Innovative attitude in University

El objetivo de este estudio es obtener datos exploratorios acerca de la actitud innovadora y proponer formas en las que la Universidad puede promover dicha actitud. Para ello se pasó un cuestionario a 149 estudiantes de primer año de psicología 2013 – 2014 y se llevó a cabo una revisión teórica de la literatura existente actualmente sobre este tema, basándonos principalmente en la Teoría del Comportamiento Planificado y el Modelo de Actitud Innovadora de INNAC, que propone la existencia de tres aspectos que afectan a la actitud innovadora. Los datos mostraron puntuaciones elevadas tanto en la puntuación global de actitud innovadora como en las específicas relativas a los tres niveles

Effectiveness of structural-strategic family therapy in the treatment of adolescents with mental health problems and their families

Mental health problems during adolescence constitute a major public health concern today for both families and stakeholders. Accordingly, different family-based interventions have emerged as an effective treatment for adolescents with certain disorders. Specifically, there is evidence of the effectiveness of concrete approaches of systemic family therapy on the symptoms of adolescents and family functioning in general. However, few studies have examined the effectiveness of other relevant approaches, such as structural and strategic family therapy, incorporating parent–child or parental dyadic measurement. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a structural–strategic family therapy with adolescents involved in mental health services and their families. For this purpose, 41 parents and adolescents who participated in this treatment were interviewed at pre-test and post-test, providing information on adolescent behavior problems, parental sense of competence, parental practices, parenting alliance, and family functioning. Regardless of participants’ gender, adolescents exhibited fewer internalizing and externalizing problems after the treatment. Parents reported higher family cohesion, higher satisfaction and perceived efficacy as a parent, and healthier parental practices (less authoritarian and permissive practices, as well as more authoritative ones). An interaction effect between parenting alliance and gender was found, with more favorable results for the mothers. In conclusion, this paper provides evidence of the usefulness of structural–strategic family therapy for improving family, dyadic, and individual facets in families with adolescents exhibiting mental health problems

Protocol for the Implementation and Evaluation of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Caregivers of Children with Mental Disorders in a Clinical Setting

Being a parent is complicated in typical circumstances, with a great psychological impact as well as feelings and experiences of great intensity. This impact is greater in families in vulnerable situations, such as those with children with mental health problems, receiving treatment in a clinical setting. Due to these challenges, parenting in these circumstances is often accompanied by experiences of stress. An approach that has shown evidence of effectiveness in mitigating the negative impact of stress is mindfulness-based interventions, including the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention program. The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention program is designed as a psychoeducational, instructional, multimodal, and structured program whose main objective is to provide strategies for the management, coping, and awareness of stress in order to reduce it. In this paper, a protocol for the implementation and evaluation of the original Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention program with the added positive parenting component is presented, in order to systematize the incorporation of a parenting component in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention program, analyze its effectiveness for parents whose children have mental health problems (in terms of stress, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, general health, and parental role), explore the mechanisms of change operating in this intervention as perceived by the participants, and examine the application of acquired strategies to daily life

Familias de personas con Trastorno del Espectro Autista. Impacto percibido por progenitores, hermanos/as y abuelos/as.

