Q-Herilearn: Assessing heritage learning in digital environments. A mixed approach with factor and IRT models.

The assessment of heritage learning in digital environments lacks instruments that measure it with sufficient guarantees of accuracy, validity, and reliability. This study attempts to fill this gap by developing an instrument that has shown solid metric qualities. The process of design and calibration of a scale applied to 1,454 participants between 19 and 63 years of age is presented in this article. Exploratory factor analysis (Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling ESEM) and Item Response Theory models (Graded Response Model GRM) were used. Sufficient evidence of both reliability and validity based on content and internal structure was obtained. Invariance of scores as a function of gender and age of participants has also been demonstrated. The discrimination parameters of the items have been found to be high, and the test information curves have shown that the subscales measure with sufficient precision wide ranges of the respective latent variables. The instrument presents wide possibilities of application to various areas of Heritage Education (e.g., design of programs in HE, definition and planning of teaching objectives, evaluation of programs, etc., in virtual environments).

Detecting non-content-based response styles in survey data: An application of mixture factor analysis.

It is common for some participants in self-report surveys to be careless, inattentive, or lacking in effort. Data quality can be severely compromised by responses that are not based on item content (non-content-based [nCB] responses), leading to strong biases in the results of data analysis and misinterpretation of individual scores. In this study, we propose a specification of factor mixture analysis (FMA) to detect nCB responses. We investigated the usefulness and effectiveness of the FMA model in detecting nCB responses using both simulated data (Study 1) and real data (Study 2). In the first study, FMA showed reasonably robust sensitivity (.60 to .86) and excellent specificity (.96 to .99) on mixed-worded scales, suggesting that FMA had superior properties as a screening tool under different sample conditions. However, FMA performance was poor on scales composed of only positive items because of the difficulty in distinguishing acquiescent patterns from valid responses representing high levels of the trait. In Study 2 (real data), FMA detected a minority of cases (6.5%) with highly anomalous response patterns. Removing these cases resulted in a large increase in the fit of the unidimensional model and a substantial reduction in spurious multidimensionality.

Examining the Suitability of the List of Indicators Describing Age-Related Typical Support Needs.

The list of indicators is a form of training material used for the Supports Intensity Scale-Children's version (SIS-C). It is aimed at helping interviewers distinguishing between extraordinary and age-related typical support needs in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) when implementing the SIS-C, and thus improve supports planning. The aim of this study is to adapt and test the list of indicators' content validity and rating scale's functioning in Spain. A total of 222 general education teachers reported their agreement with each indicator description using a 5-point rating scale. A total of 353 of 366 indicators showed evidence of content validity, whereas analyses on the rating scale highlighted the necessity of subsuming one of the scale categories within another. The need for developing research-based training materials to develop training programs on the use of the SIS-C to support decision-making concerning supports planning with students with IDD, the relevance of using the latest methodological approaches available when required, and future lines of research are discussed.

Toward a Better "Person-Environment Fit" through Items Calibration of the SIS-C.

The Supports Intensity Scale-Children's Version (SIS-C) is the only available tool to assess extraordinary support needs for children and adolescents with intellectual disability. In past years, several works have proclaimed the need for its ongoing improvement as a measurement instrument. To contribute to this line of research, the goal of this work is to analyze the reliability of the SIS-C and its usefulness to distinguish between different levels of intensity of support needs. To address this, 814 children and adolescents with intellectual disability (M = 11.13 years; SD = 3.41) were assessed using the SIS-C Spanish version. Item response theory analyses were conducted to estimate latent scores and assess measurement quality along the support needs continuum. The SIS-C items showed good overall discrimination and information values, and none showed problems that required their removal or modification. However, all the scales composing the SIS-C showed problems in discerning high levels of intensity of support needs, especially for children and adolescents with severe/profound intellectual disability. This ceiling effect may be an obstacle for both research and practice involving the SIS-C. Implications for research and practice are discussed, and future lines of research for improving the SIS-C are provided.

Examining measurement invariance and differences across groups in the support needs of children with and without intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study were to empirically determine whether the support needs construct is generalizable across children with and without intellectual disability and to conduct cross-group comparisons to explore how extraordinary and non-extraordinary support needs differ in children. METHOD: One thousand thirty-six children (814 with intellectual disability 222 without intellectual disability) were assessed using the SIS-C. RESULTS: The SIS-C achieved scalar invariance between children with and without intellectual disability. Cross-group comparisons revealed differences in variances, in correlations between factors and significant latent mean differences for all factors. CONCLUSION: Results show that the support needs construct is generalizable to children with and without intellectual disability and that there are no qualitative differences in how they show their support needs, so typically developing children can be used as a reference group to explore differences between extraordinary and non-extraordinary support needs. Conceptual and practical implications are discussed, and future lines of research are provided.

