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Objective: This psychometric study explores the Portuguese version of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL‐5). It aims to clarify the best‐fitting latent structure among competing PTSD models (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders‐fifth edition [DSM‐5], Dysphoria, Dysphoric Arousal, Anhedonia, Externalizing Behavior, And Hybrid models) and its implications for PTSD measurement. Method: Psychometric analyses were conducted in a sample from the general population of firefighters (N = 446), except the temporal stability, which was tested in a subsample of 100 participants. Results: The models presented significant differences in a global fit. The Hybrid model presented the best‐fitting structure, but the DSM‐5 model showed more favorable reliability and convergent validity in Confirmatory Factor Analyses. The DSM‐5 model also proved to be internally consistency, temporally stable, and presented convergent validity. Conclusion: The Portuguese version of PCL‐5 is reliable and valid. The findings suggest the appropriateness of the DSM‐5 model to assess PTSD symptomatology, encouraging its use in clinical, and research settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment batteries of functional capacity provide robust indicators of real‐world functioning in major psychiatric illnesses and important information on an individual's ability to live autonomously and pursue relevant psychosocial goals. Objectives: This study explores the psychometric properties of the Portuguese USCD Performance‐based Skill Assessment 2 (UPSA‐2‐PT) in a mixed sample of Portuguese participants. Method: A sample of 110 participants, 37 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, 27 first‐degree relatives of patients and 46 controls were administered the UPSA‐2‐PT and self‐report questionnaires. The UPSA‐2‐PT reliability was assessed through inter‐rater reliability and internal consistency, convergent validity with community integration and a receiver operating curve analysis was conducted to establish scores' sensitivity and specificity. Youden's Index was used to determine an optimal UPSA‐2‐PT cutoff score. Results: Findings show an excellent inter‐rater reliability, good internal consistency and construct validity, consistent with previous studies in Western countries. The UPSA‐2‐PT also showed a good discriminant ability between patients and controls, and an overall percentage of correct classification of 86.7% based on the 81.59 cutoff. Discussion: Findings are congruous with previous versions, strengthening the body of evidence supporting the construct validity and providing a useful tool for research and clinical purposes to practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Argentine eco-regions and water bodies are differentially affected by Cyanobacteria. • Eco-strategies constitute a predictive tool for Cyanobacteria bloom management. • Geographic and climatological variables best predict absence of Cyanobacteria blooms. • Maximum cyanobacterial cell abundance indicates high potential risk for human health. The aim of the present research was to summarize the main reasons that explain the distribution of harmful blooms of cyanobacteria in Argentina. It is a large territory with climates ranging from humid tropical to cold temperate. We performed a meta-analysis of the published data and information in technical reports published from 1945 to 2015, and included additional data from personal non-published studies. A total of 122 water bodies affected by planktonic cyanobacterial blooms were recorded and geo-referenced. The analysis showed that blooms, defined as events exceeding 5000 cells/mL, occurred in different types of water bodies, including shallow lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs, estuaries and storage facilities. Maximum bloom abundance and species and ecological strategies (dispersive, scum-forming, nitrogen fixer) responsible for each event were related to the geographic and climatologic characteristics and type and origin of water bodies. The Puna and the Andean Patagonia eco-regions were mostly free of blooms. The most impaired aquatic systems were shallow lakes and reservoirs (46.7 and 24.6%, respectively). Deep lakes had no reports of blooms and rivers were mainly affected at the regulated reaches, with intensities generally decreasing downstream the dams. Besides, 74.3% of the blooms reported in Argentina exceeded WHO Alert Level 2 for drinking and bathing waters (100,000 cells/mL). Thirty-nine species, identified by Komárek's polyphasic approach to taxonomy, were responsible for the blooms. Microcystis aeruginosa , Dolichospermum spiroides , Dolichospermum circinale , Raphidiopsis mediterranea and Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii were frequently found participating in either mixed or single species blooms. The species distribution was associated with the eco-region and aquatic system typologies and affected by seasonality and climatological and geographic variables. The eco-strategies of cyanobacterial species showed stronger associations with the qualitative and quantitative indicators used in the meta-analysis, and appeared as useful tools for management measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological dysregulation is a complex and multidimensional construct encompassing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions. Research on psychological dysregulation emphasizes its importance in relation to several psychological disorders. However, assessing psychological