Internalizing and externalizing behaviors in high school adolescents in a northern border city of Mexico and their type of family.

OBJECTIVE: Identify externalizing and internalizing behaviors in high school adolescents in three schools in a northern border city in Mexico and their type of family. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. LOCATION: Three schools in the city of Tijuana, Mexico: two public and one private. PARTICIPANTS: 454 baccalaureate students 14-19 years old. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: We utilized Youth Self Report Scale, adapted and validated in Spanish, that measure internalization behaviors (anxiety, depression, isolation or somatic complaints), and externalization behaviors (verbal aggressiveness, delinquent behavior and attention-seeking). For dichotomous discrimination between deviant and nondeviant scores, we use the borderline clinical range by classifying YSR scale's T scores≥60, and to analyze the relationship between behavior problems or competencies and living or not in a nuclear family we utilized multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: 55% were female, mean age 16.4 years±0.98, and 62.3% came from a nuclear family. Prevalence of internalizing behaviors was 15.6%, and externalizing behaviors 14.8%. Women had statistically higher mean scores in depressive, anxious and verbally aggressive behavior, somatic complaints, and thought problems. The prevalence of internalizing behaviors in adolescents with nuclear family was 11.7% (n=33), and for adolescents with another type of family was 22.2% (n=38), OR 2.17 (CI 95% 1.30-3.61, p=0.003), but no differences was observed for externalizing behaviors and family type. When adjusted for sex, age, and public or private school, internalizing behaviors and specifically depressive behavior remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: We detected a moderate prevalence of internalizing behaviors in Mexican adolescents, predominantly among women, and also observed that not living with a nuclear family increases the odds of presenting internalizing behaviors. It is important that parents, teachers, and healthcare workers remain vigilant to detect these problems in a timely manner and develop interventions to improve the mental health and well-being of adolescents.

Validity of the Mexican version of the combined Foot Care Confidence / Foot-Care Behavior scale for diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To 1) translate / transculturally adapt the original (English-language) combined Foot Care Confidence Scale / Foot-Care Behavior instrument (FCCS-FCB) to produce a Mexican-Spanish version and 2) determine its validity and reliability in a population with diabetes in Tijuana, Mexico. METHODS: The original FCCS-FCB was translated (and back-translated), the content validated (by a group of health professional experts), and the instrument applied to 304 patients 23-78 years old in diabetes support groups in Tijuana, Mexico. Internal consistency for the study constructs ("self-efficacy," and risk / preventive foot self-care behaviors) was measured using Cronbach's alpha. The constructs were validated using principal component factor analysis. RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha values for internal consistency were 0.782 for self-efficacy and 0.505 for behaviors. Based on the analysis, two factors explained 49.1% of the total variance for self-efficacy, and six factors explained 57.7% of the total variance for behaviors. The results were consistent with those for the original (English) version of the FCCS-FCB. CONCLUSIONS: The Mexican version of the FCCS-FCB is a reliable and valid instrument recommended for use with Mexican-Spanish-speaking patients with diabetes.

Validity of the Mexican version of the combined Foot Care Confidence / Foot-Care Behavior scale for diabetes / Validez de la versión mexicana del instrumento combinado de las escalas Foot Care Confidence Scale y Foot Care Behavior para la diabetes

OBJECTIVE: To 1) translate / transculturally adapt the original (English-language) combined Foot Care Confidence Scale / Foot-Care Behavior instrument (FCCS-FCB) to produce a Mexican-Spanish version and 2) determine its validity and reliability in a population with diabetes in Tijuana, Mexico. METHODS: The original FCCS-FCB was translated (and back-translated), the content validated (by a group of health professional experts), and the instrument applied to 304 patients 23-78 years old in diabetes support groups in Tijuana, Mexico. Internal consistency for the study constructs ("self-efficacy," and risk / preventive foot self-care behaviors) was measured using Cronbach's alpha. The constructs were validated using principal component factor analysis. RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha values for internal consistency were 0.782 for self-efficacy and 0.505 for behaviors. Based on the analysis, two factors explained 49.1% of the total variance for self-efficacy, and six factors explained 57.7% of the total variance for behaviors. The results were consistent with those for the original (English) version of the FCCS-FCB. CONCLUSIONS: The Mexican version of the FCCS-FCB is a reliable and valid instrument recommended for use with Mexican-Spanish-speaking patients with diabetes.

OBJETIVO: 1) traducir o adaptar transculturalmente el instrumento original combinado (en inglés) de las escalas Foot Care Confidence Scale (Escala de Competencia en el Cuidado del Pie) y Foot Care Behavior (Comportamientos del Cuidado del Pie) (FCCS-FCB) para crear una versión en español de México, y 2) determinar su validez y fiabilidad en una población de personas con diabetes de Tijuana, México. MÉTODOS: Se tradujo al español la escala original FCCS-FCB (y se volvió a traducir al inglés), su contenido fue validado (por un grupo de expertos), posteriormente se aplicó el instrumento a 304 pacientes de 23 a 78 años de edad, pertenecientes a grupos de apoyo al control de la diabetes de Tijuana, México. Mediante el alfa de Cronbach, se midió la coherencia interna de los constructos ("competencia personal" y "comportamientos de riesgo o preventivos de autocuidado del pie"). Los constructos fueron validados mediante análisis factorial de componentes principales. RESULTADOS: El valor de alfa de Cronbach correspondiente a competencia personal fue de 0,782 y de 0,505 para los comportamientos. En el análisis factorial, dos factores explicaron el 49,1% de la variancia total para la competencia personal, y seis factores explicaron el 57,7% de la variancia total para los comportamientos. Los resultados concordaron con los de la versión original (en inglés) del FCCS-FCB. CONCLUSIONES: La versión mexicana del FCCS-FCB es un instrumento fiable y válido recomendado para su empleo en pacientes mexicanos de habla hispana con diabetes.