Exploración de la estructura fenotípica del trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad (TDAH): subtipos frente a continuo de gravedad / AN Exploration of the phenotypic structure of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Subtypes vs. continuum of severity

El DSM-5 requiere para el diagnóstico del trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad (TDAH) la presencia de al menos seis síntomas, dando lugar a tres subtipos o presentaciones. Sin embargo la validez de los subtipos sigue siendo objeto de debate. Nuestros objetivos fueron (a) investigar si el TDAH es mejor caracterizado como una tipología, un continuo o una mixtura de ambos, e (b) investigar si las presentaciones del TDAH propuestas por el DSM-5 pueden ser empíricamente validadas. Para ello, comparamos modelos factoriales, modelos de perfiles latentes y modelos factoriales mixtos estimados sobre los datos provenientes de 871 niños (de 5 a 14 años). El mejor modelo fue el de dos factores (déficit de atención e hiperactividad/impulsividad) y cuatro clases. Las clases no representaron grupos con perfiles sintomáticos cualitativamente distintos, sino una mixtura de distribuciones aproximadamente normales subyacentes a un mismo continuo de gravedad. Estos resultados no apoyan la categorización de los niños en subtipos o presentaciones, sino su evaluación en un continuo de gravedad cuyo extremo superior podría entenderse como la manifestación clínica del TDAH

DSM-5 requires for the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) the presence of at least six symptoms, resulting in three subtypes or presentations. However, the validity of the subtypes remains debated. Our objectives were (a) to investigate whether ADHD is best characterized as a typology, a continuum, or a mixture of both, and (b) to investigate whether ADHD presentations proposed by DSM-5 can be empirically validated. For this purpose, we compared confirmatory factor models, latent profile models and mixture factor models on data from 871 children (5 to 14 years old). The best model was that of two factors (attention deficit and hyperactivity/impulsivity) and four classes. The classes did not represent groups with qualitatively different symptomatic profiles, but a mixture of approximately normal distributions underlying the same severity continuum. These results do not support the categorization of children in subtypes or presentations, but their assessment in a continuum of severity whose upper end could be understood as the clinical manifestation of ADHD

Invariance of parent ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms for children with and without intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: Although attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered a valid diagnosis for children with intellectual disability, no studies have evaluated the invariance of ADHD symptom ratings across children with and without intellectual disability. METHOD: Parents completed ratings on the ADHD symptoms for 189 children with intellectual disability and for 474 children without intellectual disability. Differential item functioning analysis was used to determine the equivalence of the ADHD symptoms across the two groups. RESULTS: The symptoms loses things, talks too much, and blurts out answers showed significant bias against children with intellectual disability. The prevalence of ADHD in children with intellectual disability was 18% (according to the symptom criterion), and 7.4% when the academic and/or social impairment criterion was also considered. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the ADHD symptoms can be valid for the assessment of ADHD in children with mild and moderate intellectual disability. ADHD symptoms may be used in further studies to establish base rates of the disorder in the intellectual disability population.

Non-reciprocal Friendships in a School-Age Boy with Autism: The Ties that Build?

This mixed-methods study examined differences in social interaction patterns between a school-age boy with autism and his friends, non-reciprocal friends, and non-friends during recess time at a mainstream school (third grade of elementary school). Through a combination of observational methodology and social network analysis with an idiographic, follow-up and multidimensional design approach, we used lag sequential and polar coordinate analysis to ascertain the associations between various interactive behaviors as a function of type of friendship relation. After 40 sessions, we found that the non-reciprocal friendship relations of the boy with autism could have significantly greater potential than his reciprocal friendships to increase active engagement and reduce the time he spent alone during recess.