dysregulation is often problematic because many of the existing instruments address a specific dysregulation dimension at a time, predominantly emotional dysregulation. The Abbreviated Dysregulation Inventory (ADI) was developed to assess three dimensions of psychological dysregulation: emotional, cognitive and behavioral. This study’s goal was to analyze the factor structure, internal consistency, and validity in relation to external variables of the Portuguese version of the ADI in a sample of 511 adolescents aged between 12 and 19 years old. The 3-factor solution was confirmed, and high internal consistency was found for the three subscales. Peculiar findings on the cognitive dysregulation subscale raised issues addressed in the discussion section. Results indicated that dysregulation associates positively with aggressive behavior and negatively with quality of life. Age and gender presented small influence on the cognitive and behavioral subscales scores, respectively. Findings suggested that ADI can be a valuable self-report measure to assess cognitive, behavioral or emotional dysregulation in youths, within research and psychological intervention settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social experiences have a significant impact on cognitive functioning and appraisals of social interactions. Specifically, recalls of antipathy from parents, submissiveness, and bullying during childhood can have a significant influence on paranoid ideation later in life. Method: Multiple hierarchical regression analysis was performed on a sample of 91 patients diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in remission and active phase, their first‐degree relatives (n = 32) and unaffected controls (n = 64). Objectives: Exploring the impact of distal (events from childhood) and proximal factors (current cognitive, emotional, and behavioural aspects of social functioning) in the frequency, degree of conviction, and distress resulting from paranoid ideation in the participants from 4 samples. Results: Proximal and distal factors (shame, submissive behaviour, negative social comparison, antipathy from father) predicted several aspects of paranoid ideation. Those variables had a differential impact in affected patients and healthy controls. Discussion Finding suggests different variables being involved in paranoid ideation, and the specificities of patients with paranoid schizophrenia should be considered in the development of more effective psychotherapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors, methods, and functions as well as suicide ideation in the adolescent population of a Portuguese community in São Miguel Island, Azores. Increasing rates of NSSI behaviors among adolescents have been observed globally, while suicidal behavior has been pointed as a major cause of death during adolescence. Methods: A sample of 1,763 adolescents, aged 14 to 22, was randomly drawn from public and private schools and administered a set of self-report questionnaires. Descriptive and regression analyses were used to look for specific relationships and predictors of NSSI and suicide ideation in this isolated community. Results: Approximately 30% of youths reported at least one NSSI behavior, a rate that is twice as high as most studies carried out in mainland Portugal and in other European countries. Biting oneself was the most frequent form of NSSI, and NSSI behaviors served predominantly automatic reinforcement purposes (i.e., regulation of disruptive emotional states). NSSI and suicide ideation encompassed different distal and proximal risk factors. Conclusions: Exploring and characterizing these phenomena is necessary to provide a better understanding, enhance current conceptualizations, and guide the development of more effective prevention and intervention strategies in youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies point out to the influence of social experiences on perceptions of the environment and others in cognitive functioning and different aspects of psychopathology. The current study aimed at studying the influence of the psychosocial risk factors in a mixed sample of participants from the general population and affected by paranoid schizophrenia. The extent to which the existence of negative life events and events that are threatening to the inner models of the self (i.e., history of maltreatment, physical, social or psychological abuse) or the memories of these traumatic events occurring during childhood are related to the existence of paranoid beliefs in adulthood was explored. Results suggested that memories of parental behaviours characterized by antipathy from both parental figures, submissiveness and bullying victimization were important predictors of paranoid ideation in adult life. This further emphasizes the need for understanding the family and social dynamics of people presenting paranoid ideations to the development of therapeutic interventions that can effectively reduce the invalidation caused by severe psychopathology, as is the case of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message Memories of family dynamics characterized by behaviours of antipathy from both parental figures, submissiveness and bullying victimization are important predictors of paranoid ideation in adult life., The study highlights the importance of exploring subjective recalls of feelings and behaviours associated with early rearing experiences, peer relationships and themes related to social rank theory in the roots of internal models of relationship with the self and others in the general