Brazilian Context Research Articles

Cross-cultural adaptation, validity, and reliability of the Child and Adolescent Behavior Inventory (CABI) for use in Brazil

ObjectiveThe Child and Adolescent Behavior Inventory (CABI) is a cost-free 75 question-questionnaire developed by an Italian group to collect information from parents on the behavior of children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years. It assesses different areas of children's behavior and psychopathology, including internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and can be used to identify children at risk of mental disorders both in clinical and epidemiological settings. In this study, the authors present a Brazilian-Portuguese adaptation of the CABI and its psychometric properties. MethodsFirst, the authors conducted a rigorous transcultural adaptation of CABI's questions and instructions for the Brazilian context. In an online sample of 598 parents, the authors found high reliability (internal consistency) for the CABI's main subscales. ResultsValidity was supported by exploratory factor analysis (the authors found 6 factors representing several aspects of psychopathology both according to the DSM and HiTop models) and significant differences in most CABI's subscales between children with parent-reported psychopathology and typically developing ones. The present study suggests that the adapted version of CABI is a valid and reliable measure that can be used in Brazil. ConclusionsThe CABI can be useful to the pediatrician to get fast but wide information from parents on the behavioral condition of their children or adolescents, and also to decide whether it is appropriate to consult a mental health professional.

Life Cycle Assessment of Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate Production: An Adaptation to the Brazilian Context

Surfactants represent a class of compounds used in large-scale household sanitizers, the Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate being the most used. However, there is concern about these compounds’ environmental aspects and impacts. This work aims to analyze the life cycle inventory of the production of Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate from cradle to gate for the Brazilian context aiming to propose improvements regarding cumulative energy demand and global warming potential. The total energy demand of the base case scenario was 59 MJ-Eq and a carbon footprint of 1.71 kg CO2-eq. A scenario considering the switch in heat and electricity supply to renewable sources was proposed, and a global reduction of Global Warming Potential in 100 years of 15.73% was realized, reducing the carbon footprint of the heat supply chain by 73.07% and the electricity supply chain by 98.90%.

Stimulus Perception in Long-Distance Railway Mode Choice

In the context of countries in the so-called Global South, where passenger railway services are either nonexistent or poorly performed, discrete choice models are useful to identify the attributes that affect users’ choices and provide insights on their behaviour in regional long-distance trips. Several theories and models have been proposed to understand travel behaviour for effective strategical decision in the transport field. The well-knownRandom Utility Maximization (RUM) approach has been widely used for such purposes, while the Random Regret Minimization (RRM) approach has been recently explored in the literature. However, the magnitude in the difference of levels of the attributes, or the stimulus perception, may affect the results of such models and biases the estimations. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the stimulus perception in mode choice to compare conventional rail (CR) and high-speed rail (HSR) services for passenger transport in intercity trips in Brazil. Estimations of RUM and RRM models were performed with a dataset from a stated preference survey comparing two railway technologies (CR and HSR) with other modes of transport (car, bus, and airplanes) for long-distance trips in the Southeast region of Brazil. Findings provide useful insights about the impacts of travel costs, travel times, and frequency of services, as well as sociodemographic characteristics of users. From the modelling outputs, it was found that users are affected by the magnitude of travel costs, time, and frequency only in business trips by HSR in the Brazilian context.

An analysis of student numbers per class and educational performance in the Brazilian context

The relationship between class size and school performance has always been ambiguous and the current literature has found no direct connection between them, especially in the Brazilian context. Therefore, this study aimed to verify whether the number of students per class influences school performance. We used Microdata from the Prova Brazil of 2017. Using the propensity score matching statistical model, with the nearest neighbor matching estimator, we grouped the classes into clusters by similarity. The metric used to group the clusters was the Euclidean distance. We attempted to verify adherence to the normal distribution of data using the Kolmogorov Smirnov test and tested the null hypothesis of the medians using the Wilcoxon test. All the statistical analysis were performed using SPSS Statistic version 20. The results showed that the number of students per class has little influence on performance and, when the influence exists, larger classes perform better.

