Norms, convergent validity, test-retest reliability, and practice effects for verbal fluency overall performance, clustering, and switching in Spanish-speaking children.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted two empirical studies (in a cross-sectional and a longitudinal design) with the aim at establishing normative data (including norms for strategy use [i.e., clustering and switching strategies] and performance over time), and examining the convergent validity, the test-retest reliability (3-4 wks interval) and the changes in performance with practice (1 year interval) of the different verbal fluency (VF) quantitative and qualitative scores in Spanish-speaking children and adolescents. METHOD: In S1 (n = 620 6- to 15-year-old Spanish-speaking children and adolescents), MANCOVA and Pearson's correlations were employed. In S2 (n = 148 6- to 12-year-old Spanish-speaking children), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), paired t-tests, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used. RESULTS: S1 results showed an age effect on all VF measures (quantitative and qualitative). The number of switches/clusters was more related to total word productivity and to executive functions (EF) than the mean cluster size. In S2, a significant increase in phonological VF performance was observed on number of switches and word productivity scores from baseline (Time 1) to repeat testing at Time 2. Practice effects were observed at Time 3 on all measures except for semantic and phonological mean cluster size. Test-retest reliability coefficients at Time 2 for number of clusters and switches, but not for mean cluster size, fell in the moderate range, ranging from ICCs .61 to ICCs .81. Test-retest reliability coefficients for total word productivity were higher (ICCs above .80) and stronger when testing as a unity with CFA methods (ϕ=.94, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: These data may be relevant for informing the neuropsychological assessment of spontaneous cognitive flexibility in children with typical development (TD) and those with developmental or acquired disorders.

Convergent validity, academic correlates and age- and SES-based normative data for the d2 Test of attention in children.

The d2, test of attention is one of the most used neuropsychological tests to measure attention in clinical and research settings. To date, no studies have examined neither its convergent and divergent validity in children nor its relationship with academic skills at school age. The aims of the present study were: (1) to examine the convergent and divergent validity of the d2 Test in a non-clinical pediatric population, (2) to explore the relationship between d2 task performance and academic skills (i.e., math, reading and writing abilities) and (3) to develop normative data for Spanish-speaking children (n = 360 8- to 12-year-old children) stratified by age and socioeconomic status (SES). Pearson's correlation and Structural Equation Models (SEM) were used to analyze the d2 Test validity and its relationship with academic skills. A between-subjects factorial MANOVA was used to examine differences among SES (Middle, Low), age (8-10, 11-12), and sex (male, female). Findings revealed a significant relationship between d2 task performance and all attention and executive functions (EF) measures under analysis providing evidence of good convergent validity. Furthermore, SEM results showed that attention has direct effects on math and reading and writing skills. Finally, our study confirms the influence of age and SES on d2 task performance and provides normative data for middle- and low-SES children. These results have important implications for the assessment of attention functions in clinical and research settings in children with typical and atypical development.

Funciones ejecutivas en niños escolarizados con alta y baja creatividad / Executive functions in School-aged Children with high and low Creativity

Resumen Objetivo: El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar el perfil de funcionamiento ejecutivo característico en niños creativos. Método: Participaron 200 niños y niñas escolarizados de la provincia de Entre Ríos, República Argentina, seleccionados por medio de un muestreo intencional. La creatividad se evaluó por medio de la prueba de figuras del Test de Pensamiento Creativo de Torrance (TTCT), Forma A y la prueba verbal CREA C, inteligencia creativa. Como medida de las Funciones Ejecutivas (FE), se emplearon diferentes pruebas para valorar cada dominio: (1) subtest de memoria de trabajo del WISC IV; (2) Stroop, test de colores y palabras, para inhibición; (3) WCST computarizado, para flexibilidad cognitiva reactiva y Fluidez verbal y Five Point Test para fluidez cognitiva espontánea, y (4) Laberintos de Porteus para valorar la planificación. Para estudiar perfiles de funcionamiento ejecutivo se realizaron MANCOVAS ingresando la inteligencia como covariable. Resultados: Los resultados del presente estudio sugieren la existencia de un perfil de FE en niños creativos en función de su desempeño en la prueba de figuras del TTCT (F de Hotelling (7, 90) = 3.404; p = .003, η2 parcial = .21) y del CREA C (F de Hotelling (7, 98) = 8.831; p < .001, η2 parcial = .39). Conclusión: Los hallazgos del presente estudio muestran que los niños con mayor creatividad, tanto en tareas de dibujo como en tareas verbales, presentan un perfil de FE caracterizado por una mayor capacidad de memoria de trabajo, inhibición y flexibilidad cognitiva espontánea. Sin embargo, parecería que la naturaleza de la tarea es un factor que podría modular la contribución de los procesos cognitivos de alto orden al potencial creativo.