Validação brasileira do questionário de ansiedade social para adultos (CASO) / Brazilian validation of the social anxiety questionnaire for adults (SAQ) / Validación brasileña del cuestionario de ansiedad social para adultos (CASO)

Uma prática comum no campo da avaliação da ansiedade social em países de língua espanhola e portuguesa é o uso de instrumentos de origem anglo-saxã sem adaptação prévia para o país de nova aplicação. Recentemente, desenvolveu-se empiricamente o novo Questionário de Ansiedade Social para Adultos (CASO) com situações sociais provenientes da América Latina, da Espanha e de Portugal. Este artigo apresenta as propriedades psicométricas do CASO aplicado a uma amostra de 2.422 brasileiros. Os resultados mostram que o questionário mantém a sua estrutura original de cinco dimensões, com os seus 30 itens apresentando carga fatorial superior a 0,40 em cada um dos cinco fatores. A confiabilidade e a consistência interna são elevadas. Foram encontradas diferenças associadas ao sexo, com mulheres pontuaram de maneira mais elevada em três das cinco dimensões e na ansiedade social geral. Esses dados indicam que o CASO (SAQ) é uma medida válida e confiável para uso no Brasil.

A common practice in the field of social anxiety assessment in Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries is the use of instruments, developed in English-speaking countries, without prior adaptation to the country of application. Recently, it has been empirically developed the new Social Anxiety Questionnaire for Adults (SAQ) with social situations from Ibero America, Spain, and Portugal. This article presents the psychometric properties of the SAQ, applied to a sample of 2,422 Brazilians. The results show that the questionnaire maintains its five-factor original structure, with its 30 items loading above 0.40 in each of the five factors. The reliability and internal consistency are high. Differences associated with gender were found, showing that women scored higher than men in three out of the five factors and in global social anxiety. These data indicate that the SAQ is a reliable and valid measure for use in Brazil.

Una práctica frecuente en el campo de la evaluación de la ansiedad social en países de lengua española y portuguesa es el empleo de instrumentos de origen anglosajón. Recientemente se ha desarrollado de forma empírica el nuevo Cuestionario de ansiedad social para adultos (CASO) con situaciones sociales generadas en Latinoamérica, España y Portugal. Este artículo presenta las propiedades psicométricas del CASO aplicado a una muestra de 2.422 brasileños. Los resultados muestran que el cuestionario mantiene su estructura original de cinco dimensiones, con sus 30 ítems presentando una saturación factorial superior a 0,40 en cada uno de los cinco factores. La fiabilidad y la consistencia interna son elevadas. Se encontraron diferencias asociadas al sexo, con las mujeres puntuando más alto que los hombres en tres de las cinco dimensiones y en la ansiedad social global. Estos datos indican que el CASO (SAQ) es una medida válida y fiable para su utilización en Brasil.

Examining age-related differences in support needs on the Supports Intensity Scale-Children's Version-Spanish translation / Diferencias relacionadas con la edad en las necesidades de apoyo: análisis de la versión española de la Escala de Intensidad de Apoyos para Niños y Adolescentes

Background: Interest in the support needs of people with intellectual disability has directed attention to developing assessments to measure of the pattern and intensity of supports which people need to participate in valued life activities. Assessments of the support needs of children must account for the influence of age. Method: Four hundred fifty (450) Spanish children with intellectual disability (ages 5-16) were assessed with the SIS-C Spanish. To test for measurement invariance and latent differences, the SIS-C Spanish standardization sample was linked to the SIS-C English normative sample. Models developed during the norming process were used to investigate measurement equivalence across age groups, differences in latent means, and differences in latent variances and standard deviations. Results: Findings suggested that all items on the SIS-C Spanish could reliably be used to measure support needs of children ages 5-16. When exploring age-related differences at the latent level, however, data showed latent mean differences in support need domain scores across age cohorts. Conclusions: The same set of items can be used to measure support needs in children ages 5-16, but age-related influences must be considered in developing norms for theSIS-C Spanish as well as in planning supports for children (AU)

Antecedentes: El interés en las necesidades de apoyo de las personas con discapacidad intelectual debe centrarse en la evaluación del patrón e intensidad de los apoyos requeridos para realizar las actividades diarias. Cuando se evalúan estas necesidades en niños, se debe considerar además la influencia de la edad. Método: Se evaluaron 450 personas con discapacidad intelectual (5-16 años) mediante la versión española de la SIS-C. La invarianza de medida y las diferencias latentes fueron analizadas relacionando la muestra española con la muestra normativa de la versión en inglés. Los modelos desarrollados para la creación de baremos se utilizaron para estudiar las equivalencias de medida en los distintos grupos de edad y las diferencias latentes de sus medias, varianzas y desviaciones típicas. Resultados: Los ítems de la versión española de la SIS-C son fiables para medir las necesidades de apoyo en personas de entre 5 y 16 años. A nivel latente, los datos mostraron diferencias en las medias de las puntuaciones de diferentes grupos de edad. Conclusiones: Pueden utilizarse los mismos ítems para medir las necesidades de apoyo de niños y adolescentes, pero debe considerarse la influencia de la edad tanto en la creación de baremos como en la planificación de apoyos (AU)

