Measurement invariance and differential item functioning of the functionality appreciation scale (FAS) in Colombia and Spain.

The Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) is increasingly used in diverse national and linguistic contexts. However, limited work has assessed the extent to which the instrument demonstrates measurement invariance and differential item functioning (DIF) across nations and respondent characteristics. Here, we examined measurement invariance and DIF of the FAS using archival data from adults in Colombia (Mebarak et al., 2023) and Spain (Zamora et al., 2024). Participants included 1420 (women n = 804, men n = 616) respondents from Colombia and 838 (women n = 415, men n = 423) respondents from Spain who completed translations of the FAS. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional structure of the FAS in both national groups. Additionally, the FAS achieved full measurement invariance (up to latent mean invariance) across both groups. We also found that the FAS lacked DIF as a function of age, body mass index (BMI), and gender identity across both national groups. Older participants (relative to younger participants), men (relative to women), and participants with lower BMIs (relative to those with higher BMIs) had higher FAS scores. These results support the notion that the FAS is measuring a common underlying construct across these national groups and respondent characteristics.

mHealth intervention to improve quality of life in patients with chronic diseases during the COVID-19 crisis in Paraguay: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic disease represent an at-risk group in the face of the COVID-19 crisis as they need to regularly monitor their lifestyle and emotional management. Coping with the illness becomes a challenge due to supply problems and lack of access to health care facilities. It is expected these limitations, along with lockdown and social distancing measures, have affected the routine disease management of these patients, being more pronounced in low- and middle-income countries with a flawed health care system. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to describe a protocol for a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of the Adhera® MejoraCare Digital Program, an mHealth intervention aimed at improving the quality of life of patients with chronic diseases during the COVID-19 outbreak in Paraguay. METHOD: A two-arm randomized controlled trial will be carried out, with repeated measures (baseline, 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month) under two conditions: Adhera® MejoraCare Digital Program or waiting list. The primary outcome is a change in the quality of life on the EuroQol 5-Dimensions 3-Levels Questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L). Other secondary outcomes, as the effect on anxiety and health empowerment, will be considered. All participants must be 18 years of age or older and meet the criteria for chronic disease. A total of 96 participants will be recruited (48 per arm). CONCLUSIONS: It is expected that the Adhera® MejoraCare Digital Program will show significant improvements in quality of life and emotional distress compared to the waiting list condition. Additionally, it is hypothesized that this intervention will be positively evaluated by the participants in terms of usability and satisfaction. The findings will provide new insights into the viability and efficacy of mHealth solutions for chronic disease management in developing countries and in times of pandemic. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04659746.

Efficacy of a self-applied online program to promote resilience and coping skills in university students in four Spanish-speaking countries: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence of a high prevalence of depression and anxiety in university students. Therefore, college time is a key period where prevention of mental disorders through interventions that promote resilience and mental health can be relevant. Currently, there are interventions available, but these are insufficient for those who need them. Online interventions are tools that can facilitate global accessibility and are easy for young people to use. CORE (Cultivating Our Resilience) is a self-administered online program, based on Ryff's psychological well-being model, to promote resilience and coping skills in university students at risk of developing symptoms of depression or anxiety. The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention protocol in comparison with an active control condition targeting healthy lifestyle, and a waiting list control condition. The study will be conducted in four populations of Spanish-speaking university students (Spain, Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico). METHODS: The study design is a randomized controlled trial (RCT). At least 324 university students will be randomly assigned to three conditions: 1) CORE, a 6-week training program to improve resilience; 2) HLP, a 6-week training to promote a healthy lifestyle; and 3) WL, waiting list control condition. The primary outcome measure will be the Connor-Davidson resilience scale. Additionally, measures of anxiety, depression, quality of life and socio-demographic variables (age, sex, incomes, marital status, among others) will be collected. Participants will be evaluated at pre-treatment, after each module, 6 weeks after allocation, and at 3-month follow-up. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses will be performed. DISCUSSION: The results of this study will contribute to research on Internet-administered interventions and the implementation of a protocol that includes a series of components designed to improve resilience and coping skills, increase psychological well-being, and prevent depression and anxiety disorders in Spanish-speaking university students. In addition, avenues will be opened up for new research on the effectiveness of these interventions focused on the prevention and promotion of mental health in Spanish-speaking countries. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03903978 on April 2, 2019.