Currently, 17.1% of 2-19 year olds are obese. While obesity is a multifactorial disease, energy imbalance is commonly cited as a primary etiology. Excess consumption of added sugar (AS) from corn and cane sweeteners has been implicated as a leading contributor to weight gain in youth and adults. Children and adolescents are among the highest consumers of AS, which account for 16% of their total daily calories (~318 calories/d), which is above American Heart Association, World Health Organization, and Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations. Although a strong temporal relationship has been established between weight gain and increased consumption of corn and cane sweeteners, a causal relationship is difficult to determine due to the inherent limitations of self-report dietary assessments (i.e., measurement errors such as underreporting). Further, obtaining accurate dietary intake data from children and adolescents is challenging due to the high dietary variability observed in this population. To overcome the limitations of self-report dietary assessments, the Institute of Medicine has recognized the need to develop and validate objective biomarkers of dietary intake.One such biomarker is the delta (δ) 13C biomarker; preliminary studies suggest that the δ13C biomarker is a valid, objective indicator of AS intake in adults and holds promise for children and adolescents. Establishing δ13C as a valid, reliable and sensitive means for assessing habitual AS intake in children and adolescents provides valuable objective dietary information with the potential to address a pressing public health concern, which is the relationship between AS intake and health. / Master of Science

Yes / The Self-Regulation Model (SRM) identifies that the beliefs people hold about an illness can influence their responses to that illness. Although there are generic measures of illness representations, there is a need for a brief tailored measure to use with people with dementia. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a brief measure called the Representations and Adjustment to Dementia Index (RADIX). The RADIX contains questions on the SRM elements: Identity, Cause, Timeline, Control, and Consequences. The RADIX validation was conducted with a sample of 385 community-dwelling people with mild to moderate dementia who were taking part in the IDEAL cohort study. Test-retest reliability was conducted over a 4-week period with a separate sample of 20 people with dementia. The validation process resulted in a reduction in the number of items in the Timeline, Control, and Consequences items. The resulting RADIX demonstrated good acceptability, internal reliability, and test-retest reliability. All the RADIX items had low missing data, indicating good acceptability. The factor analysis confirmed that the Consequences items formed two subscales (practical and emotional consequences) that had Cronbach's α of 8 and 0.91 respectively. Test-retest reliability indicated that the Identity, Timeline, and Control items had moderate reliability and the practical and emotional consequences scales had good reliability. The RADIX demonstrates acceptable psychometric properties, proves to be a useful measure for exploring people's beliefs about dementia, and could aid the provision of tailored information and support to people with dementia.

Compromised validity of test data due to exaggeration or fabrication of cognitive deficits inhibits the capacity to establish appropriate conclusions and recommendations in neuropsychological examinations. Detection of feigned neurocognitive impairment presents a formidable challenge, particularly for evaluations involving possibilities of significant secondary gain. Among specific populations examined in this domain, litigating mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) samples are among the most researched. One subpopulation with potential to contribute significantly to this body of literature is that of retired athletes undergoing fixed-battery neuropsychological evaluations within an assessment program. Given the considerable prevalence of concussions sustained by athletes in this sport and the substantial monetary incentives within this program, a unique opportunity exists to establish rates of feigning within this population to be compared to similar forensic mTBI samples. Further, a fixed battery with multiple validity tests (VT) offers a chance to evaluate the classification accuracy of an aggregated VT failure paradigm, as uncertainty abounds regarding the optimal approach to the recommended use of multiple VTs for effort assessment. The current study seeks to examine rates of feigned neurocognitive impairment in this population, demonstrate prediction accuracy equivalence between models based on aggregated VT failures and logistic regression, and compare classification performance of various individual VTs.

Le SVA est utilisé pour évaluer la crédibilité d'un témoignage, surtout dans des cas d'abus sexuels. Les buts de cette étude étaient d'en évaluer l'efficacité et de vérifier si les effets observés étaient dus à l'intention de tromper ou à la source du souvenir (interne vs externe). 34 participantes racontèrent 2 événements ou 2 rêves (1 réel et 1 inventé) après 2 jours ou plus de préparation. Seize des 19 critères du SVA furent évalués. Les récits réels contenaient plus d'incohérences et moins de détails inusités que les récits inventés. Aucun autre critère du SVA ne fut efficace. Les effets étaient causés exclusivement par l'intention de tromper. Les résultats indiquent qu'en contexte de variabilité et préparation réaliste, le SVA perd son efficacité.

