Validity evidence of the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) in Chile

El objetivo del estudio fue analizar la validez de la versión chilena de un instrumento para la identificación de diferentes niveles de riesgo asociado al consumo de alcohol, tabaco, marihuana y cocaína (Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test, ASSIST). Se evaluó la fiabilidad y consistencia del instrumento además de la validez concurrente y discriminante. La muestra fue de 400 usuarios de servicios de tratamiento drogas y alcohol ambulatorios y residenciales de la atención primaria de salud, comisarías y empresas. La consistencia interna obtenida fue alta (Alcohol α= .86. marihuana α= .84 y cocaína α= .90). El coeficiente de correlación intraclase (CCI) con la comparación test-retest fue buena para Alcohol (CCI = .66), marihuana (CCI = .74) y cocaína (CCI =.80). Se observó una buena correlación entre los puntajes del ASSIST el puntaje del AUDIT (r de Pearson = .85), ASI-Lite (r entre .66 y .83 para tabaco, alcohol, marihuana y cocaína) y SDS (r = .65). El punto de corte original para la detección del riesgo alto es de 27 puntos, sin embargo, considerando un mejor balance entre sensibilidad y especificidad se modificó ese corte a 21. Los resultados obtenidos en éste estudio demostraron las buenas propiedades psicométricas del ASSIST para la detección de distintos niveles de riesgo asociados al consumo de sustancias en población general de Chile.This study aims to psychometrically validate the Chilean version of the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test ASSIST. Specifically, this study is interested in evaluating the reliability, consistency and concurrent and discriminant validity of this instrument. The sample was composed for a total of 400 people from four different settings: treatment centers (residential and ambulatories), primary health care, police stations and companies. The reliability of the ASSIST was high (α = .86 for Alcohol, α = .84 for marijuana and α = .90 for cocaine). The intra class correlation coefficient (ICC) with test-retest comparison was statistically significant for Alcohol (ICC = .66), marijuana (ICC = .74) and cocaine (ICC = .80). There were statistically significant correlations between the ASSIST and the AUDIT score (Pearson?s r = .85), the ASSIST and the ASI-Lite score (r between .66 and .83 for tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and cocaine), and the ASSIST and the SDS score (r = .65). The original cutoff point for high risk detection was 27 points, however, in order to have a better balance between sensitivity and specificity the cut was changed to 21 points. The ASSIST presents good psychometric properties and therefore is a reliable and valid instrument to be used as a mechanism to detect risk levels of substance use in the Chilean population.Fil: Soto Brandt, Gonzalo. Servicio Nacional para la Prevención y Rehabilitación del Consumo de Drogas y Alcohol; ChileFil: Portilla Huidobro, Rodrigo. Servicio Nacional para la Prevención y Rehabilitación del Consumo de Drogas y Alcohol; ChileFil: Huepe Artigas, David. Universidad Diego Portales; ChileFil: Rivera Rei, Álvaro. Universidad Diego Portales; ChileFil: Escobar, María Josefina. Universidad Diego Portales; ChileFil: Salas Guzmán, Natalia. Universidad Diego Portales; ChileFil: Canales Johnson, Andrés. Universidad Diego Portales; ChileFil: Ibáñez Barassi, Agustín Mariano. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Martínez Guzmán, Claudio. Universidad Diego Portales; ChileFil: Castillo Carniglia, Álvaro. Servicio Nacional para la Prevención y Rehabilitación del Consumo de Drogas y Alcohol; Chil

Significado, desempeño y logro estudiantil en tareas instruccionales cotidianas.

The objective of this study is to investigate the relation between the meaning students attribute to their school tasks and the performance level they achieve in them. Based on the approach of situated cognition, a video strategy was defined to elicit, record, and interpret the meanings that emerge when students observe their own performance in scenes previously recorded in their classroom. The students' responses were taped and subjected to semantic and gestural analysis. Three patterns of meaning could be identified in the results: automatic, instrumental, and projective. These patterns place students along three different courses of action, despite dealing with the same school task. In particular, students that, from the observation of their tasks, create projective meanings demonstrate better understanding, greater performance and, eventually, higher qualifications. The conclusions highlight the methodological and pedagogical value of this project, since it helps to understand the different meanings created by the students, and reveals how these factors impact on school performance and success. (160 palavras)El objetivo de este estudio es investigar la relación entre el significado que los estudiantes elaboran respecto de sus tareas escolares y el nivel de desempeño que alcanzan en ellas. Basada en un enfoque de cognición situada, se diseñó una estrategia videográfica para elicitar, registrar e interpretar los significados que emergen cuando los estudiantes observan su propio desempeño a través de videos previamente filmados en su sala de clases. Las respuestas de los estudiantes fueron filmadas y sometidas a un análisis semántico y gestual. En los resultados se evidencian tres patrones de significado: automático, instrumental y proyectivo. Estos patrones sitúan a los estudiantes en tres cursos de acción diferentes, a pesar de que se trate de la misma tarea escolar. En particular, los estudiantes que desde la observación de sus tareas elaboran significados proyectivos, demuestran mejor comprensión, mejor desempeño y, a su vez, calificaciones superiores. En las conclusiones se destaca el valor metodológico y pedagógico del diseño de este estudio, pues facilita la comprensión de los diferentes significados que elaboran los estudiantes y evidencia cómo éstos influyen en el desempeño y logro educativo

