Virtual Learning Environments: Prediction of Satisfaction in the University Context

El presente estudio persigue un doble objetivo: evaluar el grado de satisfacción de los estudiantes con la formación recibida en un entorno virtual y, analizar su capacidad predictiva sobre la satisfacción. Se ha utilizado la versión española del cuestionario Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (SpDELES). Los resultados ponen de manifiesto el significativo nivel de satisfacción de los estudiantes con la experiencia y revelan las variables más importantes a la hora de explicar la varianza en satisfacción.The present study was conducted with two aims: assess the overall students' satisfaction of the teachinglearning process in a virtual environment and, to analyze the predictive capacity of the virtual learning environment, with respect to the student's satisfaction. The Spanish version of the Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (Sp-DELES) was used. The most important variables in explaining the variance of student's satisfaction are the perceived instructor support, the interaction with other students, the degree of autonomy and the personal relevance

The Highly Sensitive Child as a challenge for education – introduction to the concept

The main aim of this paper is to summarize available findings related to the subject of high sensitivity from both the educational and parenting perspectives. According to the authors of the concept of Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS), between 15% and 20% of the population exhibit such traits, therefore one has to say that it is necessary to raise the awareness of this subject amongst parents and teachers. High sensitivity may exhibit itself in many ways, depending on the environmental and other temperamental conditions. Understanding its main characteristics (DOES) will allow one to appreciate the potential of this condition instead of focusing on its deficiencies. Such a perspective opens up possible avenues of supporting the Highly Sensitive Child’s resources by both parents and teachers. A review was carried out to answer a research question by collecting and summarizing theo-retical and empirical evidence that fits pre-specified eligibility criteria. The study selection criteria was to find literature/paper reviews and primary studies published in indexed journals included in various databases and focused on Sensory Processing Sensitivity directly, transdisciplinary and ho-listic approaches were central to the process. In the research strategy, the following databases were consulted: PSYCinfo, Scopus and PubMed. The keywords sensory processing, sensitive, environ-mental sensitivity, education were placed in all electronic databases and set to be found in the titles, abstracts or keywords of the documents. No limits on dates were established. At the preparation stage, articles relevant to the topic were selected and supplemented with publications related to child development and educational context. The search was conducted from December 2018 to July 2019.This work was supported by Erasmus+ grant: contract no. 2018-1-PL01-KA201-051033 under the program “KA201 Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good practices – Strategic Partnerships – school education” (within the project entitled “E-MOTION – potential of hypersensitivity”)

Pixel-Bit

Resumen tomado de la publicaciónSe persigue un doble objetivo: evaluar el grado de satisfacción de los estudiantes con la formación recibida en un entorno virtual y, analizar su capacidad predictiva sobre la satisfacción. Se ha utilizado la versión española del cuestionario Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (Sp- DELES). Los resultados ponen de manifiesto el significativo nivel de satisfacción de los estudiantes con la experiencia y revelan las variables más importantes a la hora de explicar la varianza en satisfacción.ES

Encuesta sobre el consumo de drogas en estudiantes de enseñanza secundaria de la ciudad de Alicante

El Ayuntamiento de Alicante, a través del Plan Municipal sobre Drogodependencias, desde hace 17 años viene realizando actividades de prevención escolar, que se han sistematizado en dos programas: Brújula para Educación Primaria y Programa “12-16” de Prevención de las Drogodependencias para Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO). La generación del curso escolar 2012/13 es la primera generación de alumnos de Alicante que ha realizado todo el proceso de prevención escolar longitudinal desde los 6 a los 16 años. Llegado este momento, el Ayuntamiento se plantea la necesidad de estudiar y comparar la realidad de la ciudad en cuanto al consumo de drogas de los jóvenes de 4º de ESO, y detectar los posibles factores que inciden en dicho consumo, todo ello con el objetivo no solo de planificar la prevención universal sino también de intervenir en las situaciones de mayor riesgo en aras de una mayor eficacia. Para ello, el Ayuntamiento contacta con el Departamento de Psicología de la Salud y el Departamento de Sociología I de la Universidad de Alicante y les encarga la realización del presente estudio. Estudios similares, se han venido realizando en España desde 1994, para conocer la realidad sobre el uso de drogas entre los estudiantes de enseñanza secundaria. A través de este sistema se pretende adaptar las políticas preventivas sobre el uso de drogas, a los cambios y tendencias experimentadas en la sociedad. La Estrategia Nacional sobre Drogas 2009-2016 aprobada por el Consejo de Ministros en 2009, tiene como líneas estratégicas de actuación, la mejora del conocimiento sobre las tendencias y pautas de consumo entre los jóvenes y el fortalecimiento de las competencias personales para promover actitudes de rechazo hacia las drogas entre los ciudadanos. Para afianzar estos objetivos, se establecen dos planes de acción trianuales (2009-2012 y 2013-2016) sometidos a diversos procesos de evaluación. El desarrollo de este tipo de encuestas contribuye a tener un conocimiento más próximo de la realidad sobre el uso indebido de drogas entre los jóvenes ofreciendo datos comparables con las tendencias observadas a nivel europeo y mundial. El encargo de este estudio tiene como finalidad conocer la realidad más objetiva posible de los estudiantes de secundaria de la ciudad de Alicante, en cuanto al consumo de drogas, para seguir diseñando programas y acciones de prevención, así como promover y preservar la salud de los jóvenes.Este proyecto ha sido financiado por la Concejalía de Acción Social. Plan Municipal sobre Drogodependencia. Ayuntamiento de Alicante

