RESUMEN
COVID-19 can bring several psychological problems to patients and non-patients, which highlights the need for a better understanding of outcomes that can emerge due the occurrence of the virus. One of these variables is fear, present in situations of continuous uncertainty. Fear is a key variable for mental health and tracking it and its correlates might help to develop proper education and prevention programs. Currently, Brazil is one of the epicentres of the COVID-19 pandemic, with its public health system scrapped and not being able to contain the amount of infected people. Therefore, a proper measure to screen the fear of COVID-19 will help to provide improvements in mental health in such contexts. For that, two studies were performed. In Study 1 (N = 230) we assessed the factorial structure of the measure through exploratory factor analysis, and item parameters using item response theory. In Study 2 (N = 302), we assessed whether the structure would replicate in an independent sample and through confirmatory factor analysis, besides assessing convergent validity using Structural Equation Modelling and proposing a shorter version of the measure. Both long and short versions presented a reliable unidimensional structure and similar patterns of correlations with depression, anxiety, and stress. Overall, our results showed that the FCV-19S and its short version are useful measures to the assessment of fear of COVID-19 in Brazil.
RESUMEN
Resumo: Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar as representações sociais de estudantes universitárias de uma Instituição de Ensino Superior (IES) pública, localizada no estado XX, Brasil, acerca do álcool. Participaram do estudo, 100 estudantes com matrícula ativa nesta instituição. Foram utilizados o Teste de Associação Livre de Palavras (TALP) e questionários. Para a análise de dados, utilizou-se o IBM SPSS, versão 21, e a Técnica de Redes Semânticas. Os resultados apontaram diferenças entre as universitárias que não consomem álcool e aquelas que utilizam a substância, na forma como representam o álcool. O primeiro grupo objetivou o álcool, enfatizando os problemas psicossociais decorrentes de seu consumo, enquanto que o segundo retrata as sensações prazerosas proporcionadas pelo uso da bebida alcoólica. Conclui-se, que tais representações repercutem na relação destas jovens com o álcool, guiando seus comportamentos no tocante ao uso ou não da substância.
Resumen: Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo identificar las representaciones sociales de estudiantes universitarios de una Institución de Educación Superior (IES) pública, ubicada en el estado XX, Brasil, acerca del alcohol. Participaron del estudio, 100 estudiantes con matrícula activa en esta institución. Se utilizaron el Teste de Associação Livre de Palavras (TALP) y cuestionarios. Para el análisis de datos, se utilizó el IBM SPSS, versión 21, y la Técnica de las Redes Semánticas. Los resultados apuntaron diferencias entre las universitarias que no consumen alcohol y aquellas que utilizan la sustancia, en la forma como representan el alcohol. El primer grupo objetivó el alcohol, enfatizando los problemas psicosociales resultantes de su consumo, mientras que el segundo retrata las sensaciones placenteras proporcionadas por el uso de la bebida alcohólica. Se concluye, que tales representaciones repercuten en la relación de estas jóvenes con el alcohol, guiando sus comportamientos en lo que se refiere al uso o no de la sustancia.
Abstract: This research aimed to identify the social representations of university students of a public Higher Education Institution (HEI) located in the XX state, Brazil, about alcohol. 100 students participated in the study with active enrollment in this institution. The Teste de Associação Livre de Palavras (TALP) and questionnaires were used. For the data analysis, we used the IBM SPSS, version 21, and the Technique of Semantic Networks. The results showed differences between university students who do not consume alcohol and those who use the substance in the way they represent alcohol. The first group objected alcohol consumption emphasizing the psychosocial problems resulting from its consumption, while the second group portrays the pleasurable sensations provided by the use of the alcoholic beverage. It is concluded that these representations have repercussions on the relationship of these young women with alcohol, guiding their behavior regarding the use of the substance or not.