The structure of common mental disorders in incarcerated offenders.

BACKGROUND: Dimensional models of mental disorders in community-based epidemiological samples have consistently demonstrated correlated externalizing and internalizing factors underlying common mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. However, such analyses tend to exclude populations such as prisoners and psychiatric inpatients. As these samples have been shown to have a much higher prevalence of mental disorders and comorbidity than community samples, whether the internalizing-externalizing structure of psychopathology will replicate in such samples is unknown. OBJECTIVES: The current study examined the consistency of this structure in a representative sample of 1837 prisoners through structural equation modeling of 10 common mental disorders along with a record-based index of antisocial behavior. METHOD: Diagnoses were determined by administration of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1. Data were analyzed via tetrachoric correlations using the weighted least squares estimator in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. RESULTS: Results revealed that a two-factor solution, entailing correlated internalizing and externalizing factors, displayed the best fit to the data. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides additional support for characterizing common psychopathology in terms of internalizing and externalizing factors.

The accuracy of the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) to identify PTSD cases in victims of urban violence.

As a consequence of the increasing urban violence in Brazil, many cases of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are now seen in the community and clinical settings. The main aim of this article is to assess the psychometric properties of the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) to study factors related to the etiology, prognosis, and efficacy of interventions of PTSD in civilian populations. PTSD outpatients from a program of victims of violence and subjects identified in an epidemiological survey conducted in the city of Sao Paulo completed a battery of validated instruments and the CAPS. Instrument reliability and validity were measured. The comparison between the CAPS scores and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV (SCID) interview resulted in the following validity coefficients: sensitivity=90%, specificity=95%, and misclassification rate=7.1%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.97. There was a positive correlation between CAPS scores with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; 0.70) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; 0.76) scores. The Kappa coefficients were all higher than 0.63 for all CAPS items. The internal consistency for all CAPS items resulted in a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.97. The CAPS showed to be both an accurate and a reliable research instrument to identify PTSD cases in a civilian population.

Anxiety and depression in Brazilian orthopaedics inpatients: a cross sectional study with a clinical sample comparison.

There are few studies on the development of anxiety and depression in orthopaedics and trauma (O&T) inpatients. We designed a cross-sectional study aimed at comparing the prevalence of depression and anxiety in 100 O&T inpatients and 100 clinical inpatients in the same hospital. O&T patients were divided into subgroups: trauma and non-trauma (arthroplasty, tumour, and infection sub grouping). We measured anxiety and depression by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and co-morbidities by the Charlson age-adjusted comorbidity index (CCI). For the trauma subgroup, AO/OTA fracture classification and Gustillo and Anderson grade of open fractures classification was applied. The prevalence of anxiety and depression was 35% and 28%, respectively for the clinical sample, and 44% and 33% for the O&T sample. Compared with the clinical sample, anxiety scores were higher in the O&T sample (p = .047), and in arthroplasty (p = .020) and trauma subgroups (p = .031). In the O&T sample, high CCI scores were associated with high anxiety scores (p = .033).

Violence and post-traumatic stress disorder in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: the protocol for an epidemiological and genetic survey.

BACKGROUND: violence is a public health major concern, and it is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychiatric outcomes. Brazil is one of the most violent countries in the world, and has an extreme social inequality. Research on the association between violence and mental health may support public health policy and thus reduce the burden of disease attributable to violence. The main objectives of this project were: to study the association between violence and mental disorders in the Brazilian population; to estimate the prevalence rates of exposure to violence, post-traumatic stress disorder, common metal disorder, and alcohol hazardous use and dependence: and to identify contextual and individual factors, including genetic factors, associated with the outcomes. METHODS/DESIGN: one phase cross-sectional survey carried out in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A multistage probability to size sampling scheme was performed in order to select the participants (3000 and 1500 respectively). The cities were stratified according to homicide rates, and in Sao Paulo the three most violent strata were oversampled. The measurements included exposure to traumatic events, psychiatric diagnoses (CIDI 2.1), contextual (homicide rates and social indicators), and individual factors, such as demographics, social capital, resilience, help seeking behaviours. The interviews were carried between June/2007 February/2008, by a team of lay interviewers. The statistical analyses will be weight-adjusted in order to take account of the design effects. Standardization will be used in order to compare the results between the two centres. Whole genome association analysis will be performed on the 1 million SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) arrays, and additional association analysis will be performed on additional phenotypes. The Ethical Committee of the Federal University of Sao Paulo approved the study, and participants who matched diagnostic criteria have been offered a referral to outpatient clinics at the Federal University of Sao Paulo and Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

Evolutional pattern of drug use by medical students.

