Inês Carvalho Relva

Psychometric Properties of Revised Conflict Tactics Scales: Portuguese Sibling Version (CTS2-SP)

The Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2, Straus et al. Journal of Family Issues, 17, 283–316, 1996) were conceived to measure Psychological Aggression, Physical Assault, Sexual Coercion, Injury and the use of Negotiation towards a partner in a marital, cohabiting or dating relationship. The CTS2-SP was designed for obtaining data on conflict tactics between siblings. The main objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the CTS2-SP Portuguese version. Data were collected among 590 Portuguese university students. Reliability was assessed through Cronbach’s alpha ranging from 0.65 to 0.81 for the perpetration scales and ranging 0.66 to 0.84 to victimization scales. Significant correlations between different forms of the CTS2 illustrate its construct validity. The psychometric characteristics of CTS2-SP Portuguese version were found to be adequate. The CTS2-SP offers a reliable and valid measure to be used within the Portuguese population.

An exploration of sibling violence predictors

Purpose – Sibling violence is generally considered to be the most prevalent form of family violence. This paper aims to examine the association between sibling violence and other forms of violence: parent-to-parent violence, parent-to-child violence and dating violence. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 590 Portuguese university students. Findings – There was a strong positive association between sibling violence and other forms of family violence. Psychological and physical aggression is highly prevalent among siblings. Results also show that sibling violence is the most prevalent form of family violence. Regression models demonstrated that parent-to-child violence is a substantial predictor of sibling violence. Originality/value – The results of this study point to the importance of studying the co-occurrence of different forms of family violence.

Estudo Exploratório sobre a Violência entre Irmãos em Portugal

Sibling violence is one of the most common forms of family violence. This study aimed to characterize this issue in Portugal, among a sample of 588 undergraduates. The different types of victimization (physical, psychological and sexual) were assessed through the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale - Sibling Version. Descriptive exploratory analyses of the main variables, χ2 test, and multiple analyses of covariance were conducted. The results indicated that sibling violence is more frequent during early adolescence; boys committed significantly more physical (p <.001) and sexual (p <.05) violent acts than girls, but they were also significantly more victimized than girls, both physically (p <.001) and sexually (p <.05). Also, the male dyads showed significantly higher levels of physical and sexual violence than all other dyads, indicating clearly the reciprocal phenomenon. The results are discussed according to normalization of aggression and cycle of violence perspectives, which both help to understand the perpetration of abusive behaviors among siblings, as well as their occasional transfer to other relationships.

Psychometric Proprieties and Construct Validity of the Brother-Sister Questionnaire in a Sample of Portuguese Adolescents

The Brother-Sister Questionnaire (BSQ; Graham-Bermann and Cutler 1994) is an instrument designed to measure qualities of sibling relationships. Aim: In the present study the main objective was to examine the psychometric properties and validity construct of BSQ - Portuguese version. Data were collected among 197 adolescents. The Cronbach’s alpha of the four domains ranged from .58 to .84. The psychometric characteristics of BSQ Portuguese version were found to be adequate. The results confirm the multi-dimensional model composed of four factors proposed by the authors of this instrument, as well as their suitability to assess quality of Portuguese sibling relationships. The BSQ offers a reliable and valid measure to be used within Portuguese population.

INTERNET ADDICTION: THE RELATIONSHIP WITH PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMATOLOGY

The present study aims to corroborate associations between Internet addiction and psychopathological symptomatology. For this purpose, a sample of 418 participants, between the ages of 18 and 35, completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Internet Addition Test and the Brief Symptom Inventory depression, anxiety, hostility and interpersonal sensitivity scales. The factorial structures and the internal consistencies of the scales were analysed. We observed that 87.8% of the participants had low to mild addition, being males significantly more addicted. Internet addiction was positively associated with depression, anxiety, hostility, and interpersonal sensitivity. Moreover, analysing the differences between the three levels of addition present in the sample, we found significant differences in the psychopathological symptomatology among all groups, except for hostility. Our study concludes that Internet addiction is a problematic with associations to psychopathological symptomatology, emphasizing the need for greater attention on the part of the health professionals, regarding the habits developed online and the individual’s own perception of their degree of addition.

Sintomatologia psicopatológica e suporte social em pais de crianças portadoras de perturbação do espetro do autismo

The present study had as main objective to analyze the presence (or not) of psychopathological symptomatology in the parents of children with ASD (autism spectrum disorder), as well as to study their degree of satisfaction with social support. For this effect, a sample of 246 parents in which at least a son is a bearer of ASD was investigated. Three instruments were used, namely Sociobiographical questionnaire;xa0 Brief Symptom Inventory xa0(BSI; Derogatis, 1982, portuguese version of Canavarro, 1999); and Social Support Satisfaction Scale (Pais-Ribeiro, 2011). The results indicated that: (1) mothers of the children with ASD present higher levels of psychopathological symptomatology than the fathers; (2) parents with 3 or more children present higher rates of satisfaction with the family comparatively to the parents with 1 or 2 children; (3) there are a negative correlation between all the dimensions of the social support and of the psychopathological symptomatology; (4) female is a predictor for some of the psychopathological symptoms dimensions. The results were discussed with the intention of providing some directives in the clinical intervention with children’s and parents with ASD.

Dyadic Types of Sibling Sexual Coercion

Sibling sexual abuse seems to be the most prevalent form of sexual abuse in the family context. This study used the Sexual Coercion Scale of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales – Sibling Version (Straus et al. 1995) to measure the extent of sibling sexual coercion in a sample of 590 Portuguese university students. Prevalence: 11% of male students and 5% of female students had sexually coerced a sibling in the year when the participant was about 13xa0years old or in another year. Chronicity: When there was sexual coercion in a sibling relationship, it was perpetrated an average of 22.4 (mean) times by males and 9.1 times by females. Dyadic Concordance Types (DCT’s) revealed that in 26% there was only one perpetrator who was Male-Only, in 19% the perpetrator was Female-Only and more than half (55%) Both coerced. From the perspective of female respondents, in 50% of the cases the perpetrator was a Male-Only, in 31% Female-Only and in 19% Both coerced. Conclusions: Sexual coercion of siblings is probably more frequent than generally realized. Males had higher rates of perpetration, but the percentage of females was substantial. These results suggest a need to expand research to understand the etiology of sibling sexual coercion by females as well as males, understand causes, risk factors and to expand efforts to reduce sexual coercion in sibling relationships.

Rivalidade ou violência? A percepção de estudantes universitários vítimas de violência por parte de irmãos

This study aimed to investigate the perception of victims of sibling violence (physical, sexual and psychological). It is part of a larger investigation that analyzed the different types of violence and its frequency in early adolescence. In the present study, the participants classified the mistreatments they suffered on the Self-Labelling of Personally Experienced Violence. In the explanation of the occurrences, youngsters enduring all types of sibling victimization (physical, sexual and psychological) attributed sibling rivalry significantly more importance than their colleagues who were victims of only one or two violence type(s) (physical, psychological, or psychological + physical + or psychological + sexual). The results are discussed according to normalization of aggression perspectives that help to understand the maintenance of abusive behavior towards siblings.