Estudio de usabilidad y percepción de eficacia de los módulos que componen el Programa Héroe

Las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) han generado grandes cambios en un sinfín de ámbitos, debido a que han posibilitado la introducción de tecnologías y la generación de nuevas metodologías de trabajo. En este contexto, Mesurado y colaboradores (2018) han desarrollado el Programa Héroe, primera aplicación web dirigida a promover conductas prosociales y variables socio-emocionales en adolescentes. Dado que Héroe es un desarrollo web reciente es de sumo interés indagar su usabilidad. De allí que los objetivos de este artículo sean 1). Estudiar la percepción de los usuarios en relación a la efectividad de cada uno de los módulos del programa Héroe en promover la prosocialidad, la empatía, la gratitud, el perdón y la satisfacción; y 2). Analizar las opiniones de los usuarios referidas a las características generales del programa, identifi cando las actividades que mayor nivel de agrado les generaron, como así también las que no les agradaron. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 158 adolescentes de 12 a 17 años (M = 14.90; DE = 1.58, 54% mujeres), de nivel socio-económico medio. Los resultados indican que existe un crecimiento irregular pero progresivo de cada una de las variables promovidas por el programa Héroe. Además, el programa tuvo un alto grado de aceptación por parte de los adolescentes que participaron de la intervención.Information and Communication Technologies (ITC) have brought about major changes in countless areas, as they have allowed for the inclusion of technology in education and have created new labor methodologies. In this context, Mesurado et al. (2018) have developed the online program Hero, the first web application aimed at promoting prosocial behavior and socio-emotional variables among adolescents. Given that the Hero program is new, investigating its usability is of great interest. Thus, the aims of this article are 1). To study users’ perception of the effectiveness of each of the Hero program modules in the promotion of prosocial behavior, empathy, gratitude, forgiveness, and satisfaction; and 2). To analyze the users’ opinions on the general characteristics of the program by identifying which activities they liked best and those which they did not like. The sample included 158 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 (M = 14.90; DE = 1.58, 54% women), from a middle socioeconomic status. The results indicate that there is an irregular but progressive growth in all variables promoted by the Hero program. Moreover, the program was highly acceptable to the adolescents who participated in the intervention

Emerging adults' cultural values, prosocial behaviors, and mental health in 14 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Evidence suggests an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, particularly among emerging adults. However, theories on altruism born of suffering or adversarial growth suggest that we might also see prosocial behavior as a function of the pandemic, which may protect against mental health challenges. Because cultural values are central in determining prosocial behavior, the current study explored how cultural values were differentially associated with adaptive prosocial behaviors that might protect against mental health challenges. Participants for the current study included 5,682 young people aged 18-25 years from 14 different countries around the world (68% female, 62% college students). Path analyses suggested that there were few differences in patterns as a function of culture, but revealed that horizontal individualism and horizontal and vertical collectivism were indirectly associated with lower levels of depression via prosocial behavior toward family members. Discussion focuses on the importance of coping by strengthening family relationships via prosocial behavior during the pandemic

Cultural variability and consistency in adolescents’ emotional regulation and relationship with their parents: data from Argentina, Ghana, India and Zambia

The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between parent–child relationship and emotional regulation in adolescents across four countries regarding: (a) mother–child relationship; (b) father–child relationship; (c) adolescents’ emotion regulation; and (d) the relationship between mother–child/father–child close relationships and adolescents’ emotion regulation. Sex differences were also considered in the analysis. The sample of 270 Zambian, 216 Argentinian, 200 Ghanaian, and 180 Indian adolescents answered The Experience in Close Relationship Questionnaire and the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire. Results revealed cultural differences in the way adolescents perceived their relations with parents. Zambian adolescents were more likely to perceive their relationship as avoidant compared to Ghanaian, Argentina and Indian. Consistent with literature, Zambian and Argentinian adolescents who perceived their parents as avoidant were likely to use less cognitive appraisal as an emotion regulation strategy. Finally, Argentinian adolescents who used expressive suppression were also likely to perceive their parents as avoidant

The varying roles of parents and the cognitive–emotional variables regarding the different types of adolescent prosocial behavior

Abstract: This article studies the relationship between parental variables (authoritative parental style, maternal and paternal challenges), empathy, and prosocial flow with different types of prosocial behaviors (prosocial behaviors toward different targets and different motivations of prosocial behavior). The sample included 539 students of both sexes (42.5% males; Mage¼ 19.13 years old, SD ¼ 1.92). The hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that prosocial behaviors toward family, followed by toward friends, are motivated to a much greater extent by the parental variable than by empathy and prosocial flow. Conversely, when the prediction of prosocial behavior toward strangers was analyzed, the variables that had greater weight were prosocial flow and empathy. In relation to prosocial tendencies, the results showed that parental variables, empathy, and prosocial flow explained a similar percentage of variables in the different types of public, responsive, altruist, and anonymous prosocial tendencies

Optimal Experience in Argentinean Children and Adolescents

Csikszentmihalyi describes optimal experience as a feeling that ones own abilities are sufficient to face lifes challenges. Such experience consists of directed, goal-oriented activity, regulated by norms that provide feedback sufficient to know if things are being done well. This chapter describes different studies done in the Latin American country of Argentina about flow. The first study focused on 1) whether it was possible for children and adolescents to identify optimal experiences; and 2) to identify the types of activity associated with flow. The results demonstrate that approximately 85% of Argentinean adolescents identified flow experiences in their daily activities. Sports, study, artistic activities, computer use, meetings and social activities, TV and games, are the activities that most often allow Argentinean children and adolescents to experience flow. The second study, focused on examining flow experience of children while playing soccer. The results showed that high levels of ability and concentration were associated with higher levels of flow during the soccer. Children who experienced high anxiety and boredom levels tended to have low levels of flow experience. The third study intended to investigate whether it is possible for young people to identify flow while doing prosocial activities. The results showed that young people can experience flow while doing prosocial activities in different contexts: in family, community, educational and social relations. Finally, the last study relayed in this chapter presents research examining the internal (parental relationships and personality traits) and external (type of activity and way of doing the activity) conditions of flow. This is particularly important for determining which aspects help generate the optimal mental states that contribute to happiness and wellbeing.Fil: Mesurado, Maria Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi; ArgentinaFil: Richaud, Maria Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi; Argentin

The Relationship between Parental Variables, Empathy and Prosocial-Flow with Prosocial Behavior toward Strangers, Friends, and Family

The goal of this study was to explore the relationship between two different aspects of the parent-child relationship (parental challenge and authoritative parental style) and empathy as well as prosocial flow with prosocial behavior toward strangers, friends,and family. The participants were 422 young adults who were enrolled in undergraduate social responsibility courses at a University. The results show that thecombination of parental support and parental challenge has an important influence on prosocial flow and on positive behavior such as prosocial behavior toward friends and family, but no influence on that toward strangers. Moreover, in the same way, empathy and prosocial flow promote prosocial behavior toward these three targets. The interpretations of these findings are delineated in the discussion.Fil: Mesurado, Maria Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi; Argentina. Universidad Austral ; ArgentinaFil: Richaud, Maria Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi; Argentin