Recent use of psychoactive substances among 456 medical students throughout the six grades was surveyed by way of a self-report questionnaire using World Health Organisation criteria. Among male medical students, the most frequently used substances were alcohol (80.5%), cannabis (25.3%), solvents (25.2%), and tobacco (25.2%), whereas among female students the most frequently used drugs were alcohol (72.6%), tobacco (14.6%), solvents (10.5%), and tranquillizers (7.5%). Switch from illegal to legal drugs were observed only among female medical students. Male students tend to alternate cannabis and solvents throughout college years. Interventions aiming to influence patterns of drug consumption among medical students must consider both gender differences and evolutional patterns of substance use throughout medical course.

Validity and limitations of the Brazilian version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1).

OBJECTIVE: To study the concurrent validity of the Brazilian Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1 using as gold standard the clinical diagnoses based on the ICD-10 criteria and the Longitudinal, Expert, All Data (LEAD) procedure. METHOD: The sample was composed of 185 subjects selected at psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric outpatient units, the community, and primary care services. These individuals were intentionally selected according to 9 diagnostic groups. INSTRUMENTS: Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI-core) version 2.1 (paper-and-pencil) administered by 16 trained interviewers. ANALYSIS: concurrent validity of diagnoses of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 12-month. RESULTS: Values found for sensitivity and specificity in each diagnosis were: alcohol-related disorders (79.5%/97.2%); psychoactive substance-related disorders (77.3%/100%); schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (28.6%/93.9%); manic episode and bipolar affective disorder (38.9%/96.4%); depressive disorder (82.5%/ 93.8%); phobic-anxiety disorder (80.6%/93.5%); obsessive-compulsive disorder (18.2%/98.9%); somatoform disorder (41.7%/90.8%); eating disorder (45.5%/100.0%). CONCLUSION: The Composite International Diagnostic Interview proved to be valid for diagnoses of alcohol-related disorders, psychoactive substance-related disorders, depressive disorder and phobic-anxiety disorder. The probable explanations for the poor performance for the other diagnoses were: necessity of some clinical judgement by the lay interviewer; difficulty to use the Probe Flow Chart; interviewees' difficulty of understanding; and lack of mechanisms to certify the veracity of the information.

Cocaine Craving Questionnaire: assessing craving among cocaine users in Brazil.

The Cocaine Craving Questionnaire was administered to 205 cocaine addicts. A 6/5 cut-off corresponded to the scale's best performance. Reliability was 0.803. Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis resulted in an area under the curve of 0.7199 +/- 0.0384, and dimensionality resulted in a three-factor solution. The scale is a reliable and valid instrument in identifying craving.

Predicting craving among cocaine users.

INTRODUCTION: Craving for cocaine seems to play an important role in the continued use of and dependence on the substance. AIMS: to describe characteristics of the craving phenomenon in a sample of cocaine users and to identify those that could predict the appearance of the phenomenon. METHOD: 205 cocaine users attending an outpatient clinic were interviewed to assess patterns of drug consumption and characteristics of craving for the drug. FINDINGS: Subjects were mostly young (24.8+/-12.8 years) and male (86.2%). One hundred and two subjects (49.8%) were addicted to cocaine and the remainders (50.2%) were non-addicted occasional cocaine users. The majority of subjects (60.5%) reported having had craving episodes during the previous week. Frequency of cocaine use during the previous month correlated with the number of reported craving fits (r=0.425; p<0.001) and with the duration of the craving fits (r=0.351; p<0.001). Users of crack reported more craving episodes than did the users of snorted cocaine (p<0.001) and the frequency of craving fits was inversely proportional to the duration of abstinence from the drug (r=-0.405; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Both the method of drug consumption and the abstinence period elapsed since previous drug intake were identified as predictive parameters of craving.

[Transcultural aspects of bipolar disorder]. / Transtorno afetivo bipolar: um enfoque transcultural.

Cultural variations in the expression of emotions have been described. Consequently, there are cross-cultural influences on the diagnosis and management of bipolar disorder. This article provides a review of the evidence regarding the main aspects of transcultural psychiatry and bipolar disorder.

Reports of attempted suicide among Brazilian addicts.

