Mapping self-report questionnaires for socio-emotional characteristics: What do they measure? / Mapeando instrumentos de autorrelato de competências socioemocionais: o que eles medem?

Whereas the structure of individual differences in many social and emotional attributes is well understood in adults, much less work has been done in children and adolescents. The main goals of this research were to specify the major content domains that are assessed across multiple socioemotional instruments (self-esteem, grit, self-efficacy, strengths and difficulties, Big Five) in research in the United States and Europe, to test them in a less developed context with considerable educational challenges (Brazilian schools). We selected the five most promising instruments and studied their structure at the item level in a large sample of Brazilian school students (N = 3,023). The extracted factors to capture the major domains of child differences represented in these instruments closely resembled the Big Five personality dimensions. We discuss the contribution of our findings to the assessment of socio-emotional skills in education research, as well as limitations of the current study, and suggestions for future research.

Enquanto a estrutura das diferenças individuais em muitos atributos sociais e emocionais está bem estabelecida em adultos, consideravelmente menos estudos foram conduzidos em crianças e adolescentes. Os objetivos do presente estudo foram especificar os principais domínios de conteúdo de múltiplos instrumentos socioemocionais (autoestima, garra, autoeficácia, forças e dificuldades e os cinco grandes fatores) usados em pesquisas nos Estados unidos da América e na Europa, e testá-los em um contexto muito menos desenvolvido e com consideráveis desafios educacionais, a saber, escolas brasileiras. Foram eleitos os cinco principais instrumentos socioemocionais utilizados internacionalmente, sendo investigada a sua estrutura fatorial em uma grande amostra de estudantes escolares (N = 3,023). Os fatores extraídos para representar os domínios socioemocionais dos instrumentos testados se mostraram bastante coerentes com as dimensões do modelo dos cinco grandes fatores. Discutem-se as contribuições do estudo na avaliação de competências socioemocionais na pesquisa educacional, bem como as limitações do estudo e sugestões para futuras investigações.

18REST: a short RIASEC-interest measure for large-scale educational and vocational assessment

Abstract The construction of the 18REST, a short 18-item inventory to describe students' position on John Holland's RIASEC interest types, is documented. The instrument is meant to be used in large-scale assessment in education and on the labor market, supplementing information on school achievement and social-emotional skills. This research was carried out in Brazil, initially with two independent samples composed by adolescents and adults. The 18REST's psychometric properties are compared to those of the more extended RIASEC item pool and confirmed in a new independent undergraduate sample. Despite differences between genders were found as expected, invariance measurement across gender was indicated. Different ways to use the 18REST in large-scale assessment are discussed.

The structure of the Montgomery-Åsberg depression rating scale over the course of treatment for depression.

The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is a widely used clinician-rated measure of depressive severity. Empirical support for the factor structure of the MADRS is mixed; further, the comparison of MADRS scores within and between patients requires the demonstration of consistent instrument properties. The objective of the current investigation was to evaluate MADRS factor structure as well as MADRS factorial invariance across time and gender. The MADRS was administered to 821 depressed outpatients participating in a large-scale effectiveness study of combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy for depression. Treatment outcome did not differ across treatment groups. Factor structure and invariance was evaluated via confirmatory factor analysis. A four-factor model consisting of Sadness, Negative Thoughts, Detachment and Neurovegetative symptoms demonstrated a good fit to the data. This four-factor structure was invariant across time and gender. A hierarchical model, in which these four factors served as indicators of a general depression factor, was also supported. A limitation of the current study is the lack of comprehensive characterization of patient clinical features; results need to be replicated in more severely depressed or treatment refractory patients. Overall, evidence supported the use of the MADRS total score as well as subscales focused on affective, cognitive, social and somatic aspects of depression in male and female outpatients.