During the last decades several social changes have occurred. These changes have involved an appreciation for the importance of families of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), along with the need to frame from a more comprehensive approach the understanding of the experiences and adaptation of these families. As a result, the construct of family quality of life has emerged as a salient one for the families of individuals with ASD, along with a rising interest in its conceptualization, measurement and identification of related and predictive factors. Families of individuals with ASD face additional demands and challenges. These additional demands often result in high stress levels and adjustment difficulties in the different family members. When approaching the study of the impact on families of having a member with ASD, traditionally the mothers’ perception has been predominant, leaving out the views and experiences of other relevant family members, such as fathers and siblings. Considering that our context is characterized by familism as a cultural value, to take into account the grandparents’ perception is particularly relevant. This doctoral dissertation has the following aims: 1) to analyze siblings’ perceived impact of having a brother/sister with ASD; 2) to analyze grandparents’ perceived impact of having a grandchild with ASD; and 3) to analyze the influence of the individual characteristics of the person with ASD, the characteristics of parents and social support In family quality of life. To accomplish these objectives, we developed three studies with a total sample of 153 members of 87 families of individuals with ASD, from five provinces of the Andalusia region. The first and second studies met the first and second objective respectively, using a qualitative methodology, based on interviews. A thematic analysis was used for both studies, along with a content analysis in the grandparents’ study. To meet the third objective referred to the factors related with family quality of life, we employed a quantitative methodology approach using a battery of questionnaires. Descriptive and structural equation modeling analyses were performed. Results from the studies point towards the heterogeneity and complexity of the perceived impact by different family members, both at an individual and family level. Moreover, results indicate that there are similarities in the experiences of each member of the family, such as the perception of personal growth and missing a more normative relationship with the person with ASD. However, there are also aspects of the perception of impact that are idiosyncratic to each family member, highlighting then the importance of hearing the voices of the different family members. In addition, the results reinforce the systemic conceptualization of relationships among the family members, bringing to light the interconnectedness of the relationships between the family members. Finally, the results indicate that there are several factors that influence the perception of impact of all members of the family, such as the characteristics of the person with ASD, social support and cultural aspects. In conclusion, taking into account the heterogeneity and complexity of impact perceived by different family members, this doctoral thesis allows us to conclude that it is important to include them in the interventions targeting the person with ASD, as well as incorporate different intervention modalities and formats in the services. This could be a way to adjust and adapt to the different needs and adaptation process of each person and family. Finally, it is important to adopt a systemic perspective in the study and intervention with these families.Durante las últimas décadas ha habido relevantes cambios sociales que han conllevado una revalorización de la importancia de las familias de personas con trastornos del espectro del autismo (TEA), y que han puesto de manifiesto la necesidad de conocer las experiencias y el ajuste de estas familias desde una visión comprehensiva. El punto de mira en el ajuste de las familias de personas con TEA ha supuesto la aparición del constructo de calidad de vida familiar, así como un creciente interés en su conceptualización, evaluación e identificación de factores relacionados y predictores de la misma. Las familias de personas con TEA deben afrontar demandas y retos adicionales, lo que suele ir acompañado de niveles elevados de estrés y dificultades de ajuste en los diferentes miembros de la familia. En el análisis del ajuste e impacto de las familias de personas con TEA, tradicionalmente se ha tomado como referencia la percepción de las madres, dejando de lado a otras personas pertenecientes al contexto familiar como son padres y hermanos/as. Cobra particular importancia en nuestro contexto – caracterizado por el familismo como valor cultural – la percepción de los abuelos/as. Esta tesis doctoral aborda los siguientes objetivos: 1) analizar el impacto percibido por los hermanos/as de personas con TEA; 2) analizar el impacto percibido por los abuelos/as de personas con TEA y 3) analizar la influencia de las características individuales de la persona con TEA, de las características de los progenitores y del apoyo recibido en la calidad de vida familiar. Para dar respuesta a los diferentes objetivos se llevaron a cabo tres estudios en los que participaron un total de 153 familiares de personas con TEA, provenientes de 87 familias de cinco provincias de la Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía. En los dos primeros estudios se abordaron los objetivos relacionados con el impacto percibido por hermanos/as y abuelos/as respectivamente, empleando para ello una metodología cualitativa, basada en entrevistas y utilizando análisis temático en el caso de hermanos/as y temático y de contenido en el estudio con abuelos/as. Para abordar el tercer objetivo, relacionado con la influencia de diferentes factores en la calidad de vida familiar percibida por progenitores, se empleó una metodología cuantitativa. Para ello se empleó una batería de cuestionarios y se realizaron análisis descriptivos y modelos de ecuaciones estructurales. Los resultados de los estudios que conforman esta tesis doctoral ponen de manifiesto la heterogeneidad y complejidad del impacto percibido por los diferentes miembros de la familia tanto a nivel individual como familiar. Asimismo, apuntan hacia similitudes en las experiencias de los diferentes miembros, como puede ser la percepción de crecimiento personal y el echar de menos una relación más normativa con la persona con TEA. Sin embargo, también existen aspectos del impacto que son idiosincrásicos para cada miembro de la familia, resaltando por tanto la importancia de escuchar la voz de los diferentes miembros de la familia. Además, los resultados refuerzan la concepción sistémica de las relaciones, poniendo de manifiesto la imbricación entre las relaciones de todos los miembros. Finalmente, los resultados apuntan a factores comunes que influyen en la percepción de impacto, como son las características de la persona con TEA, el apoyo social y algunos aspectos culturales. En conclusión, teniendo en cuenta la heterogeneidad y complejidad del impacto percibido por los diferentes miembros de la familia, esta tesis doctoral pone de manifiesto la importancia de incorporar a estas personas en las intervenciones con la persona con TEA, así como ofrecer diferentes alternativas de intervención, de manera que se ajusten a las necesidades y procesos de adaptación de cada persona y familia. Finalmente, es importante adoptar una visión sistémica tanto en el estudio como en la intervención con estas familias

Developing family support services: A comparison of national reforms and challenges in England, Ireland and Spain

A major aspect of contemporary European family policies has been substantial developments in ‘family and parenting support services’ albeit under challenging conditions of austerity in recent years. This article compares and reviews national reforms in family support, child welfare and positive parenting services in England, Ireland and Spain. The analysis critically compares national ‘system-wide’ reforms and frontline service-based innovations; and situates these within broader national and European policy contexts. The article examines the degrees and ways in which children’s and family services reforms across all three countries have been shaped by family support, children’s rights and social investment policy orientations; and deliberates national differences in the scope, timing and longevity of reforms. It raises critical issues from rights-based perspectives and reflects on cross-national insights

Family Functioning in Families of Adolescents with Mental Health Disorders: The Role of Parenting Alliance

This study primarily examined the predictive role of emotional and behavioral disorders in family cohesion and the moderating role of parenting alliance. Adolescents’ mental health issues are a major concern, with important implications for individuals and their families. However, the impact of mental disorders on family processes has been less widely studied. Participants in this study were 72 parents of adolescent beneficiaries of mental health services. Questionnaires assessed family cohesion, parenting alliance, and sociodemographic factors. Results indicated that emotional and behavioral disorders did not have an influence on family cohesion. They also suggested that parenting alliance may be a protective factor for family cohesion. This paper highlights the role of parenting alliance as a potential protective factor in positive family processes. These findings support the importance of focusing on the parental subsystem in therapy, and the need to incorporate a positive parenting perspective when working with these families.Ministry of Economics and Competitiveness EDU2013-41441-PMinistry of Education, Culture, and Sports FPU 014/675