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the executive functioning profile, characteristic in creative children. Method: The participants were 200 school children from the province of Entre Ríos, Argentina, selected through intentional sampling. Creativity was assessed using the figure test of Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), Form A and the CREA C verbal test, creative intelligence. To measure executive functions (EF), different tests were used to assess each domain: (1) WISC IV Working Memory Subtest; (2) Stroop Color and Word Test for inhibition; (3) computerized WCST for reactive cognitive flexibility and verbal fluency, the Five Point Test for spontaneous cognitive fluency, and finally; (4) Porteus Maze test to assess planning. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVAS) was performed to study executive functioning profiles, entering intelligence as a covariate. Results: The study results suggest the existence of an EF profile in creative children based on their performance in the TTCT figure test (Hotelling's F (7, 90) = 3.404, p = .003, η2 partial = 0.21) and from CREA C (Hotelling's F (7, 98) = 8.831; p < 0.001, η2 partial = 0.39). Conclusions: The findings of this study show that children with greater creativity, both in drawing and verbal tasks, show an EF profile characterized by a greater capacity for working memory, inhibition, and spontaneous cognitive flexibility. However, due to the task's nature, the high-order cognitive processes could contribute in a greater or lesser extent to creative potential.

[Formula: see text] A hierarchical model of cognitive flexibility in children: Extending the relationship between flexibility, creativity and academic achievement.

We conducted two empirical studies to (1) explore the latent structure of cognitive flexibility in children as measured by performance-based tasks, (2) analyze the contribution of working memory (WM) and inhibition to reactive and spontaneous flexibility, and (3) examine the contribution of the different flexibility components to academic skills (i.e., reading comprehension and writing) and creativity. In S1 (n = 112 8- to 12-year-old children), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed best fit for the two-factor solution with reactive flexibility (RF) and spontaneous flexibility (SF) as separate but related components. When considering the joint contribution of WM and inhibition to both cognitive flexibility components, it was found that WM and inhibition contributed to SF, whereas only inhibition contributed to RF. Besides, only SF proved to be a significant predictor of writing and reading comprehension by using a latent-variable structural equation approach (SEM). In S2 (n = 177 8- to 13-year-old children), hierarchical regressions and SEM models showed consistently that the flexibility component in relation to creativity deals with the ability to generate diverse responses driven by internal stimuli (i.e., spontaneous flexibility). Taken together, these results suggest that cognitive flexibility is not a unified construct. Besides, the close relationship between SF and creativity and academic skills raise the question whether considering SF as a higher-level form of cognitive flexibility (different from a lower-level shifting skill) could be an interesting approach for the study of cognitive flexibility in children.

Computerized versus manual versions of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test: Implications with typically developing and ADHD children.