Both substance dependence and depressive mood seem to be associated with increased suicide risk. Clinical information on suicide attempts and depressive symptoms were obtained from a sample of 211 psychoactive substance dependents attending a university clinic program for addicts in Brazil. 49 subjects (23.4%) had attempted suicide at least once, and the frequency of reporting attempts was 4.32 times greater among women than among men. Male addicts also tended to engage in potentially more dangerous attempt methods than women. Depressive male addicts were 2.17 times more likely to have attempted suicide than nondepressive addicted men. Among women, no association could be established between having attempted suicide and the presence of depression. Substance addicts have a relatively high risk of attempting suicide and the co-occurrence of depression seems to increase prevalence of suicidal behavior among men.

Reliability and factor structure of the Brazilian version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression.

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale is a screening test designed by the National Institute of Mental Health (USA) to screen for 'depressed' individuals in the community. It has been widely used in different settings and cultures displaying variable psychometric properties. The present article describes coefficients of internal consistency and factor analysis of the CES-Depression version adapted for use in Brazil. In a sample of 523 college students internal consistency measured by Cronbach alpha was .85. Structure analysis evidenced that two questions were poorly correlated with the remaining questions. Factor analysis resulted in a four-dimension solution accounting for 53.8% of the total item variance. The scale is adequate for use in this different cultural setting.

Accuracy of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1) for diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder according to DSM-IV criteria.

The objective was to study the accuracy of the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) section of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1) DSM-IV diagnosis, using the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) as gold standard, and compare the ICD-10 and DSM IV classifications for PTSD. The CIDI was applied by trained lay interviewers and the SCID by a psychologist. The subjects were selected from a community and an outpatient program. A total of 67 subjects completed both assessments. Kappa coefficients for the ICD-10 and the DSM IV compared to the SCID diagnosis were 0.67 and 0.46 respectively. Validity for the DSM IV diagnosis was: sensitivity (51.5%), specificity (94.1%), positive predictive value (9.5%), negative predictive value (66.7%), misclassification rate (26.9%). The CIDI 2.1 demonstrated low validity coefficients for the diagnosis of PTSD using DSM IV criteria when compared to the SCID. The main source of discordance in this study was found to be the high probability of false-negative cases with regards to distress and impairment as well as to avoidance symptoms.

Validation of the structural coherency of the General Health Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the structural coherency of the 60-item version of the General Health Questionnaire via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. METHOD: The study design is a cross-sectional survey. A random sample of 146 individuals from the city of Divinópolis-MG volunteered to participate in the present study and responded to the 60-item version of the General Health Questionnaire adapted and validated for use in Brazil. Statistics consisted of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was estimated using Cronbach's alpha method. RESULTS: Alpha coefficients for all five content scales of the General Health Questionnaire were high (α > 0.8). For four of the five scales, a unifactorial model of constituent items provided a good fit to the data. Items comprising the fifth scale, Psychic Stress, exhibited a two-correlated factor structure. A factor analysis of scores for the five scales yielded strong evidence of coherency, with all scales loading substantially on a single common factor. CONCLUSION: The General Health Questionnaire shows good psychometric coherency as evidenced by high internal consistency and unidimensionality of all but one of its constituent scales, and uniformly high loadings of all scales on a single overarching factor. These results are consistent with prior findings from the General Health Questionnaire developmental study and Brazilian adaptation studies.

Modelo estrutural de internalização e externalização: emergência, validade e utilidade clínica / Internalizing and externalizing structural model: emergency, validity and clinical utility / El modelo estructural de internalización y externalización: emergencia, validez y utilidad clínica

Os sistemas oficiais de classificação e diagnóstico em psicopatologia apresentam limitações relacionadas à extensa heterogeneidade clínica e ao significado dos padrões de comorbidade diagnóstica. A fim de superá-las, pesquisadores têm defendido uma estrutura dimensional para as psicopatologias mais prevalentes baseada em dois fatores latentes de internalização e externalização. O presente artigo visa avaliar a validade do Modelo Estrutural de Internalização e Externalização, tendo como norte a superação das referidas limitações e sua utilidade clínica. Revisão não sistemática da literatura nas bases Scielo e PubMed. Foram selecionados artigos empíricos e teóricos que avaliavam a pertinência do modelo. Foram excluídos estudos de replicação ou que avaliam o modelo em amostras infantis. A busca de literatura resultou em um total de 536 artigos, dos quais foram mantidos 44. Esse conteúdo foi organizado em três linhas de pesquisa: estudos epidemiológicos-estruturais, psicobiológicos e psicométricos. O Modelo Estrutural de Internalização e Externalização apresenta indicadores que dão sustentabilidade aos seus pressupostos teóricos. O modelo é capaz explicar a comorbidade diagnóstica e, parcialmente, heterogeneidade clínica. Entretanto, não apresenta instrumental clínico normatizado para a operacionalização dos construtos e não há estudos com amostras clínicas graves.

