Psychometric properties of the online Satisfaction with Life Scale in university students from a low-income region

Purpose: To test the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in an online format in university students from a low-income region. Methods: This was a psychometric study, involving a study of reliability (n = 117) and validity (n = 195) in university students from a region with a Gini index of 0.56. The scale was applied at two time points with an interval of 2 weeks. This scale measures satisfaction with life based on five statements and responses ranging from 1 to 7 (strongly disagree to strongly agree). We conducted the reliability assessment using temporal stability and internal consistency and construct validity assessment by internal structure solution. Results: All SWLS items showed acceptable (rho > 0.30) and significant (p < 0.05) temporal stability and acceptable internal consistency (alpha > 0.70). In construct validity (internal structure), we identified a factor with an explained variance of 59.0% in the exploratory factor analysis. Additionally, in the confirmatory factor analysis, we identified a one-factor structure solution for SWLS with an acceptable model fitting (chi-square/degrees of freedom [X2/df] = 6.53; Tucker-Lewis Index [TLI] = 0.991; Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.996; root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.040; standardized root mean-squared residual [SRMR] = 0.026). Conclusion: The Satisfaction with Life Scale, in the online format, is a reliable and valid tool for university students in a low-income context.

The factor structure of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ): new methodological approaches and evidence

Abstract Background The area of self-regulated learning integrates the fields of metacognition and self-regulation and assumes that the student is an active processor of information capable of self-regulating his learning by putting together the cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational components. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) is a benchmark for the measurement of self-regulated learning. However, the field of study does not show adequate evidence of its structural validity. The vast majority of studies involving this question present serious methodological mistakes, compromising the evidence of validity. Objective Our study investigates the structural validity of MSLQ including all 15 scales and corrects relevant mistakes in the previous studies. Method We tested different models through item confirmatory factor analysis in a convenience sample of 670 college students (M = 22.8 years, SD = 5.2) from a public Brazilian university in the technological area. The models with the ML, MLR, MLM and WLMSV estimators. Results Only WLSMV produced models with acceptable fit. The final model has a bi-factor structure with a general factor (self-regulated learning), 15 components as first-order factors, and four broad components as second-order factors. Twelve first-order components, all second-order components and the general factor had acceptable reliability. The components' elaboration, intrinsic goal orientation and metacognitive self-regulation, did not show acceptable reliability, in terms of McDonald's omega. Conclusion Considering the worldwide importance of the MSLQ, we do not recommend the use of the measurement of these components for clinical practice and psychoeducational diagnosis until new studies show that this low reliability only occurs in our sample. Our study shows new evidence, correcting many previous methodological mistakes and producing initial evidence favorable to the factor structure of the MSLQ.

Measuring students learning approaches through achievement: structural validity of SLAT-Thinking / Medindo Abordagens de Aprendizagem pelo Desempenho: Validade Estrutural do TAP-Pensamento / Midiendo los Enfoques de Aprendizaje mediante el Desempeño: Validez Estructural del TAP-Pensamiento

The field of learning approach studies measures its constructs exclusively using self-report instruments. Recently created, SLAT-Thinking is the first test to measure performance approaches in a task that requires the respondent to identify the author's thinking in a given text. This paper presents the first evidence on the structural validity of SLAT-Thinking. A sample of 622 higher education students was randomly divided into training sample and test sample. Two models were tested in the training sample through confirmatory factor analysis of items, resulting in a final model. This model presented configural, metric, and scalar invariance when comparing the training and test sample. The results indicate that SLAT-Thinking reliably measures three levels of learning approaches: superficial, intermediate-deep, deep. The measurement of levels generates information not previously identified by the area, bringing conceptual implications for the construct.

O campo de estudos em abordagens de aprendizagem mensura exclusivamente seus construtos usando instrumentos de autorrelato. Criado recentemente, o TAP-Pensamento é o primeiro teste a mensurar abordagens via o desempenho em uma tarefa que demanda ao respondente identificar o pensamento do autor em determinado texto. O presente artigo apresenta as primeiras evidências sobre a validade estrutural do TAP-Pensamento. Uma amostra de 622 estudantes do ensino superior foi dividida aleatoriamente em amostra-treino e amostra-teste. Dois modelos foram testados na amostra-treino, via análise fatorial confirmatória de itens, resultando em um modelo final. Este modelo apresentou invariância configural, métrica, e escalar, ao se comparar a amostra treino e teste. Os resultados indicam que o TAP-Pensamento mensura de forma confiável três níveis de abordagens de aprendizagem: superficial, intermediária-profunda, profunda. A mensuração de níveis gera informações anteriormente não identificadas pela área, trazendo implicações conceituais para o construto.

