Trastornos del espectro alcohólico fetal : acción educativa para su prevención

La exposición prenatal al alcohol puede provocar anomalías perdurables en el sistema nervioso central, rasgos faciales anómalos y otras malformaciones congénitas. El conjunto de anomalías congénitas y trastornos del desarrollo derivados del consumo de alcohol en el embarazo quedan englobados bajo el término “Trastornos del Espectro Alcohólico Fetal” (TEAF). El daño en la gestación puede producirse desde el inicio de la misma, antes de que la mujer tenga conciencia de estar embarazada. No es imprescindible que la madre sea alcohólica para que el alcohol dañe al feto. A mayor consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo (habitual, o bien consumo episódico intenso), se constata un mayor riesgo, pero no se ha establecido una dosis mínima segura de alcohol que se pueda ingerir durante el embarazo sin riesgo de provocar problemas en el hijo. Por ello, y dada la precocidad del daño en la gestación, resulta imprescindible la abstinencia de bebidas alcohólicas desde la preconcepción. Numerosos estudios indican que el predictor más potente del consumo de alcohol en la gestación es el consumo de alcohol previo al embarazo. En España, aproximadamente dos tercios de las mujeres entre 15 y 44 años son consumidoras de alcohol. Se ha observado además una tendencia ascendente desde los 90 en la prevalencia de la embriaguez entre las mujeres de 15 a 34 años. La prevención de los TEAF, por lo extendido que está en nuestra sociedad el consumo de bebidas alcohólicas en el embarazo y por las graves consecuencias que puede conllevar (individuales, familiares, sanitarias, educativas, sociales, laborales, económicas) debería constituirse en una prioridad pública y materializarse en planes de acción intersectoriales. Para una prevención efectiva, es imprescindible, entre otras medidas, poner en marcha planes idóneos de formación continuada de los profesionales sanitarios, así como de los educadores y el personal de los servicios sociale

El consumo de tabaco en el alumnado español pre-adolescente y adolescente: diferencias de género

Este trabajo tiene como propósito describir la prevalencia del consumo de tabaco entre los pre-adolescentes y adolescentes escolarizados en España a comienzos del siglo XXI. Los datos han sido recogidos en el marco del estudio “Estilos de Vida de los Adolescentes Escolarizados” (EVAE), una investigación de ámbito estatal de diseño transversal. La muestra es aleatoria y está compuesta por 8.429 alumnos de 10 a 18 años (49,9% chicos y 50,1% chicas). Se ha utilizado un cuestionario anónimo cumplimentado por los alumnos en sus propias aulas. En el alumnado de 12 años una proporción significativamente mayor de alumnos varones que de alumnas ha fumado alguna vez tabaco. En el alumnado de 14 o más años, más chicas que chicos han fumado alguna vez tabaco. Entre los 12 y los 14 años se incrementa en 40 puntos el porcentaje de alumnas que han consumido experimentalmente tabaco. Las tasas de fumadores diarios superan el 10% en ambos géneros a partir de los 14 años, con cifras significativamente mayores entre las chicas que entre los chicos en los grupos de edad de 15 ó más años. En el alumnado de 17 años, el 25% de los chicos y el 35% de las chicas se manifiestan fumadores diarios. La experiencia histórica reciente de España y de otros países muestra que es posible reducir significativamente en pocos años la prevalencia del consumo de tabaco entre los escolares. La prevención primaria del tabaquismo adolescente puede ser realmente efectiva y debe constituir una prioridad para el sistema sanitario, el sistema educativo y los otros sectores implicados.This paper aims to describe the prevalence of tobacco consumption among pre-adolescent and adolescent school children in Spain at the start of the 21st century. The data were collected within the framework of the “Estilos de Vida de los Adolescentes Escolarizados” (EVAE) project, a nationwide cross-sectional study on the lifestyles of adolescent school children. In this study, a random sample of 8,429 students aged from 10 to 18 years old (49.9% boys and 50.1% girls) was selected. The school children filled in an anonymous questionnaire in their classrooms. Among the 12-year-old age group, there are a significantly higher number of boys than girls who have ever smoked tobacco. Figures are higher for girls in the 14-year-old or older age groups. Between the 12 and the 14-year-old age groups, there is an increase of 40 percentage points for girls who have ever smoked tobacco. The prevalence of daily smoking exceeds 10% among the 14-year-old or older age groups, with significantly higher rates for girls than for boys among the 15-year-old group and older students. Among the 17-year-old group, 25% of boys and 35% of girls report that they smoke daily. The recent experience of Spain and other countries shows that it is possible to significantly reduce the prevalence of tobacco consumption among school children within a few years. The primary prevention of tobacco consumption among adolescents can be highly effective and should constitute a priority for the health system, the education system and other sectors involved