The aims of Study 1 (S1) were (a) to compare the task performance of 361 typically developing (TD) children aged 7 to 12 years, according to the mode of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) administration (manual vs. computerized) and b) to examine the contributions of executive functions (EFs) (i.e., working memory [WM], shifting and inhibition) to each WCST version. The objectives of Study 2 (S2) were (a) to study the comparability of the results obtained from the manual version to the results from the computer version in 43 children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and (b) to compare task performance on both versions between children with ADHD and TD children. The effect of age was only significant for the manual WCST. Regression analyses revealed that WM and shifting contributed to manual WCST performance, whereas WM and inhibition contributed to the performance on the computer version. We observed differences depending on the WCST mode of administration, as better scores for the manual version were recorded for both TD children and children with ADHD, despite similar performance on tasks involving other EFs. Additionally, children with ADHD performed worse than TD children on both versions. Our findings suggest that verbal face-to-face interactions would play a significant role in supporting children's abilities to solve novel situations characterized by uncertainty.

Funciones ejecutivas y práctica de ajedrez: un estudio en niños escolarizados / Executive functions and playing chess practice: a study conducted with schoolchildren

Resumen Objetivo: Diversas investigaciones han demostrado los beneficios del ajedrez para el desarrollo cognitivo. Sin embargo, son escasos los estudios que han analizado el efecto del ajedrez en las Fun ciones Ejecutivas (FE) con base en un modelo que evalúe cada uno de los componentes del constructo, el fin del presente estudio fue analizar las diferencias de rendimiento cognitivo en tareas que valoran las FE de memoria de trabajo, inhibición, flexibilidad cognitiva y planificación entre niños practicantes de ajedrez y no practicantes. Método: A través de un estudio de tipo ex post facto de corte transversal, con una muestra seleccionada a través de un muestreo no probabilístico intencional, empleando el Análisis Multivariado de Varianza (MANOVA) para analizar las dife rencias de rendimiento cognitivo según la práctica de ajedrez. Se evaluaron 65 niños escolarizados de 8 a 12 años, de ambos sexos divididos en dos grupos de acuerdo a la práctica de ajedrez: (1) 30 niños practicantes activos y (2) 35 niños sin ninguna experiencia con el ajedrez. Resultados: El MANOVA reveló diferencias significativas según la práctica de ajedrez, en todas las FE analizadas a favor de los niños practicantes. Estos datos sugieren que el ajedrez podría emplearse como una estrategia efectiva para favorecer el desarrollo de los procesos ejecutivos en la niñez. Se discuten los resultados en función de sus implicancias clínicas y educativas. Conclusión: Para la realización de futuras investigaciones sería relevante estudiar el efecto de la práctica de ajedrez en las FE en poblaciones adolescentes y adultas, para comprobar si la experticia y la edad podrían explicar, en parte, las variaciones individuales de funcionamiento ejecutivo según la práctica de ajedrez.

Abstract Objective: Research has demonstrated the benefits of chess for cognitive development. However, few studies have analyzed the effect of chess on the Executive Functions (FE) based on a model that evaluates each of the components of the construct, the purpose of this study was to analyze the differences in cognitive performance in tasks which assess work memory, inhibition, cogni tive flexibility, and planning between child chess practitioners and non-practitioners. Method: Through an ex post facto cross-sectional study, using a sample selected through an intentional non-probabilistic sampling, using the Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) to analyze differences in cognitive performance according to the practice of Chess. Sixty-five schoolchildren aged 8 to 12 years old, of both sexes were divided into two groups according to the chess prac tice: (1) 30 active child practitioners and (2) 35 children with no experience with chess. Results: MANOVA revealed significant differences according to chess practice, in all FE analyzed in favor of practicing children. These data suggest that chess could be used as an effective strategy to favor the development of executive processes in childhood. The results are discussed according to their clinical and educational implications. Conclusion: In order to carry out future research, it would be relevant to study the effect of chess practice on EFs in adolescent and adult populations, in order to verify if the experience and age could explain, in part, the individual variations of execu tive functioning according to practice of chess.

Personality and Creativity: A Study in Spanish-Speaking Children.

