Employee turnover disrupts organizational functioning, service delivery, and administration. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies that some college administrators used to reduce employee turnover in the workplace to increase profitability. The population for the study included 3 administrators in a senior (4-year) college in the southeastern region of the United States who developed and implemented successful strategies to reduce employee turnover. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with college administrators and from publicly available organizational documents. Transformational leadership was the conceptual framework for this study. Data analysis included inductive analysis guided by transformational leadership theory and member checking. Five themes emerged from data analysis including transformational leadership, incentives and rewards, training/career development, establishing trust/employee empowerment, and effective communication. The implications of these findings for social change may benefit students, faculty, and administrators of educational institutions. The findings may enhance consistent and superior educational course delivery to students, improve collaboration between educators and administrators through effective hiring practices to raise the caliber of educator skillsets, and reduce the percent of unemployed as a result of students succeeding in higher education and gaining meaningful employment. The findings may help reduce financial insecurity and improve the living standards of people in the community, while encouraging prospective learners to attain a postsecondary education.

The worldwide eradication of lymphatic filariasis has recently started with two strategies, interruption of transmission and morbidity control. One of the most endemic countries, Haiti has experienced successful interventions through national and international efforts, but the morbidity control is still hindered by a lack of adequate information on quality of life (QOL) issues among those suffering from the chronic manifestations of the disease such as lymphedema. In addition, previous interventions have been focused primarily in a single community where an established lymphedema treatment clinic serves as a national reference center, so it is critical to expand programs to other areas in Haiti. The purpose of the study was to understand the issues of morbidity control and QOL among lymphedema patients due to lymphatic filariasis in three rural Haitian towns. Secondary data (n = 316) collected in an ongoing filariasis support group project was analyzed in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, including gender age, and regional perspectives. Also, two different commercial QOL instruments (EuroQol, CDC Healthy Days) and a subjective well-being assessment tool (CES-D) were introduced to describe their QOL and mental health status, respectively. The reliability and validity of the measurements were established at the same time. Regional differences were evident in patients illness history, knowledge of the illness, self-care and self-efficacy for legs, and major QOL indicators related to physical and mental health. Age of patients also influenced foot size, illness stage, and the QOL scores. However, other socio-demographic factors were poorly associated with filariasis related variables, including gender. The commercial QOL instruments and a standardized mental health tool satisfied a reasonable level of reliability and validity. Though additional discussion is needed regarding the validation of the mental health scales between EuroQol and the other instruments, they nevertheless offer utility for enhancing the quality of morbidity control programs. These findings offer a significant contribution for the development of filariasis prevention programs such as community-based morbidity control and support group activities in Haiti, as well as other areas of the filariasis-endemic world.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Various occupational stressors like the physical environment, noise, lighting, temperature. aspects of the job, role conflict, workload, lack of career path, poor relationships with peers. and lack of participation arc likely to lead to various stress outcomes, namely behavioural; proneness to accidents, cognitive, inability to make sound decisions, physiological: increased blood pressure, physical and mental health, and organisational: lower productivity, and high turnover rate. These outcomes could however be influenced by moderator variables like age and gender, physiological experience and affective behaviours (type 'A' behaviour, life change, and social support). Studies have also found instances where some workers, exposed 10 the same unbearable work environments, did suffer from neither stress nor burnout. These findings have therefore led to the study of work engagement, which is considered the opposite of burnout. The study of stress, burnout and work engagement has therefore become vehicles through which employees' effectiveness and efficiency can be facilitated. It has become necessary to jointly study stress with burnout and work engagement in a holistic model so as to how a better understanding of work wellness. Burnout and work engagement therefore represent the two aspects of wellness namely, the energy dimension and the identification with work dimension. Studies