Enactive approach and dual-tasks for the treatment of severe behavioural and cognitive impairment in a person with acquired brain injury: A case study

One of the most important sequela in persons who suffer from acquired brain injury (ABI) is a behavioural disorder. To date, the primary approaches for the rehabilitation of this sequela are Applied Behaviour Analysis, Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy, and Comprehensive-Holistic Rehabilitation Programs. Despite this theoretical plurality, none of these approaches focuses on rehabilitating behavioural disorders considering the relation between affordance and environmental adaptation. To introduce this therapeutic view to neurorehabilitation, we apply the theoretical tenets of the enactive paradigm to the rehabilitation of a woman with severe behavioural and cognitive impairment. Over seventeen sessions, her behavioural and cognitive performance was assessed in relation to two seated affordances (seated on a chair and seated on a ball 65 cm in diameter) and the environmental adaptation while she was working on various cognitive tasks. These two seated affordances allowed to incorporate the theoretical assumptions of the enactive approach and to know how the behavior and the cognition were modified based on these two postural settings and the environmental adaptation. The findings indicate that the subject exhibited better behavioural (physical and verbal) and cognitive (matching success and complex task) performances when the woman worked on the therapeutic ball than when the woman was on the chair. The enactive paradigm applied in neurorehabilitation introduces a level of treatment that precedes behaviour and cognition. This theoretical consideration allowed the discovery of a better relation between a seated affordance and the environmental adaptation for the improvement behavioural and cognitive performance in our case study

The neurocognitive impact of loneliness and social networks on social adaptation

Abstract Social adaptation arises from the interaction between the individual and the social environment. However, little empirical evidence exists regarding the relationship between social contact and social adaptation. We propose that loneliness and social networks are key factors explaining social adaptation. Sixty-four healthy subjects with no history of psychiatric conditions participated in this study. All participants completed self-report questionnaires about loneliness, social network, and social adaptation. On a separate day, subjects underwent a resting state fMRI recording session. A hierarchical regression model on self-report data revealed that loneliness and social network were negatively and positively associated with social adaptation. Functional connectivity (FC) analysis showed that loneliness was associated with decreased FC between the fronto-amygdalar and fronto-parietal regions. In contrast, the social network was positively associated with FC between the fronto-temporo-parietal network. Finally, an integrative path model examined the combined effects of behavioral and brain predictors of social adaptation. The model revealed that social networks mediated the effects of loneliness on social adaptation. Further, loneliness-related abnormal brain FC (previously shown to be associated with difficulties in cognitive control, emotion regulation, and sociocognitive processes) emerged as the strongest predictor of poor social adaptation. Findings offer insights into the brain indicators of social adaptation and highlight the role of social networks as a buffer against the maladaptive effects of loneliness. These findings can inform interventions aimed at minimizing loneliness and promoting social adaptation and are especially relevant due to the high prevalence of loneliness around the globe. These findings also serve the study of social adaptation since they provide potential neurocognitive factors that could influence social adaptation

Cognitive, emotional, and social factors promoting psychosocial adaptation: a study of latent profiles in people living in socially vulnerable contexts

Adverse environments cause well-established detrimental effects on subjects living there. They ultimately increase the likelihood of developing negative cognitive, emotional, and social outcomes. However, these adverse effects are not ubiquitous across all people. While some individuals develop maladaptive behavior and seem unable to cope with these difficulties, others develop strong coping mechanisms to manage the psychosocial effects of an adverse environment. Most research in this field, however, does not include multiple variables or complex models that allow them to control multivariate interactions simultaneously and as such, it is still unclear what interaction of social, emotional, and cognitive traits promote psychosocial adaptation in adverse environments. To address this, we employ an innovative combined methodological approachusing a theoretically driven person-centered approach (Latent Profile Analysis) aided by machine learning classification to model and predict different profiles of psychosocial adaptation within a sample of 254 adults. Our results showed a two-profile solution discriminated in this sample optimally into good and poor configurations for psychosocial adaptations. These results highlight the importance of distinct social, cognitive, and affective resources in developing adequate coping mechanisms in adults living in adverse environments. Importantly, the machine learning procedures allowed us to identify the most important features. High self-esteem and cognitive and behavioral self-regulation, low-stress levels, higher education, and increased social support are crucial factors for differentiating diverse pathways of psychosocial adaptation signaling risk and protective factors with important and straightforward implications for designing psychosocial interventions in these contexts

Cognitive, emotional, and social factors promoting psychosocial adaptation: a study of latent profiles in people living in socially vulnerable contexts.