This work aimed at studying the relationship between personality from the Big Five Personality model and creativity through different techniques (i.e., a paper and pencil task, and scales) and informants (i.e., the child and parents). We evaluated a sample of 359 Spanish-speaking school children of both genders, aged 9 to 13 years. Personality was assessed with the Argentine Questionnaire of children's Personality (CAPI). Creativity was evaluated using the following instruments: The Torrance Test of Creative Thinking-Figural Form B; and the Creative Personality Scale (EPC). Pearson correlations and multiple linear regressions consistently showed that Neuroticism related negatively to creativity while competence has a positive relation. The results suggested that more creative children presented less vulnerability, irritability and psychological distress, eventually becoming more independent, competent and emotionally self-regulated in coping with environmental demands.

Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo estudiar la relación entre la personalidad desde el modelo de los Big Five y la creatividad a través de diferentes técnica (i.e., tareas de papel y lápiz, y escalas) e informantes (i.e., niños y padres). Se evaluó una muestra de 359 escolares hispano hablantes de ambos sexos, de 9 a 13 años de edad. La personalidad fue evaluada con el Cuestionario Argentino de Personalidad Infantil (CAPI). La creatividad fue evaluada usando los siguientes instrumentos: la prueba de figuras del Test de Pensamiento Creativo de Torrance, Forma B (TTCT), y la Escala de Personalidad Creadora (EPC).Las correlaciones de Pearson y las regresiones lineales múltiples demostraron consistentemente que el Neuroticismo se relaciona negativamente con la creatividad, mientras que la faceta de la competencia lo hace positivamente. Los resultados sugieren que los niños más creativos presentarían menos vulnerabilidad, irritabilidad y angustia psicológica siendo más independientes, competentes y emocionalmente autorregulados para hacer frente a las demandas ambientales.

Test de pensamiento creativo de torrance (TTCT) - Verbal Forma B: Normas para adolescentes y adultos jóvenes argentinos / Torrance test of creative thinking (TTCT) ­ Verbal Form B: Normative data for argentinian adolescents and young adults

El TTCT Verbal es un instrumento que permite valorar la creatividad en niños y adultos a través de la fluidez, flexibilidad y originalidad, así como mediante una puntuación total. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo establecer baremos para el TTCT Verbal en adolescentes y adultos jóvenes con el fin de poder utilizar el instrumento con propósitos diagnósticos y en ambientes educativos. La Forma B del TTCT Verbal, fue administrada a 432 sujetos (236 mujeres y 196 varones) de la provincia de Entre Ríos, Argentina, de entre 15 a 24 años de edad, de ambos sexos. Para estudiar el efecto de la edad, el sexo y su interacción se empleó MANOVA bifactorial. Los baremos, que se establecen por primera vez en Argentina, pueden ser de utilidad para la evaluación de la creatividad y la detección de las habilidades creativas en estudiantes.

The Verbal TTCT is an instrument that allows assessing creativity in children and adults through the Fluency, Flexibility and Originality abilities, as well as through a total score. The present work aims to establish normative data for the Verbal TTCT in adolescents and young adults in order to be able to use the instrument for diagnostic purposes and in educational settings. The verbal TTCT, form B was administered to 432 subjects of both sexes (236 women and 196 male) aged 15-24 of Entre Ríos, Argentina. Bifactorial MANOVA was used in order to study the effect of age, sex and their interaction over creativity. The norms, which are established for the first time in Argentina, may be useful for the assessment of creativity and the recognition of creative abilities in students.