Animals in Brazil: Economic, Legal and Ethical Perspectives

Animals in Brazil: Economic, Legal and Ethical Perspectives

A década de prosperidade de 2004-2013 e o novo desenvolvimentismo

ABSTRACT Since the 1990s, three different phases marked the Brazilian economy: a 13 year long “quasi-stagnation” (1991-2003); a decade of prosperity (2004-2013); and an 8 year period of economic decline (2014-2021). Leading new developmentalist authors identify policies introduced in the 1990s as causes of slower economic growth. This article argues that, even if that hypothesis is correct, it is still inadequate to treat the last 30 years as a single economic phase. We then compare policies implemented in 2004-2013 with developmentalist recommendations, concluding that most of them are compatible. Finally, the article highlights changes in the international and Brazilian contexts between the 1970s and the present, which reinforce the importance of analyzing the most recent growth experience.

Translation, Cultural Adaptation, and Psychometric Evaluation of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Quality in Psychiatric Care—Outpatients Instrument

Measuring the quality of care received by patients of mental health services is necessary to determine the effectiveness of prevention programs and mental health treatment. This study translated the original Swedish Quality in Psychiatric Care-Outpatient (QPC-OP) instrument to Brazilian Portuguese, adapted it to the context of Brazilian psychosocial care centers (CAPS), and evaluated its psychometric properties. The instrument was translated and back-translated by two independent professional translators. A seven-person expert group of professionals and 31 psychiatric outpatients verified the content validity of the Brazilian Portuguese QPC-OP, which then was completed by 253 outpatients from 16 CAPS in São Paulo, Brazil. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed adequate goodness of fit for the factor structure corresponding to the original Swedish version, except for the discharge dimension. Three additional items added in the Brazilian Portuguese QPC-OP formed a separate factor. The internal consistency of the entire scale was excellent but low in some dimensions. In conclusion, the translation and cultural adaptation of the Brazilian Portuguese QPC-OP was satisfactory, and the psychometric evaluation demonstrated that the concept of quality of mental health care is similarly understood in the Brazilian and Swedish cultural context. Thus, the Brazilian Portuguese QPC-OP is a useful instrument for assessing the quality of care in the Brazilian CAPS context and will be useful in quality assurance and in cross-cultural research addressing quality of mental health care from the patient's perspective.

Curriculum reform in Brazilian secondary education: Creating global citizens

Teaching people how to read, write, and count in a globalized and multicultural society is no longer sufficient. Skills like respecting one another, combating racism, prejudice, and intolerance, and learning to address local and global problems have become critical. UNESCO's Global Citizenship Education (GECD) initiative has faced criticisms for promoting secular values over religious ones and being too individualistic at times. Therefore, this article proposes improvements to GECD, including the introduction of new knowledge areas such as Negotiation, Social Justice, Brazilian and Global Culture, Values and Perceptions, Brazilian and Global Institutions, Conflict Resolution, Respect, and Tolerance. The objective is two-fold: to reform the GECD curriculum by presenting a new course on Global Education and Citizenship adapted to the Brazilian educational context and to reform the Brazilian National Common Core Curriculum (BNCC) for secondary education.

Aviation English Assessment for Military and Civil Pilots in Brazil: Similarities and Differences

Language proficiency assessment for pilots is a topic of potential interest for applied linguists and aviation professionals in general. Despite the growing number of investigations about this topic in the Brazilian civil aviation context (A.L. Monteiro/ N. Bullock, 2020, A. Garcia 2015, P. Tosqui-Lucks/ M. Prado 2020, A. Pacheco 2019), fewer similar studies are found in the Brazilian military scenario (A.L.B.C. Silva, 2016, 2022, M. Bruno 2018). With this difference in mind, this study presents an overview of the instruments being used to assess Aeronautical English proficiency for civil and Air Force pilots in Brazil.This study followed a qualitative approach by means of a bibliographic review and documental analyses. Results of this study show that the same instruments are used to assess English language proficiency for all Air Force pilots in Brazil, despite their varying needs, whereas a different instrument – the Santos Dumont English Exam (SDEA) – is used for civil pilots. Similarities and differences in both assessment scenarios have been highlighted to better understand the theoretical constructs assessed in each test. As a contribution to the fields of Applied Linguistics and English for Specific Purposes (ESP), this study allows different stakeholders to have a clearer and better understanding of Aeronautical English assessment for pilots in Brazil. This can help ensure that best practices are highlighted, and improvements implemented, which, as a result, could lead to more efficient and effective communications and safer skies for everyone.

