La variable / The variable

RESUMEN Introducción: Uno de los elementos clave de una investigación es la variable, sin embargo, no existe acuerdo entre los metodólogos sobre los principales tópicos relacionados con ella, hecho que ha motivado la elaboración del presente artículo.

ABSTRACT Introduction: One of the key elements of an investigation is the variable, however, there is no agreement among methodologists on the main topics related to it, a fact that has motivated the preparation of this article.

Factorial validity and measurement invariance of the Psychosocial Uncertainty Scale

Abstract This study presents the development of the Psychosocial Uncertainty Scale (PS-US), which articulates the perception of uncertainty in the social context and its psychological experience. It was validated with a sample of 1596 students and active professionals (employed and unemployed). By randomly dividing this sample in three subsamples, the following analyses were performed: exploratory factor analysis (sample one: N = 827); preliminary confirmatory factor analysis identifying the final version of the scale (sample two: N = 382); confirmatory factor analysis (sample three: N = 387). Multi-group analysis was used to assess measurement invariance, gender, sociocultural level, and group of origin invariance, by using samples two and three. Group differences were explored with the complete sample through Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes (MIMIC) Models. Associations between this scale and the Uncertainty response Scale were explored through Structural Equation Modelling. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses' results showed good internal consistency and overall good psychometric qualities. The scale reached full metric invariance across groups, gender, SCL level and group of origin. Results highlight the sensitivity of the scale towards social vulnerability, proving the existence of sociocultural levels' effects on experiences of psychosocial uncertainty within working contexts, relationships and community living and self-defeating beliefs; and gender and students versus professionals' effects on psychosocial uncertainty. Furthermore, the scale associated significantly with Uncertainty Response Scale's dimensions, specifically with emotional uncertainty, which can be considered a self-defeating strategy. Results suggest that emotional coping strategies, are explained by psychosocial uncertainty by 57%, and so, may have social origins.

Development of Koreans Gut Quotient Measurement Scales / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to develop ‘Koreans Gut Quotient Measurement Scales (GQ)’, in which Koreans respond to questionnaires about the subjective feelings and symptoms of their intestinal health status. METHODS: Among 66 items pooled from previous studies and 4 items that were added following a focus group interview, 15 items were chosen using the Delphi survey. The content validity was evaluated using the content validity ratio. Data collected from 1,120 people from the general public in Korea were analyzed to verify the reliability and validity of GQ. RESULTS: The finalized GQ consisted of 17 items (including two exploratory measurement items) that were classified into three independent factors based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA): ‘perceived intestine discomfort’, ‘bowel movement discomfort’, and ‘bowel movement control discomfort’. The discriminant and convergent validity of GQ were identified using EFA, reliability test, and confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, the criterion-related validity of GQ was identified using correlation and multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The GQ, which is a simplified intestinal health index developed based on an easy questionnaire for the public to understand, can be used as a tool for the public to evaluate their own intestinal health and determine when to visit clinics.

Development of Koreans Gut Quotient Measurement Scales / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to develop ‘Koreans Gut Quotient Measurement Scales (GQ)’, in which Koreans respond to questionnaires about the subjective feelings and symptoms of their intestinal health status.METHODS: Among 66 items pooled from previous studies and 4 items that were added following a focus group interview, 15 items were chosen using the Delphi survey. The content validity was evaluated using the content validity ratio. Data collected from 1,120 people from the general public in Korea were analyzed to verify the reliability and validity of GQ.RESULTS: The finalized GQ consisted of 17 items (including two exploratory measurement items) that were classified into three independent factors based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA): ‘perceived intestine discomfort’, ‘bowel movement discomfort’, and ‘bowel movement control discomfort’. The discriminant and convergent validity of GQ were identified using EFA, reliability test, and confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, the criterion-related validity of GQ was identified using correlation and multiple regression analysis.CONCLUSIONS: The GQ, which is a simplified intestinal health index developed based on an easy questionnaire for the public to understand, can be used as a tool for the public to evaluate their own intestinal health and determine when to visit clinics.

