Validación del "Cuestionario de ansiedad social para adultos" (CASO-A30) en universitarios españoles: similitudes y diferencias entre carreras universitarias y comunidades autónomas

Resumen: El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar las propiedades psicométricas del ?Cuestionario de ansiedad social para adultos? (CASO-A30) con universitarios y analizar las diferencias y similitudes en ansiedad social en esta muestra. Participaron 15504 estudiantes de 20 carreras universitarias de 17 comunidades autónomas españolas a los que se les aplicó el CASO-A30 y la ?Escala de ansiedad social de Liebowitz, versión de autoinforme? (LSAS-SR). Se obtuvieron cinco dimensiones a través de diversos análisis factoriales y de ecuaciones estructurales del CASO-A30: ?Hablar en público/Interacción con personas de autoridad?, ?Interacción con desconocidos?, ?Interacción con el sexo opuesto?, ?Expresión asertiva de molestia, desagrado o enfado? y ?Quedar en evidencia o en ridículo?. La consistencia interna fue de 0,91 y su validez concurrente (con la LSAS-SR) de 0,66. Se hallaron diferencias significativas entre hombres y mujeres, pero escasas diferencias entre las comunidades autónomas y las carreras. Estos resultados confirman la estructura pentafactorial y las buenas propiedades psicométricas del CASO-A30, que lo convierten en un instrumento adecuado para la evaluación de la ansiedad social en universitarios, tanto generalizada como específica, cuidando las diferencias de sexo.Abstract: This work presents the psychometric properties of the Social Anxiety Questionnaire for Adults (SAQ-A30) with university students and analyses the differences and similarities in social anxiety in the sample. The 15,504 participants, students of 20 degree subjects in 17 Spanish Autonomous Community regions, were applied the SAQ-A30 and the ?Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale-Self Report? (LSAS-SR). A five-factor structure was obtained through several factor analyses as well as an exploratory structural equation modeling of the SAQ-A30: ?Speaking in public/Talking with people in authority?, ?Interactions with strangers?, ?Interactions with the opposite sex?, ?Assertive expression of annoyance, disgust or displeasure?, and ?Criticism and embarrassment?. Internal consistency was 0.91 and concurrent validity (paired with LSAS-SR) was 0.66. Significant differences were found between males and females, but there was scarce difference between regions and subjects studied. These results confirm the five-factor structure and the good psychometric characteristics of the SAQ-A30, which make it a suitable instrument for assessing both general and specific social anxiety in universities, taking into account sex differences.Este estudio ha sido financiado parcialmente por la Fundación para el Avance de la Psicología Clínica Conductual (FUNVECA), el Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de España (BSO2003-07029/PSCE) y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)

Spontaneous EEG theta/beta ratio and delta-beta coupling in relation to attentional network functioning and self-reported attentional control

FSW - Self-regulation models for health behavior and psychopathology - ou

We should be using nonlinear indices when relating heart-rate dynamics to cognition and mood

Both heart rate (HR) and brain functioning involve the integrated output of a multitude of regulatory mechanisms, that are not quantified adequately by linear approximations such as means and standard deviations. It was therefore considered whether non-linear measures of HR complexity are more strongly associated with cognition and mood. Whilst resting, the inter-beat (R-R) time series of twenty-one males and twenty-four females were measured for five minutes. The data were summarised using time, frequency and nonlinear complexity measures. Attention, memory, reaction times, mood and cortisol levels were assessed. Nonlinear HR indices captured additional information, enabling a greater percentage of the variance in behaviour to be explained. On occasions non-linear indices were related to aspects for behaviour, for example focused attention and cortisol production, when time or frequency indices were not. These effects were sexually dimorphic with HR complexity being more strongly associated with the behaviour of females. It was concluded that nonlinear rather than linear methods of summarizing the HR times series offers a novel way of relating brain functioning and behaviour. It should be considered whether non-linear measures of HR complexity can be used as a biomarker of the integrated functioning of the brain