have identified two underlying dimensions of work wellness in which they identified activation as ranging from exhaustion to vigour, arid identification as ranging from mental distance to dedication. Thus burnout according to them is characterised by a combination of exhaustion (low activation) and mental distance (low identification), while engagement is represented by vigour (high activation) and dedication (high identification). Extreme exhaustion may render employees emotionally and physically drained which may lead them to distance themselves emotionally and cognitively from their work and clients, while an engaged worker develops high levels of energy, and derives a sense of significance, attachment and dedication to work. However, to measure burnout, work engagement, stress, commitment and ill health requires valid and reliable instruments. In South Africa there aren't many systematic studies that have investigated stress, burnout, work engagement, commitment and ill health among civil servants. It is this dearth of well-designed studies in the area that makes this study very important. The objectives of this study were to assess the reliability and validity of the MBI-GS, the UWES, the ASSET, the Job Demands-Resource Scale, Commitment and Ill Health subscales Tor civil servants, determine the occupational stressors that they experience and whether the biographic variables by any way increase or moderate the effects of the stressors, and to finally test a structural model of work wellness consisting of burnout, work engagement, job demands-job resources, ill health, and commitment. The research method for each of the three articles consists of a brief literature review and an empirical study. A cross-sectional survey design was used. An accidental sample (N = 500) for research articles 1, 2 and 3 were targeted from the civil servants in the Mafikeng area of the North West Province of South Africa. The measuring instruments used in this study are; the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Job Demands and Job Resources Scale (JDRS), Health subscales. Organizational Commitment subscales, the ASSET questionnaire and a biographical questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was used to test the factor structures of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Sunley (MBI-GS), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) respectively. namely exhaustion, cynicism, cognitive weariness, and professional efficacy, and vigour, dedication and absorption. In respect of the MBI-GS, a four-factor model of burnout. consisting of exhaustion (physically drained), cynicism (distancing oneself from colleagues and clients), professional efficacy (feeling of accomplishment) and cognitive weariness (lack of focus on one's work), was found to fit the sample data best in comparison to the three-factor, two-factor and one-factor models. Thus the study established burnout as a bur-dimensional construct. In the case of the UWES a two-factor model of work engagement, consisting of vigour and dedication fined the data best as compared to a three-factor or one-factor model. This means that the UWES is a two-dimensional construct and not a three-factor nor a one-factor dimensional construct. The scales of the MBI-GS, UWES, and the ASSET subscales of work relationships, work life balance, overload, job security, control, resources/communication. aspects of the job, and the stress outcomes of organisational commitment, individual commitment physical health and psychological (un)well-being showed acceptable internal consistencies. There existed no statistically significant differences between burnout, work engagement. the stress dimensions, commitment and ill health respectively and any of the biographical variables. The study found that psychological (un)well-being, is a major stress outcome for the civil servants followed by physical (un)health, respectively. It was discovered that the civil servants generally have low levels of stress, and security was the lowest stressor. Employee commitment was also found to be high. Stress, due to lack of resources, predicted physical ill health and explained 21% of the variance of ill health among the sample of civil servants. Stress relating to aspects of the job and security, predicted psychological ill health and explained 31% of the variance in psychological ill health. Issues relating to control on the job and security predicted organisational and individual commitment respectively and further explained 28% and 20% of organisational commitment and individual commitment. Stress due to lack of job resources, security and aspects of [he job seem to be the most important stressors. Another objective of the study was to find out if energy and identification with work could be predicted from job demands and job resources respectively. It was found that job demands and lack of job resources lead to ill health through burnout, and job resources could lead to commitment via engagement. The implications are that employees who experience excessive workload are likely to experience burnout, which in turn leads to health related problems. Continuous availability of job resources would lead to work engagement, which in turn leads to organisational commitment, while lack of it would lead to burnout. Recommendations for further research were accordingly made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

