Elaboração, padronização e estudos psicométricos e de normatização de uma medida de sobre-excitabilidade

Abstract

The overexcitability (OE) – one of the main constructs of the Theory of Positive Disintegration – refers to a tendency to react in an expanded and intensified way towards various stimuli in one or more of the following patterns: Psychomotor, Sensual, Imaginational, Intellectual, and Emotional. Although the patterns are considered important indicators of giftedness and talent, in Brazil there were no instruments for the assessment of OE in children and adolescents. Thus, this thesis aimed to elaborate, obtain validity and reliability evidences, and establish standards and norms for a measure of OE: Overexcitability Scales (OES). In this way, five studies were conducted. The first one described the theoretical background necessary for the elaboration of scales and the realization of subsequent studies. The second one presented a systematic review of the main OE measures through the search for articles found on databases and a search tool on the Internet. The third study exposed the process of construction of the OS and the search for validity evidences based on the content - analysis by judges (N = 9) and pilot application (N = 18) - and in the internal structure (N = 263) of the measurement. The fourth study aimed to establish preliminary norms and verify the structure and factorial invariance of scales (N = 1500). Finally, in the last study, some aspects of the standardization of the instrument were analyzed, also its reliability (N = 80) and validity evidences based on criteria (N = 34) and in relation to external variables (N = 86). Taken together, the studies have reported validity evidences (based on the content, internal structure, criteria, and on the relation with instruments that measur similar constructs) and reliability (internal consistency and stability) to the OES. Investigations of standardization (printed and computerized supports) and norms (percentil norms by sex) of the instrument also showed positive results. The limitations of the studies and the consequences of the results for professional practice in psychology are presented. Additional research is recommended to improve the measurement.