Construyendo mentes: desarrollo de la comprensión de estados mentales en la ontogénesis típica y en niños con síndrome de Williams

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Psicología, Departamento de Psicología Básica. Fecha de lectura: enero de 200

Como sirenas o centauros: funciones psicológicas que se construyen en interacción

Rivière propuso una taxonomía de funciones psicológicas, organizadas en torno a un conjunto de dimensiones que cualifican el desarrollo humano. Las funciones tipo 3 implican la enculturación de aspectos definidos en la biología. Su alteración constituye el núcleo del fenotipo cognitivo en autismo, y la comprensión de su génesis permite conceptualizar el autismo como el producto de un proceso de adaptación al medio físico y social, que parte de restricciones atípicas tanto en el procesamiento de estímulos sociales, como en la participación en interacciones significativasEste trabajo se ha realizado en el marco del proyecto PSI 2015-66509/P subvencionado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER

Early motor copying behaviours: analysis of their functions and relationship with language

The development of copying behaviours of a group of infants from 9 to 15months of age is analysed. These behaviours are classified according totheir type (mimetic or imitated) and function (instrumental, social orhybrid). The function of the behaviours is derived from observableindicators linked to dyadic interaction. Mimetic behaviours aremaintained from 9 to 15 months, while imitative behaviours increase infrequency. The elicited copying situation promotes more behaviourswith instrumental function, while other functions appear spontaneously.The concurrent and prospective relationships between copyingbehaviours–frequency, type and function- and receptive andexpressive language are different through development. This studyproposes an innovative definition of the functions of copyingbehaviours that is based on dynamic variables linked to interaction, incontrast to previous work that derives function from static variablessuch as context, object use and/or the body part performing themovementThis research has been supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Government of Spain, underProject PSI2013-44250-

Developmental trajectories of pitch-related music skills in children with Williams syndrome

The study of music cognition in Williams syndrome (WS) has resulted in theoretical debates regarding cognitive modularity and development. However, no research has previously investigated the development of music skills in this population. In this study, we used the cross-sectional developmental trajectories approach to assess the development of pitch-related music skills in children with WS compared with typically developing (TD) peers. Thus, we evaluated the role of change over time on pitch-related music skills and the developmental relationships between music skills and different cognitive areas. In the TD children, the pitch-related music skills improved with chronological age and cognitive development. In the children with WS, developmental relationships were only found between several pitch-related music skills and specific cognitive processes. We also found non-systematic relationships between chronological age and the pitch-related music skills, stabilization in the level reached in music when cognitive development was considered, and uneven associations between cognitive and music skills. In addition, the TD and WS groups differed in their patterns of pitch-related music skill development. These results suggest that the development of pitch-related music skills in children with WS is atypical. Our findings stand in contrast with the views that claim innate modularity for music in WS; rather, they are consistent with neuroconstructivist accountsThis study was supported by Project Grant 2012V/PUNED/0008 from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Spai

Enhanced linguistic prosodic skills in musically trained individuals with Williams syndrome

Individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) present prosodic impairments. They are also interested in musical activities. In typical development, a body of research has shown that the linguistic prosodic skills of musically trained individuals are enhanced. However, it is not known whether, in WS, musical training is also associated with enhanced prosodic performance, a question this study sought to answer. We compared the performance on linguistic prosodic tasks among seven musically trained and fourteen musically untrained individuals with WS, and typically developing peers. Among those with WS, musically trained participants outperformed their musically untrained counterparts on the perception of acoustic parameters involved in prosody, the understanding of questioning and declarative intonation, and the comprehension of prefinal contrastive stress. The results suggest that musical training facilitates prosodic performance in WS. Our findings also suggest common processing mechanisms for acoustic parameters involved in both prosody and music, and that positive music-to-language transfer effects could take place in WS. We discuss the implications of these results for intervention purposesThis research was funded by grant AP2003-5098 from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Spanish Government. The manuscript was proofread thanks to funds from the Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology (UNED

Research domain criteria from neuroconstructivism: a developmental view on mental disorders

Neuroconstructivism can provide Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) with a developmental framework to understand mental disorders. Neuroconstructivism proposes that mental disorders are the outcome of a developmental trajectory. Based on this assumption, symptoms would reveal the system’s adaptation to optimize functioning according to the system’s experience of the physical and social contexts. RDoC adopts a translational research approach with the aim of detecting, curing and preventing mental illness. More specifically this involves to: (1) identify early signs of mental disorders, (2) find the optimal patient-treatment fit, and (3) design efficient interventions to prevent the system’s eventual pathological functioning. We propose that meeting RDoC’s three-fold objective necessarily involves predicting the system’s developmental trajectory. Such endeavor requires counting with assessment tools that are sensitive to both the process of development and its different contexts; the measures provided by these tools will allow identifying the risk and protective factors that make the system vulnerable to depart from a typical developmental trajectory. Including vectors relative to time and contexts in a relevant part of the matrix will make of RDoC a truly integrative model, which considers the relationships between behaviour and neural circuits throughout the developmental pathwayEuropean Regional Development Fund Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (PSI 2015‐66509/P