Is the binge eating disorder related to the adherence to Mediterranean diet in university students?

Introducción: el trastorno por atracón o “Binge Eating Disorders” (BED) se caracteriza por el consumo de grandes cantidades de comida en un breve periodo de tiempo acompañado de una sensación de falta de control sobre la ingesta. El BED se relaciona con una alimentación poco equilibrada, contribuyendo a la aparición de diversas patologías. La alimentación y los estilos de vida desempeñan un factor clave en la prevención de estas patologías, siendo la dieta mediterránea (DM) uno de los estándares de la alimentación saludable. Objetivo: analizar la relación entre la DM y el BED en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios. Método: se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal en una muestra de 120 estudiantes de la Universidad de Alicante. Para establecer la relación entre el patrón de atracón y el grado de adherencia a la DM se determinó el coeficiente de correlación r de Pearson. Los resultados se expresaron en odds ratios (OR) e intervalo de confianza (IC) al 95%. Resultados: los sujetos con un patrón de BED presentaron menor adherencia a la DM (OR = 4,03; IC 95%, 1,80-18,69), mayores índices de exceso de peso (OR = 5,31; IC 95%, 1,81-15,64), y vidas más sedentarias (OR = 1,4; IC 95%, 0,52-4,12). El BED correlacionó negativamente con el grado de adherencia DM (r = -0,3, p < 0,01). Conclusión: el patrón de DM se asocia de manera inversa con el riesgo de sufrir trastorno por atracón y además dicho patrón de atracón se asocia significativamente con el riesgo de sufrir exceso de peso en estudiantes universitarios. Son necesarios estudios que confirmen que la DM reduce el riesgo de sufrir trastorno por atracón.Introduction: Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by the consumption of large amounts of food in short time accompanied by a feeling of lack of control over eating. The BED is associated with a little balanced diet, contributing to the development of several pathologies. Food and lifestyle play a key factor in the prevention of these diseases, being the Mediterranean diet (DM) one of the standards of healthy food. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between DM and BED in a sample of university students. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on a sample of 120 students of the University of Alicante. To establish the relationship between the pattern of binge eating and the degree of adherence to the DM correlation coefficient r Pearson was determined. The results were expressed as odds ratios (OR) and confidence interval (CI) at 95%. Results: Subjects with a pattern of BED, had lower adherence to the DM (OR = 4.03; 95% CI, 1.80 to 18.69), higher rates of overweight (OR = 5.31, 95% CI, 1.81 to 15.64), and more sedentary lives (OR = 1.4; 95% CI, 0.52 to 4.12). The BED is negatively correlated with the degree of adherence DM (r = -0.3, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The pattern of DM is associated inversely with the risk for binge eating disorder and also such a pattern of binge eating is significantly associated with the risk of overweight in university students. They are necessary studies that confirm that the DM reduces the risk for binge eating disorder

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

Subtypes of Severely Mentally Ill Violent Offenders in a Spanish Forensic Psychiatric Hospital

Conduct disorder (CD) prior to age 15 identifies a subgroup of men with severe mental illness (SMI) who present a high risk for violence that persists across the life span. The present study examined male violent offenders with SMI in a forensic hospital in Spain, comparing those with SMI+CD and those without SMI-CD on the HCR-20 and PCL:SV. Violent offenders with SMI+CD obtained higher HCR-20 and PCL: SV total scores, and much higher H and factor 2 scores as compared to those without prior CD. Men with SMI+CD present a challenge to forensic psychiatric services

Adolescent Alcohol Use in Spain: Connections with Friends, School, and Other Delinquent Behaviors

