Attitudes and burden in relatives of patients with schizophrenia in a middle income country

BACKGROUND: Most studies of family attitudes and burden have been conducted in developed countries. Thus it is important to test the generalizability of this research in other contexts where social conditions and extended family involvement may be different. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the attitudes of caregivers and the burden they experience in such a context, namely Arica, a town located in the northernmost region of Chile, close to the border with Peru and Bolivia. METHODS: We assessed attitudes towards schizophrenia (including affective, cognitive and behavioural components) and burden (including subjective distress, rejection and competence) in 41 main caregivers of patients with schizophrenia, all of whom were users of Public Mental Health Services in Arica. RESULTS: Attitude measures differed significantly according to socio-demographic variables, with parents (mainly mothers) exhibiting a more negative attitude towards the environment than the rest of the family (t = 4.04; p = 0.000).This was also the case for caregivers with a low educational level (t = 3.27; p < 0.003), for the oldest caregivers (r = 0.546; p = 0.000) and for those who had spent more time with the patient (r = 0.377; p = 0.015). Although attitudes had significant association with burden, their explanatory power was modest (R2 = .104, F = 4,55; p = .039). CONCLUSIONS: Similar to finding developed countries, the current study revealed a positive and significant relationship between the attitudes of caregivers and their burden. These findings emphasize the need to support the families of patients with schizophrenia in this social context

Motivación laboral: modelo e instrumentos de diagnóstico en función de las políticas de recursos humanos

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Psicología, Departamento de Psicología Social y Metodología , Fecha de lectura:21 de junio de 200

The prevalence of suicide attempt and suicidal ideation and its relationship with aggression and bullying in Chilean adolescents

BackgroundSuicide constitutes one of the main mental health problems worldwide, requiring detection, and prevention efforts, especially in the adolescent population.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation and their relationship with aggressiveness and bullying in Chilean adolescents.Materials and methodsThe sample was composed of 728 adolescents schooled from Arica city: 56.6% were males and 43.4% were females. The students attended from de 1st to the 4th year of secondary. The average age of the sample was 15,6 years. The following instruments were used: Okasha’s Suicidality Scale, Buss and Perry’s Aggressiveness Survey, and the Social Acceptance (School Bullying) sub-test of the Kidscreen-52 Survey. A cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational design was applied. The sampling was non-probabilistic for convenience.Results18.4% of the students reported that they had attempted suicide and 65.6% reported that they had suicidal ideation. The prevalence of suicide attempts was higher than in male adolescents (29,1% vs. 10,2%), and the same prevalence was for suicidal ideation (76,6% vs. 57,3%). Suicide attempts and suicidal ideation were positively and significantly correlated with aggressiveness (r = 0.32, r = 0.48) and bullying (r = 0.37, r = 0.50).ConclusionThe prevalence of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation is both higher in girls than boys. In this sense, girls constitute a risk group. In addition, this study provides evidence that supports the relationship between suicide attempts and suicidal ideation. The results highlight the role that educational institutions should have in terms of prevention and effective approaches

Liderazgo, Clima y Satisfacción Laboral en las Organizaciones

El liderazgo es uno de los temas que más interés suscita en el ámbito de la psicologíasocial de las organizaciones, generando un cúmulo importante de investigación. Dentro de los hallazgos relevantes que se encuentran en la literatura científica especializada, se tiene el impacto significativo que el liderazgo ejerce sobre variables asociadas a resultados organizacionales, como satisfacción y clima laboral. Considerando lo anterior, el presente estudio tiene como propósito confirmar, en una muestra local (Arica), las relaciones de liderazgo transformacional, transaccional, consideración e iniciación de estructura con satisfacción y clima organizacional. Los resultados dan cuenta de las relaciones entre liderazgo y las variables dependientesThe leadership is one of the subjects that more interest provokes in the scope of the social psychology of the organizations, generating an important accumulation of investigation. Within the relevant findings that are in specialized scientific literature, we found the significant impact of the leadership upon variables like satisfaction and labor climate. Considering the previously mentioned, the purpose of the present study is to confirm, in a local sample (Arica), the relation between transformational and transactional leadership, consideration and structure's initiation with satisfaction and organizational climate. The results confirm the relations between leadership and dependent variable

Validación de un Índice Breve de Religiosidad y Espiritualidad en personas mayores

Religion and spirituality are psychosocial resources that promote well-being and quality of life in old age. The following study aims to adapt a Brief Index of Religiousness and Spirituality, from the Multidimensional Brief Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS), in a sample of 750 elderly people residing in the region of Arica and Parinacota, Chile. The results indicate that this brief index is a consistent instrument: Religiosity ɑ = .87, and spirituality ɑ = .93. Confirmatory factor analysis shows that the two-factor solution fits the data from the Chilean sample. In this way, this brief index has adequate psychometric properties. The practical applications of this instrument are mainly linked to the assessment and promotion of health in older adults.La religión y la espiritualidad son recursos psicosociales que promueven el bienestar y la calidad de vida en la vejez. Dado esto, el siguiente estudio tiene como propósito adaptar un Índice Breve de Religiosidad y Espiritualidad, a partir del Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS), en una muestra de 750 personas mayores que residen en la región de Arica y Parinacota, Chile. Los resultados indican que este índice breve es un instrumento consistente: religiosidad ɑ = ,87 y espiritualidad ɑ = ,93. El análisis factorial confirmatorio evidencia que la solución de dos factores se ajusta a los datos procedentes de la muestra chilena. De esta manera, este índice breve cuenta con propiedades psicométricas adecuadas. Las aplicaciones prácticas de este instrumento se vinculan principalmente con la evaluación y promoción de la salud en adultos mayores

GÉNERO Y CONFLICTO EN LA TOMA DE DECISIONES

Se examina el conflicto desde una perspectivade g&eacute;nero, explorando si el g&eacute;nero del l&iacute;derdel equipo de toma de decisiones impactasobre el grado de conflicto cognitivo y afectivo.Para este fin se trabaja con una muestrano probabil&iacute;stica de 22 equipos dirigidospor mujeres y 22 equipos dirigidos por hombres,de tres instituciones de educaci&oacute;n superiorde Chile a quienes se aplic&oacute; un cuestionario.La informaci&oacute;n se analiza mediante estad&iacute;sticasdescriptivas y comparaci&oacute;n de medias. Seconcluye que los equipos dirigidos por mujerestienen un mayor nivel de conflicto cognitivoy de eficacia relativa en la toma decisiones

GÉNERO Y CONFLICTO EN LA TOMA DE DECISIONES

Se examina el conflicto desde una perspectivade g&eacute;nero, explorando si el g&eacute;nero del l&iacute;derdel equipo de toma de decisiones impactasobre el grado de conflicto cognitivo y afectivo.Para este fin se trabaja con una muestrano probabil&iacute;stica de 22 equipos dirigidospor mujeres y 22 equipos dirigidos por hombres,de tres instituciones de educaci&oacute;n superiorde Chile a quienes se aplic&oacute; un cuestionario.La informaci&oacute;n se analiza mediante estad&iacute;sticasdescriptivas y comparaci&oacute;n de medias. Seconcluye que los equipos dirigidos por mujerestienen un mayor nivel de conflicto cognitivoy de eficacia relativa en la toma decisiones