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Youths in Residential Care Perceptions about their Group: Psychometric Properties of a Measurement Tool

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 June 2015

Eunice Magalhães  and
Maria Manuela Calheiros
Eunice Magalhães*
Affiliation:
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL) (Portugal)
Maria Manuela Calheiros
Affiliation:
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL) (Portugal)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Eunice Magalhães. Av. das Forças Armadas. 1649–026. Lisboa (Portugal). Phone: +351–210934 640. Fax: +351–210464017. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This study aims to present the development of a scale focused on youth’s perceptions about their group in residential care and to offer evidences of validity and reliability. This work is part of a national study involving 59 institutions and 360 adolescents (55% males) from 11 to 18 years old (M = 14.72; SD = 1.81). Evidences of validity were tested, as well as the reliability data and the relationship between group perceptions, individual characteristics and placement length. A structure with three components was found explaining 62% of variance: Deviant behavior, Positive Attributes and Oppositional Behavior. The CFA revealed good values of fit: CFI = .95, GFI = .90 and RMSEA = .050. Furthermore, a positive and significant correlation was found between positive attributes and life satisfaction (p < .001), and negative ones with deviant behavior (p < .01) and oppositional behavior (p < .01). Finally, a positive and significant correlation was found between Deviant behavior and youth’s age (p < .05), and significant gender differences were found in this dimension (i.e., p < .001; d = .38, 95% CI [–9.97, 2.94]; males reported higher scores than females). No significant correlations were found regarding the length of placement. These results suggest that this tool reveals satisfactory psychometric properties to be used in further studies with youth in residential care.

Keywords

residential caregroup perceptionspsychometric propertiesadolescents
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 18 , 2015 , E40
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2015 

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