Percepción de la creatividad en niños, padres y pares: efectos en la producción creativa / Perception of Creativity in Children, Parents and Peers: Effects on Children's Creative Production / Percepção da criatividade em crianças, pais e pares: efeitos na produção criativa

Objetivo. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la percepción de la creatividad en niños, padres y pares, y el efecto de estas percepciones sobre la producción creativa de los niños en actividades de papel y lápiz. Método. Participaron 359 alumnos de 9 a 13 años de diferentes escuelas y colegios de la provincia de Entre Ríos de la República Argentina. Para conocer la producción creativa, los niños completaron la prueba de figuras del Test de Pensamiento Creativo de Torrance Forma B. Para estudiar la valoración de los pares, padres y niños sobre la creatividad se aplicó el Sociograma "Compañero creativo", la Escala de Personalidad Creadora (versión heteroevaluación a los padres o tutores) y la versión autoevaluación a los niños de 11 a 13 años. Resultados. Los resultados mostraron que tanto la percepción parental (F (2, 356) = 6.55, p = 0.002), así como la evaluación que realizan los pares (F (2, 356) = 4.90, p = 0.008) sobre la creatividad mejoran la producción creativa del niño en las tareas de papel y lápiz. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la producción creativa según la evaluación del niño sobre su propia creatividad. Conclusión. Los datos muestran la importancia cardinal de los factores contextuales, particularmente, la percepción de los padres y de los pares en los procesos de formación del yo en cuanto a las competencias y habilidades que son necesarias para realizar una actividad creadora.

Objective. The present study aimed at assessing the perception of creativity in children, parents and peers, as well as the effect of these perceptions on the child's creative output in paper-and-pencil activities. Method. The study involved 359 students aged 9-13 years from different schools and colleges of the province of Entre Ríos, Argentina. To know the creative production, children completed the Figural Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT; Torrance, Ball y Safter, 1992), Form B. To study the valuation of peers, parents and the own child on creativity, the Sociogram "Creative peer" for all children, the Creative Personality Scale (CPS; 2004, in its hetero-evaluation version for parents or guardians) and the Self-evaluation version for children aged 1113 years were administered. Results. The results showed that both parental perception (F (2, 356) = 6.55, p = 0.002) and peers' evaluation (F (2, 356) = 4.90, p = 0.008) on creativity improve the child's creative production in paper-and-pencil activities. No significant differences were found in the creative production according to the child's self-perception of his/her creativity. Conclusion. Data demonstrate the fundamental importance of contextual factors, mainly the perception of parents and peers in the process of the formation of the self, in terms of competencies and skills that are necessary to carry out a creative task.

Escopo. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a percepção da criatividade em crianças, pais e pares, e o efeito de estas percepções sobre a produção criativa das crianças em atividade de papel e lápis. Metodologia. Participaram 359 alunos de 9 a 13 anos de idade de diferentes escolas e colégios da província de Entre Ríos da República Argentina. Para conhecer a produção criativa, as crianças completaram a prova de figuras do Test de Pensamento Criativo de Torrence Forma B. Para estudar a valoração dos pares, pais e crianças sobre criatividade foi aplicado o Sociograma "Companheiro criativo", a Escala de Personalidade Criadora (versão heteroavaliação aos pais ou tutores) e a versão auto-avaliação às crianças de 11 a 13 anos de idade. Resultados. Os resultados mostraram que tanto a percepção parental (F(2,356) = 6.55, p = 0.002), assim como a avalição que foi feita pelos pares (F(2,356) = 4.90, p= 0.008) sobre a criatividade melhoram a produção criativa da criança em tarefas de papel e lápis. Não foram achadas diferenças significativas na produção criativa segundo a avalição da criança sobre sua própria criatividade. Conclusão. Os dados mostram a importância cardinal dos fatores contextuais, particularmente, a percepção dos pais e dos pares nos processos de formação do Eu em quanto às competências e habilidades que são necessárias para fazer uma atividade criadora.