Peer reviewed: TrueINTRODUCTION: Social adaptation is a multifaceted process that encompasses cognitive, social, and affective factors. Previous research often focused on isolated variables, overlooking their interactions, especially in challenging environments. Our study addresses this by investigating how cognitive (working memory, verbal intelligence, self-regulation), social (affective empathy, family networks, loneliness), and psychological (locus of control, self-esteem, perceived stress) factors interact to influence social adaptation. METHODS: We analyzed data from 254 adults (55% female) aged 18 to 46 in economically vulnerable households in Santiago, Chile. We used Latent profile analysis (LPA) and machine learning to uncover distinct patters of socioadaptive features and identify the most discriminating features. RESULTS: LPA showed two distinct psychosocial adaptation profiles: one characterized by effective psychosocial adaptation and another by poor psychosocial adaptation. The adaptive profile featured individuals with strong emotional, cognitive, and behavioral self-regulation, an internal locus of control, high self-esteem, lower stress levels, reduced affective empathy, robust family support, and decreased loneliness. Conversely, the poorly adapted profile exhibited the opposite traits. Machine learning pinpointed six key differentiating factors in various adaptation pathways within the same vulnerable context: high self-esteem, cognitive and behavioral self-regulation, low stress levels, higher education, and increased social support. DISCUSSION: This research carries significant policy implications, highlighting the need to reinforce protective factors and psychological resources, such as self-esteem, self-regulation, and education, to foster effective adaptation in adversity. Additionally, we identified critical risk factors impacting social adaptation in vulnerable populations, advancing our understanding of this intricate phenomenon

Primary empathy deficits in frontotemporal dementia

Loss of empathy is an early central symptom and diagnostic criterion of the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). Although changes in empathy are evident and strongly affect the social functioning of bvFTD patients, few studies have directly investigated this issue by means of experimental paradigms. The current study assessed multiple components of empathy (affective, cognitive and moral) in bvFTD patients. We also explored whether the loss of empathy constitutes a primary deficit of bvFTD or whether it is explained by impairments in executive functions (EF) or other social cognition domains. Thirty-seven bvFTD patients with early/mild stages of the disease and 30 healthy control participants were assessed with a task that involves the perception of intentional and accidental harm. Participants were also evaluated on emotion recognition, theory of mind (ToM), social norms knowledge and several EF domains. BvFTD patients presented deficits in affective, cognitive and moral aspects of empathy. However, empathic concern was the only aspect primarily affected in bvFTD that was neither related nor explained by deficits in EF or other social cognition domains. Deficits in the cognitive and moral aspects of empathy seem to depend on EF, emotion recognition and ToM. Our findings highlight the importance of using tasks depicting real-life social scenarios because of their greater sensitivity in the assessment of bvFTD. Moreover, our results contribute to the understanding of primary and intrinsic empathy deficits of bvFTD and have important theoretical and clinical implication

Resúmenes proyectos de investigación en psicología financiamiento fondo nacional de desarrollo cientifico y tecnologico - FONDECYT aprobados año 2014

Durante el año 2014 se resolvieron los concursos FONDECYT regular 2014 y de Iniciación a la investigación 2013. En el concurso de Iniciación a la Investigación, se presentaron 703 proyectos, de los cuales fueron aprobaron 308. De estos, 6 corresponden a Psicología (de un total de 20 proyectos postulados), por un valor de 358.897 millones de pesos, lo que constituye el 1,5% del total del financiamiento otorgado en esta categoría. En el concurso regular, de 1286 proyectos postulados, se aprobaron para financiamiento 581. De estos, 21 proyectos corresponden a Psicología (de un total de 45 presentados), por un valor de 2.097.829 millones, lo que equivale al 3,0% del monto total asignado a este concurso. Se presentan en este artículo especial, resúmenes de20 proyectos aprobados para el área, los cuales comenzaron a ejecutarse en noviembre del 2013 (iniciación) y que estarán ejecutándose hasta el periodo 2016-2017. During 2012 the Grants from FONDECYT for Regular Competitions 2014 and for Introduction to Research 2013 were resolved. For Introduction to Research, 703 projects was submitted and 308 projects were approved. Of these, 6 corresponded to Psychology (from a total of 20 projects nominated), with an amount of 358.897 million pesos, representing 1,5 % of total awarded  funding in this category. In Regular Competition, from 1286 projects submitted for funding and 581 were approved. Of these, 21 projects are from Psychology (out of 45 submitted), valued at 2.097.829 million, equivalent to 3,0% of the total amount allocated for this competition. In this special report, summaries from 20 projects approved in the area are presented. They began to run in November 2013 (Introduction) and will run until the period 2016-201