Acogimiento familiar en familia educadora en la provincia de Alicante, España: características de los recursos disponibles

Foster care is a determining resource for the child protection system. The scientific evidence shows that the psychosocial benefits of foster care for minors within the protection system are superior to those that can be provided by residential resource centres. Hence, during the last decade in Spain, work has been done to establish foster care as a priority resource. The objective of our work is focused on describing what type of families make up the Family Foster Care resource of the Province of Alicante and their parenting styles. A total of 207 people (72 minors and 132 foster parents) were evaluated, applying the following: 1) an ad hoc questionnaire composed of 12 questions; and 2) The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire consisting of 42 items (Spanish adaptation from Servera, 2007). More than 50% of the families are nuclear families and do not have biological children, with the duration of the foster care exceeding two years. The reconstituted families stand out due to its parental involvement and positive upbringing, while the nuclear and single-parent families show higher scores in consistent discipline. It is essential to know the profile of the foster families in order to achieve an adequate foster care process for minors

La formación del joven con síndrome de Down como educador en contextos de aprendizaje no formales

La educación en entornos de aprendizaje no formales evidencia carencias de medidas de atención a la diversidad. Revisiones acerca de la normativa nos indican que todavía queda mucho trabajo en este ámbito para ofrecer una educación de calidad en lo que respecta a la inclusión. Por eso, la Asociación Down Huesca ha creado una propuesta innovadora en el campo de la atención a la diversidad: utilizar la figura del monitor de ocio y tiempo libre en campamentos para ejercer de agente de atención a la diversidad, mediante la preparación de monitores con síndrome de Down o con otras discapacidades intelectuales. Este trabajo aporta una base para esta asociación en forma de material didáctico para un futuro desarrollo del curso de monitor para este colectivo.<br /

Causal Attribution for Poverty in Young People: Sociodemographic Characteristics, Religious and Political Beliefs

Poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon that includes a lack of education, health or housing; it is a relevant factor of social vulnerability that could lead to a situation of social exclusion. According to studies, poverty can be explained by external/social, internal/individual or cultural fatalistic factors. The aim was to confirm the structure of causal attributions of poverty and their relationships with sociodemographic characteristics, as well as religious and political beliefs, in young people. This is a cross-sectional study with a non-probabilistic convenience sample of undergraduate students on different degree courses. A survey was administered to 278 participants (45.4% women) with an average age of 21.59. They were young people studying health science degrees (78.4%) who self-identified as belonging to the lower or middle–lower class (57.2%), without any religious beliefs (56.5%) and as left wing (37.8%; n = 94) or center-left (27.7%; n = 69) in their political orientation. Confirmatory factorial analysis and multiple regression analysis supported the results in previous literature (CFI = 0.90, SRMR = 0.07, RMSEA = 0.06), indicating that there are cultural (C), external (E-S) and internal (I) attribution factors of poverty. The results show moderate relationships between the cultural factor and internal or external factors. The findings show that political affiliation and sex are the most consistent predictors of attributions for poverty.The APC was funded by Miguel Hernández University (Open access publishing grants (OPEN ACCESS)

Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Highly Sensitive Child Scale: The Parent Version

Environmental sensitivity is the ability to perceive, register and process information about the environment, which differs among children and adolescents. The Highly Sensitive Child (HSC) scale has been used to assess environmental sensitivity in youngsters. The HSC scale is a short and 12-item adapted version of the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) scale. The aim of this pilot study is to transculturally adapt the Highly Sensitive Child (HSC) scale, and to analyze its factorial structure, reliability and validity. First, a transcultural adaptation was conducted by bilingual experts. Second, once the questionnaire was translated, the psychometric properties were analyzed. The Spanish version of the HSC scale was administered to parents answering about information of 141 children between 6 and 10 years old. The Spanish version of the Emotionality, Activity and Sociability Survey (EAS) was also applied. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the three-factor structure of sensitivity in our Spanish sample. This structure included the following dimensions: (1) Ease of Excitation (EOE), (2) Low Sensory Threshold (LST), and (3) Aesthetic Sensitivity (AES). Moreover, both Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω values indicated that the Spanish version of the HSC scale was a reliable measure of environmental sensitivity, as a general factor of sensitivity (α = 0.84), and even in its three dimensions: EOE (α = 0.86), LST (α = 0.77) and AES (α = 0.73). Finally, the correlations for convergent validity showed positive associations, especially among the three dimensions of SPS and Emotionality (EOE r = 0.351; LST r = 0.274; AES r = 0.259), which was one of the domains of the EAS survey. The pilot study provided interesting results, which showed a reliable and valid replication of the original structure of sensitivity in the Spanish samples.This research was funded by the European Union, Grant number: 2018-1-PL01-KA201-501033

