Cine para realizar evaluaciones formativas de Psicología en tres grados diferentes de la Universidad Pompeu Fabra (upf)

Se narra el uso del cine comercial para realizar evaluaciones formativas de Psicología en tres grados diferentes de la Universidad Pompeu Fabra (UPF): Criminología, Biología Humana y Medicina. Se comparan los resultados en los tres grados. Los estudiantes de Criminología obtuvieron resultados inferiores a los de Biología Humana y de Medicina

Use of commercial movies in Psychology teaching for Medicine and Biology students

In the present paper, we explain our experience using three popular/commercial films to carry out formative assessment in teaching Psychology to students of Medicine and Biology. In both cases, the students watched the films during the intended class hours, and the, following day they completed a formative exam. A few days later, the corrected exams were given back to the students in order to carry out a feedback session. The aim was to deal with all their questions but focussing more closely on those answered with a lesser degree of success. We make a very positive evaluation of our experience, not only because of the satisfaction of the students but also because of their academic performance.En este escrito se narra una experiencia de uso de tres películas comerciales para llevar a cabo evaluaciones formativas en Psicología con estudiantes de Medicina y de Biología. En ambos casos, los alumnos visionaban las películas en horas de clase y posteriormente realizaban el examen formativo. Unos días después, se entregaban a los estudiantes los exámenes corregidos para realizar una sesión de retroalimentación. En ésta se comentaban todas las preguntas y se hacía hincapié en los conceptos que no habían sido asimilados de forma correcta. Se hace una valoración muy positiva de la experiencia tanto por la alta satisfacción mostrada por los estudiantes como por el éxito académico final de éstos

A Double-Track Pathway to Fast Strategy in Humans and Its Personality Correlates

The fast-slow paradigm of life history (LH) focuses on how individuals grow, mate, and reproduce at different paces. This paradigm can contribute substantially to the field of personality and individual differences provided that it is more strictly based on evolutionary biology than it has been so far. Our study tested the existence of a fast-slow continuum underlying indicators of reproductive effort¿offspring output, age at first reproduction, number, and stability of sexual partners¿in 1,043 outpatients with healthy to severely disordered personalities. Two axes emerged reflecting a double-track pathway to fast strategy, based on restricted and unrestricted sociosexual strategies. When rotated, the fast-slow and sociosexuality axes turned out to be independent. Contrary to expectations, neither somatic effort¿investment in status, material resources, social capital, and maintenance/survival¿was aligned with reproductive effort, nor a clear tradeoff between current and future reproduction was evident. Finally, we examined the association of LH axes with seven high-order personality pathology traits: negative emotionality, impulsivity, antagonism, persistence-compulsivity, subordination, and psychoticism. Persistent and disinhibited subjects appeared as fast-restricted and fast-unrestricted strategists, respectively, whereas asocial subjects were slow strategists. Associations of LH traits with each other and with personality are far more complex than usually assumed in evolutionary psychology

Estudi longitudinal de l'estrès acadèmic i el malestar psicològic associat al llarg dels cinc cursos de Biologia de la Universitat Pompeu Fabra

L'objectiu de la investigació va ser estudiar l'estrès acadèmic, les seves fonts, i les conseqüències que podien tenir en la salut dels estudiants de biologia de la UPF al llarg dels anys de la carrera, recollint dades d'una mostra representativa d'alumnes. Per avaluar les fonts d'estrès es va utilitzar el Qüestionari d'Estrès Acadèmic (QEA). Per mesurar les conseqüències de l'estrès vam usar el "Cuestionario de Salud General" (G.H.Q-28) i el "Qüestionari d'Ansietat Estat-Tret" (STAI-E/R). Els nostres resultats coincideixen amb els obtinguts en estudis anteriors en quant a les principals fonts d'estrès acadèmic: la falta de temps per estudiar, l'excessiva quantitat de matèria per a l'estudi i la realització d'exàmens. A més aquestes es mantenien pràcticament estables al llarg dels estudis. Els nivells d'estrès acadèmic també es mantenien estables al llarg del temps amb puntuacions intermitges sense mostrar diferències significatives entre ells. Les puntuacions d'estrès acadèmic actual en els diferents cursos també mostraven certa estabilitat excepte per aquells cursos en els que hi va haver alguna disfunció en l'organització de la docència. En canvi, hi havia una disminució del malestar psicològic, observant-se que amb el pas del temps hi havia una adaptació a l'estrès acadèmic que produïa que la major part dels estudiants mostressin menys símptomes de malestar psicològic. Pel que fa a les diferències de gènere, les dones presentaven més estrès acadèmic en termes generals. En canvi, no hi ha diferències significatives entre gèneres en la majoria de les variables vinculades a repercussions en la salut. Pensem que les dades que s'aporten són d'extrema utilitat a l'hora de prevenir i planificar diferents dispositius d'atenció als estudiants.The aim of our investigation was to study the academic stress and its sources, along with the consequences that the academic stress could convey for the health of the Biology students of the UPF throughout the five years of their Biology studies by means of data collected from a representative sample of students. In order to evaluate the sources of stress, the "Qüestionari d'Estrès Acadèmic" (QEA) was applied. The consequences of the stress were measured with the "General Health Questionnaire" (GHQ-28) and the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S/T). Our results agree with those obtained in previous studies with respect to the main sources of academic stress: lack of time to study, excessive amount of academic subjects, and examinations themselves. Moreover, these stress sources were maintained essentially stable throughout the years. On the other hand, the levels of academic stress also maintained longitudinally stable, with intermediate scores and also were maintained stables. The scores of current academia stress obtained in every course also showed stable except for those courses where some organizational dysfunctions were observed. However, a reduction of distress between consecutive courses was found, showing a progressive adaptation to the academic stress and thus producing a lesser level of distress symptoms in the majority of students. With respect to gender differences, female students showed more academic stress. However, non-significant differences were observed in most of the variables related to therepercussions on health. We believe that the results of our research could aid the prevention of health problems in university students and could help designing the different levels of professional attention to their health

