Engagement at work is a positive mental and dispositional state characterized by Vigor, Dedication and Concentration. The aim of this study was to adapt and get evidence of validity for the Brazilian version of the utrecht work engagement scale (UWES). Participated in the study 1167 workers between 18 and 70 years (M = 36.8, SD = 10.3) in the Brazilian regions. Studies to establish content and construct validity with the 17-item and the 9-item scales were performed. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyzes showed that the best solution is unifactorial. Internal consistency was high. Age differences in engagement were found. The results also indicate that the present version of UWES is valid for use in Brazil and reinforce the idea that engagement at work is a universal construct. Although most of the results agree with the findings reported in the literature, some cultural differences appeared and they are discussed in this paper. Keyword: Work engagement, Positive Psychology, test validation, psychological assessment. Adaptação e Validação da Versão Brasileira da Utrecht Work Engagement Scale ResumoEngajamento no trabalho é um estado mental e disposicional positivo caracterizado por Vigor, Dedicação e Concentração. O objetivo desse estudo foi adaptar e obter evidências de validade da versão brasileira da Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Participaram da pesquisa 1167 trabalhadores, entre 18 e 70 anos (M = 36,8, DP = 10,3) nas 5 regiões do Brasil. Foram realizados estudos para estabelecer validade de conteúdo e validade de construto com os 17 itens da escala e os 9 itens da versão reduzida. Análises fatoriais exploratória e confirmatória demonstraram que a melhor solução seria unifatorial. A consistência interna foi elevada. Foram encontradas diferenças de engajamento em relação à idade. Os resultados indicam que a versão brasileira da UWES é válida e reforçam a ideia de que o engajamento no trabalho é um construto universal. Porém, algumas diferenças culturais foram detectadas e são discutidas no presente trabalho. Palavras-chave: Engajamento no trabalho, Psicologia Positiva, validade de teste, avaliação psicológica. Adaptación y Validación de la Versión Brasileña de la Utrecht Work Engagement Scale ResumenCompromiso en el trabajo es un estado mental y de disposición positiva que se caracteriza por Vigor, Dedicación y Concentración. El objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar y obtener evidencias de validez de la versión brasileña del utrecht work engagement scale (UWES). Participaron del estudio 1167 trabajadores entre 18 y 70 años (M = 36.8, DP = 10.3) en las 5 regiones de Brasil. Fueron realizados estudios para establecer la validez de contenido y la validez del constructo con los 17 ítems de la escala y los 9 ítems de la versión reducida. Análisis factoriales exploratorio y confirmatorio demostraron que la mejor solución sería unifactorial. La consistencia interna fue alta. Fueron encontradas diferencias de compromiso con relación a la edad. Los resultados indican que la versión brasileña del UW...

O objetivo deste estudo foi construir e buscar evidências de validade para uma escala de afetos positivos e negativos (EA). Participaram 853 universitários do sul do Brasil (57% mulheres) com idade média de 21 anos (DP=3). Os resultados da análise de eixos principais mostraram uma solução bifatorial. O primeiro fator apresentou eigenvalue de 5,1, explicando 25,6% da variância total, e o segundo fator, com eigenvalue de 2,6, explicou 12,8% da variância total. A consistência interna da escala foi de 0,83 para afetos positivos (AP) e 0,77 para os negativos (AN). Foram realizadas correlações entre AP e AN para verificar evidências de validade convergente da EA com a PANAS. Observaram-se altas correlações de AP (r=0,73) e AN (r=0,74). AP apresentou correlações positivas com satisfação de vida, esperança, otimismo e autoestima, enquanto AN apresentou correlações negativas com essas variáveis. Conclui-se que a EA apresentou evidências de validade de construto e propriedades psicométricas adequadas.