Barreiras psicológicas no desempenho do remoergómetro

En la alta competición, es de vital importancia el análisis de los factores que puede afectar al rendimiento. En el deporte de remo, el remo indoor es un aparato utilizado para valorar el nivel de rendimiento deportivo de los remeros. Las pruebas de valoración del remoergómetro, suponen situaciones estresantes para los deportistas, produciendo reacciones negativas que impiden que el remero/a refleje completamente todo su potencial físico. Por ello, esta investigación tiene como objetivo analizar las barreras/resistencias que influyen en el rendimiento del remero/a y la percepción de utilidad de la prueba de valoración para los deportistas, así como el grado de efectividad de un programa de intervención psicológica sobre la ansiedad estado, como estrategia principal para mejorar el rendimiento deportivo. Cuatro equipos de remo fueron escogidos para la investigación, un total de 27 participantes de la categoría juvenil y absoluta, 19 mujeres y 8 hombres de entre 16-44 años. Se realizaron dos evaluaciones (pre-intervención y post-intervención), suministrándole a los deportistas unos cuestionarios antes de la prueba de valoración en el remoergómetro: el CPRD, el STAI y el SDQ-II. Durante la intervención psicológica se aplicó la técnica de relajación muscular progresiva de Jacobson y el fomento de las autoinstrucciones. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron la efectividad de las estrategias de afrontamiento aplicadas durante un periodo de dos meses, alcanzando unos resultados satisfactorios en la prueba de valoración en el remoergómetro, con unos niveles de ansiedad estado inferiores y un aumento en los niveles de activación, apariencia física, importancia en la prueba y rendimiento. Se concluye que la ansiedad estado es una variable influyente en el rendimiento deportivo y que, mediante el entrenamiento psicológico, se puede reducir, mejora del rendimiento deportivo y otras variables relacionadas.In high-level competition, analysis of factors that can affect performance is of vital importance. In rowing, indoor rowing is used to assess the level of sport performance of rowers. The assessment tests of the rowing ergometer represent stressful situations for athletes which cause negative reactions that prevent rowers from fully developing their full physical potential. This research was therefore aimed at analyzing the barriers/resistances that influence the performance of rowers and the perception they have of the value of the assessment test, as well as the degree of effectiveness of a psychological intervention program on state anxiety as the main strategy to improve sports performance. Four rowing teams, a total of 27 participants from the youth and absolute category, 19 women and 8 men aged 16-44 years, were ed for the research. Evaluations were performed before and after intervention, and athletes completed before the rowing ergometer assessment test the CPRD, STAI, and SDQ-II questionnaires. During psychological intervention, the Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation technique was applied, and self-instructions were promoted. The results showed the effectiveness of the coping strategies applied for two months, as satisfactory results were achieved in the rowing ergometer assessment test with decreased state anxiety levels (from M = 37.15 to M = 21.67; p = .01) and increased activation levels, physical appearance, importance in the test, and performance. It is concluded that state anxiety is an influential variable in sports performance and that it may be reduced by psychological intervention, thus improving sports performance and other related variables.Em alta competição, uma análise de cada um dos fatores que podem afetar o desempenho é de vital importância. No remo, o remo indoor é um aparelho usado para avaliar o nível de desempenho desportivo dos remadores. Os testes de avaliação do remoergómetro implicam situações de tensão para os atletas, produzindo reações negativas que impedem o/a remador/a de refletir completamente todo o seu potencial físico. Assim, esta investigação tem como objetivo analisar as barreiras/resistências que influenciam o desempenho do/a remador/a e a perceção da utilidade do teste de avaliação para os atletas, bem como o grau de eficácia de um programa de intervenção psicológica na ansiedade-estado como a principal estratégia para melhorar o desempenho desportivo. Quatro equipas de remo foram escolhidas para a investigação, num total de 27 participantes da categoria juvenil e absoluta, 19 mulheres e 8 homens com idades entre os 16 e 44 anos. Foram realizadas duas avaliações (pré-intervenção e pós-intervenção), tendo sido fornecidos questionários aos atletas antes da prova de avaliação no remoergómetro: o CPRD, o STAI e o SDQ-II. Durante a intervenção psicológica, foi aplicada a técnica de relaxamento muscular progressivo de Jacobson e a promoção de autoinstruções. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram a eficácia das estratégias de adaptação aplicadas, durante um período de dois meses, alcançando resultados satisfatórios na prova de avaliação no remoergómetro, com menores níveis de ansiedade-estado e um aumento nos níveis de ativação, aparência física, importância na prova e desempenho. Conclui-se que a ansiedade-estado é uma variável que influencia o desempenho desportivo e que, através do treino psicológico, pode ser reduzida, melhorando o desempenho desportivo e outras variáveis relacionadas

