RESUMO
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The Positive Aspects of Caregiving (PAC) scale is used to assess psychosocial benefits provided to caregivers by the task of caring. The PAC scale consists of nine items, assessed using a five-point Likert scale, with higher values indicating greater positive perceptions and gains from the caregiving experience. OBJECTIVE: To translate and culturally adapt the PAC scale for informal Brazilian caregivers of people with dementia. DESIGN AND SETTING: A methodological study was conducted at the Federal University of São Carlos. METHODS: The following stages were carried out: Translation; Synthesis of the translations; Back-translation; Evaluation by an experts' committee; and Pre-test. RESULTS: Two independent professionals translated the PAC scale. The consensus version was obtained by merging both translations, which were back-translated into English by a third translator. The expert committee comprised three specialists in the area and project researchers. All scale items presented a Content Validity Index of 1 (CVI = 1.0), and thus remained in the pre-final version of the instrument. The instrument was pre-tested with seven caregivers of people with dementia, the majority of whom were women (57.1%), with a degree of kinship corresponding to sons/daughters (57.1%) and an average age of 55.2 (± 4.1) years. The caregivers considered it clear and understandable and made no suggestions for changes. CONCLUSION: The PAC scale was translated and culturally adapted for use by informal caregivers of people with dementia in Brazil. However, a psychometric analysis of the instrument is necessary to provide normative data for this population group.
RESUMO
A cultura e os contextos sociais são aspectos importantes na investigação de fenômenos concernentes ao desenvolvimento humano. Tem-se como objetivo apresentar considerações teórico-metodológicas, baseadas na experiência de uma pesquisa realizada por pesquisadores brasileiros e canadenses, acerca dos procedimentos adotados na produção científica envolvendo a Psicologia Transcultural e a Psicologia do Desenvolvimento, apontando desafios e possibilidades para superá-los. Salienta-se a importância da adequação da pesquisa para diferentes culturas e recomenda-se atentar para os seguintes procedimentos: definição do tema de pesquisa, escolha e adaptação dos instrumentos de medida, definição do construto, treinamento dos pesquisadores e estudo piloto. A indicação de critérios dessa natureza tem como objetivo aprimorar a sistematização e descrição de estudos transculturais na área da Psicologia do Desenvolvimento para que se possam produzir resultados consistentes e válidos
The culture and social contexts are important in the investigation of aspects related to human development. The objective was to present theoretical and methodological considerations, based on our experience related to a research carried out by Brazilian and Canadian researchers, on the procedures adopted in the scientific literature involving the Transcultural Psychology and Developmental Psychology, pointing challenges and possibilities of overcoming them. The importance of adequacy of research for different cultures was stressed and it is recommended be attentive to the following: definition of the research topic, choice of the measuring instrument, definition of the construct, instrument adaptation, training researchers and pilot study. Indication criteria of this nature aims to improve the systematization and description of cross-cultural studies in Developmental Psychology, in order to make possible to produce consistent and valid results
La cultura y los contextos sociales son aspectos importantes en la investigación de fenómenos concernientes al desarrollo humano. Se tiene como objetivo presentar consideraciones teórico-metodológicas, basadas en la experiencia de una investigación realizada por investigadores brasileños y canadienses, acerca de los procedimientos adoptados en la producción científica envolviendo la Psicología Transcultural y la Psicología del Desarrollo, apuntando desafíos y posibilidades. Se destaca la importancia de la adecuación de la investigación para diferentes culturas y se recomienda atentar para los siguientes procedimientos: definición del tema de investigación, elección y adaptación de los instrumentos de medida, definición del constructo, entrenamiento de los investigadores y estudio piloto. La indicación de criterios de esa naturaleza tiene como objetivo mejorar la sistematización y descripción de estudios transculturales en el área de la Psicología del Desarrollo para que se puedan producir resultados consistentes y válidos