Inteligencia y creatividad: correlatos entre los constructos a través de dos estudios empíricos / Intelligence and Creativity: Correlates among the Constructs through Two Empirical Studies

En el presente trabajo, se examina la relación entre la inteligencia, desde el enfoque de Cattell, y la creatividad, desde la perspectiva del pensamiento divergente, a través de dos estudios empíricos. En el estudio uno (E1), se analizó la relación entre la inteligencia fluida (gf y la creatividad figurativa en una muestra de 359 niños de 8 a 14 años de edad, encontrándose una asociación entre gf y todos los indicadores de la creatividad a excepción de la dimensión elaboración. En el estudio dos (E2), se investigó la relación entre la inteligencia cristalizada (gc) y gf y la creatividad verbal en una muestra de 120 adolescentes de 15 a 18 años, hallándose, por un lado, una asociación positiva entre la inteligencia y la creatividad verbal y, por otro lado, que gc es el aspecto de la inteligencia que predice la creatividad verbal. Los resultados de ambos estudios apoyan la hipótesis que sostiene que la creatividad y la inteligencia son constructos separados que se superponen en algunos aspectos y sugieren que las habilidades intelectuales (gc vs. gf) se asocian selectivamente a los diferentes tipos de creatividad (verbal vs. figurativa) y sus indicadores.

The present study describes the association between Intelligence and Creativity, considered from Cattell's approach and divergent thinking respectively, and by means of two empirical studies. The first study (S1), analyzed the relationship between fluid intelligence (gf) and figural creativity in 359 children from 8 to 14 years old, finding an association between gf and every creativity indicator except for elaboration. The second study (S2), evaluated the correlation between crystallized intelligence (gc) and gf and verbal creativity in a sample consisted of 120 adolescents between ages 15 and 18 years, showing a positive association between intelligence and verbal creativity and asserting gc as the trait of the intelligence which predicts verbal creativity. Results from both studies support the hypothesis that assumes that creativity and intelligence are separated constructs which overlap in some aspects, and suggest that intellectual skills (gc vs. gf) are selectively associated with the different types of creativity (verbal vs. figural) and their indicators.

Adaptación y validación del Inventario de Estilos de Pensamiento de Sternberg (TSI) en la provincia de Entre Ríos - Argentina / Adaptation and validation of the Sternberg's Thinking Styles Inventory (TSI) in the province of the Entre Ríos - Argentina

Teniendo en cuenta el escaso material de estudios realizados en Argentina sobre los estilos de pensamiento desde la propuesta de Sternberg, así como los resultados de algunas investigaciones que ponen de manifiesto que el Inventario de Estilos de Pensamiento mide una estructura diferente a la propuesta por el autor, el objetivo de este trabajo fue adaptar y validar el Inventario de Estilos de Pensamiento de Sternberg (1999) en estudiantes universitarios de la Provincia de Entre Ríos (Argentina). Después de realizar la traducción del inventario y un estudio piloto, se seleccionaron 350 alumnos por medio de un muestreo no probabilístico intencional. En primer lugar se analizó el poder discriminativo de los ítemes con la prueba t de Student. Para estudiar la validez, se realizó un Análisis Factorial con el método de Ejes Principales, rotación oblicua (Oblimin). A partir de la matriz anti-imagen se evaluó la correlación múltiple de cada ítem con el resto del test. Por último, se exploró la estructura subyacente del instrumento analizando los factores obtenidos. Se observó una redistribución de los ítemes dando lugar a una estructura factorial diferente a la propuesta por el autor. El inventario evaluaría el estilo de pensamiento a través de tres factores: (1) Estilo Creativo, (2) Estilo Conservador y (3) Estilo Social - Individual. En relación a la confiabilidad, se estudió la consistencia interna mediante el coeficiente alpha de Cronbach y se obtuvo un valor general de .93. También se calculó la confiabilidad de cada factor por separado, obteniendo resultados aceptables. La versión del Inventario de Estilos de Pensamiento resultante de esta investigación es un instrumento confiable y válido para la muestra estudiada, quedando conformado por 92 ítemes, que evalúan los estilos de pensamiento por medio de tres factores.