The official systems of classification and diagnosis of psychopathology have limitations related to the extensive clinical heterogeneity and the meaning of patterns of diagnostic comorbidity. To overcome them, researchers have argued for a dimensional structure to the most prevalent psychopathology based on two latent factors of internalizing and externalizing vulnerability. The current study aimed to evaluate the validity of the Internalizing/Externalizing Structural Model, having as a standard its ability to overcome the aforementioned limitations and its clinical utility. A non-systematic review was performed in PubMed and SciELO databases. Theoretical and empirical articles were retrieved based and evaluated on basis of its relevance to the model. Replications and studies based on samples of children were excluded. Bibliographic search yielded a total of 536 articles, of which 44 were retrieved. The content of the articles were organized into three lines of research: structural-epidemiological, psychobiological, and psychometric. The Internalizing/Externalizing Structural Model presents indicators that support its theoretical assumptions. The model is able to explain the diagnostic comorbidity and, partially, clinical heterogeneity. However, there is no standardized clinical instrument for the operationalization of internalizing/externalizing constructs and no validation studies with inpatient samples.

Los sistemas oficiales de clasificación y diagnóstico de la psicopatología tienen limitaciones relacionadas con la amplia heterogeneidad clínica y el significado de los patrones de comorbilidad diagnóstica. Para superarlas, los investigadores han argumentado a favor de una estructura tridimensional de la psicopatología más frecuente en base a dos factores latentes de internalización y externalización vulnerabilidad. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la validez del modelo estructural internalización/externalización tener patrones de utilidad, la heterogeneidad y la comorbilidad clínicas como parámetros. Una revisión no sistemática fue realizada en bases de datos PubMed y SciELO. Artículos teóricos y empíricos se recuperaron basa y evaluado en función de su relevancia para el modelo. Se excluyeron réplicas y estudios basados en muestras de niños. Búsqueda bibliográfica arrojó un total de 536 artículos, de los cuales 44 fueron recuperados. El contenido de los artículos que se han organizado en tres líneas de investigación: estructural-epidemiológicos, psicobiológicos y psicométricos. El modelo estructural de internalización/externalización presenta indicadores que apoyan sus hipótesis teóricas. El modelo es capaz de explicar la comorbilidad de diagnóstico y, en parte, la heterogeneidad clínica. Sin embargo, no existe un instrumento clínico estandarizado para avaluación de internalización e externalización, ni estudios de validación con muestras de pacientes hospitalizados.

Accuracy of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1) for diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder according to DSM-IV criteria / Validade do diagnóstico de transtorno de estresse pós-traumático do Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1) de acordo com os critérios diagnósticos da DSM-IV

The objective was to study the accuracy of the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) section of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1) DSM-IV diagnosis, using the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) as gold standard, and compare the ICD-10 and DSM IV classifications for PTSD. The CIDI was applied by trained lay interviewers and the SCID by a psychologist. The subjects were selected from a community and an outpatient program. A total of 67 subjects completed both assessments. Kappa coefficients for the ICD-10 and the DSM IV compared to the SCID diagnosis were 0.67 and 0.46 respectively. Validity for the DSM IV diagnosis was: sensitivity (51.5%), specificity (94.1%), positive predictive value (9.5%), negative predictive value (66.7%), misclassification rate (26.9%). The CIDI 2.1 demonstrated low validity coefficients for the diagnosis of PTSD using DSM IV criteria when compared to the SCID. The main source of discordance in this study was found to be the high probability of false-negative cases with regards to distress and impairment as well as to avoidance symptoms.

O objetivo deste artigo foi estudar a validade concorrente da seção de transtorno de estresse pós-traumático do CIDI 2.1 critérios DSM IV, utilizando o Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) como padrão-ouro, e comparar o diagnóstico de TEPT entre CID-10 e DSM IV. O CIDI foi aplicado por entrevistadores leigos treinados e o SCID por uma psicóloga. A amostra foi composta por sujeitos da comunidade e de um ambulatório de especialidade psiquiátrica. Sessenta e sete sujeitos completaram ambos os questionários. O coeficiente kappa foi de 0.46 ao comparar DSM IV com a SCID. A validade diagnóstica usando critérios do DSM IV foi de: sensibilidade = 51.5%, especificidade = 94.1%, valor preditivo positivo = 89.5%, valor preditivo negativo = 66.7%, taxa de classificação incorreta = 26.9%. O CIDI 2.1 apresentou valores baixos para os coeficientes de validação de TEPT usando os critérios do DSM IV ao comparar com o SCID. A principal causa de discordância foi o grande número de casos falsos negativos devido aos sintomas de significância clínica e sintomas de evitação.