Recentemente, o constructo unidimensional e a confiabilidade do Questionário de Bullying de Olweus (QBO) - versão vítima e versão agressor - foram avaliados com resultados satisfatórios. O objetivo do presente estudo foi o de verificar evidências de validação das versões do QBO para adolescentes brasileiros por meio do constructo de fatores, da validade de critério e da consistência interna. Trata-se de um estudo transversal e a amostra foi composta por 1401 alunos, de ambos os sexos, com idade entre 10 a 17 anos, do 5º ao 9º ano do ensino fundamental de escolas da rede pública. O QBO é um instrumento de autorrelato, composto por 23 itens relacionados à prática de bullying (versão agressor) e por 23 itens relacionados à vitimização (versão vítima). Para definir os fatores a serem testados, por meio da Análise Fatorial Confirmatória (AFC), considerou-se a característica da atitude representada no item. Cada fator foi composto pelos mesmos itens do QBO-vítima e do QBOagressor, sendo: três fatores - direto físico = 9 itens, direto verbal = 8 itens e indireto = 6 itens; e quatro fatores - físico = 6 itens, verbal = 5 itens, relacional = 9 itens e dano = 3 itens. A validade de critério foi realizada através da análise convergente de correlação com o Questionário de Capacidades e Dificuldades-versão criança (SDQ-C) que foi preenchido concomitante ao QBO. A consistência interna foi verificada pela confiabilidade interavaliadores (coeficiente alfa de Cronbach). A AFC foi realizada com o QBO de 858 (61,2%) adolescentes, categorizados como envolvidos com bullying, sendo: 212 (24,7%) exclusivo vítima; 191 (22,2%) exclusivo agressor e 455 (53%) vítima-agressor. Em ambas as versões, os ajustes da AFC foram considerados satisfatórios, com índices semelhantes tanto para três fatores quanto para quatro fatores. No entanto, a confiabilidade do modelo de três fatores do QBO, para ambas as versões, apresentou melhores coeficientes (α >0,700) e foi considerado satisfatório. A análise de convergência do QBO unidimensional com o SDQ-C demonstrou correlação significativa moderada (r > 0,300) para os domínios conduta com o QBO agressor; relacionamento com o QBO vítima, tanto para meninos quanto para as meninas. Os resultados evidenciaram a possibilidade de identificar as diferentes formas de bullying com base no modelo de três fatores do QBO, definidos como direto físico, direto verbal e indireto. A relevância em definir os fatores das versões do QBO está em aprimorar a avaliação das diferentes formas de bullying, com instrumento validado em nosso meio e, assim, contribuir para especificar diferentes estratégias de intervenção para prevenir o bullying escolar. / Bullying behavioral evaluation with a validated instrument in Brazil is scarce. Recently, the one-dimensional construct and the reliability of the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire (OBQ) - victim and aggressor version - were evaluated with satisfactory results. The objective of the present study was to verify validation evidences of the OBQ versions for Brazilian adolescents through the construct of factors, the criterion validity and the internal consistency. This is a cross-sectional study and the sample was composed of 1401 students of both sexes, aged 10 to 17 years, from the 5th to the 9th grade of elementary school in public schools. The OBQ is a self-report instrument, composed of 23 items related to bullying (aggressor version) and 23 items related to victimization (victim version). To define the factors to be tested through the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), we took into consideration the characteristic of the attitude represented in the item. Each factor was composed of the same OBQ-victim and OBQ-aggressor items, being: three factors - direct physical = 9 items, direct verbal = 8 items and indirect = 6 items; and four factors - physical = 6 items, verbal = 5 items, relational = 9 items and damage = 3 items. Criterion validity was performed through the convergent analysis of correlation with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - child version (SDQ-C) that was completed concomitantly with the OBQ. The internal consistency was verified by inter-rater reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient). The AFC was performed with the OBQ of 858 (61.2%) adolescents categorized as being involved in bullying, being: 212 (24.7%) exclusive victim; 191 (22.2) exclusive aggressor and 455 (53%) victimaggressor. In both versions, AFC adjustments were considered satisfactory with similar indices for the three factors and the four factors. However, the reliability of the three factor OBQ model for both versions had better coefficients (α > 0.700) and was considered satisfactory. The convergence analysis of the unidimensional OBQ with the SDQ-C demonstrated a moderate significant correlation (r > 0.300) for the conduct domains with the aggressor OBQ; in relation to the victim OBQ, for both boys and girls. The results show the possibility of identifying the different forms of bullying based on the three factor model of OBQ, defined as direct physical, verbal direct and indirect. The relevance of defining the factors of the OBQ versions is in improving the evaluation of the different forms of bullying, with a validated instrument in our environment, and thus contributing to specify different intervention strategies to prevent school bullying.

