Well-being in institutionalised adolescents.

BACKGROUND: For adolescents who have criminal convictions, achieving a positive progress including desistance from offending may depend on a sense of well-being. Factors associated with growth in well-being are not widely researched, but there is some work that suggests that qualities in other internal states as well as in the environment may foster well-being. AIMS: To examine the well-being of young male incarcerated offenders, and its relationship with frequency of contacts with the family, perceptions of socio-educational environment, feelings about the future and self-efficacy. METHODS: Participants were recruited from three secure education institutions in the Federal District of Brasília, Brazil, under the management of the Secretariat of Justice. They were invited to complete anonymous self-report questionnaires, which included the Psychological Well-Being Scale, the Perception of the Socio-Educational Environment Scale, the Feelings about the Future Scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Self-Efficacy, and to provide limited sociodemographic data. RESULTS: 195 young male offenders participated and their mean age was 16.8 years (SD = 1.58, range 14-20). There was a positive correlation between well-being and perceptions of the socio-educational environment, positive feelings about the future and self-efficacy self-ratings. Multiple linear regression analyses confirmed that the frequency of family contacts, positive perceptions of the socio-educational environment, positive feelings about the future, and self-efficacy in leisure and social activities independently contributed to the well-being of young offenders. CONCLUSION: Although well-being has been associated with desistance from committing crimes, the factors that may predispose to well-being have been researched less and never before examined among inmates in Brazil. While longitudinal work is needed to be certain of the direction of the relationship, the fact that the results are broadly consistent with a similar study carried out on the other side of the world is encouraging in terms of indicating ways forward in rehabilitation. It is necessary to develop interventions that support family relationships and promote personal relationships and personal development, not only of useful skills but also of personal confidence in those skills.

Validation of the sociopolitical control scale for youth among Brazilian juvenile offenders in rehabilitation.

Empowerment theories provide the conceptual framework to understand the process of change among marginalized groups in rehabilitation. Sociopolitical control is an element of the intrapersonal component of psychological empowerment (PE). The current study analyzes the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) in a sample of institutionalized young male offenders (N = 190) and examines its relationships with well-being, perception of educational environment, self-efficacy, and drug consumption. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-dimensional structure of the SPCS-Y (leadership competence and policy control). Linear regression models indicated that consumption of drugs contribute positively to leadership competence, and policy control was explained by well-being, positive perception of educational environment, and enlisting social support. The results are consistent with previous studies from other countries and indicate that the SPCS-Y is a valid measure to assess sociopolitical control among adolescents in rehabilitation. Additionally, theoretical implications and directions for practice are discussed in the paper.

Portuguese Version of Teacher Feedback Scale: A Preliminary Study / Versão Portuguesa da Escala de Feedback do Professor: Um Estudo Preliminar / Versión Portuguesa de la Escala de Feedback del Profesor: Un Estudio Preliminar

Abstract Teacher feedback in the classroom has a powerful influence on pupils' performance and motivation. The study aims to analyze psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Teacher Feedback Scale (TFS) in a sample of 228 children in the 4th grade of schooling. Exploratory factor analysis shows similarities with the original version, and the differences observed were based on the children's cognitive development characteristics and cultural specificities of the two samples. The relationship between teacher feedback and students' motivational variables was confirmed, such as the preference that the children expressed for the school subjects. The possibility to make some changes in the items is contemplated, in order to increase validity and reliability of the measure. The data highlight the potential of using the TFS in schools, which could contribute towards clarifying the teachers' role in the formation of pupils' self-concept.

Resumo O feedback do professor na sala de aula constitui uma poderosa influência no desempenho e na motivação dos alunos. O estudo tem como objetivo analisar as características psicométricas da versão Portuguesa da Escala de Feedback do Professor (TFS) em uma amostra de 228 crianças do 4º ano de escolaridade. A análise fatorial exploratória demonstrou semelhanças com a versão original, e as diferenças observadas decorreram das características de desenvolvimento cognitivo das crianças e de especificidades culturais das duas amostras. Foi confirmada a relação entre o feedback do professor e variáveis motivacionais dos estudantes, como a preferência pelas disciplinas escolares. Almejam-se mudanças em alguns itens, de modo a aumentar a validade e consistência da medida. Os dados salientam o potencial de utilização do instrumento nas escolas, com vista a clarificar o papel do professor na formação do autoconceito das crianças.

Resumen El feedback del profesor en la sala de clase constituye una poderosa influencia en el desempeño y en la motivación de los alumnos. El estudio tiene como objetivo analizar las características psicométricas de la versión Portuguesa de la Escala de Feedback del Profesor (TFS) en una muestra de 228 niños del 4º año de escolaridad. El análisis factorial exploratorio demuestra semejanzas con la versión original, y las diferencias observadas son decurrentes de las características de desarrollo cognitivo de los niños e de las especificidades culturales de las dos muestras. Fue confirmada la relación entre el feedback del profesor y variables motivacionales de los estudiantes, como la preferencia por las disciplinas escolares. Se contempla la posibilidad de realizar alteraciones en algunos ítems de modo a aumentar la validez y consistencia de la medida. Los datos destacan el potencial de la utilización del instrumento en las escuelas con vista a clarificar el papel del profesor en la formación del autoconceito de los niños.

Perceção do feedback do professor e autoconceito vocacional / Teacher feedback perception and vocational self-concept / Percepción del feedback del profesor y autoconcepto vocacional

Com fundamentação sociocognitiva, o estudo analisa o papel das perceções de feedback do professor nas competências percebidas e interesses na infância. Participaram 228 crianças do 4º ano de escolaridade, que responderam ao Inventário de Atividades para Crianças (ICA-R) e à Escala de Feedback do Professor (TFS). A análise de trajetórias demonstrou associação indireta entre feedback atribucional de esforço e capacidade a matemática e interesses Realistas e Convencionais, sendo a relação mediada pelas respetivas perceções de competência. Na leitura, o feedback tem efeito indireto nos interesses Artísticos e Sociais, mediado pelas competências percebidas. O feedback do professor atua ainda como moderador da relação entre género, perceções de competência e interesses. Discutem-se as implicações teóricas e práticas dos resultados.

From a socio-cognitive perspective, the study analyzes the role of teacher feedback perceptions in perceived skills and interests in childhood. In this study took part 228 fourth grade children, who responded to the Children Activities Inventory - Revised (CAI-R) and the Teacher Feedback Scale (TFS). The trajectory analysis showed an indirect association between the effort attribution feedback and mathematical skill, and realistic and conventional interests, being the relation mediated by the respective perceptions of skills. In reading, feedback has an effect on artistic and social interests, also mediated by perceived skills. The teacher's feedback still acts as moderator of the relationship between gender, perceived skills and interests. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Con fundamentación sociocognitiva, el estudio analiza el papel de las percepciones del feedback del profesor en las habilidades percibidas y en los intereses en la infancia. Participaron 228 niños del 4º año de escolaridad, que respondieron al Inventario de Actividades para Niños (ICA-R) y a la Escala de Feedback del Profesor (TFS). El análisis de trayectorias mostró asociación indirecta entre el feedback de atribución de esfuerzo y la capacidad matemática e intereses realistas y convencionales, estando mediada esta relación por las respectivas percepciones de competencia. En la lectura, el feedback tiene un efecto indirecto en los intereses Artísticos y Sociales, mediado por las competencias percibidas. El feedback del profesor actúa aún como moderador de la relación entre género, competencias percibidas e intereses. Se discuten las implicaciones teóricas y prácticas de los resultados.