Adaptation and Evidence of Validity of the Prosocial Tendencies Measure (PTM) to the Brazilian Context

Adaptation and Evidence of Validity of the Prosocial Tendencies Measure (PTM) to the Brazilian Context

Waste-to-Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste: Global Scenario and Prospects of Mass Burning Technology in Brazil

Inadequate disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is one of the greatest environmental issues confronted nowadays. One of the techniques used for its final disposal is incineration, otherwise known as mass burning. Although this procedure remains very controversial in Brazil, some recent studies published in Europe reveal a large amount of misinformation about it. It has been widely used in European countries, Japan, and a few U.S. cities and has been increasingly and significantly adopted in China. Therefore, this article aims to carry out a literature review on the evolution of waste-to-energy recovery from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) worldwide and the progress of mass-burning technologies, particularly in the Brazilian context. For such a purpose, global scientific databases were selected and some of their results allowed us to present how the main WtE recovery technologies function, as well as their benefits and impacts. Moreover, it was possible to systematize the main regulatory frameworks on the theme in Brazil and to reveal the country’s electricity generation capacity, in addition to depicting the progress of Waste-to-Energy Plants (WtEPs) undergoing licensing processes in the state of São Paulo.

Methodology to Identify and Prioritise the Sustainability Aspects to Be Considered in the Design of Brazilian Healthcare Buildings

The evidence of climate change has increased the necessity for actions to avoid severe consequences for future generations. Recognising the benefits of sustainable and energy-efficient buildings has led to the development of several methods to estimate and rate the performance of building. Healthcare buildings are functional and dynamic structures that support their occupants’ healing processes and comfort. They have a significant role in society and specific goals in merging their strategic planning requirements (cost reduction, regulatory compliance, social responsibility, and performance improvement) with Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, this paper addresses critical issues regarding the sustainability of the Brazilian healthcare sector by analysing the suitability of the most common international healthcare building sustainability assessment methods to the specific social, economic, and environmental contexts of the Brazilian healthcare sector. The paper analyses the HBSAtool-PT, a sustainability assessment method developed for this type of building, and identifies the possibilities for adapting to the Brazilian context. As a result, this research proposes a framework to assess the sustainability of healthcare buildings in Brazil. In the framework’s definition, a survey was conducted to determine the opinion of building stakeholders regarding the importance of indicators. A weighing system for the proposed sustainability indicators was developed using the AHP method.

Innovation in Brazilian Industries: Analysis of Management Practices Using Fuzzy TOPSIS

This study examined the practices of innovation management used by Brazilian industries. A survey was carried out with specialists that assessed 27 practices (PR) proposed by ISO 56002, considering two types of firms: small and medium-sized industries (SMI) and large industries (LI). The methodological approach included Hierarchical Cluster Analysis to identify the similarities between the specialists and define levels of specialists, as well as Fuzzy TOPSIS and frequency and sensitivity analyses to examine their responses. PR1 (analysis of internal and external issues that impact innovation management) was deemed the best practice for LIs, whereas PR10 (adequate assessment of potential partnerships) was best evaluated for SMIs. The PR27 (periodic audits to identify opportunities for improvement) received the lowest rating from both LIs and SMIs. In general, SMIs in the Brazilian context have more severe deficiencies in terms of applying innovation management practices than LIs. A broad overview of the innovation practices adopted in the Brazilian industrial scenario is provided. The study’s findings may assist managers and policymakers to develop initiatives and actions to improve the capacity of Brazilian industries to innovate. This research can also support future studies aimed at better understanding specific practices related to the topic.