Questionário de Estilos de Defesa: avaliação psicométrica e redefinição conceitual / Defensive Style Questionnaire: psychometrical evaluation and construct reset / Cuestionario de Estilos de Defensa: evaluación psicométrica y redefinición conceptual

Devido à irredutibilidade epistemológica entre Psicometria e Psicanálise, rejeitamos que o Questionário Estilo de Defesa avalie mecanismos de defesa do ego. A fim de elucidar os construtos avaliados, desenvolvemos um estudo psicométrico. Participou respondendo ao Questionário de Estilos de Defesa e ao Composite International Diagnostic Interview uma amostra representativa da população carcerária do Estado de São Paulo de 1775 indivíduos. A análise se caracterizou por seleção de itens, análises fatoriais, análise de consistência interna, correlações e testes-t. Os resultados reduziram o número de itens de 78 para 23 e revelaram quatro fatores correlacionados com consistência aceitável para os três primeiros e insuficiente para o quarto. Encontraram-se associações significativas entre o segundo fator e dependência de droga, assim como entre o primeiro e terceiro fatores e déficit cognitivo. O instrumento parece avaliar uma dimensão não patológica de sofrimento e três de enfrentamento; entretanto, não há suporte empírico e conceitual para sua utilização clínica.

Due to the epistemological irreducibility between Psychometrics and Psychoanalysis we reject the hypothesis that the Defensive Style Questionnaire assesses ego defense mechanisms. To identify the constructs assessed by the Defensive Style Questionnaire we delineated an exploratory psychometrical work. In the current research, participated responding the Defensive Style Questionnaire and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview a representative sample of the São Paulo State prisoner population of 1775 individuals. Analyses were characterized by item selection, factor analysis, internal consistency analysis, correlations and t-tests. Results downsized the number of items from 78 to 23 and reveled four oblique factors with acceptable consistency for three and insufficient for the fourth factor. Significant associations were found between the second factor and drug addiction and among the first and third factors and cognitive deficit. The instrument seems to assess a non-pathological dimension of mental distress and three affective coping dimensions; nevertheless, there is no support for its clinical application.

Debido a la irreductibilidad epistemológica entre Psicometría y Psicoanálisis, rechazamos el Cuestionario de Estilos de Defensa para evaluar mecanismos de defensa del ego. Con el fin de elucidar los constructos evaluados, hemos desarrollado un estudio psicométrico. Participó, respondiendo al Cuestionario de Estilos de Defesa y al Composite International Diagnostic Interview, una muestra representativa de la población carcelaria del Estado de São Paulo de 1775 individuos. El análisis se caracterizó por selección de ítems, análisis factoriales, análisis de consistencia interna, correlaciones y testes-t. Los resultados redujeron el número de ítems de 78 para 23 y revelaron cuatro factores correlacionados con consistencia aceptable para los tres primeros e insuficiente para el cuarto. Se encontraron asociaciones significativas entre el segundo factor y la adicción a las drogas, así como entre l primero y tercero factores y déficit cognitivo. El instrumento parece evaluar una dimensión no patológica de sufrimiento y tres de enfrentamiento; sin embargo, no hay soporte empírico y conceptual para su uso clínico.

Saúde geral: evidências de diferenças relacionadas ao sexo / General Health: evidences of sex related individual diferences

Objetivou-se verificar a existência de diferenças relacionadas ao sexo com base nos indicadores de saúde mental providos pelo Questionário de Saúde Geral (QSG) e avaliar a pertinência de normas diferenciadas por sexo. Participou voluntariamente do estudo uma amostra aleatória de 146 adultos da cidade de Divinópolis, MG. Os dados foram analisados por meio de testes t para amostras independentes, análise de variância simples com correção de Bonferroni e correlações de Pearson. Mulheres apresentaram médias superiores às dos homens em todos os escores do QSG, entretanto diferenças significantes com magnitude de efeito moderada foram encontradas nas escalas de Estresse Psíquico, Autoeficácia, Distúrbios Psicossomáticos e Gravidade de Doença Mental. Nossos achados são congruentes com os do estudo de adaptação e validação do QSG para o Brasil, indicando a presença de diferenças moderadas relacionadas ao sexo em saúde geral e a pertinência de normas diferenciadas para homens e mulheres. Ajustes normativos mostram-se necessários.

