Adapted version of the pubertal development scale for use in Brazil

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To determine whether scores in an adapted version of the self-assessment Pubertal Development Scale into Portuguese match those from the gold standard in pubertal development (Tanner scale). METHODS This was a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 133 children and adolescents aged nine to 17 years (59 males; mean age of 13 years and six months, with standard deviation = 25 months). Youngsters completed the Pubertal Development Scale and were then examined by specialists in adolescent medicine. RESULTS Exact absolute agreement of pubertal stages were modest, but significant associations between measures (correlation; intra-class correlation coefficients of consistency) showed that the Pubertal Development Scale adequately measures changes that map onto pubertal development determined by physical examination, on par with international publications. Furthermore, scores obtained from each Pubertal Development Scale question reflected adequate gonadal and adrenal events assessed by clinical ratings, mostly with medium/high effect sizes. Latent factors obtained from scores on all Pubertal Development Scale questions had excellent fit indices in Confirmatory Factor Analyses and correlated with Tanner staging. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that self-assessment of body changes by youngsters using the Portuguese version of the Pubertal Development Scale is useful when estimates of pubertal progression are sufficient, and exact agreement with clinical staging is not necessary. The Pubertal Development Scale is, therefore, a reliable instrument for use in large-scale studies in Brazil that aim at investigating adolescent health related to pubertal developmental. The translated version and scoring systems are provided.

Neupsilin-Inf em um modelo de avaliação neuropsicológica breve para centros de saúde / Neupsilin-Inf in a model of brief neuropsychological assesment for health centers / Neupsilin-Inf en un modelo de evaluación neuropsicológica breve para centros de salud

Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar o uso do NEUPSILIN-Inf num modelo de avaliação neuropsicológica breve em crianças atendidas em um serviço assistencial. As etapas seguidas no modelo de avaliação neuropsicológica breve são: sala de espera, grupo de crianças e avaliação neuropsicológica individual. A análise da aplicabilidade do NEUPSILIN-Inf na detecção de déficits cognitivos foi realizada comparando o desempenho de 171 crianças com possíveis transtornos do neurodesenvolvimento a 358 crianças da amostra de normatização, tendo a média marginal do escore ajustado pela idade. Em todas as tarefas do NEUPSILIN-Inf, o grupo clínico mostrou desempenho inferior. O conjunto de dados do modelo de avaliação pode gerar hipóteses diagnósticas, como deficiência intelectual, possíveis quadros de transtornos da aprendizagem ou específicos de linguagem. Frente à alta escassez de atendimento público para crianças com possíveis transtornos do neurodesenvolvimento, este pode ser um modelo economicamente eficiente para centros de saúde em diversas regiões do Brasil. (AU)

This study aimed to analyze the use of NEUPSILIN-Inf in a model of brief neuropsychological assessment for children attending a helthcare service. The steps followed in the brief neuropsychological assessment model are waiting room, children's group, and individual assessment. The analysis of this model's efficacy in detecting cognitive deficits through NEUPSILIN-Inf was conducted by comparing the performance of 171 children with possible developmental disorders to 358 children from the normative sample of NEUPSILIN-Inf. The clinical group showed lower performance in all NEUPSILIN-Inf 's tasks. The set of data derived from the evaluation model can underlie diagnostic hypotheses, such as intellectual disabilities, learning disorders or specific language impairment. Taking into account the restrictive public care for children with possible developmental disorders, this model can be considered a cost-effective possibility to be accomplished by health centers in different Brazilian regions. (AU)

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar el uso de NEUPSILIN-Inf como un modelo de evaluación neuropsicológica breve para niños, atendidos en un servicio de asistencia pública. Las etapas seguidas para evaluación neuropsicológica breve fueron: sala de espera, grupo de niños, evaluación neuropsicológica individual. El análisis de aplicabilidad NEUPSILIN-Inf para detectar déficits cognitivos, fue realizado comparando el rendimiento de 171 niños con posibles trastornos de neuro-desarrollo y 358 niños de la muestra de normalización, obteniendo la media marginal del resultado, ajustado por la edad. En todas las tareas del NEUPSILIN-Inf, el grupo clínico tuvo un rendimiento inferior. El conjunto de datos del modelo de evaluación puede generar hipótesis diagnósticas, como deficiencia intelectual, posibles trastornos de aprendizaje o específicos de lenguaje. Ante la escasez de atendimiento público para niños con posibles trastornos de neurodesarrollo, este modelo puede ser eficiente desde el punto de vista económico en centros de salud en varias regiones de Brasil. (AU)