The aim of this cross-sectional community-based study was to examine the sensitivity and specificity of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) to the diagnosis of anxiety disorders (AD). Participants were 119 students aged 9-18. Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed by a psychiatrist throughout a structural clinical interview (K-SADS-PL). Forty-four participants had positive diagnosis for at least one AD. The total score of the SCARED significantly differentiated anxious from non-anxious children with an optimal cutoff point of 22 (sensitivity = 81.8 %; specificity = 52.0 %). SCARED subscales of social phobia and separation anxiety disorder, but not generalized anxiety disorder, revealed better discrimination proprieties than total scores to screen for that specific disorder (p < .05). Both total and specific SCARED scores presented moderate sensitivity and specificity for detecting AD in a community sample. Investigators interested in screening for specific AD, rather than the group of AD, may benefit from using the specific subscales.

No abstract

Research involving transgender and gender diverse people (TGD) increased in the last years, mostly concerning healthcare associated to this population. Few studies dedicated their analysis to the impact of parental support on transgender people, even though this is an important aspect in creating a safe environment on which these individuals can build their identity. In addition, the link between family support, TGD identity and homelessness is not completely established. Thus, due to the specificities of the family context of TGD individuals, the aim of this study is to investigate the association between family support and TGD in different moments of the process of gender affirmation. In addition, this study also aims to explore the relationship between a lack of social support and low self-esteem, home abandonment, and dwelling in the street. The survey was designed based on the TransPULSE project and was made available in electronic format. The sample was constituted of 423 TGD residents in two Brazilian states. A Structural Equation Model analysis suggested that the impact of gender affirmation status on homelessness was mediated by parental support, through self-esteem, and the need to move from home. The association between the status of the gender affirmation procedures, family support and self-esteem was significant and indicated that the further TGD individuals advanced in gender affirmation, the more self-esteem and family support they would have. The association between family support and self-esteem indicated that family support was associated with higher self-esteem. Low family support was associated with the willingness to move from home due to one’s TGD status and there was also a significant correlation between low self-esteem and the willingness to move from home due to one’s TGD status. Finally, homelessness was associated with the willingness to move with a large effect size. Limitations include the sample that was constituted by individuals with Internet access and who had more contact with TGD communities. The findings indicate directions for interventions involving TGD people and their families, considering the parental relationship as a critical variable to improve TGD quality of life in the process of gender affirmation.

The objective of this narrative review of the literature is to describe the epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders. We aim to guide clinicians in understanding the biology of anxiety disorders and to provide general guidelines for the proper diagnoses and treatment of these conditions early in life. Anxiety disorders are prevalent, associated with a number of negative life outcomes, and currently under-recognized and under-treated. The etiology involves both genes and environmental influences modifying the neural substrate in a complex interplay. Research on pathophysiology is still in its infancy, but some brain regions, such as the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, have been implicated in fear and anxiety. Current practice is to establish diagnosis based purely on clinical features, derived from clinical interviews with the child, parents, and teachers. Treatment is effective using medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, or a combination of both. An introduction to the neuroscience behind anxiety disorders combined with an evidence-based approach may help clinicians to understand these disorders and treat them properly in childhood.

Resumo Uma alimentação saudável bem como a prática de exercício físico regular, vem sendo preconizada como um tratamento não medicamentoso para Síndrome Metabólica (SM). Aderir a estes hábitos saudáveis demanda uma mudança no estilo de vida que dependerá da percepção do sujeito sobre sua capacidade de se manter realizando o exercício e a dieta, ou seja, sua auto-eficácia. Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito de um programa interdisciplinar visando a mudança de estilo de vida dos pacientes com SM, utilizamos duas escalas de Auto-Eficácia, uma para Regular Hábitos Alimentares e outra para Regular a Rotina de Exercício Físico. Foram avaliados 58 participantes, com diagnóstico de SM. Destes, 30 mulheres e 28 homens com idade média de 51,75(DP=6,57). Em relação à avaliação da alimentação no início do programa, 56,9% dos participantes avaliaram como saudável e 43,1% como não saudável. A maioria dos voluntários (67,2%) apontou o comportamento alimentar mais difícil de mudar do que o de atividade física (32,8%). Em relação à mudança do estilo de vida, 50,9% tinha como principal objetivo no início do programa mudar a alimentação, quando comparada a atividade física (49,1%). Dos avaliados inicialmente, apenas 36,2% realizavam atividade física regular. Em relação à auto-eficácia, antes e depois do programa, houve diferença significativa tanto para regular hábitos alimentares (p<0,01) quanto para manter uma rotina de exercício físico (p=0,02). Estes resultados remetem a importância de intervenções que objetivem aumentar o nível de auto-eficácia dos indivíduos frente a obstáculos que possam dificultar a adesão a um estilo de vida saudável.