Factorial validity and measurement invariance of the uncertainty response scale

Abstract This study presents the adaptation of the Uncertainty Response Scale (Greco & Roger, Pers. Individ. Differ, 31:519-534, 2001) to Portuguese. This instrument was administered to a non-clinical community sample composed of 1596 students and professionals, allowing a thorough validity and invariance analysis by randomly dividing participants into three subsamples to perform: an exploratory factor analysis (sample one: N = 512); a preliminary confirmatory factor analysis to identify the final solution for the scale (sample two: N = 543); and the confirmatory factor analysis (sample three: N = 541). Samples two and three were also used for multi-group analysis to assess measurement invariance, invariance across gender, sociocultural levels, and students versus active professionals. Results showed the scale reflects the original factorial structure, as well as good internal consistency and overall good psychometric qualities. Invariance results across groups reached structural invariance which provides a confident invariance measurement for this scale, while invariance across gender and sociocultural levels reached metric invariance. Accordingly, differences between these groups were explored, by comparing means with multi-group analysis to establish the scale's sensitivity toward social vulnerability, by demonstrating the existence of statistically significant differences regarding gender and sociocultural levels on how individuals cope with uncertainty, specifically in terms of emotional strategies, as a self-defeating strategy. Thus, females scored higher on emotional uncertainty, as well as low sociocultural levels, compared with higher ones. Therefore, it is proposed that this scale could be a sound alternative to explore strategies for coping with uncertainty, when considering social, economic, or other environmental circumstances that may affect them.

Antecedentes históricos de la valoración del daño corporal y baremos / Historical background of the assessment of bodily injury and scales

En el presente artículo se realiza un recorrido histórico de la Valoración del Daño Corporal, desde la época anterior a la escritura hasta nuestros días. La disciplina de Valoración del Daño Corporal es de gran utilidad en los Estados de Derecho donde se valoran consecuencias de diversos tipos de lesiones físicas y psicológicas, ya sea en materia penal o laboral, por lo que es de obligatorio manejo por parte de los Médicos Forenses y de al menos conocimiento básico de la comunidad médica en general. Con la premisa de “la mejor forma de adentrarse en una disciplina es conocer su historia” este artículo pretende abordar desde sus orígenes este tema, con las motivaciones de las que surgió y por tanto de su función actual en la sociedad civilizada.

The following article presents a historical journey of the corporal damage evaluation, beginning on the time prior to hand writting and until the present day. Corporal damage evaluation is an important tool when in a State of Rights, where the need of measuring the diverse types of physical o psycological traumas in labour issues o penal maters, become an escential subjet of knowledge for Forensic and General practitioners. Starting out from de premise that the best way to inmerse into a descipline is by knowing its origins, the present review was done in a way that we can approach the subject from its beginnings, the motivations of its creation and the final purpose it acomplishes in the present civilized society.

Calidad de vida y Nivel de salud percibido en personas con artritis reumatoide / Quality of life and perceived level of health in people with rheumatoid arthritis

A través de un estudio correlacional explicativo, se determinó la relación entre las características de la calidad de vida, el nivel de salud y los factores sociodemográficos y de acceso a la seguridad social en una muestra de 635 personas con artritis reumatoide. El trabajo se realizó en la Ciudad de Bogotá Colombia en una institución de salud de referencia a nivel nacional. Los participantes fueron entrevistados directamente por la investigadora en el momento de la consulta de enfermería previo al control programado de reumatología. Para la medición de calidad de vida y nivel de salud se aplicó la ficha de caracterización de paciente crónico, el instrumento QOL-RA y AIMS a los cuales se les realizó pruebas de validez facial y de contenido. Con los datos obtenidos se describieron los principales hallazgos sociodemográficos donde se muestra una prevalencia de artritis reumatoide más en mujeres que en hombres en un 87%. Se encontró una correlación positiva moderada de 0,596 estadísticamente significativa P= 0,001 entre la calidad de vida y el nivel de salud. Los factores sociodemográficos que se asocian a una peor percepción de calidad de vida y nivel de salud de los participantes son la característica ser mujer, que reduce el nivel promedio de calidad de vida (valor Beta -4,116 puntos P= 0,001) y del nivel de salud (Beta -19,83 puntos P= 0,001) con respecto a ser hombre; pertenecer al grupo de primaria o primaria incompleta, (Beta -4,38 P= 0,000) reduce el nivel promedio de calidad de vida y de nivel de salud percibido con respecto al grupo que refiere un mayor nivel educativo; el estrato socioeconómico 2 o menos se asocia a una peor calidad de vida y a un nivel bajo de salud (Beta -9,288 P= 0,000) con respecto a pertenecer a un mayor estrato socio-económico. Finalmente a través de un modelo teórico path que se probó preliminarmente a través de un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales de covarianza, se corroboraron algunos aspectos observados en los análisis de regresión como: ser mujer, pertenecer a un estrato inferior y un nivel de educación primaria o menos que afectan negativamente la calidad de vida y el nivel de salud. Los componentes social y de actividades cotidianas afectan en menor medida la calidad de vida y el nivel de salud.