Recentemente, o constructo unidimensional e a confiabilidade do Questionário de Bullying de Olweus (QBO) - versão vítima e versão agressor - foram avaliados com resultados satisfatórios. O objetivo do presente estudo foi o de verificar evidências de validação das versões do QBO para adolescentes brasileiros por meio do constructo de fatores, da validade de critério e da consistência interna. Trata-se de um estudo transversal e a amostra foi composta por 1401 alunos, de ambos os sexos, com idade entre 10 a 17 anos, do 5º ao 9º ano do ensino fundamental de escolas da rede pública. O QBO é um instrumento de autorrelato, composto por 23 itens relacionados à prática de bullying (versão agressor) e por 23 itens relacionados à vitimização (versão vítima). Para definir os fatores a serem testados, por meio da Análise Fatorial Confirmatória (AFC), considerou-se a característica da atitude representada no item. Cada fator foi composto pelos mesmos itens do QBO-vítima e do QBOagressor, sendo: três fatores - direto físico = 9 itens, direto verbal = 8 itens e indireto = 6 itens; e quatro fatores - físico = 6 itens, verbal = 5 itens, relacional = 9 itens e dano = 3 itens. A validade de critério foi realizada através da análise convergente de correlação com o Questionário de Capacidades e Dificuldades-versão criança (SDQ-C) que foi preenchido concomitante ao QBO. A consistência interna foi verificada pela confiabilidade interavaliadores (coeficiente alfa de Cronbach). A AFC foi realizada com o QBO de 858 (61,2%) adolescentes, categorizados como envolvidos com bullying, sendo: 212 (24,7%) exclusivo vítima; 191 (22,2%) exclusivo agressor e 455 (53%) vítima-agressor. Em ambas as versões, os ajustes da AFC foram considerados satisfatórios, com índices semelhantes tanto para três fatores quanto para quatro fatores. No entanto, a confiabilidade do modelo de três fatores do QBO, para ambas as versões, apresentou melhores coeficientes (α >0,700) e foi considerado satisfatório. A análise de convergência do QBO unidimensional com o SDQ-C demonstrou correlação significativa moderada (r > 0,300) para os domínios conduta com o QBO agressor; relacionamento com o QBO vítima, tanto para meninos quanto para as meninas. Os resultados evidenciaram a possibilidade de identificar as diferentes formas de bullying com base no modelo de três fatores do QBO, definidos como direto físico, direto verbal e indireto. A relevância em definir os fatores das versões do QBO está em aprimorar a avaliação das diferentes formas de bullying, com instrumento validado em nosso meio e, assim, contribuir para especificar diferentes estratégias de intervenção para prevenir o bullying escolar. / Bullying behavioral evaluation with a validated instrument in Brazil is scarce. Recently, the one-dimensional construct and the reliability of the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire (OBQ) - victim and aggressor version - were evaluated with satisfactory results. The objective of the present study was to verify validation evidences of the OBQ versions for Brazilian adolescents through the construct of factors, the criterion validity and the internal consistency. This is a cross-sectional study and the sample was composed of 1401 students of both sexes, aged 10 to 17 years, from the 5th to the 9th grade of elementary school in public schools. The OBQ is a self-report instrument, composed of 23 items related to bullying (aggressor version) and 23 items related to victimization (victim version). To define the factors to be tested through the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), we took into consideration the characteristic of the attitude represented in the item. Each factor was composed of the same OBQ-victim and OBQ-aggressor items, being: three factors - direct physical = 9 items, direct verbal = 8 items and indirect = 6 items; and four factors - physical = 6 items, verbal = 5 items, relational = 9 items and damage = 3 items. Criterion validity was performed through the convergent analysis of correlation with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - child version (SDQ-C) that was completed concomitantly with the OBQ. The internal consistency was verified by inter-rater reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient). The AFC was performed with the OBQ of 858 (61.2%) adolescents categorized as being involved in bullying, being: 212 (24.7%) exclusive victim; 191 (22.2) exclusive aggressor and 455 (53%) victimaggressor. In both versions, AFC adjustments were considered satisfactory with similar indices for the three factors and the four factors. However, the reliability of the three factor OBQ model for both versions had better coefficients (α > 0.700) and was considered satisfactory. The convergence analysis of the unidimensional OBQ with the SDQ-C demonstrated a moderate significant correlation (r > 0.300) for the conduct domains with the aggressor OBQ; in relation to the victim OBQ, for both boys and girls. The results show the possibility of identifying the different forms of bullying based on the three factor model of OBQ, defined as direct physical, verbal direct and indirect. The relevance of defining the factors of the OBQ versions is in improving the evaluation of the different forms of bullying, with a validated instrument in our environment, and thus contributing to specify different intervention strategies to prevent school bullying.