sample, patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and their first-degree relatives., Our findings indicate that schizophrenic patients in active phase differ regarding memories of threat and submission and are more likely to remember childhood experiences perceived as threatening during an active phase than when in remission., It is possible that by changing these internal models and social interaction styles, patients may be able to get involved in more cooperating and affiliative interactions, disconfirming these early beliefs about others being rejecting, critical or hostile towards the self, and more effectively reducing the invalidation caused by positive and negative symptomatology of schizophrenia on social functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this pilot study was to assess the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral program in reducing cognitive distortions and schemas in prison inmates. The Angry Cognitions Scale and the Young Schema Questionnaire was answered by a treatment and control group, and the treatment effects were tested using ANCOVA with baseline as covariate and condition as fixed factor. In order to assess clinical change, the Reliable Change Index was computed. At baseline, no differences were found between groups, except for one subscale of the Angry Cognitions Scale (Maladaptive Processes), where controls scored higher than treatment subjects. ANCOVA showed significant differences between groups at post-treatment, with treatment subjects presenting lower scores on the studied variables. Concerning clinical change, differences between groups were observed in the distributions by change categories in the majority of the variables. These outcomes offer preliminary evidence of the program's ability to change cognitive variables underlying antisocial behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prison inmates are known to be a population with a high prevalence of mental disorders. Most of these disorders are chronic and difficult to treat, particularly in what concerns Cluster B Personality Disorders, which prevalence in forensic samples are even higher than in the general population. This study assesses the prevalence of Personality Disorders in a sample of 294 Portuguese male prison inmates, interviewed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II). The results showed a global prevalence rate of 79.9%, with 42.8% of the participants diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder as the main diagnosis. Paranoid, Passive-Aggressive, Borderline, and Narcissistic Personality Disorders were the most common comorbid diagnosis associated with Antisocial Personality Disorder. These results strongly suggest that Personality Disorders should be taken into account when deciding and planning the intervention inside prison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A considerable amount of meta-analytic research supports the effectiveness of cognitive–behavioral psychoeducational programs in reducing recidivism rates, in youths and adults with antisocial behavior. These same studies suggest that programs including a cognitive component are as twice as more effective in reducing recidivism rates. This paper reviews outcome studies sustaining the use of structured interventions in forensic settings. It introduces a new program, Growing Pro-Social (GPS), currently in use in several Portuguese youth rehabilitation centers and prisons. GPS is a multimodal structured group program designed for the rehabilitation of individuals with antisocial behavior. It includes 40 weekly sessions, organized into 5 sequential modules. Based on a cognitive–interpersonal theoretical framework, GPS focuses on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral change, assuming as an ultimate goal the modification of dysfunctional core beliefs underlying antisocial behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A considerable amount of meta-analytic research supports the effectiveness of cognitive–behavioral psychoeducational programs in reducing recidivism rates, in youths and adults with antisocial behavior. These same studies suggest that programs including a cognitive component are as twice as more effective in reducing recidivism rates. This paper reviews outcome studies sustaining the use of structured interventions in forensic settings. It introduces a new program, Growing Pro-Social (GPS), currently in use in several Portuguese youth rehabilitation centers and prisons. GPS is a multimodal structured group program designed for the rehabilitation of individuals with antisocial behavior. It includes 40 weekly sessions, organized into 5 sequential modules. Based on a cognitive–interpersonal theoretical framework, GPS focuses on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral change, assuming as an ultimate goal the modification of dysfunctional core beliefs underlying antisocial behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• We explore several neurocognitive and functional impairments of schizophrenia. • 3 samples at different risk levels were compared. • Memory, executive function, social and complex cognition were significantly impaired. • Functional outcomes were severely impaired in affected and at-risk individuals. • Implications to intervention strategies with patients and caretakers are discussed. Schizophrenia is a complex heritable brain disorder that entails significant social, neurocognitive, and functional deficits, and significant psychosocial challenges to affected and unaffected family members. In this cross-sectional study, we explore