Family, parenting styles and children in care

El objetivo de nuestro trabajo se centra en describir qué tipo de familias conforman el recurso de Acogimiento Familiar en Familia Ajena de la Provincia de Alicante, perfiles de crianza y éxito en la consecución de objetivos en relación a las características de los menores. Se evaluaron 206 personas (75 menores y 131 acogedores), a las que se le aplicaron: 1) un cuestionario ad hoc sociodemográfico de 12 preguntas; 2) el Alabama Parenting Questionnaire de 42 ítems (Servera, 2007); 3) un cuestionario ad hoc de características del menor tutelado asignado a la familia de 16 ítems; y 4) un cuestionario ad hoc cumplimentado por los técnicos de seguimiento que mide Éxito/fracaso en relación a la consecución de objetivos del acogimiento en relación al menor de 27 ítems. El 61.3% de las familias educadoras son nucleares y no tienen hijos biológicos el 52%, siendo la duración media del acogimiento superior a dos años. La familia reconstituida destaca por su implicación parental (43.33) y crianza positiva (25.67), mientras que la familia nuclear puntúa alto en disciplina severa (6.59) y la monoparental obtiene una mayor puntuación en disciplina inconsistente (12.50). Por otra parte, se recoge que un menor que consigue unas adecuadas relaciones sociales (.329), que muestra responsabilidad (.397) y que mantiene una relación familiar positiva (.334) correlaciona con el éxito en el cumplimiento de objetivos del acogimiento.The aim of our work focuses on describing the type of families that make up the Foster Care resource in the province of Alicante, their parenting profiles and success in achieving objectives in relation to the characteristics of the children. A total of 206 people were evaluated (75 children and 131 foster carers), to whom the following were applied: 1) an ad hoc sociodemographic questionnaire of 12 questions; 2) the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire of 42 items (Servera, 2007); 3) an ad hoc questionnaire of characteristics of the foster child assigned to the family of 16 items; and 4) an ad hoc questionnaire filled out by the monitoring technicians that measures Success/failure in relation to the achievement of foster care objectives in relation to the child of 27 items. 61.3% of the foster families are nuclear and 52% do not have biological children, the average duration of foster care being over two years. The reconstituted family stands out for its parental involvement (43.33) and positive parenting (25.67), while the nuclear family scores high on severe discipline (6.59) and the single-parent family scores higher on inconsistent discipline (12.50). On the other hand, a child who achieves adequate social relations (.329), who shows responsibility (.397) and who maintains a positive family relationship (.334) is correlated with success in meeting foster care goals

Assessment Strategies to Evaluate the Mediterranean Lifestyle: A Systematic Review

The Mediterranean Lifestyle (MLS) has been related to better health and quality of life. However, there is no consensus on how to assess this lifestyle. The main objective of this work was to systematically review the methodology used in different studies on the evaluation of the MLS. The specific objectives were (1) to analyze the MLS components evaluated in previous studies, (2) to explore the assessment instruments available for the analysis of the MLS, and (3) to identify the psychometric properties of these instruments. The search was carried out using the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases with the purpose of identifying those published articles in which the MLS was assessed. The review included 26 studies linked to the assessment of the MLS. Of these studies, only four exclusively used a tool to analyze MLS components globally. These studies included two questionnaires and three different indexes. None of them, however, evaluated all of the recognized MLS components, and food preparation was the least frequently evaluated component. Given the clear importance of analyzing MLS adherence and the lack of consensus in previous research, an evaluation tool needs to be created to comprehensively assess all of the MLS dimensions by means of appropriate psychometric properties