The thinking style is defined as a preferred way of thinking, or using and applying intellectual abilities. The model of mental self-government proposed by Sternberg (1999) identifies 13 intellectual styles that are grouped in five dimensions: function, form, level, setting, and tendency. Bearing in mind that there is insufficient material in Spanish related to thinking styles as well as little research carried out in Argentina, and that psychological assessments should not be used outside the context for which they were created (Richaud de Minzi, Lemos & Oros, 2004), the aim of this research was to study the psychometric properties of the instrument and adapt it, if necessary, to a population of young university adults in the Province of Entre Ríos (República Argentina). Additionally, some researches indifferent countries have shown results that do not coincide with the original model proposed by the author, showing two, three or four factors that group thinking styles. This research used the 104-item Thinking Styles Inventory of Sternberg and Wagner (1991), which was created to assess self-government styles in students through 13 scales: legislative, judicial, executive, monarchic, hierarchical, oligarchic, anarchic, global, local, internal, external, liberal, and conservative. After translating the inventory and having it evaluated by referees to study the items that were ambiguous to understand, the TSI was firstly applied to a pilot sample of 50, with informed consent. Since no understanding problem was observed, the instrument was administered to 350 selected university students in the Province of Entre Ríos. To evaluate the discriminative power of the items, the criteria of contrasting groups was used, analyzing with a Student's t test of difference in mean, if students with higher scores in each thinking style (25% of the students) showed significant differences in the way they responded to each item in comparison to those with lower scores (bottom 25% of the students). Of the total of 104 items, 101 were discriminated (p = .000). Secondly, a factorial analysis was carried out using the principal axis method, oblique rotation (Oblimin). Based on the anti-image matrix, multiple correlations of each items in relation to the rest of the test was assessed. A redistribution of the items was observed, creating a factor structure different from the one proposed by the authors of the original scale. The resulting instrument would evaluate thinking style through three factors and two facets: (1) Creative Style, (2) Conservative Style, and (3) Social - Individual Style. People with Creative Style are characterized by doing things their way; they establish their own rules and decide by themselves what they will do and how they will do it. They prefer problems which are not structured or planned beforehand; they minimize changes; they are flexible and open when facing different situations. People with Conservative Style follow existing procedures and rules; they minimize changes, avoid ambiguous situations and prefer structured, concrete, specific and relatively predicable situations. People with Social - Individual Style seem to include two facets: one individual and another social. The social aspect is characterized by people who are extroverted, social and oriented to others; they tend to look for relationships with others and or team work. On the other hand, the individual aspect is characterized by people who prefer to work alone without having to consult with others; they center on a task. Similarly, the reliability of the test was analyzed, from the point of view of the internal consistency, through Cronbach's alpha coefficient, with a general result of .93. The reliability of each subscale was calculated separately, the Creative Style scored .90, the Conservative Style scored .88 and the Social -Individual Style scored .69. The final Inventory of Thinking Styles resulting from this research is a reliable and valid instrument for the studied sample, consisting of 92 items which evaluate thinking styles from three factors.

Adaptación y validación del Inventario de Estilos de Pensamiento de Sternberg (TSI) en la provincia de Entre Ríos - Argentina / Adaptation and validation of the Sternbergs Thinking Styles Inventory (TSI) in the province of the Entre Ríos - Argentina

Teniendo en cuenta el escaso material de estudios realizados en Argentina sobre los estilos de pensamiento desde la propuesta de Sternberg, así como los resultados de algunas investigaciones que ponen de manifiesto que el Inventario de Estilos de Pensamiento mide una estructura diferente a la propuesta por el autor, el objetivo de este trabajo fue adaptar y validar el Inventario de Estilos de Pensamiento de Sternberg (1999) en estudiantes universitarios de la Provincia de Entre Ríos (Argentina). Después de realizar la traducción del inventario y un estudio piloto, se seleccionaron 350 alumnos por medio de un muestreo no probabilístico intencional. En primer lugar se analizó el poder discriminativo de los ítemes con la prueba t de Student. Para estudiar la validez, se realizó un Análisis Factorial con el método de Ejes Principales, rotación oblicua (Oblimin). A partir de la matriz anti-imagen se evaluó la correlación múltiple de cada ítem con el resto del test. Por último, se exploró la estructura subyacente del instrumento analizando los factores obtenidos. Se observó una redistribución de los ítemes dando lugar a una estructura factorial diferente a la propuesta por el autor. El inventario evaluaría el estilo de pensamiento a través de tres factores: (1) Estilo Creativo, (2) Estilo Conservador y (3) Estilo Social - Individual. En relación a la confiabilidad, se estudió la consistencia interna mediante el coeficiente alpha de Cronbach y se obtuvo un valor general de .93. También se calculó la confiabilidad de cada factor por separado, obteniendo resultados aceptables. La versión del Inventario de Estilos de Pensamiento resultante de esta investigación es un instrumento confiable y válido para la muestra estudiada, quedando conformado por 92 ítemes, que evalúan los estilos de pensamiento por medio de tres factores.(AU)