Optimism can be defined in terms of positive and negative expectations regarding future life events. The aims of this study were to adapt and validate the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) for the Brazilian population, verify its psychometric characteristics, assess whether there are gender differences, and verify its relationships with self-esteem and personality. The participants were 844 university students from two public universities in the southern of Brazil, which answered the following tests: LOT-R, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Baterial Fatorial de Personalidade (BFP). Factor analysis extracted a single factor, corroborating the findings of the original scale and indicating that optimism and pessimism are probably polar opposites of a single continuum. The results showed positive correlation between self-esteem and optimism in life orientation, and negative correlation between optimism and neuroticism. In conclusion, the Brazilian version of the LOT-R is an instrument that presents appropriate psychometric characteristics and that is ready for use in the Brazilian population.Keywords: Optimism; LOT-R; Self-esteem; Personality; Positive Psychology. positiva entre autoestima e otimismo na orientação para a vida, e correlação negativa entre otimismo e neuroticismo. Conclui--se que a versão da LOT-R apresenta características psicométricas adequadas e o instrumento encontra-se pronto para ser utilizado com a população brasileira. Palavras-chave: Otimismo; LOT-R; Autoestima; Personalidade; Psicologia Positiva. Optimismo, autoestima y personalidad: estudios de adaptación y validación versión brasileña del revised life orientation test (LOT-R) ResumenEl optimismo puede ser definido en términos de expectativas positivas y negativas con respecto a acontecimientos de vida futuros. Los objetivos de este estudio han sido adaptar y validar el Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) para la población brasileña, comprobar sus características psicométricas y evaluar si hay diferencias de sexo. También se investigó las correlaciones entre el optimismo, la autoestima y la personalidad. El LOT-R fue traducido y sometido a una backtranslation. Los participantes fueron 844 estudiantes universitarios de dos universidades públicas del sur de Brasil, que contestaron los siguientes instrumentos: LOT-R, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale y Bateria Fatorial de Personalidade (BFP). El análisis factorial extrae un solo factor, lo que corrobora los resultados de la escala original e indica que el optimismo y el pesimismo son, probablemente, polos opuestos de un mismo continuum. Los resultados demuestran una correlación positiva entre la autoestima y el optimismo en la orientación a la vida, y una correlación negativa entre el optimismo y el neuroticismo. Llegamos a la conclusión de que la versión de la LOT-R tiene características psicométricas adecuadas y el instrumento está listo para su uso con la población brasileña.

The main objective of this paper was to conduct a cross-cultural study comparing a pool of positive variables in an American and Brazilian sample. The variables were hope, optimism, life satisfaction, affects, self-esteem, and personality. The participants were 179 Americans aged 18 to 61 years and 499 Brazilians aged 17 to 53 years. They answered the following instruments: Adult Dispositional Hope Scale, Life Orientation Test Revised, The Life Satisfaction with Life Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale, The Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale, NEO-PI-R and Bateria Fatorial de Personalidade. The results showed differences between the two samples regarding the correlations between personality and positive psychology variables. Differences in correlations among the positive psychology variables were also found between Brazilians and Americans. The results showed that Americans had higher scores in hope, positive affect and life satisfaction. Brazilians showed higher scores in optimism and negative affect. One possible explanations for these results are cultural differences and social conditions.

This paper describes the psychometric features and the validation process of the Adult Dispositional Hope Scale (ADHS) for adolescents in the south of Brazil. This scale measures the Hope construct in terms of pathways and agency. The ADHS was translated to Portuguese and underwent a reverse translation. A sample of 450 students, from 14 to 18 years old (M=16.8 years, SD=3.4, 56% female), answered the ADHS, the Hope Index, the LOT-R and the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale. A factorial analysis with varimax rotation showed that the scale is unidimensional and that its internal consistency was adequate (Cronbach's alpha = .80). No signifi cant gender differences were found. Correlations of ADHS with the other constructs presented evidence of convergent validity in the present study.

Strong associations of Neuroticism and Extraversion with positive affects (PA) and negative affects (NA) have been reported in the international literature. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of such relationships in a Brazilian sample, and also to investigate the role of Conscientiousness, Agreeableness and Openness in the prediction of PA and NA through the use of a hybrid structural model. Participants were 319 university students, between 17 and 37 years of age (mean = 21.5, SD = 4.9). Approximately 64% of the students were female and 36% male. Results showed that Neuroticism was the most important predictor of PA and NA, followed by Conscientiousness, but not Extraversion. Surprisingly, Agreeableness was shown to be a weak prediction for NA, but had no relationship with PA. As expected, Openness showed no relationship with PA or NA. These results are partially in agreement with the international literature but some important differences were detected.

This study aimed at adapting and validating the Staats Hope Index for Brazilian adolescents. Participants were 450 high school students aged from 14 to 18 years old being 56% females. They responded to the Staats Hope Index, Adult Dispositional Hope Scale, Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. A factor analysis extracted two factors, replicating the structure of the original scale. Coefficients alphas were .83 and .81, for each factor, respectively. The correlations of the Hope Index factors with dispositional hope, optimism and self-esteem were similar to the findings reported in the literature and indicated convergent validity. The results indicate that the Hope Index is valid to be used in Brazil and that hope is perceived similarly by Brazilians and Americans despite of some cultural differences. Keywords: Hope; Optimism; Positive Psychology. ResumoO objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar e validar a escala The Hope Index para adolescentes brasileiros. Participaram 450 estudantes do ensino médio, sendo 56% do sexo feminino. As idades variaram entre 14 e 18 anos. Os instrumentos utilizados foram the Hope Index, Adult Dispositional Hope Scale, Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) e Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. A análise fatorial revelou duas dimensões, conforme a estrutura original da escala com valores do coeficiente alfa de 0,83 e 0,81. As correlações dos fatores da escala The Hope Index com esperança disposicional, otimismo e autoestima foram similares aos achados da literatura e indicam validade convergente. Esses resultados indicam que a escala é válida para uso no Brasil e que Brasileiros e Americanos percebem a esperança de modo similar, apesar de algumas diferenças culturais.

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