Orientador: Maria Cecilia Bueno Jayme Gallani / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-16T05:22:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Miura_CinthyaTamiePassos_M.pdf: 2254405 bytes, checksum: 18a9c2640fe77f3688ab765ee00381d3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: A dispnéia é um dos sintomas cardeais das doenças cardiovasculares, as quais constituem importante causa de morbi e mortalidade no mundo. A subjetividade desse sintoma dificulta sua quantificação acurada, levando ao desenvolvimento de questionários, como o Modified Dyspnea Index (MDI), com o objetivo de avaliar mais especificamente o sintoma. Objetivos: Este estudo teve como objetivo realizar a adaptação cultural do instrumento Modified Dyspnea Index para a língua portuguesa do Brasil; testar sua confiabilidade e sua validade convergente por meio da correlação com o esforço percebido (aplicação da Escala Modificada de Borg), avaliação da força muscular respiratória e avaliação da qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde (aplicação do questionário Minnesota Living with Heart Failure). Metodologia: O processo de adaptação cultural seguiu metodologia recomendada internacionalmente, com as etapas de tradução-retrotradução e avaliação, por comitê de juízes, das equivalências: semântica, idiomática, cultural/experimental, conceitual e metabólica. O Índice de Validade de Conteúdo foi utilizado para avaliar a proporção de concordância entre os juízes. Como se trata de instrumento para uso do profissional de saúde, foi desenvolvido e validado um roteiro para nortear a aplicação do MDI. A confiabilidade foi avaliada segundo o critério da equivalência inter-observador, com aplicação simultânea do instrumento por dois profissionais de saúde (fisioterapeuta e enfermeiro) a pacientes portadores de doença cardiovascular com queixa de dispnéia. A validade foi testada segundo o critério da validade convergente, por meio da correlação entre MDI e: Escala Modificada de Borg, qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde (versão brasileira do Minnesota Living with Heart Failure - LHFQ) e valores de Pressão inspiratória máxima (Pi máx) e Pressão expiratória máxima (Pe máx). Os instrumentos foram aplicados por um único pesquisador, sob forma de entrevista; em seguida, os pacientes foram submetidos à mensuração da Pe máx e Pi máx. A concordância entre os avaliadores independentes, junto a 31 pacientes, foi avaliada por meio do coeficiente Kappa e para o teste das correlações entre o MDI e demais medidas (n=151) foi empregado coeficiente de correlação de Spearman. Foi adotado p? 0,05 como nível de significância. Resultados: O MDI sofreu alterações de acordo com a avaliação da validade de conteúdo. Foi constatado elevado coeficiente de concordância entre os observadores quanto ao escore total do MDI (k= 0,960). Foi observada correlação negativa significativa, embora de pequena magnitude entre MDI e Escala de Borg Modificada (r= -0,29, p=0,0003) e entre MDI e Pi máx e Pe máx (r= 0,26, p=0,0001; e r= 0,28, p=0,0006; respectivamente). A correlação entre o MDI e a medida de qualidade de vida, entretanto, foi de forte magnitude, considerando-se o escore total do LHFQ e sua dimensão física (r= -0,53, p=<0,0001; r= -0,59, p=<0,0001, respectivamente); e de moderada magnitude com a dimensão emocional (r= -0,30, p=<0,0001). A adaptação do MDI para a cultura brasilleira foi realizada com rigor e a análise de sua confiabilidade e validade aponta fortes evidências de ser uma ferramenta útil para avaliação da dispnéia em pesquisa e na prática clínica. / Abstract: Dyspnea is an important symptom in cardiovascular diseases, which are important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The subjectiveness of the symptom hampers its accurate quantification. Thus, questionnaires, as the Modified Dyspnea Index (MDI), have been developed in order to provide a more specific evaluation of the symptom. Objectives: The aim of this study were to cross-culturally adapt the instrument Modified Dyspnea Index for the Portuguese language of Brazil, to test its reliability and convergent validity by correlation of its scores with perceived exertion (Modified Borg