data by testing an aggregate of two buildings under two horizontal components of dynamic excitation. The test unit is built at half-scale, with a two-storey building and a one-storey building. The buildings share one common wall while the façade walls are connected by dry joints. The floors are at different heights leading to a complex dynamic response of this smallest possible building aggregate. The shake table test is conducted at the LNEC seismic testing facility. The testing sequence comprises four levels of shaking: 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of nominal shaking table capacity. Extensive instrumentation, including accelerometers, displacement transducers and optical measurement systems, provides detailed information on the building aggregate response. Special attention is paid to the interface opening, the global behaviour in relation to the interface separation, interstorey drifts and out-of-plane displacements