Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Silvana Romero Saletti, David Olivo Chang, Cecilia Chau Pérez-Aranibar and Fiorella Otiniano Campos
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
Background: The Brief Sensation Seeking Scale – BSSS measures sensation seeking in teenagers based on Zuckerman’s theory, covering the need for a brief instrument that might be useful for research contexts and capable of correcting some defects in the SSS-V. The aim of this study was to adapt the BSSS for research purposes with students schoolchildren in Lima and determine its psychometric properties. Method: 1,033 high school students from four public schools in Lima completed the final version of the BSSS. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test scale structure and gender invariance and criterion validity were assessed. Results: CFA evidenced a good fit of the unidimensional model (S-Bχ2= 56.74, df= 18, p<0.001; TLI = .972, CFI = .982, SRMR = .026; RMSEA = .046). Moreover, the multi-group invariance analysis found metric invariance between boys and girls, but no scalar invariance. In addition, a composite reliability coefficient of .82 was obtained. Finally, the BSSS scores demonstrate differences in the use of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, as well as the curiosity and intention to try marijuana. Conclusion: Psychometric results obtained from the BSSS are promising; making it a suitable instrument for measuring sensation seeking in adolescents from Lima.
Propiedades psicométricas de la Brief Sensation Seeking Scale en adolescentes peruanos. Antecedentes: la Brief Sensation Seeking Scale - BSSS mide la búsqueda de sensaciones en adolescentes desde la teoría de Zuckerman y cubre la necesidad de una medida breve para la investigación que corrija algunos defectos de la SSS-V. El objetivo del estudio fue adaptarla para utilizarla con adolescentes escolares limeños y obtener sus propiedades psicométricas. Método: la versión final del BSSS fue aplicada a 1.033 estudiantes de Secundaria de cuatro colegios públicos de Lima. Se probó la estructura factorial de la escala mediante el AFC y su invarianza según género y se recolectaron evidencias de validez de criterio. Resultados: el CFA demostró que el modelo unidimensional presentaba buen ajuste (S-Bχ2= 56.74, df= 18, p<0.001; TLI = .972, CFI = .982, SRMR = .026; RMSEA = .046). Se encontró invarianza métrica entre hombres y mujeres, pero no invarianza escalar. Asimismo, se obtuvo un coeficiente de fiabilidad compuesta de .82. Finalmente, los puntajes de la BSSS muestran diferencias significativas en quienes usan alcohol, tabaco y marihuana, así como en quienes tienen curiosidad y la intención de probar marihuana. Conclusión: las propiedades psicométricas de la BSSS son prometedoras, por lo que resulta adecuada para medir la búsqueda de sensaciones en adolescentes limeños.