Validity of the Satisfaction with Life Scale in Colombia and factorial equivalence with Spanish data / Validez de la Escala de Satisfacción con la Vida en Colombia y equivalencia factorial con datos españoles

Abstract The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used, 5-item, 7-point Likert-type scale that measures life satisfaction. The current study aims to explore the validity of the SWLS in Colombia and its factorial equivalence with Spanish samples. The SWLS was administered to a total of 1,587 Colombian participants, including a sample of undergraduates, a sample from the general population, and a clinical sample. The internal consistency across the different samples was good (overall alpha of .89). The one-factor model found in the original scale showed a very good fit in the overall Colombian sample (RMSEA = .052, 90% CI [.034, .073]; CFI = .99; NNFI = .99). SWLS scores are significantly related to measures of valued living, emotional symptoms, negative thoughts, experiential avoidance, and cognitive fusion. The clinical sample's mean score on the SWLS was significantly lower than the scores of the nonclinical samples. Three additional Spanish samples (N = 1057) were obtained to analyze the factorial equivalence of the SWLS in Colombia and Spain. Metric and scalar invariance were observed between countries and between Colombian males and females. In conclusion, the SWLS showed good psychometric properties in Colombia and factorial equivalence with Spanish samples.

Resumen La Escala de Satisfacción con la Vida (SWLS) es una escala ampliamente utilizada para medir satisfacción vital. Consta de 5 ítems que se responden en una escala tipo Likert de 7 puntos. El objetivo de este artículo es explorar la validez del SWLS en Colombia y la equivalencia factorial con muestras españolas. Se administró el SWLS a 1587 participantes colombianos, incluyendo una muestra de universitarios, una de población general y una muestra clínica. La consistencia interna a través de muestras fue buena (alfa global de .89). El modelo unifactorial encontrado en la escala original mostró muy buen ajuste en las muestras colombianas (RMSEA = .052, 90% CI [.034, .073]; CFI = .99; NNFI = .99). Las puntuaciones del SWLS estuvieron relacionadas significativamente con medidas de vida valiosa, síntomas emocionales, pensamientos negativos, evitación experiencial y fusión cognitiva. La puntuación promedio de la muestra clínica fue significativamente menor que las de las muestras no clínicas. Se obtuvieron tres muestras españolas (N = 1057) para analizar la equivalencia factorial del SWLS en Colombia y España. Se observó invarianza métrica y escalar entre países y entre género en Colombia. En conclusión, la SWLS mostró buenas propiedades psicométricas en Colombia y equivalencia factorial con muestras españolas.

Adaptation, validation and reliability of the Massachusetts General Hospital-Sexual Functioning Questionnaire in a Colombian sample and factorial equivalence with the Spanish version / Adaptación, validación y fiabilidad del Cuestionario de funcionamiento sexual del Hospital General de Massachusetts en una muestra colombiana y equivalencia factorial con la versión en españo

Sexual dysfunctions are a highly prevalent problem. It is necessary to have instruments adapted to the Colombian population in order to evaluate their sexual functioning because to date none of them have been validated. The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the Massachusetts General Hospital-Sexual Functioning Questionnaire in Colombian population, and compare it with a similar sample from Spain. Two different samples were used in this study. On one hand, a sample of expert judges who performed the cultural adaptation and the evaluation of the scale, and on the other hand, a second end sample of 1117 participants -men and women of both nationalities- who answered the questionnaire -together with others-through a virtual platform. Some of the items were adjusted based on the initial results of the evaluation by the expert judges. Cronbach's alpha between .81 and .92 were obtained after the application of the test. The psychometric properties of the scale are adequate and this instrument properly correlates with other criterion variables. Construct validity was evaluated using factorial invariance. The unidimensional configural model for men (RMSEA= .000; CFI = 1) and for women (RMSEA= .048, CFI = .997) had an adequate fit, and a level of strict invariance was also reached. Screening can be performed with this first validated scale in order to evaluate the sexual difficulties of the Colombian population and compare them with the Spanish population.

Las disfunciones sexuales son un problema muy frecuente. Es necesario contar con instrumentos adaptados a la población colombiana con el fin de evaluar su funcionamiento sexual porque hasta la fecha ninguno de ellos se ha validado. El objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar y validar el Cuestionario de funcionamiento sexual del Hospital General de Massachusetts en la población colombiana y compararla con una muestra similar de España. Se utilizaron dos muestras diferentes en este estudio. Por una parte, una muestra de jueces expertos que realizaron la adaptación cultural y la evaluación de la escala, y por la otra, una segunda muestra final de 1.117 participantes - hombres y mujeres de ambas nacionalidades - que respondieron el cuestionario, junto con otros, a través de una plataforma virtual. Algunos de los elementos se ajustaron según los resultados iniciales de la evaluación realizada por jueces expertos. Se obtuvieron coeficientes alfa de Cronbach entre 0.81 y 0.92 después de la aplicación de la prueba. Las propiedades psicométricas de la escala son adecuadas y este instrumento se correlaciona debidamente con otras variables para el criterio. La validez del constructo se evaluó mediante invariancia factorial. El modelo configural unidimensional para los hombres (RMSEA = 0.000; CFI = 1) y para las mujeres (RMSEA = 0.048; CFI =0.997) tenía un ajuste adecuado, y también se alcanzó un nivel de estricta invariancia. Puede realizarse un cribado con esta primera escala validada para evaluar las dificultades sexuales de la población colombiana y compararlas con las de la población española.