A replication of an original study of managerial assessment centers performed by Sackett and Dreher (1982) is presented. Their major finding, indicating that assessment centers lack key tenets of internal construct validity, was corroborated in this study of a hotel managers' assessment center. This hotel managers' assessment center is also found to be externally valid using criterion-related validity. The argument is posed that assessment centers, as standardized tests of complex behavioral traits, appear to be operating outside the bounds of normal test construction principles. Five key explanations for this paradox are offered to guide much needed future research in this area. Additionally, a description of commonly utilized assessment center activities is offered the reader.

The present study evaluated two hypotheses concerning the comparability of scores of the WISC and WISC-R through correlation of obtained scores on both scales. Forty subjects, representing 10 age levels, constituted the experimental sample. Each subject was administered the WISC, followed in 28 days by the WISC-R. Data analysis revealed significant (.05) correlations between scores on comparable WISC and WISC-R subtests except Arithmetic and Coding. The Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQ scores correlated .5468, .5773, and .6240 respectively (p < .01). Conclusions were drawn that caution should be taken in comparison and interpretation of scores on the two scales due to several low correlation coefficients obtained as well as numerous changes between the scales. Further study is recommended.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo coletar e analisar evidências relacionadas a um teste de classificação em Inglês, mediado por computador, aplicado em uma Faculdade de Tecnologia Pública que está localizada a 60 km da capital de São Paulo. Os dados obtidos foram coletados nos testes de classificação aplicados a alunos ingressantes dos cursos de Eventos, Logística (manhã e noite) e de Gestão da Tecnologia da Informação, no período compreendido entre o 2º semestre de 2010 ao 2º semestre de 2012. Outros dados complementares foram obtidos em dois questionários de apreciação da prova, um deles respondido por 141 (cento e quarenta e um) ingressantes no 1º semestre de 2012 e o outro por dois professores de inglês da instituição, que serviram de base para o estudo da validação do teste. O propósito da pesquisa foi o de avaliar a pertinência e qualidade dos itens que compõem cada nível dos testes de classificação, em comparação com o que está previsto como conteúdo programático de língua inglesa nos cursos, apresentado nas ementas das disciplinas Inglês I a VI. A pesquisa foi tratada como um estudo de caso, de caráter descritivo e exploratório, considerando para análise dados quantitativos e qualitativos, com o objetivo de verificar e discutir a validade de construto, de conteúdo e de face nos testes de classificação, consideradas como aspectos substanciais para o processo de sua validação. Os resultados da análise comparativa revelaram que o teste necessita de modificações, uma vez que o construto que permeia as ementas dos cursos não está nitidamente definido no teste, especialmente no que se refere à ausência do componente oral em alguns dos seus níveis. Entretanto, quanto à validade de conteúdo, observou-se que a maioria dos itens contempla o que está previsto nas ementas. Em relação à validade de face, os resultados apontarem que os examinandos e professores que participaram da pesquisa consideraram o teste adequado. A análise do desempenho dos examinandos e a avaliação dos itens do teste permitiram diagnosticar aspectos das práticas avaliativas da instituição e sua relevância para o processo ensino/aprendizagem de língua estrangeira. Nesse sentido, espera-se que este trabalho possa contribuir para futuras pesquisas sobre elaboração, processamento e validação de instrumentos avaliativos em língua estrangeira. / The objective of this study is to collect and analyze evidences related to an online English placement test which is being administered in a public technological college located 60 km from the capital of São Paulo. Data were collected on this test administered to freshmen students of Events, Logistics (morning and evening) and Management Information Technology courses in the period between the second half of 2010 to the second half of 2012. Other complementary data were obtained by two questionnaires, one of them answered by 141 freshmen in the first half of 2012 and the other answered by two English teachers of the college, which formed the basis for the study of the validation of the test. The purpose of the research was to assess the relevance and quality of the test items that make up each level of the placement test in comparison to what is foreseen as syllabus for English language courses I through VI. The research was treated as a case study, with a descriptive and explanatory character considering quantitative and qualitative data analysis in order to verify and discuss the construct validity, content validity and face validity of the online placement test considered as substantial aspects for process validation. The results of the comparative analysis revealed that the online placement test requires modifications, since the construct that permeates the syllabus of the courses is not clearly defined in the test, particularly there is an oral missing evaluation in some levels. However, as to content validity, it was observed that most of the items that are part of the test include what is referred to on the syllabus. Regarding face validity the results suggest that most of the examinees and teachers who participated in the survey considered the test appropriate. The performance analysis and evaluation of the examinees and the way the test was constructed helped diagnosing aspects of evaluation practices in the institution and its relevance to the teaching / learning of a foreign language. We intend through this study to contribute to the current research on development, implementation and validation of evaluation instruments in a foreign language.