The association between family dynamics and Positive Youth Development in secondary education students

Introduction: The Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework is a strengths-based approach to adolescence that states that adolescents will thrive if nurtured by the right developmental assets. The family is one of the most important developmental assets, but studies about the relationship between family dynamics and the overall PYD of adolescents are scarce. Objective: The present study aims to examine the associations between five family dynamics indicators and PYD, while taking into account the role of gender. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with a representative sample of adolescents from the city of Huelva, Spain (n = 1,036). Data were collected in 14 randomly selected secondary education schools. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was tested to determine the effect of family dynamics on PYD, both for the whole sample and within each gender. Results: The SEM for the whole sample showed a positive effect of the family dynamics factor on the PYD factor, explaining 51.8% of its variance. The indicators of satisfaction with the relationship with the mother, satisfaction with the relationship with the father, frequency of engaging in joint family activities on weekends, and frequency of sharing daily occurrences at home showed factor loadings over 0.50, while the indicator of frequency of contribution to household chores had the lowest loading. The family dynamics factor in the model with the subsample of girls explained 54.8% of the variance in PYD, while in the SEM with the subsample of boys this factor explained 47.6% of it. Additionally, among girls, the relative influence of satisfaction in the relationship with the parents, as well as of frequently discussing the day at home, is higher than among boys. Conclusion: These results highlight a strong association between family dynamics indicators and PYD among adolescents and indicate that this relationship is stronger for girls than for boys. Intersectoral policies enhancing improvements in family dynamics (e.g., facilitating the practice of joint family activities on weekends) may have a relevant impact on PYD.The fieldwork leading up to the present study received financial support from the Department of Equality and Social Welfare of the Huelva City Council and was also funded by the Research Group on Health Promotion and Development of Lifestyle across the Life Span (University of Huelva, Spain), with funding received from the Scientific Policy Strategy of the University of Huelva and the Andalusian Plan for Research, Development and Innovation (PAIDI).Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educació

Pregnant Women’s Risk Perception of the Teratogenic Effects of Alcohol Consumption in Pregnancy

There is ample evidence of the teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, with long-term consequences throughout the entire life cycle. Nevertheless, research on risk perception of alcohol consumption among pregnant women is scarce. In order to analyze risk perception of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, a cross-sectional study was conducted with a random sample of 426 pregnant women (in their 20th week of gestation) receiving care at the outpatient clinics of a public university hospital in the southern European city of Seville (Spain). Data were collected through structured face-to-face interviews conducted by trained health professionals using a customized questionnaire. Data analysis included structural equation modeling. Only 48.1% of the sample indicated that the sequelae from alcohol consumption during pregnancy were life-long. The structural equation model showed that a lower risk perception about beer and wine consumption, and a lower educational level, were related to more frequent alcohol consumption. Younger participants showed lower risk perception concerning beer consumption. Higher levels of education were related to a greater risk perception of beer. Healthcare institutions should articulate programs that facilitate health advice regarding alcohol consumption during pregnancy, particularly when providing care for women with low educational levels

Diferencias de género en la evolución del tabaquismo adolescente en España (1986-2002)