Hierarchy and Psychometric Properties of ADHD Symptoms in Spanish Children: An Application of the Graded Response Model.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnostic criteria assume that the 18 symptoms carry the same weight in an Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and bear the same discriminatory capacity. However, it is reasonable to think that symptoms may differ in terms of severity and even in the reliability with they represent the disorder. To test this hypothesis, the aim of this study was to calibrate in a sample of Spanish children (age 4-7; n = 784) a scale for assessing the symptoms of ADHD proposed by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, IV-TR within the framework of Item Response Theory. Samejima's Graded Response Model was used as a method for estimating the item difficulty and discrimination parameters. The results showed that ADHD subscales (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity / Impulsivity) had good psychometric properties and had also a good fit to the model. However, relevant differences between symptoms were observed at the level of severity, informativeness and reliability for the assessment of ADHD. This finding suggests that it would be useful to identify the symptoms that are more important than the others with regard to diagnosing ADHD.

Validez de constructo y fiabilidad del «Cuestionario de ansiedad social para adultos¼ (CASO) en Colombia / Construct validity and reliability of the "Social Anxiety Questionnaire for adults" (SAQ) in Colombia

El «Cuestionario de ansiedad social para adultos¼ (CASO) es una medida de autoinforme desarrollada para los países de habla española y portuguesa. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la validez de constructo y la fiabilidad del CASO en Colombia. Participaron 5477 personas de la población general contestando el CASO y la «Escala de ansiedad social de Liebowitz-versión de autoinforme¼ (LSAS-SR). El análisis paralelo y el análisis factorial exploratorio del CASO arrojaron una solución de cinco factores (hablar en público/interacción con personas de autoridad; quedar en evidencia o en ridículo; expresión asertiva de molestia, desagrado o enfado; interacción con el sexo opuesto e interacción con desconocidos), que explicaban el 53.44% de la varianza. El análisis factorial confirmatorio mostró que el modelo de cinco factores correlacionados era el modelo con mejor ajuste. Las correlaciones entre la puntuación total del CASO y las subescalas y la puntuación total de la LSAS-SR fueron de moderadas a altas (0.53< r <0.64). La fiabilidad y la consistencia interna de la puntuación total del CASO fueron de 0.91 y 0.93, respectivamente, y para las dimensiones estuvieron entre 0.74 y 0.84. Estos resultados permiten concluir que el CASO es una medida válida y fiable para medir la ansiedad social en la población colombiana.

The Social Anxiety Questionnaire for adults (SAQ) is a self-report measurement tool developed for Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries. The aim of this study was to examine the construct validity and reliability of the SAQ in Colombia. A total of 5477 people from the general population answered the SAQ and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Self-Report version (LSAS-SR). The parallel and exploratory factor analysis of the SAQ yielded a five-factor solution with, speaking in public/talking with people in authority; criticism and embarrassment; assertive expression of annoyance, disgust, or displeasure; interaction with the opposite sex, and interactions with strangers, explaining 53.44% of variance. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the five correlated factors model was the best fitted model. Correlations between the total score of the SAQ and total score of the LSAS-SR and its subscales were from moderate to high (0.53 < r< 0.64). The reliability and internal consistency for the total score and dimensions of the SAQ were 0.91 and 0.93, respectively, and for the dimensions were between 0.74 and 0.84. These results suggest that the SAQ is a valid and reliable measurement tool for the Colombian population.

A new scale for the measurement of quality of life in children with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities make up a group which is in urgent need of an adequate operationalisation of the quality of life construct, not only to improve individual personal outcomes but also to develop and implement evidence based practices. For that reason, and with the aim of answering the growing demand for an adequate evaluation instrument for this group, the KidsLife scale was developed. METHOD: This research provides evidence of the reliability and validity of the scale, which is composed of 96 items spread over eight subscales, and completed by a third-party respondent. The validation sample comprised 1060 people with intellectual disability, with ages ranging from 4 to 21 years old (M=13.51; SD=5.04). RESULTS: The results suggest that the eight quality of life domains assessed on the scale are reliable (Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.812 to 0.949). The evidence of the validity of the construct provided by Confirmatory Factor Analysis also demonstrated adequate indexes of fit for the eight-domain model. DISCUSSION: Future lines of research which may use the KidsLife Scale are suggested and discussed.

General and specific attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder factors of children 4 to 6 years of age: An exploratory structural equation modeling approach to assessing symptom multidimensionality.