The current study aimed to verify the existence of sex related differences in the mental health indicators provided by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and to evaluate the pertinence of sex differentiated norms. Participated in this study voluntarily a random sample of 146 adults from the city of Divinópolis, MG. Data were analyzed using t-Tests for independent samples, one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction and Pearson correlations. Women had a higher means than men in all the scores produced by the GHQ, but significant differences with moderate effect sizes were found only in the scales of Psychological Stress, Self-efficacy, Psychosomatic Disorders and Severity of Mental Illness. Our findings are consistent with GHQ Brazilian adaptation and validation study, indicating the existence of moderate sex differences in general health and the pertinence of differentiated norms for men and women. Normative adjustments are, however, required.

Validation of the structural coherency of the General Health Questionnaire / Validação da coerência estrutural do Questionário de Saúde Geral

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the structural coherency of the 60-item version of the General Health Questionnaire via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. METHOD: The study design is a cross-sectional survey. A random sample of 146 individuals from the city of Divinópolis-MG volunteered to participate in the present study and responded to the 60-item version of the General Health Questionnaire adapted and validated for use in Brazil. Statistics consisted of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was estimated using Cronbach's alpha method. RESULTS: Alpha coefficients for all five content scales of the General Health Questionnaire were high (α > 0.8). For four of the five scales, a unifactorial model of constituent items provided a good fit to the data. Items comprising the fifth scale, Psychic Stress, exhibited a two-correlated factor structure. A factor analysis of scores for the five scales yielded strong evidence of coherency, with all scales loading substantially on a single common factor. CONCLUSION: The General Health Questionnaire shows good psychometric coherency as evidenced by high internal consistency and unidimensionality of all but one of its constituent scales, and uniformly high loadings of all scales on a single overarching factor. These results are consistent with prior findings from the General Health Questionnaire developmental study and Brazilian adaptation studies.

OBJETIVO: Investigar a coerência estrutural da versão de 60 itens do Questionário de Saúde Geral de Goldberg por meio da aplicação de análises fatoriais exploratórias e confirmatórias. MÉTODO: Trata-se de um estudo de levantamento de desenho transversal. Uma amostra aleatória de 146 indivíduos voluntários da cidade de Divinópolis-MG participou do presente estudo respondendo à versão de 60 itens do Questionário de Saúde Geral. As estatísticas consistiram de análises fatoriais exploratórias e confirmatórias. Fidedignidade foi estimada pelo método alpha de Cronbach. RESULTADOS: Os coeficientes alpha para todas as cinco escalas do Questionário de Saúde Geral foram elevados (α > 0,8). Para quatro das cinco escalas, um modelo unifatorial com base em seus respectivos itens apresentou bom ajuste aos dados. Itens que compunham a quinta escala, Estresse Psíquico, exibiram uma estrutura de dois fatores correlacionados. Uma análise fatorial dos escores das cinco escalas produziu fortes evidências de coerência, com todas as escalas apresentando cargas fatoriais robustas em um único fator. CONCLUSÃO: O Questionário de Saúde Geral apresenta bons indicadores psicométricos de coerência deflagrados pela elevada consistência interna e unidimensionalidade de todas menos uma de suas escalas constituintes e pelas cargas fatoriais, univocamente elevadas, em uma única e inclusiva dimensão. Os resultados apresentados são congruentes tanto com os do estudo de elaboração do Questionário de Saúde Geral quanto com os de sua adaptação para o Brasil.

Latin American Guide for Psychiatric Diagnosis (GLDP).

Culturally competent diagnostic systems are necessary for an effective and ethical clinical practice, as cultural diversity of patients increase around the world. Latin American psychiatrists hold a long-standing commitment to this enterprise. Recently, two main Latin American adaptations to the international psychiatric classification have emerged: the Cuban Glossary of Psychiatry, and the project of the Latin American Guide for Psychiatric Diagnosis (GLADP). Keeping ICD-10 as the basis for nosological organization, GLADP is being developed with contributions by mental health professionals from Latin American countries. GLADP comprises 4 parts: (1) historical and cultural framework, (2) comprehensive diagnosis and formulation, (3) psychiatric nosology and (4) appendixes.