Search

Addiction to social networks is a phenomenon of growing interest. Its occurrence has negative impacts on adolescents, suggesting the need to have suitable evaluation instruments. The aim was to validate the Social Network Addiction Scale-SNAS- (or ARS, in Spanish), through expert review and analysis of its psychometric properties with an incidental sample of 421 adolescents (50.8% women) from Pasto, Colombia (11-19 years old; M = 15.63, SD = 1.34). Adequate linguistic adaptation and optimum content validity and internal consistency were achieved; likewise, confirmatory and invariance factor analysis showed structural validity for three components: obsession with social networks, lack of personal control, and excessive use of social networks. Adequate comparative validity was recognized against the Internet Addiction Test-IAT. The SNAS is the first instrument validated in Colombia for the benefit of clinical processes and prevention and intervention programs for this behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to establish whether the Canadian selfreport altruism scale questionnaire is a reliable estimate for altruistic behavior in young Colombian university students. Methodology: the self-report altruism scale test was adapted and applied. 327 university students between 18 and 25 years from five independent cohorts participated in this study. Participants should note, in 20 items, the frequency (never, once, more than once, often or very often) with which they performed altruistic behavior. The method of this study followed the protocol of the World Health Organization for these cases. There was also a correlation analysis between the score of the questionnaire and the evaluation that some close friends of each participant made in relation to the altruistic tendency of the latter. Results: cronbach's alpha, bipartition analysis and comparison of these data with those reported in other countries show that the instrument is highly reliable. The selfreport altruism scale questionnaire is a useful tool to estimate the altruistic behavior of Colombian university students. Conclusions: the relevance of developing tools to assess prosocial behavior in the country is discussed and clarified. Expanding the age range and applying the questionnaire to non-university populations, will strengthen the development of the instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Determine the face validity and content validity of a proposed semantic modification in the scale created by Barrera to measure the care-giving ability of family members who care for chronically ill persons. Materials and methods: The study featured a methodological design and was conducted in three phases: semantic adequacy, determining the degree of comprehensibility, and face validity and content validity of the proposed amendment to the scale. Results: The items were checked one by one to determine semantic adequacy, based on discussion of the terms used in the scale formulated initially. Three hundred eighty-five (385) formats designed by the researcher were applied to determine the degree of comprehensibility. In all, five items were found with low comprehensibility and ten with medium comprehensibility; they were subject to changes in light of theory and the observations made by the subjects. Face validity and content validity were determined by a panel of experts, using Fleiss's kappa coefficient of concordance. As for face validity, it was found that most of the items were accepted; in terms of content validity, it was concluded the semantically modified scale measures the care-giving ability of family members who care for persons with chronic illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]