The thinking style is defined as a preferred way of thinking, or using and applying intellectual abilities. The model of mental self-government proposed by Sternberg (1999) identifies 13 intellectual styles that are grouped in five dimensions: function, form, level, setting, and tendency. Bearing in mind that there is insufficient material in Spanish related to thinking styles as well as little research carried out in Argentina, and that psychological assessments should not be used outside the context for which they were created (Richaud de Minzi, Lemos & Oros, 2004), the aim of this research was to study the psychometric properties of the instrument and adapt it, if necessary, to a population of young university adults in the Province of Entre Ríos (República Argentina). Additionally, some researches indifferent countries have shown results that do not coincide with the original model proposed by the author, showing two, three or four factors that group thinking styles. This research used the 104-item Thinking Styles Inventory of Sternberg and Wagner (1991), which was created to assess self-government styles in students through 13 scales: legislative, judicial, executive, monarchic, hierarchical, oligarchic, anarchic, global, local, internal, external, liberal, and conservative. After translating the inventory and having it evaluated by referees to study the items that were ambiguous to understand, the TSI was firstly applied to a pilot sample of 50, with informed consent. Since no understanding problem was observed, the instrument was administered to 350 selected university students in the Province of Entre Ríos. To evaluate the discriminative power of the items, the criteria of contrasting groups was used, analyzing with a Students t test of difference in mean, if students with higher scores in each thinking style (25% of the students) showed significant differences in the way they responded to each item in comparison to those with lower scores (bottom 25% of the students). Of the total of 104 items, 101 were discriminated (p = .000). Secondly, a factorial analysis was carried out using the principal axis method, oblique rotation (Oblimin). Based on the anti-image matrix, multiple correlations of each items in relation to the rest of the test was assessed. A redistribution of the items was observed, creating a factor structure different from the one proposed by the authors of the original scale. The resulting instrument would evaluate thinking style through three factors and two facets: (1) Creative Style, (2) Conservative Style, and (3) Social - Individual Style. People with Creative Style are characterized by doing things their way; they establish their own rules and decide by themselves what they will do and how they will do it. They prefer problems which are not structured or planned beforehand; they minimize changes; they are flexible and open when facing different situations. People with Conservative Style follow existing procedures and rules; they minimize changes, avoid ambiguous situations and prefer structured, concrete, specific and relatively predicable situations. People with Social - Individual Style seem to include two facets: one individual and another social. The social aspect is characterized by people who are extroverted, social and oriented to others; they tend to look for relationships with others and or team work. On the other hand, the individual aspect is characterized by people who prefer to work alone without having to consult with others; they center on a task. Similarly, the reliability of the test was analyzed, from the point of view of the internal consistency, through Cronbachs alpha coefficient, with a general result of .93. The reliability of each subscale was calculated separately, the Creative Style scored .90, the Conservative Style scored .88 and the Social -Individual Style scored .69. The final Inventory of Thinking Styles resulting from this research is a reliable and valid instrument for the studied sample, consisting of 92 items which evaluate thinking styles from three factors.(AU)