Metric Properties of the Infodemic Signs and Symptoms Scale in Brazilian Older Adults.
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| Title: | Metric Properties of the Infodemic Signs and Symptoms Scale in Brazilian Older Adults. |
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| Alternate Title: | Propiedades métricas de la escala de signos y síntomas infodémicos en ancianos brasileños. |
| Authors: | Cavalcante, Ricardo Bezerra1,2 (AUTHOR) ricardo.cavalcante@ufjf.br, Braz, Patricia Rodrigues2 (AUTHOR), Barbosa, Altemir José Gonçalves2 (AUTHOR), Ferretti-Rebustini, Renata Eloah de Lucena3 (AUTHOR), Shigaeff, Nadia2 (AUTHOR), Freitas, Eduarda Rezende4 (AUTHOR), Simões, Luan César Ferreira5 (AUTHOR), dos Santos, Regina Consolação2 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Salud Mental. Jan/Feb2026, Vol. 49 Issue 1, p19-25. 7p. |
| Subjects: | PSYCHOLOGICAL distress, SCALE analysis (Psychology), BRAZILIANS, OLDER people, INFORMATION overload, MENTAL health, PSYCHOMETRICS |
| Geographic Terms: | BRAZIL |
| Abstract (English): | Introduction: Infodemics promote disinformation, triggering serious consequences. It is therefore necessary to evaluate the phenomena associated with infodemics and their effects on mental health. Objective: Construct and analyze the internal structure validity and reliability of the Infodemic Signs and Symptoms Scale (ISSS) in older adults. The ISSS was designed to track signs and symptoms indicative of psychological distress associated with exposure to information on socially critical events. Method: This is a psychometric study of the construction and validation of a measurement instrument. To conduct the study, the ISSS was administered online (web survey) and by phone to 3,003 older adults from different regions of Brazil. Results: The instrument has good reliability (Cronbach's alpha =.97 and McDonald's omega =.97) and excellent replicability of the construct, as borne out by the GH index (latent =.982 and observed =.884). Evidence of the quality and efficacy of the measures showed high values for both the factor determination index (.991) and the EAP marginal reliability (.982), sensitivity rate (7.452) and expected percentage of actual differences (98%). Discussion and conclusion: The instrument analyzed in this study fills a gap, as there were no validated instruments for measuring the effects of infodemics on the mental health of older adults. The analyzed evidence indicates that the ISSS has good internal structure validity and reliability for measuring the signs and symptoms of infodemics in older adults. The instrument will assist in screening for the mental distress in older adults caused by infodemics in emergency crisis contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Spanish): | Introducción: La infodemia favorece la desinformación, provocando graves consecuencias. Así, es necesario evaluar el fenómeno asociado a las infodemias y sus efectos en la salud mental de los individuos. Objetivo: Construir y analizar la validez y confiabilidad de la estructura interna de la Escala de Signos y Síntomas Infodémicos (ISSS) en adultos mayores; el ISSS fue diseñado para rastrear signos y síntomas indicativos de angustia psicológica asociada con la exposición a información sobre eventos socialmente críticos. Método: Se trata de un estudio psicométrico de la construcción y validación de un instrumento de medición. Para realizar el estudio, se aplicó el ISSS en línea (encuesta web) y por teléfono a 3 003 ancianos de diferentes regiones de Brasil. Resultados: El instrumento presenta buena confiabilidad (alfa de Cronbach =.97 y omega de McDonald =.97) y excelente replicabilidad del constructo, como lo evidencia el índice de GH (latente =.982 y observada =.884). La evidencia de la calidad y eficacia de las medidas mostró valores altos tanto para el índice de determinación de factores (.991) como para la confiabilidad marginal del EAP (.982), tasa de sensibilidad (7.452) y porcentaje esperado de diferencias verdaderas (98%). También hubo diferencias en la percepción de riesgo del consumo de marihuana, inhalables, alcohol y tabaco. Discusión y conclusión: El instrumento analizado aquí llena un vacío, ya que no existían instrumentos validados para medir los efectos de la infodemia en la salud mental de las personas mayores. La evidencia analizada indica que el ISSS tiene buena validez de estructura interna y confiabilidad para medir los signos y síntomas de infodemia en personas mayores. El instrumento ayudará a detectar la angustia mental en personas mayores causada por la infodemia en contextos de crisis de emergencia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Salud Mental is the property of Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria Ramon de la Fuente and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | MedicLatina |
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| Abstract: | Introduction: Infodemics promote disinformation, triggering serious consequences. It is therefore necessary to evaluate the phenomena associated with infodemics and their effects on mental health. Objective: Construct and analyze the internal structure validity and reliability of the Infodemic Signs and Symptoms Scale (ISSS) in older adults. The ISSS was designed to track signs and symptoms indicative of psychological distress associated with exposure to information on socially critical events. Method: This is a psychometric study of the construction and validation of a measurement instrument. To conduct the study, the ISSS was administered online (web survey) and by phone to 3,003 older adults from different regions of Brazil. Results: The instrument has good reliability (Cronbach's alpha =.97 and McDonald's omega =.97) and excellent replicability of the construct, as borne out by the GH index (latent =.982 and observed =.884). Evidence of the quality and efficacy of the measures showed high values for both the factor determination index (.991) and the EAP marginal reliability (.982), sensitivity rate (7.452) and expected percentage of actual differences (98%). Discussion and conclusion: The instrument analyzed in this study fills a gap, as there were no validated instruments for measuring the effects of infodemics on the mental health of older adults. The analyzed evidence indicates that the ISSS has good internal structure validity and reliability for measuring the signs and symptoms of infodemics in older adults. The instrument will assist in screening for the mental distress in older adults caused by infodemics in emergency crisis contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 01853325 |
| DOI: | 10.17711/SM.0185-3325.2026.05 |