Scale), respiratory muscle strength evaluation and assessment of health-related quality of life (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure). Methodology: The process of cultural adaptation followed rigorous methodology and included the steps of translation, back translation and evaluation of semantic, idiomatic, cultural and metabolic equivalence by a committee of experts. The Index of Content Validity was used to estimate the proportion of agreement among the judges. As the MDI is designed to be answered by health professionals based on an the evaluation of the patient, a User's Guide for administering the Brazilian-MDI in Portuguese was prepared, with purpose of standardizing its administration and rating. Reliability was assessed according to the criterion of inter-observer equivalence, evaluating the agreement between two health care providers (one nurse and one physiotherapist) regarding individual and total scores of patients with cardiovascular disease with dyspnea. Validity was tested according to the criterion of convergent validity, by the correlation between Brazilian-MDI and: Modified Borg Scale, health-related quality of life (Brazilian version of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure - LHFQ) and maximal inspiratory (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP). The instruments were interviewer- administered by a single researcher, due to the low educational level of the target population. Afterwards, the patients were submitted to the measurement of MIP and MEP. The agreement between the independent observers in 31 patients was evaluated with Kappa's coefficient; Spearman coefficients were used to test the correlations between Brazilian-MDI and the other measures (n=151). The significance level used was p <0.05. Results: Evaluation of the content validity resulted in the rewording of some sentences of the MDI. The coefficient of agreement between the independent observers was k = 0.960.The Brazilian-MDI was negatively and significant but weakly correlated to the Modified Borg Scale (r= -0.29; p=0.0003) and to the Brazilian-MDI and MIP and MEP measures (r= 0.26; p=0.0001 and r= 0.28; p=0.0006; respectively). However, the Brazilian-MDI was highly correlated to the scores of health-related quality of life, considering the LHFQ total score and the physical subscale, (r= -0.53, p=<0.0001; r= -0.59, p=<0.0001, respectively); and the emotional domain (r= -0.30; p=<0,0001). The adaptation of the MDI for use in a Brazilian population has been undertaken with rigor and the tests of its reliability and validity points to strong evidences of being a useful tool for use in research and clinical settings in evaluating dyspnea. / Mestrado / Enfermagem e Trabalho / Mestre em Farmacologia

The purpose was to evaluate the psychometric properties of an 8-item questionnaire instrument to support member checks in positivistic qualitative research. A sample of 1603 junior-level university nursing students (98.2% participation rate) a completed the questionnaire instrument which assessed how closely a written description of the lived experience of in-hospital training applied to their personal experience. The instrument had excellent psychometric properties, including high measurement reliability (α=0.94), strong concurrent validity (72.2%-77.4%), discriminant validity (p < 0.000001), a parametric score distribution with little kurtosis and no skew, and an average score (G score) was centered at midpoint of the scale (midpoint of 4 on a scale from 1 to 7). The experience match was at the level of “matches experience to high degree,” showing the transferability (generalizability) of the findings to the present sample. The instrument can be used to assess the credibility and transferability of findings from qualitative research, assist in finding negative cases, determine the degree of saturation and success of bracketing, and complement the constant comparative method. The instrument is recommended for general use in positivistic qualitative or naturalistic inquiry studies for any type of sample and any type of lived experience. This approach would magnify and empower the reach of the products of qualitative research.

