Joice Dickel Segabinazi

Desenvolvimento e validação preliminar de uma escala multidimensional de satisfação de vida para adolescentes

The purpose of this study was to develop a Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale for Adolescents (MLSSA). Participants were 425 adolescents (224 boys and 201 girls) with a mean age of 16,1 years (SD=1,2) attending schools in the city of Santa Maria/RS. Items selection occurred on basis of the results from principal components analysis, and the final form of the MLSSA included 52 items, distributed over 7 factors: Family, Self, Compared Self, School, Non-violence, Self-efficacy and Friendship. The seven components explained 54% of the total variance. The coefficients of internal consistency were satisfactory for each subscale, as well as for the total scale (α=0,93). Evidences of validity were also obtained through a correlational analysis with a measure of Self-esteem.

Consciência fonológica e desenvolvimento da escrita na síndrome de Down: um estudo de caso longitudinal

The aims of this study were to: verify performance advances in phonological awareness and writing skills in a child with Down syndrome speaking Brazilian Portuguese; identify which phonological awareness skills developed; analyze the influence of working memory skills on performance in phonological awareness tasks; verify the participant’s performance in phonological working memory tasks and verbal and execution intelligence. The child was seven years old at the onset of the study and was receiving mainstream schooling. Phonological awareness and writing skills were assessed at three time points (T1, T2, T3) during a period of 4 years and 8 months. The Phonological Awareness: Sequential Evaluation Instrument (CONFIAS) was used to assess phonological awareness. In T1 and T2, writing skills were also evaluated using the same instrument. At T3 we used the writing subtest of the Child Brief Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NEUPSILIN-INF). At T1 phonological working memory was evaluated using the word span task and at T3 we used the non-words subtest of the NEUPSILIN-INF. To evaluate verbal and performance intelligence quotient (T3) we used the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Progress in writing skills and phonological awareness were identified throughout the study. Some skills in syllabic awareness also improved, but tasks that required handling of the phonemic constituents and rhyming awareness remained difficult for the patient. The participant demonstrated good performance in repeating real words. Word span of real words was superior to pseudowords span. The ability to memorize real words seemed to have improved the patient’s performance on phonological awareness tasks. The general intelligence quotient was considered borderline. It is believed that in this case, linguistic and cognitive abilities, such as verbal vocabulary, phonological working memory and intellectual capacity, influenced the performance on phonological awareness tests and enabled the child to learn written language.