scholarly journals Preliminary Adaptation of Criminal Attitudes to Violence Scale in Latvian and Russian

Author(s):  
Laura Simane-Vigante ◽  

Violent offenders cause serious harm to their victims and affect the general well-being of the society. Many awareness and rehabilitation campaigns are introduced at the moment in Latvia that increases the necessity for adapted valid instruments in the native languages of the offenders. The aim of the research was to conduct a preliminary adaptation of Criminal Attitudes to Violence Scale (CAVS) in Latvian and Russian. CAVS has been designed to measure non-sexual physical violence of violent male offenders. Two groups (“Latvians” N=200 and “Russians” N=200) and four sub-groups of male offenders and non-offenders were formed. The translation of the scale in Latvian and Russian was organized separately and completed by back-translation method. Evaluation by both experts and a sample of target population was provided with the final Russian and Latvian versions of CAVS. Internal consistency of the items of the scale proved to be very good for all four sub-groups. Item analysis showed that both (Latvian and Russian) adapted CAVS versions work the best with the offender samples. There were three-factor structure reviled for both Latvian and Russian CAVS. The preliminary adaptation process has been completed and the further standardization process is intended.

Author(s):  
Kimberly Matheson ◽  
Andrena Pierre ◽  
Mindi D. Foster ◽  
Mathew Kent ◽  
Hymie Anisman

AbstractThe ability to effectively contend with racism is likely undermined by factors that promote uncertainty regarding racist motives. A national policy of multiculturalism exists in Canada, which is intended to encourage cultural diversity, but can also serve to mask systemic racism. This may contribute to uncertainty when racism is encountered, with implications for the appraisals, coping, and stress-related outcomes of ethnoracial minorities. Two studies were conducted to assess Black Canadians’ experiences of racism, and their reactions to variations in the nature of the experience. A survey study found that Black Canadians’ (n = 158) self-reported past encounters with explicit racism were associated with anger-out coping, which in turn was related to lower depressive affect. In contrast, ambiguous racism was related to keeping anger in and higher depressive affect; this relation was exacerbated when participants believed Blacks were held in high regard by others, likely adding uncertainty to interpreting behaviours as racist. An experimental study manipulated the nature of racist cues conveyed in a videotaped description of the experiences of a Black male interviewee. When the Black interviewee described racist experiences that were ambiguous (vs. explicit) both White (n = 112) and Black (n = 99) observers were less likely to appraise events as racist, even when physical violence was involved. However, the moment-to-moment distress elicited while listening the interviewee’s description of their racist experiences was uniquely associated with higher cortisol levels among Blacks (but not Whites), especially when physical violence was present. Taken together, the findings contribute to our understanding of the processes by which ambiguous racism might operate to undermine the well-being of targeted groups. Moreover, it is suggested that policies conveying that ethnoracial groups are highly valued (e.g., multiculturalism) might actually exacerbate negative effects of racist experiences, particularly in the absence of an open discourse acknowledging the presence of systemic racism.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nino Rode

The translation of measurement instruments, like all cross-cultural research, presents many problems for researchers. Because of cultural and linguistic differences, the questions or items can have quite different meaning in the translated instruments, thus threatening the validity and reliability of measurement. These problems are (or should be) addressed by translation back-translation procedure. To illustrate the problems, the case of Job-related Affective Well-Being Scale is presented. The scale was translated from English to Slovene and applied directly in the research without backtranslation or other form of testing the translation. The Cronbach's alpha is used to compare reliability of the results obtained with original (English) version reported by authors of the scale and with the translated (Slovene) version. In the item analysis some items have been singled out as problematic by item diagnostics. Especially the item »excited«, translated as »vznemirjen«, is discussed, since it is possible that backtranslation procedure could fail to detect the problem. At the end some tentative solutions are suggested.