impairments in specific neurocognitive and social cognition processes in patients affected with schizophrenia, unaffected relatives, and in controls to provide a characterization of a genetically homogenous European sample from an endophenotypic and functional standpoint. A sample of 38 affected patients, 28 first-degree relatives, and 97 controls performed a series of computerized and skills-based assessments. Samples were compared across several neurocognitive, social, and functional domains. Significant impairments in episodic memory, executive function, social cognition, complex cognition, sensorimotor domains were found in patients and first-degree relatives. Findings also showed increased processing speed in memory and other complex cognitive processes relevant to autonomous living. A discriminant function analysis yielded 2 functions allowing 79% of correct group classifications based on social cognition and functional skills, neurocognition, and age. The study highlights the importance of resourcing to wide-ranging assessment methodologies, of developing research efforts to further understand the decline of social and neurocognitive processes, and the need for designing more targeted intervention strategies to be implemented both with affected patients and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro association of the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) and ivermectin in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes of buffalo calves. Materials and methods. Four experimental groups were formed in microtubes, with five replicates for each group: G1 (nematodes + AC001), G2 (nematodes + ivermectin 1%), G3 (nematodes + AC001 + ivermectin 1%) and G4 (nematodes + distilled water). For each group, after 36 hours of interaction, the content of the microtubes was read by optical microscopy, accounting for the number of nematodes per group. Results. There was a significant larval reduction of the treated groups, with the following percentages in relation to G4 (control): G1: 43.7%; G2: 82.3% and G3: 65.7%. It was also observed that the in vitro association of D. flagrans with ivermectin was more effective in reducing L3 when compared to the isolated use of this fungus. Conclusions. It was concluded that the joint use of D. flagrans with ivermectin can potentiate the efficacy of biological control of gastrointestinal nematodes of buffalo calves, envisioning its use under natural conditions of buffalo breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS)‐linked stress is frequent, multidetermined and facilitates the onset/exacerbation of MS. However, few explanatory models of stress analysed the joint explanatory effect of emotion regulation and clinical outcomes of MS in those patients. Objective: This study explored whether self‐reported MS‐related conditions (number of relapses, fatigue and global disability) and specific emotion regulation processes (experiential avoidance and self‐compassion) explain stress symptoms in MS patients. Methods: The MS sample comprised 101 patients with MS diagnosis receiving treatment in hospitals and recruited through the Portuguese MS Society. The no‐MS sample included 134 age‐, sex‐ and years of education‐matched adults without MS recruited from the general Portuguese population. Both samples did not report other neurological disorders. Data were collected using self‐response measures. Results: All potential explanatory variables differed significantly between samples, with higher scores found in MS patients. In MS clinical sample, those variables and years of education correlated with stress symptoms and predicted stress symptoms in simple linear regression models. These results allowed their selection as covariates in a multiple linear regression model. Years of education, the number of relapses, fatigue and experiential avoidance significantly predicted 51% of stress symptoms' total variance. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence on the importance of clinicians and researchers considering the simultaneous contribution of years of education, the number of perceived relapses, fatigue and experiential avoidance as factors that can increase vulnerability to stress in MS patients. Psychological intervention programmes that tackle these factors and associated stress symptomatology should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Paranoid ideation has been acknowledged as an important thought process that is present in adolescents as well as in adults. Adverse childhood experiences, such as shame and hostile criticism from parental figures or significant others seem to have a fundamental role in the manifestation of paranoid ideation in youths, similar to what has been observed in adult populations. The current study aims to explore the role of shame, self-criticism and the experiences of shame in childhood in predicting paranoid ideation. Methods: A representative sample of 1657 adolescents, with ages between 14 to 18-year-old, attending public and private schools in S. Miguel Island-Azores (Portugal) participated in this cross-sectional study by completing a set of selfreport questionnaires to evaluate paranoia, shame experiences and self-criticism. Results: Girls presented significantly higher scores on External Shame, Self-criticism, Persecutory Ideas and Mistrust Feelings when compared with boys, but effect sizes were small. Findings suggested that models including shame, self-criticism and shame experiences can explain between 26% to 48% of paranoid ideation, particularly in its more severe form, persecutory ideation. Conclusion: Generalization