Equivalencia factorial del Cuestionario de Agresores / Victimas de Olweus según género / Factorial invariance of the Olweus Bully / Bullied Questionnaire according to gender

Este trabajo aborda un tema de gran actualidad, pero escasamente evaluado con investigaciones científico-empíricas en la Argentina: el bullying. El Cuestionario Revisado de Agresores / Víctimas de Olweus es uno de los instrumentos más usados en el mundo para medir el ser acosado y acosar a otros alumnos, ya que tiende a funcionar similarmente en las distintas naciones. Estudios extranjeros y preliminares en la Argentina detectaron que dicho cuestionario presenta una dimensión unifactorial tanto para la Escala Ser Agredido como para la Escala Agredir. Así, esta investigación pretendió indagar la equivalencia factorial según género de dichas escalas en una población intencional de adolescentes. Para ello se constituyó una muestra de 1.222 adolescentes (44% varones; media de edad: 14.4 años) que concurrían a escuelas de enseñanza media en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires y en la ciudad de Paraná (Argentina), quienes completaron dicho instrumento y un cuestionario sociodemográfico. Con este fin, se llevaron a cabo análisis factoriales confirmatorios multigrupos para varones y mujeres con el Programa AMOS 16. Al fijar las cargas factoriales de los nueve ítemes de la Escala Ser Agredido, los resultados indicaron que los mismos tendían a funcionar similarmente para varones y mujeres. En cambio, los resultados de la Escala Ser Agresor sugerían que las preguntas de agresión con golpes / empujones y decir mentiras funcionaban de modo distinto, según el género. En las conclusiones se destacan las implicancias de estos hallazgos, se desarrollan explicaciones de por qué dichos ítemes funcionarían en forma diferente y se brindan sugerencias para futuras investigaciones.

The purpose of this research was to investigate a problem of great psychosocial and political relevance but scarcely studied with empirical studies in Argentina: bullying in secondary education. Argentina is a developed Latin American country of Italian and Spanish descend. This nation belongs to the high but not to the very high human development group and is the second best positioned nation in Latin America. Bullying is considered to be an important risk factor for mental health of both children and adolescents due to its association with personal, familial and social problems. Victims suffer of internalizing problems (depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, among others), on the other hand, aggressor show higher behavioral problems (antisocial behavior, substance use, among others). Several authors stated that bullying is a subset of aggressive behavior, generally defined as an act intended to inflict injury or discomfort upon another student. It is characterized by certain special features such as an asymmetric power relationship and some repetitiveness. Previous research has shown that this problem is more frequent in adolescence than in childhood. Several studies suggested differences in aggression according to gender; males present higher level of aggression and bullying compared to females due to social and biological factors. Therefore, a vital aspect in this respect is measuring of both victimization and aggression. A well-known tool to measure this problems are self-reports. Although self-reports have disadvantages -as all measures- they are efficient and low-cost techniques. Thus, the main objective was to explore factorial invariance of the Revised Olweus Bully / Victim Questionnaire according to gender. This questionnaire is the most widely used instrument to measure bullying in North America and Northern Europe and several authors suggest that the questionnaire functions similarly in many countries. Besides, studies in first countries and Argentina suggested that this questionnaire showed a unifactorial structure both for the Scale of Being a Bullied and the Scale of Being a Bully as well as good validity and reliability. Even in those countries, however, there are few published studies on their psychometric properties. This instrument asks about being bullied (or bullying other students in a different section of the questionnaire) in the past couple of months, comprising direct physical and verbal harassment and threatening and coercive behaviors as well as indirect ways of bullying. The instrument presents nine items about victimization and nine about aggression. They are rated on a 5-point scale (from 0 to 4). The questionnaire also contains several questions about the reactions of others to bullying. It was administered to a convenience sample of 1222 students belonging to high schools in Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires and Paraná (Argentina), (44% males, average age: 14.4). Besides, a sociodemographic questionnaire was administered to this sample. Questionnaires were administered at school and confidentiality was ensured. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 17 and AMOS 16 were used for processing data. AMOS 16 was used for performing multigrup confirmatory factorial analysis in males and females. Configural model for being a bullied was acceptable (CFI = .904 y SRMR = .026). Configural model for being a bully was good (CFI = .919 and SRMR = .018), as well. After constrainting parameters, results suggested that nine items of being bullied were invariant across gender. As regards being bully, results indicated that questions regarding hitting, kicking or pushing and regarding telling lies were not invariant across gender (CFIs were .013 and .011, respectively). Conclusions highlight the relevance and implications of these findings; explanations about why those items could be not invariant in males and females are provided. Also, limitations of this research and directions for future research are pointed out.