Telework during the Covid-19 pandemic and the work-nonwork conflict

PurposeThis study aims to analyze the relationship between telework and teleworkers’ characteristics and the work-nonwork conflict (WNWC) in the Brazilian context, investigating time spent in eight nonwork dimensions and the more affected dimensions.Design/methodology/approachThe study was quantitative and descriptive. A survey was conducted with 299 professionals’ teleworking in Brazil. Data analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and analysis of variance.FindingsResults show diversified interests other than work and family among teleworkers, variation within the affected nonwork dimensions in the WNWC, and that teleworkers’ WNWC is negatively associated with time flexibility and manager support and positively associated with individual preference for segmentation as a boundary management strategy.Research limitations/implicationsThe study highlights the need to include more nonwork aspects in telework studies to influence organizational practices. The main limitation is the nonprobabilistic sample.Practical implicationsKnowing more about teleworkers’ WNWC will help organizations improve lives by implementing practices and building a cultural environment that preserves nonwork time.Social implicationsThe study reinforces demands from new family arrangements and an aging society: organizations have to prepare to have teleworkers who want or need to dedicate time to interests besides family or children.Originality/valueIt progresses towards a broad understanding of nonwork besides family to understand teleworkers’ WNWC.

Shaping the security-development nexus in Brazil: the military as a modernising and nation-building actor?

ABSTRACT Since the end of the Cold War, the topic of military role expansion has become commonplace in the literature. Military deployments in humanitarian crises, disaster relief, border patrol, policing, counterterrorism, stability operations, and state-building played a key role in new doctrine and organisational changes. Yet, this global trend towards role expansion met a very distinct context in Brazil. Despite transitioning from an authoritarian military rule, reducing military prerogatives in government, and rethinking military roles in society, this trend reinforced an embedded idea that the armed forces have a central and all-encompassing role in the state’s political, economic, and social development. This worldview derives from a Brazilian historical process of merging security and development that rose far before the discussions on the security-development nexus in the literature by the late 2000s. That said, the aim of this article is to discuss how historical political and military practices built a security-development nexus avant la lettre, in which the military played a key role. We intend to demonstrate how Brazil placed the military as a key development actor and how this process, over time, led to consequences for civil-military relations, public policies, and democracy

The Consumption of Fresh Organic Food: Premium Pricing and the Predictors of Willingness to Pay

ABSTRACT The paper presents three studies. Study 1 identified the price charged by retailers for different types of organic produce, comparing the prices of organic and non-organic food. Studies 2 and 3 analyzed the predictors of the willingness to pay. Study 2 focused on the role of socioeconomic status, trust, health concerns, and environmental concerns. Study 3 tested the importance of the place of purchase and of labeling. The studies surveyed 917 consumers in total. The results showed that retailers charged a premium price for organic food. Most consumers are prepared to pay a premium of between 5% and 10%. Income and the presence of organic labeling are significant predictors of willingness to pay, while environmental concerns and the place of purchase are not. The results can contribute to the decision-making and the expansion of the studies about WTP for organic food in the Brazilian context, paving further studies.

STONES, WORDS, IMAGES

Cultural memory, as viewed by historian Alexander Etkind, influenced by the world of computers, from where he takes this blatant yet effective reference, is binary: there is a “soft memory” preserved mostly in texts, and a “hard memory” stored primarily in monuments (Etkind, 2013, p. 177). His perspective on how cultural memory crystallizes, functions and then moulds people’s lives and communities was laid out in a study devoted to Soviet cultural heritage, particularly to those memorial practices engendered by an unburied past which always seems to be resurfacing. It is precisely this way of understanding memory, as an interconnected system whose parts can only work together, that can be further applied beyond the cultural space presented in Etkind’s book. This is, in fact, quite obvious in the works of Mabe Bethônico, a Brazilian visual artist which brought to my mind this insightful way of perceiving cultural memory. Her art projects explore and probe into the veins descending deep into both her country’s past and the earth’s belly – historical and geological veins that, under contemplation, take on more than just a literal meaning. They acquire, simultaneously, new metaphorical and universal interpretations, rendering the artist’s work extremely relevant outside the immediate Brazilian context. Mabe Bethônico’s artistic practice operates in this fuzzy elusive space, where soft and hard memory meet and converge. Her art successfully turns narratives around, fills voids and uncovers histories that have been silently living among us. The text below is based on an interview she kindly gave us. Nevertheless, for the sake of brevity and to observe the formality of the Portfolio section, we have turned the questions into themes. Therefore, this is the artist’s ‘curated’ testimony that, in a different setting, would most likely have taken a different form.