of the causal relationships should be cautioned due to the cross-sectional nature of the study. The current study raises a discussion about the relevance of developing preventive strategies focusing on parental education and social support, in addition to fostering socio-emotional skills in youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current focus on community integration of individuals with psychiatric problems is attracting an increasing interest in the psychological literature, as it is regarded as a favorable factor in the recovery and for the well-being of these individuals. The Community Integration Scale of Adults with Psychiatric Disorders (CIS-APP-34) is a self-report scale developed to assess community integration in several dimensions. The main goal of the current study is to explore the psychometric properties of CIS-APP-34 in a sample of 411 participants with and without a psychiatric illness, with ages between 19 and 91 years old, living in the Azores Islands, Portugal. A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out to confirm the latent structure of the scale, and a five-factor model has presented good fit indices. Further analysis showed that the CIS-APP-34 is a measure with good reliability, validity and discriminant ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Paranoid ideation has been regarded as a cognitive and a social process used as a defence against perceived threats. According to this perspective, paranoid ideation can be understood as a process extending across the normal-pathological continuum. Methods In order to refine the construct of paranoid ideation and to validate a measure of paranoia, 906 Portuguese participants from the general population and 91 patients were administered the General Paranoia Scale ( GPS), and two conceptual models (one- and tridimensional) were compared through confirmatory factor analysis ( CFA). Results Results from the CFA of the GPS confirmed a different model than the one-dimensional model proposed by Fenigstein and Vanable, which comprised three dimensions (mistrust thoughts, persecutory ideas, and self-deprecation). This alternative model presented a better fit and increased sensitivity when compared with the one-dimensional model. Further data analysis of the scale revealed that the GPS is an adequate assessment tool for adults, with good psychometric characteristics and high internal consistency. Conclusion The model proposed in the current work leads to further refinements and enrichment of the construct of paranoia in different populations, allowing the assessment of three dimensions of paranoia and the risk of clinical paranoia in a single measure for the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) presents a high prevalence, a marked increase worldwide, and a relevant impact on patients, public health, and society. Anxiety often cooccurs with MS and can contribute to the worsening of MS symptoms. However, knowledge about predictors of anxiety in Patients with MS (PwMS) is scarce. Objective: This preliminary study explored a novel model for anxiety symptoms in PwMS, including neuropathic pain (NeP), cognitive fusion (CF), experiential avoidance (EA), and alexithymia as explanatory factors. Method: This cross‐sectional study integrated two independent convenience samples: 107 PwMS recruited from the Portuguese Society for Multiple Sclerosis and 97 age‐ and gender‐matched participants without the MS diagnosis (no‐MS sample) recruited from the Portuguese general population. Self‐report questionnaires that measured the constructs included in the model were administered to both groups. Results: PwMS showed significantly higher values regarding anxiety symptoms and their explanatory variables (NeP, CF, EA, alexithymia) in comparison to non‐MS participants. In the MS sample, no correlations were found between anxiety symptoms and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. NeP, CF, and alexithymia showed significant correlations with anxiety symptoms and significantly explained this symptomatology in simple linear regression models. Thus, these variables were retained in the multiple linear regression model and emerged as significant regressors that together explained 38% of the variance in anxious symptomatology in PwMS. Conclusions: This preliminary study provides novel evidence on NeP and some maladaptive emotion regulation strategies related to EA/psychological inflexibility, as vulnerability to anxiety in PwMS can be considerably increased by CF and alexithymia. Clinical implications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies about stigmatization and shame toward mental health problems have contributed to minimizing the impact of these negative attitudes on people diagnosed with mental illnesses, on their families and on their communities. The Attitudes Towards Mental Health Problems Scale (ATMHP) is a self-report scale aimed at the assessment of attitudes toward mental health that involve several factors relating to attitudes and shame (internal, external, and reflected shame) when facing mental health problems. The goal of the current study was to translate, and to adapt this scale to the Portuguese population, and to study its psychometric properties in a sample of Azorean adults with and without psychiatric problems. The scale was administered to 411 participants with ages between 19 and 81 years. Confirmatory factor analysis was carried out on the initial model proposed by the authors of the ATMHP, and results showed a poor adjustment. An alternative model comprising an additional factor was tested and presented