Through a correlational explanatory study it was determined the relationship between characteristics of quality of life, health status, socio-demographic factors and access to social security in a sample of 635 people with rheumatoid arthritis. This study was carried out in the city of Bogota, Colombia in a national referral health institution. Participants were interviewed directly by the researcher at the time of the nursing consultation before to the scheduled rheumatology control. To measure quality of life and health status, characterization tab of chronic patient, and QOL-RA and AIMS instruments were applied which were tested for face and content validity. With the data obtained major socio-demographic findings were described, where it is shown a higher prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in women than in men in 87%. A moderate positive correlation of 0.596 statistically significant (P = 0.001) between quality of life and health status was found. Socio-demographic factors associated to a worse perception of quality of life and health status of the participants are the characteristics of being woman which reducing the average level of quality of life (Beta value -4,116 points P= 0.001) and health status (Beta -19,83 points P= 0.001) respect to be a man. Belonging to the group of elementary or incomplete elementary school (Beta -4.38 P= 0.000) reduces the average level of quality of life and perceived health status respect to the group referred to a higher level of education. Socioeconomic status 2 or less is associated to a poorer quality of life and a low level of health (Beta = -9.288 P 0.000) respect to belong to a higher socio-economic stratum. Finally, through a theoretical model path preliminarily tested through a structural covariance equation model, some aspects observed in the regression analyzes were corroborated such as: being woman, belonging to a lower stratum and elementary or less school level adversely affect quality of life and level of health. The daily activities and social components affect less quality of life and level of health.

Calidad de vida de niños mexicanos con leucemia linfoblástica aguda atendidos por el Seguro Popular / Quality of life in Mexican children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia affiliated with the Seguro Popular insurance program

Introducción. La calidad de vida relacionada a la salud es un constructo multidimensional que integra la percepción ante la enfermedad, el tratamiento y el funcionamiento en las áreas física, psicológica y de salud social de cada individuo. El objetivo de este estudio fue disponer de un instrumento confiable que evaluara la calidad de vida relacionada a la salud en niños mexicanos con leucemia linfoblástica aguda. Métodos. Primero, se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura hasta el año 2011 y se seleccionaron algunos estudios a partir de Medline. Se identificó que el instrumento Pediatric Cancer Quality of Life Inventory (PCQL-3) es uno de los que más se ha utilizado para evaluar la calidad de vida relacionada a la salud en niños con leucemia linfoblástica aguda. Después, este instrumento se aplicó a 123 pacientes atendidos en el Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, así como a sus padres. Resultados. De la revisión sistemática, se seleccionaron 17 estudios acerca del desarrollo de instrumentos para medir la calidad de vida relacionada a la salud en niños con leucemia linfoblástica aguda, y 15 que describen la calidad de vida. En los 123 pacientes evaluados, se determinó que la calidad de vida relacionada a la salud fue menor en los niños con leucemia linfoblástica aguda de alto riesgo y en las etapas iniciales del tratamiento. También se pudo comprobar que las náuseas y la ansiedad ante los procedimientos son las áreas con mayor afección. Al analizar los resultados de la calidad de vida relacionada a la salud entre los pacientes y los padres, se determinó que existe una buena concordancia (α Cronbach = 0.834). Conclusiones. La medición de la calidad de vida relacionada a la salud en niños con leucemia linfoblástica aguda es parte fundamental para la evaluación integral de su tratamiento y pronóstico. La escala PCQL-3 fue apropiada para la población de niños mexicanos con leucemia linfoblástica aguda.