El campo de estudios sobre los enfoques de aprendizaje mide sus constructos exclusivamente utilizando instrumentos de autorreporte. Recientemente creado, el TAP-Pensamiento es el primer test que mide los enfoques a través del desempeño de una tarea que demanda que la persona identifique el pensamiento del autor en un texto determinado. Este artículo presenta las primeras evidencias sobre la validez estructural del TAP-Pensamiento. Una muestra de 622 estudiantes de educación superior fue dividida aleatoriamente en muestra-entrenamiento y muestra-prueba. Dos modelos fueron testados en la muestra de entrenamiento a través del análisis factorial confirmatorio de ítems, lo que resultó en un modelo final. Este modelo presentó invarianza configural, métrica y escalar al comparar las muestras de entrenamiento y prueba. Los resultados indican que el TAP-Pensamiento mide de manera confiable tres niveles de enfoques de aprendizaje: superficial, intermedio-profundo y profundo. La medición por niveles genera información no identificada previamente por el área, trayendo implicaciones conceptuales para el constructo.

Investigando evidências de validade de conteúdo e estrutural em tarefas de um treino cognitivo para idosos / Investigating evidence of content and structural validity in cognitive training tasks for the elderly / Investigando evidencias de validez de contenido y estructural en tareas de un entrenamiento cognitivo para ancianos

O presente artigo objetiva reportar os resultados de dois estudos de validade conduzidos em um treino cognitivo para idosos. O modelo teórico adotado para a intervenção previu a estimulação de cinco habilidades cognitivas. Um estudo de validade de conteúdo foi conduzido por meio de uma análise de juízes com um grupo de 16 especialistas na área. Os resultados apontaram para uma baixa concordância entre os avaliadores (índice Fleiss Kappa=0,11; -0,02

The present article reports the results of two validity studies conducted in a cognitive training session for the elderly. The theoretical model adopted for the intervention predicted the stimulation of five cognitive abilities. A content validity study was conducted through a panel of judges including 16 experts in the field. The results pointed to a low agreement between the evaluators (Fleiss Kappa index=0.11; -0.02

Este artículo tuvo como objetivo informar los resultados de dos estudios de validez realizados en un entrenamiento cognitivo para ancianos. El modelo teórico adoptado para la intervención previó la estimulación de cinco habilidades cognitivas. Se realizó un estudio de validez de contenido que fue conducido por medio de un análisis de jueces con un grupo de 16 especialistas en el área. Los resultados mostraron baja concordancia entre los evaluadores (índice FleissKappa=0,11; -0,02

Validación del Inventario de Ansiedad Estado - Rasgo (STAIC) en niños escolarizados entre los 8 y 15 años / Validation of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAIC) in school children between the ages of 8 and 15

The purpose of this investigation was to standarize State - Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) in children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 15. The standarization of the STAIC questionnaire is the result of the evaluation of 670 children of both genders, in 35 public and private educational institutions in the city of Medellín, Colombia. The data base had an analysis through the program SPSS version 10.0. The analysis consisted in evaluating the structural properties of the test through the construct validity found in the factorial analysis with varimax rotation by the principal components method and the reliability by the Cronbach alpha with the intraclass correlation coefficient. The analysis of the above conditions brought up a result of six factors in its factorial analysis. A Cronbach alpha of 0.70 was established.

Esta investigación tuvo como propósito estandarizar el Inventario de Ansiedad Estado - Rasgo (STAIC) en niños y adolescentes entre 8 y 15 años de edad. La estandarización del cuestionario STAIC, es el resultado de la evaluación de 670 niños de ambos géneros, en 35 instituciones educativas públicas y privadas de la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia, La base de datos tuvo un análisis a través del programa SPSS versión 10.0. El análisis consistió en evaluar las propiedades estructurales de la prueba a través de la validez de constructo hallada bajo el análisis factorial con rotación varimax por el método de componentes principales y la confiabilidad por alpha de Cronbach con coeficiente de correlación intraclase. El análisis de dichas condiciones arrojó como resultado seis factores en su análisis factorial. Se estableció un alpha de Cronbach de 0.70.