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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., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Emotional management (EM) is a crucial skill for achieving relevant biopsychosocial goals, and there has been an increased demand for the effective measurement of EM ability. The current study aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the brief Situational Test of Emotional Management (STEM-B) using the item response theory in a sample of 899 participants. The global fit indicated the model had a good adjustment, with most items aligning vertically across the logit scale and presenting an adequate range of item difficulty and fit. Differential item functioning analysis showed no differences in difficulty between genders, but some items differed according to the education level and age-groups. Overall, findings suggest the STEM-B is a psychometrically sound measure for specific testing of EM skills that has the potential to be used across cultures and fields.

The conceptualization of Emotional Intelligence (EI) has a significant impact on the construct's operationalization and measurement The current study analyses the Situational Test of Emotion Understanding – Brief (STEU-B), a test devised to assess the ability to understand emotional experiences This cross-sectional study includes Rasch Model analysis in a sample of 899 participants from the Portuguese general population, between 14 and 72 years old (M = 22.46) The measure showed adequate psychometric properties, with good global and item fit, and adequate range of item difficulty. Differential item functioning was explored by gender, level of education and age. Divergent and convergent validity were explored with gender, age, and performance in computerized social and complex cognition tasks The current work suggests the STEU-B is a psychometrically sound test that assesses emotional understanding, and it constitutes an important contribution to the diversification of EI-related measures as well as to research aimed at refining our current understanding of emotional understanding and related abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (PennCNB) is a measure of performance in 5 broader neurocognitive domains linked to specific brain systems. The current study aims to provide the psychometric properties of the Portuguese translation of the test battery, by presenting a confirmatory factor analysis and data on the test sensitivity to gender, effects of age and education in healthy individuals. The Portuguese PennCNB was administered to a sample of 152 healthy participants from the general population. We aimed to confirm the PennCNB latent structure of the Efficiency Scores (Accuracy and Speed combined) according to a 4-factor behavioral trait model. Gender differences and the effect of age and education on test performance were analyzed. The 4-factor model presented a good fit. Males and females showed different trends in performance on specific tests, although differences in efficiency scores were non-significant. Education and age showed a weak effect on efficiency scores, affecting participants' performance differently across domains. Findings indicate that PennCNB test scores were related to their target domains, maintained their integrity in comparison to similar studies, and thus, constitutes an effective and versatile tool for clinical and multi-site research studies. [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]

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]

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]

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]