Este trabajo pretende dos objetivos: 1) analizar la evolución de la prevalencia del tabaquismo en el alumnado español de 11, 13, 15 y 17 años en el periodo 1986-2002; 2) estudiar la evolución de las diferencias de género respecto al tabaquismo en cada uno de estos grupos de edad a lo largo de ese periodo. Partiendo de un diseño transversal-secuencial, se han efectuado cuatro recogidas de datos sucesivas (1986, 1990, 1994 y 2002), utilizando muestras representativas del conjunto del alumnado de España. Las submuestras utilizadas en este trabajo suman 14.570 sujetos (51,2% chicas y 48,8% chicos). El análisis de las tendencias temporales se ha efectuado separadamente para cada género, dentro de cada grupo de edad. Entre el alumnado de 11 años se constata una creciente homogeneidad entre géneros en lo que se refiere al consumo de tabaco, con una tendencia general al descenso del problema. En el grupo de 13 años las tendencias son muy parecidas a las del grupo de 11 años, con la salvedad de que en el periodo 1994-2002 se ha incrementado la tasa global de fumadoras. Por su parte, tanto en el grupo de 15 años como en el de 17 se constata una creciente diferenciación entre ambos géneros, con una fuerte tendencia al alza entre las chicas en todos los aspectos estudiados. En cuanto a los chicos de esas edades, la situación es relativamente estable desde 1990. Esta expansión del problema entre las adolescentes previsiblemente reforzará en el futuro la tendencia actual de incremento del hábito tabáquico entre las mujeres adultas españolas.This work pursues two objectives: 1) to analyse time trends in tobacco consumption among Spanish schoolchildren aged 11, 13, 15 and 17 for the period 1986-2002; and 2) to study the evolution of gender differences regarding tobacco consumption in each of these age groups throughout this period. On the basis of a research with a sequential cross-sectional design, data were collected in four nation-wide studies (in 1986, 1990, 1994 and 2002), using representative samples of Spanish schoolchildren. The sub-samples used for this paper add up 14,570 subjects (51.2% girls and 48.8% boys). The analysis of temporal trends has been performed separately for each gender, within each age group. Among 11-year-olds, a growing homogeneity between genders concerning tobacco consumption has been proved, with a general trend to a decrease in the problem. Among 13- year-olds, time trends are very similar to 11-year-olds, except for the period 1994-2002, where there has been an increase in the prevalence of smoking among girls. As for the 15 and 17- year-olds, a growing differentiation between genders has been proved, with a marked rising tendency among girls in all aspects studied. Regarding boys of those ages, the situation is relatively stable since 1990. The spreading of this problem among girls will probably strengthen in the future the current trend toward an increase in tobacco consumption among Spanish adult women

Positive Youth Development and Internet Use in a Sample of Spanish Adolescents

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of Internet in the adolescent population has increased. A growing research interest has been developed about the consequences of Internet use for adolescent development. Despite most studies have examined the impact of Internet use on some indicators of psychological maladjustment, few studies have addressed the detrimental impact on the positive indicators of mental health. Positive youth development (PYD) represents a positive view of adolescent transition to adulthood which focuses on building the strengths that make young people more resistant to negative outcomes and more capable to choose a positive life direction. This study aimed to analyze the relationships between different aspects of Internet use and overall PYD in a sample of Spanish adolescents. To reach this aim, a sample of 1,038 adolescents (50.1% boys, M age = 14.19, SD = 1.38), enrolled in 14 high schools in the city of Huelva (Spain), filled in some self-report measures of PYD and Internet use and experience, such as the frequency of Internet use on weekdays or weekends, the different uses of Internet (i.e., social networks, playing online, reading, surfing or looking for information, playing or downloading music, and searching, selling, or buying products), and the subjective experience using the Internet (i.e., acknowledgment of spending too much time playing or in the networks, and being in a bad mood if they do not play or use the networks). Results of a hierarchical regression analysis showed that the more hours using Internet on weekdays, the less PYD. Moreover, the experience of feeling bad when not using the networks and spending too much time with online playing was related to lower PYD. However, the use of Internet for reading or looking for information had a positive association with PYD. These results suggest some implications for practice, such as the need to promote an adaptive Internet use, by providing a safe online context that encourages the acquisition of positive social values and life skills.This research received funding from the Council of Huelva under Grant number 27-2019, awarded to RM and DG-B

The Role of Developmental Assets in Gender Differences in Anxiety in Spanish Youth