Consequences of Confinement Due to COVID-19 in Spain on Anxiety, Sleep and Executive Functioning of Children and Adolescents with ADHD

The outbreak and the quick expansion of SARS-CoV-2, from December 2019 to today, has forced countries around the world to resolve virus containment measures in order to slow down the contagion curve. Between these measures, the situation of lockdown, and the isolation or limitation of social contact between the citizens, there has been an unknown psychological impact. Certain groups (the elderly, children and teenagers, and the clinical population, for instance) arouse serious fears among professionals due to their greater vulnerability and ignorance regarding the short- and long-term consequences. The main purposes of this work are first of all to evaluate the consequences of the lockdown in children and teenagers diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleep-related problems, and problems with executive functions. Secondly, we aim to compare the effects produced with respect to the previously mentioned variables with normotypic subjects; that is to say, between a group that was subject to lockdown and another group that was not confined. The findings show that the clinic confined group had high levels of state anxiety and problems with sleep and executive functions; differences could also be seen between the two groups, with the confined ADHD group being more negatively affected in all measured variables

Consequences of COVID-19 Confinement on Anxiety, Sleep and Executive Functions of Children and Adolescents in Spain

Children and adolescents are not indifferent to the dramatic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to be forced to live in confinement. The change in life to which they have been abruptly subjected forces us to understand the state of their mental health in order to adequately address both their present and future needs. The present study was carried out with the intention of studying the consequences of confinement on anxiety, sleep routines and executive functioning of 1,028 children and adolescents, aged from 6 to 18 years, residing in Spain to; assess if there are differences regarding these consequences in terms of sex and age; how anxiety affects executive functioning in males and females; and to examine the possible correlations between the measured variables. For this purpose, an online questionnaire containing five sections was designed: the first section gathers information on sociodemographic and health data, while the following sections gather information from different standardized scales which measure anxiety, sleep and executive functions, whose items were adapted in order to be completed by parents, and/or legal guardians. The statistical analyzes carried out highlights significant differences in executive functioning between males and females. In turn, in regards to age, greater difficulties were detected in anxiety in the 9 to 12 age group and greater sleep disturbances between 13 and 18 year olds. On the other hand, significant differences were found in intra-sexual executive functioning depending on whether they presented greater or lesser anxiety, with executive functioning being more tendentiously maladjusted in males than in females, revealing a significantly relevant effect size (p = 0.001; ω2 = 0.27 BRIEF-2; ω2 = 0.19 BDEFS-CA; 95%). Positive correlations are obtained between state anxiety and sleep and executive functioning alterations. Finally, through Path Analysis, it is verified that state anxiety is the variable with the greatest weight within the model that would explain the alteration in the executive functioning of the present sample

Implications of the Online Teaching Model Derived from the COVID-19 Lockdown Situation for Anxiety and Executive Functioning in Spanish Children and Adolescents

Given the seriousness of the existing situation regarding the mental health of children and adolescents relating to the confinement period imposed due to COVID-19, we conducted this study to describe the effects of the confinement on state anxiety and executive functioning dimensions in a period of online educational modality. A sample of 953 children and adolescents was assessed. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the State Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), and the Behavioral Evaluation of Executive Function (BRIEF-2) scale were applied. The analysis of the results indicates that 68.8% of children and adolescents presented medium–high levels of anxiety. Regarding sex, females showed higher levels of anxiety and worse levels of executive functioning. Although the group aged 11 to 18 years showed methodologically higher state anxiety (p = 0.041) than the group aged 6 to 10 years, the difference was not clinically relevant (δ = −0.113). The state anxiety variable was also correlated positively and significantly to the three executive functioning dimensions explored. In conclusion, it seems evident that COVID-19 lockdowns could have psychological and emotional effects on children and adolescents