We tested first-order factor and bifactor models of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to adequately summarize the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, (DSM-IV-TR) symptoms observed in a Spanish sample of preschoolers and kindergarteners. Six ESEM and CFA models were estimated based on teacher evaluations of the behavior of 638 children 4 to 6 years of age. An ESEM bifactor model with a central dimension plus 3 specific factors (inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity) showed the best fit and interpretability. Strict invariance between the sexes was observed. The bifactor model provided a solution to previously encountered inconsistencies in the factorial models of ADHD in young children. However, the low reliability of the specific factors casts doubt on the utility of the subscales for ADHD measurement. More research is necessary to clarify the nature of G and S factors of ADHD.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the supports intensity scale for children.

Support needs assessment instruments and recent research related to this construct have been more focused on adults with intellectual disability than on children. However, the design and implementation of Individualized Support Plans (ISP) must start at an early age. Currently, a project for the translation, adaptation and validation of the supports intensity scale for children (SIS-C) is being conducted in Spain. In this study, the internal structure of the scale was analyzed to shed light on the nature of this construct when evaluated in childhood. A total of 814 children with intellectual disability between 5 and 16 years of age participated in the study. Their support need level was assessed by the SIS-C, and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), including different hypotheses, was carried out to identify the optimal factorial structure of this scale. The CFA results indicated that a unidimensional model is not sufficient to explain our data structure. On the other hand, goodness-of-fit indices showed that both correlated first-order factors and higher-order factor models of the construct could explain the data obtained from the scale. Specifically, a better fit of our data with the correlated first-order factors model was found. These findings are similar to those identified in previous analyses performed with adults. Implications and directions for further research are discussed.

Examining age-related differences in support needs on the Supports Intensity Scale-Children's Version-Spanish translation.

Background: Interest in the support needs of people with intellectual disability has directed attention to developing assessments to measure of the pattern and intensity of supports which people need to participate in valued life activities. Assessments of the support needs of children must account for the influence of age. Method: Four hundred fifty (450) Spanish children with intellectual disability (ages 5-16) were assessed with the SIS-C Spanish. To test for measurement invariance and latent differences, the SIS-C Spanish standardization sample was linked to the SIS-C English normative sample. Models developed during the norming process were used to investigate measurement equivalence across age groups, differences in latent means, and differences in latent variances and standard deviations. Results: Findings suggested that all items on the SIS-C Spanish could reliably be used to measure support needs of children ages 5-16. When exploring age-related differences at the latent level, however, data showed latent mean differences in support need domain scores across age cohorts. Conclusions: The same set of items can be used to measure support needs in children ages 5-16, but age-related influences must be considered in developing norms for the SIS-C Spanish as well as in planning supports for children.

Antecedentes: El interés en las necesidades de apoyo de las personas con discapacidad intelectual debe centrarse en la evaluación del patrón e intensidad de los apoyos requeridos para realizar las actividades diarias. Cuando se evalúan estas necesidades en niños, se debe considerar además la influencia de la edad. Método: Se evaluaron 450 personas con discapacidad intelectual (5-16 años) mediante la versión española de la SIS-C. La invarianza de medida y las diferencias latentes fueron analizadas relacionando la muestra española con la muestra normativa de la versión en inglés. Los modelos desarrollados para la creación de baremos se utilizaron para estudiar las equivalencias de medida en los distintos grupos de edad y las diferencias latentes de sus medias, varianzas y desviaciones típicas. Resultados: Los ítems de la versión española de la SIS-C son fiables para medir las necesidades de apoyo en personas de entre 5 y 16 años. A nivel latente, los datos mostraron diferencias en las medias de las puntuaciones de diferentes grupos de edad. Conclusiones: Pueden utilizarse los mismos ítems para medir las necesidades de apoyo de niños y adolescentes, pero debe considerarse la influencia de la edad tanto en la creación de baremos como en la planificación de apoyos.

Psychometric properties of an innovative self-report measure: The Social Anxiety Questionnaire for adults.

This article presents the psychometric properties of a new measure of social anxiety, the Social Anxiety Questionnaire for adults (SAQ), composed of 30 items that were developed based on participants from 16 Latin American countries, Spain, and Portugal. Two groups of participants were included in the study: a nonclinical group involving 18,133 persons and a clinical group comprising 334 patients with a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder (social phobia). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a 5-factor structure of the questionnaire. The factors were labeled as follows: (1) Interactions with strangers, (2) Speaking in public/talking with people in authority, (3) Interactions with the opposite sex, (4) Criticism and embarrassment, and (5) Assertive expression of annoyance, disgust, or displeasure. Psychometric evidence supported the internal consistency, convergent validity, and measurement invariance of the SAQ. To facilitate clinical applications, a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis identified cut scores for men and women for each factor and for the global score.