Observation of early social interactions in sibling dyads: a systematic review

Sibling relationships provide unique social experiences that can vary across the lifespan. Early sibling social interactions (ESSI) have been associated with children’s own relationship and developmental outcomes, highlighting the essential role that sibling encounters play, even from a young age. Understanding how these social exchanges occur and unfold and the range of opportunities they provide can shed light on critical aspects of early childhood development and family life. However, the methodological approach used in studying ESSI can infuence our understanding of these early experiences. This systematic review aims to delineate the methodological framework adopted in observational studies of ESSI. Through a systematic search of psychology and domain-general databases until March 2023, we focused on studies that addressed bidirectional naturalistic interactions in young sibling dyads (at least one child aged 0-36 months). Of the 713 articles screened, only 63 met the inclusion criteria. Findings regarding three main issues are examined, including sample characteristics, study designs and procedures, and sibling interactive behaviours targeted. Previous research has focused on a diverse range of sibling behavioral exchanges, including cues of children's social skills and relationship quality within mainly ecological contexts. However, limitations in representativeness and standardization have been identifed. Future studies should incorporate sequential analyses to fully comprehend the interactive nature of early sibling social encountersThis research received support from the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain (Grant number PID2020-117087GB-I00). Additionally, the Autonomous University of Madrid provided funding for the predoctoral contract, which contributed to the successful completion of this wor

Mother-infant co-regulation from 0 to 2 years: The role of copy behaviors. A systematic review

The purpose of this review was twofold: (1) to examine how copy behaviors (CB) have been studied in mother-infant natural interactions from 0 to 24 months, and (2) to determine to what extent they can be considered co-regulation processes between both members of the dyad. To do this, 36 studies published between 1975 and 2021 were systematically examined, classified and discussed. The analyzed evidence showed that CB in spontaneous mother-infant interactions have been examined under different perspectives, that such behaviors might be differentially classified as distinct modes of copying according to their traits and, lastly, that CB operate as social facilitators that foster the co-regulation of both affects and behaviors and direct mothers and infants, most of the times, towards a mutual sense of interpersonal matching that adds quality to their interactionsThis work has been carried out within the framework of a contract granted by the Industrial Doctorates of the Community of Madrid, of which the author MVC is a beneficiary (IND2019/SOC-17215), and the project TRABERITEA: “Developmental trajectories in infants at risk for autism: processes of neurocognitive specialization and early interaction and phenotypic outcomes.” [PID2020–117087GB-I00] – financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the State Research Agenc

Lysosomal Degradation of Junctional Proteins

Epithelial cells develop tight junctions (TJs) and cell polarity. Both properties are sensitive to environmental signals such as the epidermal growth factor (EGF) and the cardiotonic steroid ouabain. EGF is regarded as the main protector against injuries in epithelia, and ouabain is a hormone that regulates blood pressure, natriuresis, cell survival, and cell adhesion. After treatment with epidermal growth factor or ouabain, epithelial dog kidney MDCK cells undergo a drastic remodeling that includes changes in the transcription, translation, localization, and degradation of cell junction proteins. Degradation of these proteins involves selective and nonselective autophagy as well as endocytic lysosomal and proteasomal routes. The remodeling mechanism of tight junction’s proteins includes the activation of Src and ERK1/ERK2 kinases, the phosphorylation and translocation into the nucleus of the transcription factor STAT3, the activation of PKC to induce the endocytosis of claudin-2, and the delivery of this protein to the lysosomes. Whole communicating junctions and desmosomes are internalized by one cell and sent to degradation by nonselective autophagy. Nonselective and selective autophagies in epithelial cells are very context dependent; nevertheless, it is clear that, together with endocytic lysosomal and proteasomal degradation, they play a key role in the remodeling and functioning of cell junctions

Plan de desarrollo de carrera aplicado a una empresa de sector ingeniería, nivel mando medio a gerencial

El objetivo del presente trabajo es elaborar el programa de desarrollo de carrera para incrementar la retención en el nivel mando medio a gerencial mediante la identificación y desarrollo de potencialidades en colaboradores del nivel mando medio a gerencial (ingenieros senior, jefes de proyecto, líder de disciplina y gerentes), de una organización en estudio del sector consultoría en ingeniería, alineando los objetivos y competencias de los colaboradores con la estrategia de la organización