The DSM-5 highlights the use of dimensional assessments of mental health as a supplement to categorical diagnoses. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the DSM-5 Dimensional Anxiety Scales in a Brazilian community sample. Dimensional scales for generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and specific phobia were administered to 930 adults aged 18 to 70, 64.2% female. Psychometric properties investigated were: unidimensionality; measurement invariance; internal consistency; composite reliability; test-retest reliability; convergent and divergent validity; category thresholds and item performance analyses. Analyses revealed unidimensionality for all scales except for specific phobia. Measurement invariance, high internal consistency and composite reliability, and convergent and divergent validity were demonstrated. Test-retest reliability was high for all scales but generalized anxiety disorder. Item-based analyses evidenced that none of the items were very easy to endorse and that the scales offered more information about subjects with high severity estimates of anxiety. The DSM-5 Dimensional Anxiety Scales are a valid and reliable alternative to assess anxiety symptomatology in community settings, although further evaluation is needed, especially for specific phobia. The scales seem to be more useful for characterizing dimensionality of symptoms for subclinical or clinical cases than for slight or mildly anxious subjects.

ResumoEste estudo objetivou: (1) realizar a adaptação transcultural do 240-item VIA Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) para o Brasil; (2) investigar a estrutura fatorial do VIA-IS em uma amostra brasileira; e (3) reportar dados descritivos de escores de forças no VIA-IS nessa amostra. A adaptação da escala para uso no Brasil seguiu diretrizes padronizadas para adaptação transcultural de instrumentos psicológicos, gerando uma versão brasileira do VIA-IS similar à original. As análises de estrutura fatorial e descritivas foram realizadas com uma amostra de 1.975 brasileiros, com média de idade de 35,0 anos (DP = 10,8). Os resultados encontrados sugerem o uso do instrumento como uma medida unidimensional de potencialidades. A amostra apresentou médias altas de escores em todas as forças avaliadas, com mulheres relatando escores mais altos que homens, na maioria delas. São discutidas implicações para a avaliação em Psicologia Positiva de forças e virtudes com o VIA-IS em contexto brasileiro. Palavras-chave: inventário de forças, forças de caráter, virtudes, psicologia positiva, estrutura fatorial Brazilian Adaptation and Factor Structure of the 240-item VIA Inventory of Strengths Scale AbstractThe aims of this study were: (1) to perform the cross-cultural adaptation of the 240-item VIA Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) to use in Brazil; (2) to investigate the factor structure of the VIA-IS in a Brazilian sample; and (3) to conduct descriptive analyses of strengths scores in the VIA-IS in the Brazilian sample. The cross-cultural adaptation provided a Brazilian-Portuguese version of the VIA-IS that is similar to the original version of the instrument. The descriptive and factor structure analysis were conducted in a sample of 1.975 Brazilians, with a mean age of 35.0 years old (SD = 10.8). Results suggest that the instrument should be used as a unidimensional measure of strengths and virtues. The sample presented high scores in all strengths assessed, and women scored higher than men in the majority of the strengths. We discuss implications for the assessment of strengths and virtues in Positive Psychology using the VIA-IS in the Brazilian context. Keywords: inventory of strengths, strength of character, virtues, positive psychology, factor structure Adaptación Brasileña y Estructura Factorial de la Escala 240-item VIA Inventory of Strengths ResumenEste estudio tuvo como objetivo: (1) realizar la adaptación transcultural del inventario 240-item VIA Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) para su uso en Brasil; (2) investigar la estructura factorial del VIA-IS en una muestra brasileña; y (3) informar datos descriptivos de las puntuaciones de fuerzas en el VIA-IS en esa muestra. La adaptación de la escala para su uso en Brasil siguió pautas estandarizadas para la adaptación transcultural de instrumentos psicológicos, generando una versión brasileña del VIA-IS similar a la original. Los análisis de estructura factorial y descriptivas se llevaron a cabo en una muestra de 1.975 brasileños, con edad media de 35,0 años (SD = 10,8). Los r...

Resumo: O Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) confere bolsas de produtividade em pesquisa (PQ) aos profissionais que preenchem determinados critérios. A identificação do perfil dos bolsistas PQ das mais variadas áreas do conhecimento é importante tanto para a elaboração de um mapeamento geral sobre a área como um todo quanto para a elaboração de políticas que visem a incrementar o desenvolvimento científico e tecnológico em subáreas ou locais específicos. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar o perfil dos bolsistas PQ do CNPq atuantes na Psicologia, considerando o triênio concluído em 2014. A amostra foi composta pelos currículos de 338 bolsistas de produtividade que atuam na Psicologia. Os dados obtidos a partir deste levantamento indicaram que seis entre cada 10 bolsistas PQ que atuam na área da Psicologia estão concentradas no estrato 2 e que apenas 10 universidades concentram 56,7% dos pesquisadores contemplados com bolsas PQ. Ainda há uma centralização na região Sudeste, que recebe 55,3% das bolsas e apresenta a maior proporção de bolsas PQ por habitantes do país. Os bolsistas atuam majoritariamente em universidades públicas, principalmente federais, e são em sua maioria mulheres. Além disso, Psicologia Social, Psicologia do Desenvolvimento Humano e Tratamento e Prevenção Psicológica são as áreas de atuação mais recorrentes entre os pesquisadores que recebem bolsas PQ. A identificação de desigualdades regionais, de concentração de bolsas em poucas instituições e de disparidades de gênero, por exemplo, pode contribuir para que algumas questões relativas à distribuição de recursos sejam reavaliadas. Palavras-chave: Produtividade em pesquisa, CNPq, Produção científica, Psicologia.