No description available.

Introdução: Índices dietéticos (ID) têm sido utilizados para estudar associações entre alimentação e doenças cardiovasculares (DCV). Um ID combina e resume aspectos de uma recomendação ou guia alimentar. Esses aspectos geralmente são a quantidade de nutrientes, alimentos ou grupos de alimentos a serem consumidos em um período de tempo (dia / semana / mês). A dieta do Programa Alimentar Brasileiro Cardioprotetor (DICA Br) classificou os alimentos em quatro grupos e definiu a quantidade diária a ser consumida. Uma vez que os aspectos nutricionais do DICA Br são diferentes de outras recomendações alimentares, não é possível utilizar os ID existentes para associar essa dieta com as DCV. Por isso, faz-se necessário o desenvolvimento de ID que considere as características da DICA Br. Objetivo: Descrever o desenvolvimento do ID DICA Br, avaliar a sua consistência interna, validade de constructo e as características da população associadas ao índice. Métodos: Foram utilizados dados de baseline do ensaio clínico randomizado DICA Br (www.clinicaltrials.gov; NCT01620398). Os quatro grupos alimentares da dieta estudada foram adotados como componentes do índice. Os critérios para atribuir pontos foram definidos a priori com base nos princípios e recomendações da DICA Br. Cada componente do índice recebeu pontos que variam de 0 a 10, portanto a pontuação total variou de 0 a 40. A consistência interna foi avaliada por meio dos coeficientes de correlação entre a pontuação total e de cada componente do índice, assim como pelo alpha de Cronbach. A validade de constructo foi avaliada verificando como nutrientes se associam com o índice por meio de testes para tendência linear. Análises de regressão linear bruta e ajustada foram realizadas para avaliar as características da população associadas ao índice. Resultados: A análise incluiu 2044 indivíduos (58,6 por cento homens). A média do índice total foi maior entre as mulheres. Os componentes do índice apresentaram baixas correlações entre si e as correlações entre cada componente isolado e o índice total foram >0,40. O alpha de Cronbach foi 0,66. Maiores pontuações no índice estiveram inversamente associadas com o consumo de energia, gordura total, gordura monoinsaturada, colesterol e diretamente associadas com a ingestão de carboidratos e fibras. Homens hipertensos e mulheres diabéticas apresentaram maiores pontuações, enquanto homens fumantes apresentaram menores pontuações. Conclusões: O ID DICA Br apresentou confiabilidade e validade de constructo satisfatórias, refletiu a ingestão de nutrientes chaves e detectou características dos indivíduos que se associam com a DICA Br. / Background: The diet of the Brazilian Cardioprotective Nutritional Programme (BALANCE) classified food into four groups and set the daily amount to be consumed. The nutritional aspects of BALANCE are different from other dietary recommendations, therefore it is not possible to use existing diet indexes (DI) to associate this diet with cardiovascular disease. Objective: To describe the development of BALANCE DI, evaluate its internal consistency, construct validity and population characteristics associated with the index. Methods: We analyzed baseline data from BALANCE randomized clinical trial (www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01620398). The four food groups of the studied diet were adopted as index components. Each index component received points ranging from 0 to 10 and the total score ranged from 0 to 40. The internal consistency was evaluated by means of correlation coefficients between total and each component index score, as well as the Cronbach´s alpha coefficient. The construct validity was assessed by checking how nutrients are associated with the index. Crude and adjusted linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the characteristics of the population that are associated with the index. Results: The analysis included 2044 subjects (58.6 per cent men). The average of the total index was higher among women. The components of the index showed low correlations with each other and the correlations between each individual component and the total index were > 0.40. Cronbach\'s alpha coefficient was 0.66. High scores in the index were inversely associated with the intake of energy, total fat, monounsaturated fat, cholesterol and directly associated with the intake of carbohydrates and fiber. Hypertensive men and diabetic women had higher scores, while male smokers had lower scores. Conclusions: The BALANCE DI showed satisfactory reliability and construct validity, reflected the intake of key nutrients and detected characteristics of individuals that are associated with the BALANCE diet.