Development of a support needs assessment scale for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities / Desarrollo de una escala de evaluación de necesidades de apoyo para niños y adolescentes con discapacidad intelectual

This paper focuses on the development of a scale for assessing support needs of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. This tool adheres to the most recent conception of intellectual disabilities and has been translated into Spanish following the international proposal initiated by the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities(AAIDD). The main focus of this research is to analyze the psychometric characteristics of this scale within the Spanish context. So far, this tool has been administered to a pilot sample of 143 people (both children and adolescents) with intellectual disabilities and has been analyzed according to the framework of Item Response Theory (IRT), specifically taking into account the assumptions of the Rating Scale Model (RSM). The results show preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the scale, as well as the adequate adjustment of the data to the proposed model

El artículo presentado está orientado al desarrollo de una escala de evaluación de necesidades apoyos para niños y adolescentes (5-16 años) con discapacidad intelectual. Esta herramienta es coherente con la concepción más reciente de discapacidad intelectual y se desarrolla en castellano a partir de una propuesta internacional iniciada desde la Asociación Americana de Discapacidades Intelectuales y del Desarrollo (AAIDD). El foco principal de este estudio es analizar, las características psicométricas de la escala en el contexto español. El instrumento ha sido aplicado a una muestra piloto de 143 niños y adolescentes con discapacidad intelectual y analizado bajo los supuestos de la Teoría de Respuesta a los Ítems (TRI); concretamente, se han asumido los supuestos del Modelo de Escalas de Clasificación. Los resultados alcanzados muestran evidencias iniciales de la fiabilidad y validez de la escala, así como el adecuado ajuste de los datos al modelo propuesto

Evaluación de las habilidades sociales en adultos con discapacidad intelectual: calibración de la escala SPSS-R mediante el modelo de Rasch / Assessment of social skills in adults with intellectual disability: calibration of the SPSS-R Scale with Rasch model

El objetivo del presente estudio ha sido la calibración de la "Escala de actuación social revisada" (Social Performance Schedule Scale Revided, SPSS-R, en una muestra de 181 personas adultas con discapacidad intelectual, mediante el modelo de escalas de clasificación de Rasch-Andrich, a fin de clarificar su estructura, dimensionalidad y propiedades psicométricas. Fue necesaria una reducción drástica de la escala, a fin de obtener una versión con una estructura factorial clara y consistente con el constructo evaluado (habilidades sociales). La escala resultante, de 24 ítems, se configuró en dos dimensiones bien definidas. Sus propiedades psicométricas (fiabilidad y validez) resultaron adecuadas y presentó un correcto ajuste de ítems y personas al modelo de Rasch. Conforme a su dificultad, los ítems se concentraron en al zona media de las dimensiones evaluadas, lo que aconseja en futuras revisiones incluir ítems en rangos altos y bajos de la variable latente

The study aims at calibrating the Social Performance Schedule Scale Revised (SPSS-R) in a sample of 181 adults with intellectual disability using the Rasch Andrich Rating Scale Model with the purpose of elucidating its structure, dimensionality and psychometric properties. In order to obtain a version with a clear factorial structure and coherent with the analysed construct (social skills), it was necessary to proceed with a drastic reduction of the scale. The resulting scale, composed of 24 items, showed the emergence of two distinct dimensions. Its psychometric properties (reliability and validity) turned out to be adequate, and it showed correct items and individuals fit to the Rasch model. According to their difficulty, the items concentrated in the mean zone of the analysed dimensions, which makes it advisable to include, in future studies, items in the high and low range of the latent variable

Differences in social anxiety between men and women across 18 countries.

Sex differences between men and women in social anxiety are largely unexplored. This study sought to shed some light on this topic. We administered self-report measures of social anxiety to community samples of 17,672 women and 13,440 men from 16 Latin American countries, Spain and Portugal, as well as to a clinical sample of 601 patients diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. Small but significant differences were found between men and women in the general degree of social anxiety and self-reported fears of interactions with the opposite sex, criticism and embarrassment, and speaking in public-talking to people in authority. These results point to small, but meaningful differences between men and women in social anxiety. Implications of these results for the self-report measurement of social anxiety in men and women are discussed.