This study examined the connections between adolescent alcohol use in Alicante, Spain and variables reflecting adolescents’ academic problems, potentially delinquent behaviors, friends’ alcohol consumption, and friendship quality. Information about alcohol use and a number of school and social variables was collected from adolescent students (N = 567) who completed the National Students School-Based Drug Survey in a classroom setting. Results suggested that gender was not significantly associated with alcohol use, although alcohol use increased with age and was more likely for adolescents enrolled in public schools compared to private. After controlling for age and type of school (public vs. private), academic problems explained 5.1% of the variance in adolescents’ alcohol use, potentially delinquent behaviors explained 29.0%, friends’ alcohol use 16.8%, and friendship quality 1.6%. When all unique predictors from these four models were included in a comprehensive model, they explained 32.3% of the variance in adolescents’ alcohol use. In this final model, getting expelled, participating in a fight, going out at night, the hour at which one returns, and the number of friends who have consumed alcohol were uniquely and positively associated with adolescents’ alcohol use. These results provide important information about multi-system influences on adolescent alcohol use in Alicante, Spain and suggest potential areas of focus for intervention research.This study was funded by Concejalía de Acción Social. Plan Municipal sobre Drogodependencia. Ayuntamiento de Alicante, Spain. Delegación del Gobierno para el Plan Nacional sobre Drogas

A relaxation technique enhances psychological well-being and immune parameters in elderly people from a nursing home: A randomized controlled study

Background: The aging process involves a decline in immune functioning that renders elderly people more vulnerable to disease. In residential programs for the aged, it is vital to diminish their risk of disease, promote their independence, and augment their psychological well-being and quality of life. Methods: We performed a randomized controlled study, evaluating the ability of a relaxation technique based on Benson’s relaxation response to enhance psychological well-being and modulate the immune parameters of elderly people living in a geriatric residence when compared to a waitlist control group. The study included a 2-week intervention period and a 3-month follow-up period. The main outcome variables were psychological well-being and quality of life, biomedical variables, immune changes from the pre-treatment to post-treatment and follow-up periods. Results: Our findings reveal significant differences between the experimental and control groups in CD19, CD71, CD97, CD134, and CD137 lymphocyte subpopulations at the end of treatment. Furthermore, there was a decrease in negative affect, psychological discomfort, and symptom perception in the treatment group, which increased participants’ quality of life scores at the three-month follow-up. Conclusions: This study represents a first approach to the application of a passive relaxation technique in residential programs for the elderly. The method appears to be effective in enhancing psychological well-being and modulating immune activity in a group of elderly people. This relaxation technique could be considered an option for achieving health benefits with a low cost for residential programs, but further studies using this technique in larger samples of older people are needed to confirm the trends observed in the present study. Trial registration: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register ISRCTN85410212

Psychometric Properties and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Spanish Version of the Maudsley Violence Questionnaire among Adolescent Students

The Maudsley Violence Questionnaire (MVQ) is an instrument specifically developed to evaluate violent thinking through two subscales examining macho attitudes and the acceptance of violence. This study analyzed the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Spanish version of the MVQ questionnaire in a large sample of 1933 Spanish adolescents. An online questionnaire was used to collect variables, such as sociodemographic and sexism data. The factor structure showed good fit indices in Spanish adolescents, which were similar to the original scale. The exploratory analysis yielded a first factor that explained 11.3% of the total variance and a second factor that explained 10.8% of the total variance. The Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) (0.902), Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI) (0.90), Normed Fit Index (NNFI) (0.85), and the Comparative Fit Index (CFI) (0.86) suggested that the model fit the data adequately (with values ≥ 0.90) and the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) (≤0.10) values indicative of an adequate fit. This study contributes a Spanish-language validated tool to measure machismo and the acceptance of violence among adolescents.The project “Lights, Camera and Action against Dating Violence” (Ligts4Violence) was funded by the European Commission Directorate-General Justice and Consumers Rights, Equality and Citizen Violence Against Women Program 2016 for the period 2017–2019 to promote healthy dating relationship assets among secondary school students from different European countries, under grant agreement No. 776905. It was also co-supported by the CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health of Spain for its aid to the Gender-based Violence and Youth Research Program. The project “Promotion of Protective Assets Against Gender Violence in Adolescence and Pre-adolescence”; (Ref. PI18/00590 and PI18/00544) of the Carlos III Institute of Health, as an intermediary body of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). This study was also conducted within a grant received from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, FEDER, and V. Pérez-Martínez is recipient of PFIS grant from FSE (FI19/00201)