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The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a brief cognitive instrument for screening milder forms of cognitive impairment. The present study aimed to analyze the influence of sociodemographic (age, gender, educational level, marital and employment status, geographic region, geographic localization, and residence area) and health variables (subjective memory complaints of the participant and evaluated by the informant, depressive symptoms, and family history of dementia) on the participants' performance on the MoCA. The investigation was carried out in a Portuguese community-based sample of 650 cognitively healthy adults, who were representative of the distribution observed in the Portuguese population. Educational level and age significantly contributed to the prediction of the MoCA scores, explaining 49% of the variance. Regarding health variables, only the subjective memory complaints of the participant showed a small contribution (9%) to the variance on the MoCA scores. This study contributes a useful approach to understanding MoCA performance, stressing the great impact of education and age on scores. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Information regarding cognitive abilities in earlier stages of life is essential to ascertain if and to what extent these may have declined. When unavailable, clinicians rely on estimate methods. One of the contemporary methods used worldwide combines performance on irregular word reading test with demographics since it has shown to provide reliable estimates of premorbid ability. Hence, a reading test portuguese irregular word reading test (TeLPI) was developed, filling an important gap in the neuropsychological evaluation of Portuguese speakers. Using 46 irregular, infrequent Portuguese words, TeLPI was validated against Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)-III (N = 124), and regression-based equations were determined to estimate premorbid IQ considering TeLPI scores and demographic variables. TeLPI scores accounted for 63% of the variance of WAIS-III Full-Scale IQ, 62% of Verbal IQ, and 47% of Performance IQ and thus were considered valid for premorbid intelligence estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AbstractThe dark core of personality is a recent construct that encompasses the malevolent, antagonistic, and aversive side of human nature that represents the common inner core of dark personality traits. The aim of the present study is to develop a short, multidimensional, and invariant version of the dark core of personality D70 measure. Two samples of participants were used in the current study (N = 570, M = 35.42 years, SD = 11.41, range = 18–69; N = 242, M = 30.19 years, SD = 12.78, range = 16–77). The new D25 measure was developed, consisting of five factors – Callousness, Deceitfulness, Vindictiveness, Narcissistic Entitlement, and Sadism. All the structural models examined obtained adequate fits (1-factor, 5-factor, 5-factor bifactor, 5-factor 2nd order), but the 5-factor 2nd order model was considered the best option. Internal consistency/reliability, as measured by the alpha and omega coefficients and more traditional indicators, was mainly good. Construct validity (e.g., with moral disengagement, low self-control, and empathy measures) and criterion-related validity (e.g., with justice-involvement variables) were demonstrated. Scalar measurement invariance across gender and age was established, with male participants and younger participants scoring significantly higher than female participants and older participants. The findings provide support for the use of the D25 as a valid and reliable short multidimensional measure of the dark core of personality construct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-report delinquency scales have contributed greatly to the contemporary basis of our understanding of juvenile delinquency. Nevertheless, they have not been immune to criticism and further improvement and extensive measurement research is still necessary. The present study examined the psychometric properties of one such measure of self-reported delinquency, the Adapted Self-Report Delinquency Scale (ASRDS). The ASRDS was administered to a Portuguese sample of male youths ( N = 470, 12-20 years of age), subdivided into a forensic sample ( n = 217) and a school sample ( n = 253). The Portuguese version of the ASRDS demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties, in terms of its factor structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity, criterion-related validity, and known-groups validity, thereby justifying its use among this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-Report Delinquency scales have formed the basis of much understanding of juvenile delinquency today, but further improvement and extensive measurement research on self-report measures of crime are needed. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the shorter general delinquency scale version of the classic commonly used Self-Report of Delinquency (SRD) measure created for the original National Youth Survey (NYS) using a sample (N = 412) of male (n = 200) and female (n = 212) at-risk Portuguese youths. The shorter version of the SRD demonstrated satisfactory validity and reliability, namely in terms of its latent one-factor structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, divergent validity, concurrent criterion validity and discriminant groups validity that overall justifies its use among this population. The shorter general delinquency scale version of the SRD is a valid and reliable measure from a modern psychometric perspective that can be used with at-risk youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this article is to examine the psychometric properties of the defensiveness and validity scales of the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory (WAI) in a sample of young Portuguese adults (N=610, M=21.33 years, SD=3.09) from a university background. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated the presence of a three-dimensional structure with a good fit. The defensiveness and validity scales of the WAI demonstrated adequate psychometric properties, namely at the level of reliability and convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity. Such results support the use of the WAI defensiveness and validity scales in the research and psychological assessment of Portuguese young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The psychometric properties of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were examined by using the Partial Credit Model. The study sample included 897 participants who were distributed into two main subgroups: (I) the clinical group (90 patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment, 90 patients with Alzheimer's disease, 33 patients with Frontotemporal Dementia, and 34 patients with Vascular dementia, whose diagnoses were previously established according to a consensus that was reached by a multidisciplinary team, based on the international criteria) and (II) the healthy group (composed of 650 cognitively healthy community dwellers). The results show(i) an overall good fit for both the items and the persons' values, (ii) high variability for the cognitive performance level of the cognitive domains (ranging between 1.90 and23.35, where "Short-term Memory" was the most difficult item and "Spatial Orientation" wasthe easiest item) and between the subjects on the scale, (iii) high reliability for the estimation of the persons' values, (iv) good discriminant validity and high diagnostic utility, and (v) a minimal differential item functioning effect related to of pathology, gender, age, and educational level. MoCAand its cognitive domains are suitable measures to use for screening the cognitive status of cognitively healthy subjects and patients with cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memory impairment is often present in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) as a result of an inefficient use of learning strategies, sometimes leading to a misdiagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) is a memory test that controls attention and acquisition, by providing category cues in the learning process. The main goal of this study was to show the usefulness of the FCSRT in the distinction between behavioral (bv-) FTD and AD. Three matched subgroups of participants were considered: bv-FTD (n = 32), AD (n = 32), and a control group of healthy adults (n = 32). Results proved that while AD patients exhibited an overall impairment in FCSRT, bv-FTD subjects showed to benefit more from the controlled learning through category cues. AD patients were 25 times more likely to have an impaired FCSRT. The FCSRT has shown its utility in the distinction between bv-FTD and AD, therefore increasing the diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the present study we analyzed the psychometric characteristics of the MoCA (Portuguese version) using the Rasch model for dichotomous items. The total sample comprised of 897 participants distributed between two main subgroups: (I) healthy group that was comprised of 650 cognitively healthy community dwellers and (II) clinical group that was comprised of 90 patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment, 90 patients with Alzheimer’s disease, 33 patients with frontotemporal dementia, and 34 patients with vascular dementia recruited at a reference dementia clinic. All patients were investigated through a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, laboratory tests essential to exclude a reversible form of dementia, imaging studies (CT or MRI and SPECT or FDG-PET), Apolipoprotein E allele genotyping and CSF biomarker (A?42,Tau, and P-tau) analyses. The clinical diagnosis was established through the consensus of a multidisciplinary team, based on international criteria. The results demonstrated an overall good fit of both items and the person’s values, a high variability on cognitive performance level, and a good quality of the measurements. The MoCA scores also demonstrated adequate discriminant validity, with high diagnostic value. DIF analyses indicated the generalized validity of the MoCA scores. In conclusion, the results of this study show the overall psychometric adequacy of the MoCA and verify the discriminant and generalized validity of the obtained results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

At the beginning of the 1990s, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a project in order to create a cross-cultural instrument of quality of life assessment: the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL). This paper describes the development of the European Portuguese version of the WHOQOL-100, according to the methodology recommended by the WHO. Special attention is given to the qualitative pilot study, which led to the development of the Portuguese Facet [Political P], and to the empirical pilot study and the psychometric studies, based on the application of the Portuguese version of the instrument to a sample of 315 subjects from the general population and 289 patients. The assessment protocol also included the Beck Depression Inventory and the Brief Symptom Inventory. The Portuguese version of WHOQOL-100 showed acceptable internal consistency ( α range 0.84–0.94) and test–retest reliability in all domains ( r range 0.67–0.86). Discriminant validity was significant for all domains, except in Spirituality. Convergent validity with the Beck Depression Inventory and the Brief Symptom Inventory was satisfactory for most domains. The WHOQOL showed good psychometric characteristics, suggesting that the Portuguese version of WHOQOL is valid and reliable in the assessment of quality of life in Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS) in a sample (N=412; M=13.19 years; SD=1.41) of Portuguese youths. Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed that a refined two-factor structure was the best option, with cross-gender measurement invariance being demonstrated. The measure also demonstrated adequate psychometric properties, namely in terms of its reliability, discriminant validity, criterion-related validity, and known-groups validity. The findings mostly justify the use of this measure among Portuguese youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides the first examination of the Childhood and Adolescent Taxon Scale – Self-report (CATS-SR) proxy measure of the persistent antisocial behavior dimension of psychopathy, based on childhood and adolescent history, in a European context and with female youth. The CATS-SR is evaluated in a sample of 1,134 male and female youth recruited from forensic or school settings in Portugal. The CATS-SR did not significantly differ for male and female youth seen in forensic settings, but was higher in male than female youth recruited from schools, and higher in youth seen in forensic than in school settings. The CATS-SR was positively and moderately correlated with self-report psychopathy construct measures that included items tapping interpersonal and affective facets of psychopathy such as callousness and impulsivity. It also correlated as expected with age of first criminal contact, crime seriousness, conduct disorder diagnosis, drug use, and having unprotected sex. The findings suggest that the CATS-SR has discriminant, convergent, and criterion-related validity, and could therefore be useful in assessments of the persistent antisocial dimension of psychopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and validation of empirically sound measures that operationalize the Triarchic model of psychopathy among youth is currently in the nascent stage. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a brief refined measure of the Triarchic model of psychopathy based on the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI-Tri-S) among a mixed-gender school sample of 782 youth (M = 15.87 years, SD = 1.72) from Portugal. Confirmatory factor analysis offered support for the theoretically expected three-factor structure. Cross-gender measurement invariance using the present sample and cross-sample measurement invariance of the YPI-Tri-S using a previously collected forensic sample of institutionalized males was established. The YPI-Tri-S showed adequate psychometric properties in terms of discriminant validity, convergent validity, concurrent criterion-related validity, known-groups validity, and internal consistency. Findings indicate that YPI-Tri-S is a valuable brief and psychometrically reliable and valid self-report measure of the Triarchic model of psychopathy for use in diverse samples of youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the present study was to validate the Socially Desirable Response Set -5 (SDRS-5) among a school sample (N=543) of male and female Portuguese youths. The SDRS-5 demonstrated good results, namely in terms of its one-factor structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity, criterion-related validityand known-groups validity. Cross-gender measurement invariance was demonstrated. The psychometric properties that were found mostly justify the use of the SDRS-5 among Portuguese adolescents from a school context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU) self-report and its short version (ICU-12) among a mixed-sex normative sample of 782 Portuguese youth (M = 15.87 years; SD = 1.72). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the three-factor structure of the ICU obtained the best fit after the removal of two items, and the two-factor structure of the ICU-12 obtained the best fit after the removal of one item. Cross-sex measurement invariance was demonstrated for both versions of the inventory. The 22-item version of the ICU and its 11-item short form (ICU-SF) demonstrated generally adequate psychometric properties of internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and criterion-related validity (e.g., with conduct disorder symptoms). In terms of known-groups validity, males scored significantly higher than females. Results suggest that the use of the ICU and ICU-SF among Portuguese-speaking youth is psychometrically justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensation seeking is a robust predictor of a wide array of conduct problems that include juvenile delinquency and antisocial behaviors during adolescence and young adulthood. The primary aim of the present study was to adapt the Brief Sensation-Seeking Scale (BSSS) for use in research on youths atrisk for delinquency. With a sample of 412 male and female participants (M = 13.19 years, SD = 1.41) from Portugal, confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the one-factor latent structure of the scale obtained a good fit, and measurement invariance across gender was demonstrated. The BSSS showed mostly good psychometric properties, namely in terms of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha and omega coefficient), convergent validity (with delinquent behaviors and dark triad traits of personality), discriminant validity (with self-esteem and self-control), and criterion-related validity (with health-risk behaviors such as drug use, unprotected sex) that overall justifies its use among the adolescent population at risk for delinquency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]