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychological disorders during emerging adulthood. Some consistent gender differences have been reported in anxiety with women suffering more anxiety than men, which has detrimental consequences in most life spheres in the youth and later life stages. The understanding of the development of anxiety in emerging adulthood requires a developmental perspective. The Developmental Assets Theory was postulated to describe the individual and the contextual resources which may foster positive youth development and mental health. The present study aims to analyze to what extent the gender differences in anxiety may be partly explained by gender differences in developmental assets. For this purpose, a cross-sectional study was conducted in which a sample of 1,044 youths (75.5% women; age range = 18–28; M age = 20.47, SD = 3.08) enrolled in 11 universities from different regions in Spain filled in self-report measures of developmental assets and anxiety symptoms. The participants completed an online survey with the scales, Developmental Assets Profile developed by the Search Institute (1) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) (2). The results showed more anxiety in the female subsample (at both the symptoms and clinical levels). Some gender differences in developmental assets were also observed. A partial mediation model, based on regression analyses, indicated that gender differences in anxiety were partly explained by gender differences in developmental assets. Thus, higher anxiety in the women was partly due to lower scores in positive identity and higher scores in positive values. These results suggested the need to design programs to prevent anxiety with specific measures for women youth to nurture positive identity and promote strengths and coping skills that allow them to get the benefits of well-being derived from positive values, thus, preventing worry and stress overload, which may lead to anxiety.This research received funding from Research, Development and Innovation Projects of European Regional Development Fund in Andalusia 2014–2020. Grant number UHU-1259711, awarded to the first and last authors

La facilidad de comunicación parento-filial en la adolescencia: diferencias de género y tendencias temporales observadas en España

Este trabajo intenta responder básicamente a una pregunta: ¿Tienen mayores dificultades de comunicación con sus progenitores los actuales adolescentes que los de hace una o dos décadas? Partiendo de una investigación con diseño secuencial transversal, se analizan las tendencias temporales en la facilidad de comunicación parento-filial en la adolescencia a lo largo del periodo 1986-2002. Se han efectuado cuatro recogidas de datos sucesivas (1986, 1990, 1994 y 2002), utilizando muestras representativas del conjunto del alumnado de España. La muestra total está compuesta por 14.578 sujetos de 11, 13, 15 y 17 años. Entre otros hallazgos, se constata entre las chicas de 15 años una mayor dificultad de comunicación con el padre en 2002, en comparación con 1994, mientras que en los chicos de 15 años la evolución interanual al respecto es relativamente estable. En lo que se refiere a la comunicación con la madre, se detecta que los chicos de 15 años presentan en conjunto menor facilidad de comunicación con la madre en 2002 que en 1994. Entre otras implicaciones, todo ello puede significar que se están acentuando las diferencias de género en la comunicación con los progenitores en la adolescencia.This paper basically tries to answer one question: Do today’s adolescents have greater communication difficulties with their parents than did adolescents from ten or twenty years ago? A sequential cross-sectional design was used to analyse time trends in the ease of parent-child communication in adolescence for the period 1986-2002. To this end, data were collected in four subsequent years (1986, 1990, 1994 and 2002) using representative samples of schoolchildren in Spain. The sample comprised 14,578 subjects aged 11, 13, 15 and 17. Girls aged 15 were found to have greater communication difficulties with their fathers in 2002 as compared to 1994, whereas among 15-year-old boys the inter-annual evolution in this regard was relatively stable. As regards communication with mothers, 15-year-old boys generally showed greater difficulty in 2002 than in 1994. Among other implications, this may mean that gender differences are becoming more pronounced in communication with parents during adolescence

Estilos de vida de los adolescentes escolarizados en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria en la ciudad de Huelva : estudio EVESO

El objetivo primordial del estudio EVESO fue indagar sobre los estilos de vida del alumnado de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO) de Huelva (España), así como sobre determinadas características contextuales y personales relacionadas con ellos. El estudio, de diseño transversal, fue realizado en otoño de 2020 con una muestra de 900 adolescentes (51,8% varones; edad media 14,14 años). Los datos fueron recogidos mediante un cuestionario (en papel u online) autocumplimentado en aulas elegidas aleatoriamente en 13 centros docentes públicos y privados. En cuanto a la alimentación, el 79,5% del alumnado ingiere menos de tres piezas de fruta al día y el 70,5% consume menos de dos raciones diarias de hortalizas. Otros resultados se refieren a la lectura de libros, la actividad física, el consumo de alcohol, tabaco y cannabis, el uso de internet y las apuestas, así como a la vida en familia y las relaciones escolares, entre otros aspectos