O Teste de Compreensão Emocional (TEC): estudos psicométricos numa população portuguesa / The Test of Emotional Comprehension (TEC): psychometric studies in a portuguese population / Test de Comprensión Emocional (TEC): estudios psicométricos en una población portuguesa

O objetivo deste estudo é apresentar as vantagens e os contributos em contexto escolar do Teste de Compreensão Emocional (TEC) para a população portuguesa, desenvolvido a partir da versão brasileira, que tem por base o instrumento desenvolvido por Harris, Pons e seus colaboradores. No nosso estudo participaram 766 crianças (381 raparigas), com idades compreendidas entre 3 e 13 anos (M = 7.21, DP = 1.95), de diferentes extratos socioeconómicos. Os resultados mostram que o instrumento tem consistência interna aceitável e que é possível isolar as diferentes fases de desenvolvimento emocional propostas pelos autores. Os componentes que medem relacionam-se com diferentes variáveis importantes em contexto escolar (idade, estatuto socioeconómico, inteligência fluída), e explicam uma parte do rendimento académico e da retenção escolar. (AU)

The aim of this study was to present the advantages and contributions of the Emotional Comprehension Test (ECT) - Brazilian version, based on the instrument developed by Harris, Pons et al., in the school context of the Portuguese population. The sample comprises 766 children (381 girls), aged between 3 to 13 years (M = 7.21, SD = 1.95), from different socioeconomic backgrounds. The results show that the instrument has acceptable internal consistency and that it is possible to identify the different stages of emotional understanding proposed by the authors. The components measured relate to different important variables in school context (age, socioeconomic status, fluid intelligence), and explain part of the academic performance and school retention. (AU)

El objetivo de este estudio fue presentar ventajas y aportes en el contexto escolar del Test de Comprensión Emocional (TEC) en la población portuguesa, desarrollado a partir de la versión brasileña, que tiene por base el instrumento desarrollado por Harris, Pons y colaboradores. En nuestro estudio participaron 766 alumnos (381 niñas) con edades comprendidas entre los 3 y 13 años (M = 7.21, DT = 1.95), de diferentes extractos socioeconómicos. Los resultados muestran que el instrumento tiene consistencia interna aceptable y que es posible separar las diferentes etapas de desarrollo emocional propuesta por los autores. Los componentes de medición se relacionan con diferentes variables importantes del contexto escolar (edad, estatuto socioeconómico, inteligencia fluida) y explican una parte del rendimiento académico y de la retención escolar. (AU)

Contribuição do funcionamento executivo para o risco de obesidade extrema / Contribution of executive functioning to the risk of morbid obesity

O presente estudo tem como objetivo verificar se o funcionamento executivo pode influenciar o processo de obesidade extrema. Foi utilizada uma amostra composta por 48 participantes, que foram avaliados através dos seguintes instrumentos: Teste do Mapa do Zoo; Stroop Color and Word Test; Figura Complexa de Rey; e Trail Making Test (parte B). Os resultados mostraram que as provas Mapa do Zoo e Figura Complexa de Rey apresentam um efeito estatisticamente significativo sobre o logit da probabilidade de sofrer obesidade extrema, pelo que défices executivos podem se repercutir num comportamento alimentar mal adaptativo. Estes resultados comprovam a necessidade de identificar de forma precoce os défices executivos. Estas alterações podem ter um impacto no aumento da adiposidade e consequentemente poderão conduzir a obesidade. Desta forma, é possível delinear intervenções mais adequadas, com o intuito de educar as decisões alimentares destes indivíduos

This work aims to verify if the executive functioning can influence the development of morbid obesity. It was used a sample of 48 subjects, which were evaluated by the following neuropsychological assessment tools: Zoo Map; Stroop Interference Test; Rey Complex Figure; and Trail Making Test (part B). The results have shown that the Zoo Map and the Rey Complex Figure have a statistically significant effect on the probability of suffering of morbid obesity, so that executive deficits may lead to a maladaptive eating behavior. These results confirm the need to identify early executive deficits. These changes may have an impact on the increase of adiposity and, consequently, on the evolution of an obesogenic process. Thus, it is possible to delineate more appropriate interventions, in order to educate the eating habits of these individuals

The Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire: a study with Portuguese elementary school children

Abstract Background: Several studies have focused on the assessment of students' motivation because this construct is very important to understand students' learning and how to enhance it. The Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A), based on the self-determination theory is a self-report instrument developed to access the reasons why students do their school work. However, there is no Portuguese version of this questionnaire for late elementary students. The primary goal of this research was to analyze the psychometric properties of a Portuguese version of SRQ-A in the domain of Mathematics with elementary school children. Methods: Participants were 341 elementary school children ranging from 8 to 11 years old from the third and fourth grades. The Portuguese version of the SRQ-A included 24 items assessing four regulatory styles (external, introjected, identified, and intrinsic) in three behavioral categories (homework, classwork, and answering questions in mathematics lessons). To examine the psychometric properties of the instrument, we conducted an exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), measured gender and grade invariance, and calculated internal consistency indexes and temporal stability. Results: ESEM analyses supported the original multidimensional structure of the measure with four regulatory styles using a reduced version of the instrument with 16 items. Correlations between the four regulatory styles revealed a simplex pattern consistent with the continuum of self-determination theory. Results showed adequate internal consistency for all regulatory styles (α ≥ .73; CR ≥ .76) and temporal stability (4-month test-retest ≥ .43). The questionnaire showed measurement and structural invariance across gender and grade. Finally, some gender differences were observed; on average, boys scored higher than girls in external regulation. No differences were observed between grades. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the Portuguese version of the SRQ-A has good psychometric properties providing adequate support for its use in educational research on motivational styles, including studies concerning gender and grade differences in self-regulation.

Desenvolvimento da Compreensão Emocional / Emotional Comprehension Development

RESUMOA compreensão emocional é uma componente-chave da competência emocional, que se tem vindo a constatar ser importante para um melhor entendimento do desenvolvimento infantil. Este artigo faz uma revisão teórica desse construto, situando-o nos estudos sobre inteligência emocional e clarificando a sua definição. Apresentam-se, igualmente, os diferentes instrumentos que existem para a sua avaliação assim como os estudos que trazem evidências sobre o seu desenvolvimento. Concluiu-se que está demonstrada a existência de importantes mudanças na compreensão emocional da criança entre os 18 meses e os 12 anos. No entanto, é ainda necessário: a) reduzir a inconsistência conceptual presente nesse construto; b) determinar o que prediz; c) determinar se o seu ensino tem um efeito desejável no comportamento dos indivíduos.

ABSTRACTEmotional understanding is a key component of emotional competence, which has been singled out to be important for a better comprehension of child development. This paper is a theoretical review of this construct, placing it in the studies of emotional intelligence and clarifying its definition. It also presents the different existing tools towards its assessment as well as the array of studies providing evidence on its development. This theoretical research paper accounts for significantchanges inemotional understandingof childrenaged between 18 monthsand 12 years. Nonetheless, it is still necessary to: a) reduce theconceptualinconsistencyevidenced in thisconstruct; b) determine what it predicts; c) give an account whether its teachinghas adesirable impact on subjects' behaviour.