Different single-item and multiple-item scales are used as subjective indicators of well-being in the international arena. However, very few cross-cultural studies exist into subjective indicators of well-being among adolescent populations. In this study, three different multi-item scales, variations of these scales and several single items -all of them previously used separately in international research-were tested together on 12 to 16-year-old adolescents in 4 different countries with Latin-based languages (Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Spain). The scales are the PWI (Cummins, Eckersley, van Pallant, Vugt, Misajon, et al.

The 7-item adult version of the Personal Wellbeing scale (Cummins et al. Social Indic Res 64:159-190, 2003) was administered to two samples of adolescents aged 12-16 in Brazil (N = 1,588) and Spain (N = 2,900), and to a sample of adolescents aged 14-16 in Chile (N = 843). The results obtained were analyzed to determine its psychometric characteristics when used with adolescents in the three different countries and to check whether two additional items would improve its qualities. Results reveal that the new PWI-9 version worked well with the adolescents in the three countries, improving some of the qualities of the PWI-7. One of the added items, satisfaction with oneself, appears to be a major contributor to unique explained variance when regressed on the single-item of overall life satisfaction (OLS). The model we present using structural equations shows good fit statistics for the factor structure, with both 7 and 9 items. Separate in-country analyses demonstrate that cultural context has a strong influence on correlations and saturations between the studied variables and also on the explained variance. Probably related to this fact, the Model fit structure is good in Brazil (with a low PWI variance accounted for by its predictors) and Spain (medium), but rather modest in Chile, where data show a high proportion of the PWI variance accounted for by its predictors. However, a multi-group factor analysis among the three countries restricting saturations to 1 in each country in order to make data comparable across countries still show a good fit of the proposed model for both PWI-7 and PWI-9.

Resumo: O estudo enfoca as aplicações do método análise de conteúdo (AC) em pesquisas empíricas de Psicologia, de acordo com os procedimentos técnicos identificados sob essa denominação. Apresenta, primeiramente, uma breve discussão sobre as variações de AC e uma análise dos critérios de validação científica que embasam a prática do método. Em seguida, descreve os modos mais recorrentes de utilização da AC, a partir de revisão realizada junto a 83 artigos publicados entre 2004 e 2009 em seis periódicos de Psicologia no Brasil. Os periódicos selecionados foram classificados dentro do extrato A1 e A2 na avaliação trienal de periódicos da CAPES (2007)(2008)(2009)), e acessados através da base de periódicos Scielo. A discussão final foi encaminhada para a avaliação do rigor metodológico vinculado à prática do método, sugerindo informações claras sobre o tipo de abordagem de AC, de execução da AC e explanação criteriosa dos passos e procedimentos técnicos adotados na análise dos dados. Palavras-chave: Método de pesquisa. Psicologia. Análise de conteúdo. Indicadores qualitativos. Abstract:The study focuses the application of the content analysis method in empirical research in psychology, according to the technical procedures identified under that methodology. It presents in the first place a brief discussion on the variations in CA and an analysis of the scientific validation criteria that support the method practice. Then it describes the most frequent modes of uses of the CA, extracted from a review conducted in 83 articles published between 2004 and 2009 in six psychology journals in Brazil. The selected journals were classified as A1 and A2 in a triennial assessment for the CAPES periodicals (2007)(2008)(2009), and were retrieved from the Scielo base of journals. The final discussion highlights the evaluation assessment of methodological rigor accuracy associated to the practice of the method, suggesting clear information about the CA approach, implementation of the CA and careful explanation of the steps and technical procedures adopted in data analysis.

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Firefighters perform all kinds of rescues. Their job places them in potentially traumatic situations which may cause work-related mental disorders. This study aimed to investigate the working conditions and mental health of firefighters in Southern Brazil. The research subjects included 25 men and 2 women. The authors analyzed the anxiety, depression, alcohol use, post-traumatic stress disorder, and work environment of the firefighters, by means of scales, a questionnaire and an interview. Descriptive analysis and correlation measures were used, based on the variables of interest and content analysis. The results indicated that these professionals need higher salaries, better equipment and more training. Personal valorization and conversations with superiors were cited as positive aspects. Regarding the main aim of the study, the authors found correlations between alcohol abuse and length of service, alcohol abuse and age, and depression and age. These data suggested that there is emotional wear related to the profession, and the need of psychological support.

Several theoretical models and testing procedures are presented with the aim of identifying the most relevant items and domains to include in a model for evaluating adolescents' subjective well-being, above and beyond those usually included in adults' scales. Data were collected in three countries based on a list of 30 items regarding adolescents' satisfaction with different domains or facets of life. Responses to these 30 items (including Personal Well-Being Index and Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale items) have been analysed by means of Confirmatory Factor Analysis using different Structural Equation Models (SEM) on a pooled sample comprising 5,316 twelve to sixteen-year-olds from Spain, Brazil and Chile. Several models have shown good enough fit statistics. A model using 14 items shows excellent fit statistics and is conceptually coherent. However, the inclusion or non-inclusion of items related to satisfaction with religion or spirituality results in both advantages and disadvantages when comparing the alternative models analysed. The relevance of including these items may therefore depend on the socio-cultural context where data are collected and their inclusion makes cross-country comparison more statistically challenging. The 14-item model has also been tested using multigroup SEM in order to check comparability of data among the three countries. All things considered, multigroup models have shown good fit with constrained loadings, but not with constrained loadings and intercepts, suggesting we can compare correlations and regressions among countries, but not means. Additional multigroup SEM with the five age groups available from the pooled sample have demonstrated that responses-and means-are comparable across different age groups during early adolescenceSpanish data were collected with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science grant SEJ2007-62813/P