good model fit indices. Based on the alternative model, further analysis revealed that the scale has good psychometric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore a novel model for war‐related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology including emotion regulation processes, namely experiential avoidance (EA) and uncompassionate self‐responding (USR), mediating the impact of childhood threat memories, combat exposure distress, combat and noncombat threats, and peritraumatic depersonalization/derealization (PDD) on PTSD symptomatology. Method: A sample of 650 male Portuguese Overseas War veterans filled self‐report instruments. Results: The model explained 59% of the variance of PTSD symptomatology. Both EA and USR mediated the effects of noncombat threats and PDD on PTSD. Additionally, EA mediated combat exposure distress and USR mediated childhood threat memories. Combat exposure distress, combat and noncombat threats, and PDD showed direct effects on PTSD symptomatology. Conclusion: The findings help to better understand the relationship between predictive factors of war‐related PTSD in clinical and research settings, providing novel insights on the effects of combat exposure distress, and the different effects of combat and noncombat‐related threats on PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original version of the article unfortunately contained a typo in the author name. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Life satisfaction has been a central research topic in the field of Health Psychology, as an essential construct to individual adaptive psychological functioning. This paper aims to study the predictors of life satisfaction in a mixed sample, verifying the continuity of satisfaction with life in populations of patients with psychiatric disorders and healthy controls. Method: It was used a mixed sample of non-clinical participants (n = 228) and clinical participants with psychiatric illness (n = 183) from Azores (Portugal). Correlation analyses and, subsequently, multiple linear regression analyses were carried out to study the predictors of satisfaction with life. Results: Depression and the satisfaction of basic psychological needs were the best predictors of life satisfaction. Conclusion: Psychological disorders constitute a vulnerability factor for dissatisfaction with life. Therefore, prevention or education and the promotion of adaptive coping strategies for adverse life situations is imperative for improving satisfaction with life, particularly in individuals affected with psychiatric illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is the deliberate, self-inflicted destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent and an important clinical phenomenon. Rates of NSSI appear to be disproportionately high in adolescents and young adults, and is a risk factor for suicidal ideation and behavior. The present study reports the psychometric properties of the Impulse, Self-harm and Suicide Ideation Questionnaire for Adolescents (ISSIQ-A), a measure designed to comprehensively assess the impulsivity, NSSI behaviors and suicide ideation. An additional module of this questionnaire assesses the functions of NSSI. Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of the scale on 1722 youths showed items' suitability and confirmed a model of four different dimensions (Impulse, Self-harm, Risk-behavior and Suicide ideation) with good fit and validity. Further analysis showed that youth׳s engagement in self-harm may exert two different functions: to create or alleviate emotional states, and to influence social relationships. Our findings contribute to research and assessment on non-suicidal self-injury, suggesting that the ISSIQ-A is a valid and reliable measure to assess impulse, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, in adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Military combat exposure can be perceived as a great threat to the integrity of soldiers. However, no available assessment tools evaluate the degree of emotional distress that results from the exposure to various combat scenarios. This paper presents the second independent section of the Combat Exposure Questionnaire, the Combat Distress Scale (CEQ B). This questionnaire assesses Veterans׳ subjective emotional distress that is due to objective and typical military combat scenarios during war. Methods A sample of 708 Portuguese Overseas War Veterans participated. The scale structure of the CEQ B was analyzed with a Rasch Model, and the internal consistency and convergent validity of the scale were studied. The temporal reliability was calculated in a subgroup of 112 participants. Two samples of war Veterans with and without war-related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ( N =40 and N =47, respectively) were used to explore the scale׳s discriminant validity. Results Overall, the CEQ B showed an acceptable fit to the data, excellent internal consistency, high temporal stability, adequate convergent validity and suitable discriminant validity. Limitations This study used a population of male war Veterans that did not equally represent genders or the full adult age span, which may hinder the generalization of the results. Conclusion The findings indicated that the CEQ B is valid, reliable and supported by convergent and discriminant data. This lends confidence in the use of the measure as an assessment of the subjective emotional distress resulting from exposure to military combat scenarios in clinical and research settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]