Introdução: O diagnóstico baseado unicamente na avaliação quantitativa dos sintomas e seu curso muitas vezes não é suficiente para o trabalho em psicoterapia psicodinâmica. Apesar disso, a literatura sobre diagnóstico psicodinâmico ainda é escassa, assim como os estudos empíricos na área. O Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis-2 (OPD-2) tem o objetivo de ampliar o diagnóstico tradicional através da operacionalização de informações psicodinâmicas fundamentais para a compreensão dos fenômenos subjacentes à sintomatologia clínica. A construção multi-axial do OPD-2 possibilita que se abarque a complexidade e a inter-relação das condições e fatores que determinam os fenômenos e as patologias mentais do ponto de vista psicodinâmico. O OPD-2 é composto por 4 eixos psicodinâmicos e 1 eixo descritivo: I: vivência da doença e pré-requisitos para o tratamento; II: Relações interpessoais; III: Conflito psíquico; IV: Estrutura psíquica; V: Diagnóstico nosológico tradicional. Apesar de ser amplamente utilizado em vários países ainda não foram realizados estudos com o OPD-2 no Brasil. Objetivos: Esta dissertação apresenta a versão brasileira do OPD-2 e os estudos de validade de conteúdo, concordância inter-avaliadores e validade concorrente do instrumento. Método: A versão brasileira do instrumento foi criada através da adaptação da versão portuguesa. A avaliação do conteúdo do instrumento foi realizada por experts em psicoterapia psicodinâmica. A concordância inter-avaliadores foi avaliada utilizando-se 51 entrevistas de psicoterapia psicodinâmica. A validade concorrente comparou os itens do OPD-2 com os resultados do The World Health Organization Quality of Life - abbreviated version (WHOQOL-bref) e o Symptom Check-List-90-Revised (SCL-90R). Resultados: A avaliação de conteúdo considerou os itens claros quanto a linguagem e pertinentes teoricamente. Os eixos III e IV apresentaram maior índice de concordância inter-avaliadores. Os eixos I, III e IV obtiveram correlação significativa entre alguns itens com os resultados do SCL-90R e WHOQOL-bref. Conclusão: Este estudo demonstrou que o OPD-2 apresenta boas condições de avaliação de propriedades psicodinâmicas. Outros estudos com diferentes amostras e instrumentos devem ser realizados para verificação das propriedades psicométricas do OPD-2 no Brasil. / Background: Diagnoses based upon quantification of symptoms and their course is less suitable to psychodynamic psychotherapy, yet psychodynamic diagnoses are rarely scrutinized scientifically. The Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis-2 seeks to enhance traditional diagnostic schemes through the operationalization of psychodynamic data relevant to the comprehension of psychological phenomena underlying clinical symptomatology. The multi-axial framing of OPD-2 allows the incorporation of the complexity and the inter-relations of conditions and factors determining mental phenomena and pathology from a psychodynamic perspective. OPD-2 has 4 psychodynamic and 1 descriptive axis: I: experience of illness and prerequisites for treatment; II: Interpersonal relations; III: Conflict ; IV: Structure ; V: Mental and psychosomatic disorders. Although largely used in a number of countries, there have been no studies with OPD-2 in Brazil. Objectives: We aimed to present the Brazilian version of OPD-2 and determine the content validity, inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity of the psychodynamic itens of the instrument. Methods: Experts in psychodynamic psychotherapy evaluated content and the inter-rater reliability was based on 51 dialogued interviews obtained during routine clinical practice in a specialized institution. Concurrent validity compared OPD-2 items with results from the World Health Organization Quality of Life - abbreviated version (WHOQOL-bref) and the Symptom Check-List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Results: Evaluation of content considered OPD-2 items as clear and theoretically pertinent. Axes III and IV had higher inter-rater concordance. Several items from axes I, III and IV correlated significantly with the SCL-90R and the WHOQOL-bref. Conclusion: OPD-2 is adequate to evaluate psychodynamic properties. Further studies with the OPD-2 in Brazil evaluating different samples and using distinct comparator instruments are needed to confirm and extend our findings.