Author(s):  
Shabboo Valipoor ◽  
Sheila J. Bosch

While healthcare design research has primarily focused on patient outcomes, there is a growing recognition that environmental interventions could do more by promoting the overall quality of care, and this requires expanding the focus to the health and well-being of those who deliver care to patients. Healthcare professionals are under high levels of stress, leading to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and poor patient care. Among other tools, mindfulness is recommended as a way of decreasing stress and helping workers function at higher levels. This article aims to identify potential environmental strategies for reducing work-related stressors and facilitating mindfulness in healthcare settings. By examining existing evidence on workplace mindfulness and stress-reducing design strategies, we highlight the power of the physical environment in not only alleviating stressful conditions but intentionally encouraging a mindful perspective. Strategies like minimizing distractions or avoiding overstimulation in the healthcare environment can be more effective if implemented along with the provision of designated spaces for mindfulness-based programs. Future research may explore optimal methods and hospital workers’ preferences for environments that support mindfulness and stress management. The long-term goal of all these efforts is to enhance healthcare professionals’ well-being, reignite their professional enthusiasm, and help them be resilient in times of stress.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 343-343
Author(s):  
Abdallah Abu Khait ◽  
Juliette Shellman

Abstract The Reminiscence Functions Scale (RFS), a 43 item reliable and valid scale, measures eight specific reasons as to why individuals reminisce: (a) identity (b) death preparation; (c) problem-solving; (d) bitterness revival; (e) boredom reduction; (f) intimacy maintenance; (g) conversation; and (h) teach/Inform others. Research indicates that certain reminiscence functions have a positive impact on the mental-health and well-being of older adults. However, no known studies have been conducted in Arab countries examining the relationship between reminiscence functions and mental health outcomes due to the lack of an Arabic version of the RFS. The purpose of this study was to translate the RFS from English to Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic), back-translate from Arabic to English, and compare the two English versions for equivalence and accuracy through a multi-step translation method. A team of bilingual, bicultural, Arabic speaking experts assembled to conduct the forward, back translation and harmonization process. In the next step, professionals with expertise in linguistics communication sciences and disorders, Arabic literature, geriatric nursing, and medicine reviewed the translated documents to assess the content (relevant to the target culture) and semantic equivalencies (similarity of meaning in the target culture). Challenges that occurred during the study included finding nuanced translation equivalences for Likert scale responses, translation of idioms such as “when time is heavy on my hands”, and logistical issues such as coordinating virtual meetings for the team of experts. Lessons learned during the translation process and implications for use of the RFS-Arabic version with Jordanian older adults will be presented.


Author(s):  
Marco Gola ◽  
Monica Botta ◽  
Anna Lisa D’Aniello ◽  
Stefano Capolongo

Aim: The current COVID-19 pandemic has been causing significant upheavals in the daily lives of citizens and consequently also their mood (stress, distraction, anxiety, etc.), especially during the lockdown phase. The aim of the investigation is to evaluate the benefits of 20–30 minutes in contact with nature. Background: The Scientific Community, also through the evidence-based design approach, has already demonstrated the importance of greenery and nature on the psychophysical well-being of people and, in a moment of emergency, contact with the nature can be therapeutic and quite influential on the mental health of staff subject to stress. Method: During the lockdown, an Italian multidisciplinary working group promoted an experience-based survey, based on the Profile of Mood States methodology, for measuring the psychophysical well-being of hospital staff. Results: The author collected 77 questionnaires. The benefits that users have obtained from the experience in nature have been investigated by comparing the type of stresses they were subjected to and highlighting various peculiarities in the data analysis associated with the type of green in which they carried out the survey, the healthcare areas in which they worked during the pandemic emergency, and the moment in which the survey was conducted. Conclusions: The study has highlighted that a short break in green spaces strongly influenced the mental and psychophysical well-being of hospital staff, emphasizing the importance of nearby green spaces in architectures for health. Even a brief break in nature can regenerate users, especially in times of a stressful health emergency.


1966 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 943-951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Holden

If an important part of the political scientist's mission is to anticipate and explain “the critical problems that generate turbulence” in that part of the world which attracts his attention, then, in the study of administration, bureaucratic “imperialism” must be of compelling interest. If systematic data directly assembled for the purpose are lacking, and if there are some signal problems of theory which have been little investigated, there is still enough evidence from studies of other political problems that it seems worthwhile to set out some trial-run ideas in the hope that they will elicit further discussion.Bureaucractic imperialism seems pre-eminently a matter of inter-agency conflict in which two or more agencies try to assert permanent control over the same jurisdiction, or in which one agency actually seeks to take over another agency as well as the jurisdiction of that agency. We are thus primarily concerned with the politics of allocation and shall, except incidentally, bypass some other interesting aspects of inter-agency politics such as cooperation between agencies sharing missions, competition for favorable “one-time-only” decisions which do not involve jurisdictional reallocation, or the critical problems of the “holding company” administrative organization and its internal politics. For the moment, our concern with the politics of allocation leads to a focus on what would appear to be the likely behaviors of those decisionmakers who have both inclination and opportunity to look after the institutional well-being of agencies.


