Construct Validity of an Attention and Motor Activity Test for Brazilian Adolescents

Résumé 0

"The objective of the study was to develop and establish construct validity for a self-report scale to assess attention and motor activity in adolescents. A revision about diagnostic guidelines and empirical studies, interviews with mental health professionals, and interviews with adolescents were conducted to establish content validity. To assess the instrument's dimensionality and precision, the sample was comprised of 961 participants (mean age = 14.3; SD = 1.68). Participants were students at schools in southern Brazil. Exploratory factor analyses led to the extraction of three factors. Factor 1 grouped items that indicate inattentive behavior and Factor 3, items that indicated hyperactivity and impulsivity. We called Factor 2 "control of executive functions". This factor grouped items that represent behavior controlled by executive functions of the frontal cortex. The results indicated that the psychometric characteristics of the test were appropriate and that it is a valid instrument for use in Brazil."