Background. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) is a multidimensional construct that integrates the individual perception to the disease, treatment, and performance in physical, psychological and social health areas. The aim of this study was to provide a reliable instrument to measure HRQoL in Mexican children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Methods. The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase we conducted a systematic review of the literature until 2011. Studies were selected from Medline. It was found that Pediatric Cancer Quality of Life Inventory (PCQL-3) is one of the most widely used instruments to assess HRQoL in children with ALL; therefore, it was applied to 123 patients treated at the Hospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez and to their parents in the second phase of the study. Results. From the systematic review, we selected 17 studies of the development of instruments to measure HRQoL in children with ALL, and 15 which described their quality of life. In the 123 patients evaluated, we found that HRQoL was lower among children with high-risk ALL and in those children during the early stages of treatment. It was also found that the most common conditions are nausea and anxiety related to medical procedures. Good agreement (Cronbach α = 0.834) was found in the scores of HRQoL between patients and parents. Conclusions. HRQoL measurement in children with ALL is a central part of the comprehensive assessment of their treatment and prognosis. The PCQL-3 scale is appropriate for its use in Mexican children.

Validação fatorial da escala de resiliência de connor-davidson (CD-RISC-10) para brasileiros / Factorial validation and adaptation of the connor-davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC-10) for brazilians

Resiliência é defnida como a habilidade de um indivíduo para se recuperar das adversidades e se adaptar positvamente em situações de tensão e estresse. Estudiosos das relações entre indivíduo, organização e trabalho têm voltado a atenção para o fenômeno na tentatva de elucidar seus antecedentes e consequentes no contexto organizacional. Estudos sobre o assunto são incipientes e, dada a diversidade e os desacordos sobre o conceito, observa-se confusão e divergências na forma de avaliá-lo. Assim, o objetvo deste estudo foi avaliar as características psicométricas de uma versão brasileira da CD-RISC-10, medida bastante utlizada em estudos internacionais. Partciparam 463 pessoas com idade média de 28 anos (DP = 9,7) e, em sua maioria, com ensino médio completo. A análise fatorial exploratória confrmou estrutura unifatorial com os dez itens da escala e alfa de Cronbach de 0,82. Isso indica que a CD-RISC-10 é medida promissora para avaliar níveis de resiliência e ferramenta disponível para incrementar a investgação desse fenômeno. Destaca-se, entretanto, a necessidade de outros estudos de validade, fdedignidade e normatzação em amostras diversas.

Resilience is defned as an individual’s ability to recover from adversites and to adapt positvely in tense and stressful situatons. Researchers of the relatonship between individual, organizaton, and work have turned their atenton to this phenomenon in order to atempt to clarify its antecedents and efects in the organizatonal context. Studies regarding this subject are beginning to appear, and, in view of the diversity and disagreement over the concept, there is confusion and divergence on the way to evaluate it. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric characteristcs of a Brazilian version of the CD-RISC-10 - a widely used measure in internatonal studies. 463 people, on average 28 years of age (SD = 9,7) and mostly high school graduates, took part in this study. Exploratory factor analysis confrmed a one-factor structure with the ten scale items and a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.82. This indicates that the CD-RISC-10 is a promising measure for evaluatng levels of resilience, and an available tool for improving the investgaton of this phenomenon. However, it is important to emphasize the need for further studies regarding validity, reliability, and standardizaton in diverse samples.

La validez discriminante como criterio de evaluación de escalas: ¿teoría o estadística? / Discriminant validity as a scale evaluation criterion: theory or statistics?

La validez discriminante es uno de los criterios habituales para evaluar las escalas de medida de constructos latentes en ciencias sociales. Este artículo muestra como se pueden obtener resultados contradictorios si se aplican diferentes procedimientos estadísticos, por lo que se recomienda evaluar de forma teórica la divergencia entre escalas que representan conceptos. De este modo, la validez de contenido actúa como criterio robusto frente a determinados análisis estadísticos basados en covarianzas.

Discriminant validity is one of the usual criteria for evaluating measurementscales that define latent constructs in social sciences. This article shows howdifferent statistical procedures frequently used for accomplishing this aim can yield misleading results. Authors recommend a theoretical judgement about divergence among scales that are manifestation of latent concepts. Therefore, content validity represents a robust condition against certain covariance statistical based analysis.