CoDAS ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 535-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruna Rainho Rocha ◽  
Felipe Moreti ◽  
Elisabeth Amin ◽  
Glaucya Madazio ◽  
Mara Behlau

PURPOSE: To present the cross-cultural equivalence of the Brazilian version of the Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily (EASE) protocol, through its cultural and linguistic adaptation. METHODS: After the EASE was translated to Brazilian Portuguese, the back-translation into English was done. The items of the translated version were compared with the original instrument and the discrepancies were modified by consensus of a committee composed of five speech language pathologists. The Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily for Brazil (EASE-BR) has 22 questions with four alternatives: "no," "mildly," "moderately," and "extremely." The score is obtained by the simple sum of all answers. The three positive items (6, 12, and 21) require reverse score. For cultural equivalence, the EASE-BR was applied with 41 Brazilian singers, with an extra item in the answer key - "not applicable." The aim of this extra key was to identify issues that might not have been understood or were not appropriate for the target population and the Brazilian culture. RESULTS: Of the 32 singers, 5 who were initially evaluated had difficulties to answer 3 of the 22 questions. Therefore, the adaptation of those sentences was necessary. Afterward, the modified EASE-BR was applied to nine singers, and no more cultural and/or conceptual barriers were found. CONCLUSION: Cultural equivalence was observed between EASE and its translated version to the Brazilian Portuguese, the EASE-BR. Validation of the EASE for Brazilian Portuguese is in progress.


2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz de Oliveira Meneguelo Lobo ◽  
Alice Einloft Brunnet ◽  
Thiago Loreto Garcia da Silva ◽  
Lafaiete Moreira dos Santos ◽  
Gustavo Gauer ◽  
...  

Introduction: Experiencing a traumatic event is a risk factor for the development of mental illness, especially posttraumatic stress disorder. A child's appraisals of a traumatic event may play a prominent role in the development or maintenance of the disorder. Therefore, subjective responses should be evaluated to understand the impact of a traumatic event on a child's life. This study translated and adapted the Child Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (cPTCI) for use in linguistic and cultural contexts in Brazil. Methods: The process included translation, back-translation, language expert evaluation and expert committee's evaluation. Results: Content validity index scores were good for all dimensions after evaluation by two judges and one reformulation. The back-translation of the final version also showed that the cPTCI items in Brazilian Portuguese maintained the same meanings of the original in English. This version was tested in a sample of the target population, and all the items were above the cut-off point (minimum = 3.6; maximum = 4.0). Conclusions: This study was successful in producing a Brazilian version of the cPTCI. Further studies are underway to examine the reliability and the factorial and concurrent validity of cPTCI subscales.


2019 ◽  
Vol 101 (5) ◽  
pp. 865-877 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalini Roy ◽  
Melissa Hidrobo ◽  
John Hoddinott ◽  
Akhter Ahmed

Transfer programs have been shown to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV), but little evidence exists on how activities linked to transfers affect IPV or what happens when programs end. We assess postprogram impacts on IPV of randomly assigning women in Bangladesh to receive cash or food, with or without nutrition behavior change communication (BCC). Six to ten months postprogram, IPV did not differ between women receiving transfers and a control group; however, women receiving transfers with BCC experienced 26% less physical violence. Evidence on mechanisms suggests sustained effects of BCC on women's “threat points,” men's social costs of violence, and household well-being.


1998 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edna W. Comer ◽  
Mark W. Fraser

Family-support programs employ multiple strategies in an effort to strengthen families and promote the well-being of children. The multidimensionality of these programs—viewed by many experts as a strength—renders them particularly difficult to evaluate. As a result of this complexity, little information is available on the effectiveness of family-support programs. The authors examine outcome research from six family-support programs. Each of the programs was subjected to rigorous program evaluation. The findings from this research are summarized across six dimensions, including program description, intervention strategies, target population, evaluation design, outcome measures, and observed outcomes. Findings from these six programs suggests that there are positive outcomes for young children and their parents. The authors caution that too few studies that involve manualized interventions, and broad assessment over time of randomized groups have been conducted. In these six evaluations, however, program families demonstrated enhanced child, parent, and family functioning. Additionally, these programs appear to improve parent education and produce gains in both immediate and long-term effects on housing and income.


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