Need satisfaction and frustration scale (NSFS): adaptation and validation for Brazilian gig work context

Propósitoel presente estudio tuvo como objetivos (1) adaptar y validar la Escala de frustración y satisfacción de necesidades para el contexto del trabajo gig brasileño, y (2) investigar el carácter distintivo de los constructos de satisfacción y frustración de necesidades básicas entre los trabajadores gig brasileños.Diseño/metodología/enfoquese realizaron análisis factoriales exploratorios (AFE) y análisis factoriales confirmatorios (CFA) en una muestra de 351 trabajadores gig brasileños.Hallazgoslos resultados de EFA respaldaron una estructura de tres factores, mientras que los resultados de CFA respaldaron psicométricamente un modelo correlacionado de seis factores. Los ítems que componen la NSFS presentaron buena validez discriminante (relación heterorrasgo-monorrasgo) y consistencia interna (coeficientes alfa de Cronbach y omega de McDonald). Los resultados con respecto a la validez de criterio apoyan parcialmente la evidencia empírica previa que considera la satisfacción y la frustración de necesidades independientes en relación con el bienestar y el malestar, al tiempo que refuerzan la necesidad de más investigaciones. La versión brasileña de la Escala de Satisfacción de Necesidades y Frustración se muestra como un instrumento con sólidas cualidades psicométricas para evaluar la percepción de los trabajadores sobre la satisfacción de las necesidades básicas y la frustración en el contexto del trabajo gig brasileño.Originalidad/valoreste estudio amplía el alcance de la investigación sobre las necesidades psicológicas básicas al presentar un instrumento válido y confiable para evaluar las percepciones de los trabajadores sobre la satisfacción y la frustración de las necesidades en el contexto del trabajo gig brasileño, una población que ha sido descuidada en la investigación de teoría de la autodeterminación.

Analysing the Potential of Performing Last-Mile Bicycle Deliveries: The Perspective of Brazilian Logistics Operators

Knowledge about the perception of stakeholders regarding the effectiveness of last-mile bicycle deliveries is essential to promote solutions at a local and national level. However, their use is an incipient solution in the Brazilian context. This paper aims to analyse the potential of performing last-mile bicycle deliveries according to the perspective of Brazilian logistics operators. First, the variables that affect the decision of logistic operators to adopt bicycles were captured using the theory of planned behaviour. Later, the intention of behaviour was measured by estimating an ordered logistic regression. The results showed that environmental awareness, public policies and weather conditions negatively influence the intention of logistics operators to perform last-mile bicycle deliveries in Brazil. However, these variables are more cultural than operational, and could be changed by awareness of the importance of performing last-mile bicycle deliveries to promote sustainable cities. Additionally, the findings could encourage the development of sustainable freight policies from private companies to achieve sustainable future transportation.

The complexity of precarious work in Territorial Psychosocial Care: critical reflection on the Brazilian context

RESUMO Este artigo propõe compreender, na perspectiva da Teoria da Complexidade, e por meio da reflexão teórica crítica, a precarização do trabalho enquanto realidade no mercado brasileiro do trabalho público da saúde e sua influência nos resultados de uma política pública baseada no paradigma teórico/ prático da Atenção Psicossocial Territorial. Traça uma possibilidade de problematização sobre o tema central, por meio dos princípios: sistêmico, hologramático, círculo retroativo, recursivo, autonomia/ independência, dialógico e o da reintrodução do conhecimento em todo conhecimento, propostos por Edgar Morin, diante das discussões e dos estudos realizados pelo Grupo de Pesquisa Vida e Trabalho sobre a precarização do trabalho e a saúde mental em campo concreto. Essa reflexão propõe-se a ser fonte de reconhecimento para os atores, sobre as causas reais da precarização, que derivam do modo de exploração do trabalho em saúde em estreitamente próprio da aplicação do receituário neoliberal em estados burocráticos autoritários situados na periferia do capitalismo dependente. A reflexão permitiu a compreensão do todo e das partes que constituem o problema, reconhecendo as causas reais da precarização, ao contrário da culpabilização dos trabalhadores da saúde mental, diante das condições insalubres, da jornada de trabalho e da insegurança sobre os direitos sociais e direitos trabalhistas.