This study evaluated the predictive and concurrent validity of the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI). Structural equation modeling was applied to test the associations between the TFI and student outcomes. First, a total of 1,691 schools with TFI Tier 1 in 2016-17 and school-wide discipline outcomes in 2015-16 and 2016-17 were targeted, finding a negative association between TFI Tier 1 and differences between African American and non-African American students in major office discipline referrals (ODR) per 100 students per day in elementary schools. A sensitivity test with schools with TFI Tier 1, 2, and 3 was conducted, showing a negative association between TFI Tier 1 and the square root of major ODR rates in elementary schools. Second, TFI Tier 1 was positively related to the proportions of students meeting or exceeding state-wide standards in reading from 1,361 schools with TFI Tier 1 and academic outcomes in 2014-15 and 2015-16. Also, the association between TFI Tier 1 and academic outcomes was found to be stronger when schools implemented SWPBIS for 6 or more years. A sensitivity test with schools with TFI Tier 1, 2, and 3 indicated positive associations between TFI Tier 1 and the proportions of students meeting or exceeding state-wide standards in both subjects. Third, TFI Tier2 was positively associated with the logit of proportions of students with CICO daily points from 570 schools with TFI Tier 2 in 2016-17 and CICO outcomes in 2015-16 and 2016-17. Fourth, correlations between the Evaluation subscale of TFI Tier 1 or 2 and relevant measures in 2016-17 were tested from 2,379 schools. TFI Tier 1 Evaluation was positively correlated with counts of TFI administrations, number of fidelity measures, and counts of viewing SWIS Reports. These correlations were significant except for ODRs by staff. Also, TFI Tier 2 Evaluation was significantly positively correlated with years of SWPBIS implementation, years of CICO-SWIS implementation, and counts of viewing CICO Reports except student period, and negatively with counts of viewing student single period. These findings were discussed by comparing them with previous research findings, suggesting implications for future research and practice, and addressing research limitations.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo coletar e analisar evidências relacionadas a um teste de classificação em Inglês, mediado por computador, aplicado em uma Faculdade de Tecnologia Pública que está localizada a 60 km da capital de São Paulo. Os dados obtidos foram coletados nos testes de classificação aplicados a alunos ingressantes dos cursos de Eventos, Logística (manhã e noite) e de Gestão da Tecnologia da Informação, no período compreendido entre o 2º semestre de 2010 ao 2º semestre de 2012. Outros dados complementares foram obtidos em dois questionários de apreciação da prova, um deles respondido por 141 (cento e quarenta e um) ingressantes no 1º semestre de 2012 e o outro por dois professores de inglês da instituição, que serviram de base para o estudo da validação do teste. O propósito da pesquisa foi o de avaliar a pertinência e qualidade dos itens que compõem cada nível dos testes de classificação, em comparação com o que está previsto como conteúdo programático de língua inglesa nos cursos, apresentado nas ementas das disciplinas Inglês I a VI. A pesquisa foi tratada como um estudo de caso, de caráter descritivo e exploratório, considerando para análise dados quantitativos e qualitativos, com o objetivo de verificar e discutir a validade de construto, de conteúdo e de face nos testes de classificação, consideradas como aspectos substanciais para o processo de sua validação. Os resultados da análise comparativa revelaram que o teste necessita de modificações, uma vez que o construto que permeia as ementas dos cursos não está nitidamente definido no teste, especialmente no que se refere à ausência do componente oral em alguns dos seus níveis. Entretanto, quanto à validade de conteúdo, observou-se que a maioria dos itens contempla o que está previsto nas ementas. Em relação à validade de face, os resultados apontarem que os examinandos e professores que participaram da pesquisa consideraram o teste adequado. A análise do desempenho dos examinandos e a avaliação dos itens do teste permitiram diagnosticar aspectos das práticas avaliativas da instituição e sua relevância para o processo ensino/aprendizagem de língua estrangeira. Nesse sentido, espera-se que este trabalho possa contribuir para futuras pesquisas sobre elaboração, processamento e validação de instrumentos avaliativos em língua estrangeira. / The objective of this study is to collect and analyze evidences related to an online English placement test which is being administered in a public technological college located 60 km from the capital of São Paulo. Data were collected on this test administered to freshmen students of Events, Logistics (morning and evening) and Management Information Technology courses in the period between the second half of 2010 to the second half of 2012. Other complementary data were obtained by two questionnaires, one of them answered by 141 freshmen in the first half of 2012 and the other answered by two English teachers of the college, which formed the basis for the study of the validation of the test. The purpose of the research was to assess the relevance and quality of the test items that make up each level of the placement test in comparison to what is foreseen as syllabus for English language courses I through VI. The research was treated as a case study, with a descriptive and explanatory character considering quantitative and qualitative data analysis in order to verify and discuss the construct validity, content validity and face validity of the online placement test considered as substantial aspects for process validation. The results of the comparative analysis revealed that the online placement test requires modifications, since the construct that permeates the syllabus of the courses is not clearly defined in the test, particularly there is an oral missing evaluation in some levels. However, as to content validity, it was observed that most of the items that are part of the test include what is referred to on the syllabus. Regarding face validity the results suggest that most of the examinees and teachers who participated in the survey considered the test appropriate. The performance analysis and evaluation of the examinees and the way the test was constructed helped diagnosing aspects of evaluation practices in the institution and its relevance to the teaching / learning of a foreign language. We intend through this study to contribute to the current research on development, implementation and validation of evaluation instruments in a foreign language.