Cinema to Carry Out Formative Examinations of Psychology in Three Different Degrees of the Pompeu Fabra University

The use of commercial cinema to carry out formative examinations of Psychology in three different degrees of the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF): Criminology, Human Biology and Medicine is narrated. Results in the three grades are compared. The students of Criminology obtained lower results than those of Human Biology and Medicine.Se narra el uso del cine comercial para realizar evaluaciones formativas de Psicología en tres grados diferentes de la Universidad Pompeu Fabra (UPF): Criminología, Biología Humana y Medicina. Se comparan los resultados en los tres grados. Los estudiantes de Criminología obtuvieron resultados inferiores a los de Biología Humana y de Medicina

Equidad en el cálculo de los expedientes universitarios. Expedientes cualitativos vs cuantitativos

Introducción: El expediente final de un graduado puede tener una importante repercusión en su futura carrera profesional, es por ello que también debería ser establecido de la forma más justa posible. Hasta hace unos años los expedientes en la universidad española se calculaban a partir de criterios cualitativos de 4 categorías (1-4). En el año 2003 se propone una calificación decimal (0-10) para calcular los expedientes, hecho que garantizaría más la equidad. El objetivo del estudio consiste en determinar la relación entre los 2 tipos de calificaciones y en observar las posibles diferencias y posibles repercusiones. Material y métodos: Para el estudio se registraron los datos de 6 promociones de la extinta licenciatura de biología, 5 promociones del grado de biología humana y de 3 promociones de medicina de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud y de la Vida de la Universidad Pompeu Fabra. Resultados: Se observaron correlaciones muy elevadas (superiores a 0,9) entre las 2 opciones de evaluación, pero se puso de manifiesto que con el sistema decimal existiría un mayor número de egresados con expedientes brillantes. Discusión: Dado que el sistema decimal de evaluación era más equitativo se propone que las autoridades responsables utilicen el sistema decimal de evaluación en vez del cualitativo que todavía continúa en vigor.Introduction: As the final academic record of a graduate can have an important impact on their future professional career, this should be established as fairly as possible. Until a few years ago, the academic grades in Spanish universities were calculated based on qualitative criteria of four categories (1-4). In 2003, a decimal rating (0-10) was proposed to calculate the grades; a fact that would further guarantee fairness. The objective of the study is to determine the relationship between the two types of qualifications and to observe any differences and repercussions. Material and methods: For the study data was recorder from 6 courses of the former Biology degree, 5 courses of the Human Biology degree, and of 3 Medicine courses of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences of the Pompeu Fabra University. Results: Very high correlations (higher than 0.9) were observed between the two assessment options, but it was observed that with the decimal system there would be a greater number of graduates with brilliant results. Discussion: Since the decimal evaluation system was more equitable, it is proposed that the responsible authorities use the decimal assessment system instead of the qualitative one that is still in force

The Spanish Version of the Fear of Kidney Failure Questionnaire: Validity, Reliability, and Characterization of Living Donors With the Highest Fear of Kidney Failure

Qualitat de vida; Qüestionari; Insuficiència renalCalidad de vida; Cuestionario; Insuficiencia renalQuality of life; Questionnaire; Kidney FailureBackground. Measures of fear of progression or recurrence of illnesses have been criticized for neglecting cross-cultural validity. Therefore, we assessed the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Fear of Kidney Failure Questionnaire (FKFQ), to determine whether postdonation fear of kidney failure (FKF) influenced the donors’ psychosocial status, and define variables that characterized donors with high FKFQ scores. Methods. We included 492 participants (211 donors) in a multicenter, 11-year, retrospective, cross-sectional study. Donors were classified with a Latent Class Analysis of the FKFQ-item scores and characterized with a multivariable logistic regression analysis. We calculated the risk ratio based on predicted marginal probabilities. Results. The Spanish version of the FKFQ showed acceptable psychometric properties. FKF was uncommon among donors, but we detected a small subgroup (n = 21, 9.9%) with high FKF (mean FKFQ score = 14.5, 3.1 SD). Compared with other donors, these donors reported higher anxiety and depression (38% and 29% of potential anxiety and depressive disorders), worse quality of life, and less satisfaction with the donation. Donors with high FKFQ scores were characterized by higher neuroticism combined with postdonation physical symptoms that interfered with daily activities. Conclusions. The FKFQ was cross-culturally valid, and thus, it may be used to assess the FKF in Spanish-speaking donors. New interventions that promote positive affectivity and evidence-based treatments for worry could be adapted for treating FKF

Formative assessment and academic achievement in pre-graduate students of health sciences

Although educational experts recommend the use of formative assessment, there is a dearth of empirical studies on its impact on academic achievement. In this research the authors analyse to what extent participation and performance in formative assessment are associated with positive academic outcomes of pre-graduate students of health sciences. A total of 548 students from three health science degrees (Medicine, Psychology and Biology) from four Spanish universities were involved in this study. The students who carried out mid-term formative assessment got better marks and had higher success rates in final summative assessment that the students who did not participate. In addition, success in formative assessment tests was associated with better summative marks. Interestingly, participation in formative assessment was a better predictor of final outcome than success in formative assessment, a result that supports the key role of feedback in formative assessment. Students who took the mid-term examination, irrespective of their success, obtained feedback about their achievement and probably this determined their greater involvement in the learning process. Although causal relationships between formative and summative assessment cannot be established from this research, the generalized benefits of formative assessments found here encourage the practice of them in health sciences education