El estudio de la personalidad en animales: la deambulación/exploración del ratón en el campo abierto poco amenazador como análogo del rasgo humano búsqueda de sensaciones

Segones Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la FCHS (Any 1996-1997)El propósito principal de este trabajo es el de replicar en ratones algunos de los resultados obtenidos en ratas en el campo abierto poco amenazador. A pesar de que se había considerado la deambulación como un análogo de la extraversión, trabajos actuales apuntan a que ésta podría ser considerado como un modelo de búsqueda de sensaciones. Por tanto, consideramos que la exposición repetida en el campo abierto poco amenazador hará que descienda la deambulación/exploración a lo largo de los días debido a la pérdida de la condición de novedad de la situación. Además, esta medida debería ser independiente de otras medidas biológicas, como por ejemplo el peso. Para comprobar estas hipótesis hemos utilizado tres cepas de ratones, dos no consanguíneas (CD1 y Swiss Albino) y una consanguínea (C57BL), de modo que se expuso a cada uno de los ratones al campo abierto poco amenazador durante cinco minutos. Este procedimiento se repitio durante cuatro días seguidos y en las mismas condiciones ambientales. Los resultados muestran una muy alta consistencia en la deambulación/ exploración de los ratones en las tres cepas (alfa de al rededor de 0’88). De acuerdo con las hipótesis, esta conducta se ve influenciada por la repetición en la administración de la prueba, por lo que aparecen diferencias significativas entre el primer y último día en las tres cepas. Finalmente, la conducta de deambulación/ exploración se mostro independiente de otras medidas biológicas como el peso. De acuerdo con lo resultados podemos concluir que existen diferencias individuales consistentes en la conducta de deambulación/exploración de los ratones, y que estas son independientes del día de administración de la prueba, de la cepa, o de su interacción. El hecho de que a la vez que desciende la novedad de la situación desciende también esta conducta, y no otras, nos podría estar indicando que alguno de los componentes de la conducta de deambulación/exploración es la búsqueda de la novedad y, por tanto, esta podría ser considerada como análogo animal de la búsqueda de sensaciones humana

Five Factor Model of Personality and Structure of Psychopathological Symptoms in Adolescents

This study aims to explore the factorial structure of the most prevalent psychopathological symptoms in adolescence, and to explore the associations between the resulting psychopathological factors with both the Five-Factor Model of personality and the General Factor of Personality (GFP). A sample of 835 adolescents (M = 14.35, SD = 1.58; 49% girls) completed personality and psychopathology self-reports. The confirmatory factor analyses showed that a bifactor model of psychopathology, which included a general psychopathological factor (p factor) and specific factors (i.e., internalizing, externalizing, and hyperactivity and attention problems), better fitted the data than other competing models. The main associations found in the regression analyses were: neuroticism and introversion with the internalizing factor; low agreeableness with the externalizing factor; low conscientiousness with the hyperactivity and attention problems score; high neuroticism, low conscientiousness and low agreeableness with the p factor. Last, the GFP and p factor were substantially related, with β coefficients between 0.42 and 0.49 (p < .001). This study suggests that a bifactor model adequately depicts the psychopathology structure in adolescence. This structure was supported by differential associations of personality traits with each resulting factor

Personality and nonjudging make you happier: Contribution of the Five-Factor Model, mindfulness facets and a mindfulness intervention to subjective well-being

Mindful individuals are able to acknowledge mind wandering and live in the present moment in a nonjudgmental way. Previous studies have found that both mind wandering and mindfulness are associated with subjective well-being. However, the main predictor of happiness is personality; more specifically, happier people are emotionally stable and extraverted. The present study aimed to explore the contribution of the five factors of personality, dispositional mindfulness facets and a mindfulness intervention to happiness. A sample of 372 university students was assessed with the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, and another sample of 217 community adults answered the Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire. Both samples, 589 participants in all, completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Subjective Happiness Scale. Furthermore, 55 participants from the general population sample took a 6-week training course in meditation and developing mindfulness. The regression analyses showed that emotional stability and extraversion traits were the strongest predictors of subjective well-being. Nonetheless, the nonjudging facet, which is nonevaluative/acceptance awareness of thoughts and feelings, still remained a significant predictor of happiness when personality was accounted for. Finally, mindfulness training did not increase subjective well-being. Being nonjudgmental of one’s inner thoughts, feelings and sensations contributes to happiness even when personality is taken into account. Accordingly, it seems reasonable that mindfulness training that intends to improve subjective well-being should focus on noticing thoughts without judging the

Development of a 50-Item abridged form of the Junior Spanish version of the NEO questionnaire (JS NEO-A50)

The aim of this psychometric study was to construct an abridged 50-item form, 10 for each of the five factors of personality, of the Junior Spanish version of the NEO-PI-R (JS NEO-A50). Two separate studies were conducted. In Study 1, 400 high school students completed two personality scales to examine the factor structure (exploratory factor analysis), convergent validity, and reliability of the JS NEO-A50. In Study 2, an independent sample of 385 adolescents completed the JS NEO-A50 and several outcome measures to replicate the factor structure (exploratory structural equation model) and examine criterion validity, respectively. The five-factor structure found in Study 1 was satisfactorily replicated in the second, independent sample. Sources of reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) and validity (convergent) were adequate. Also, the outcome measures assessed in Study 2 were related to personality traits in the expected direction. Life satisfaction was significantly predicted by emotional stability; symptoms of behavioral problems were predicted by low scores in both agreeableness and conscientiousness while internalizing emotional symptoms were mainly predicted by emotional instability; finally, academic performance was mainly predicted by conscientiousness. We conclude that the JS NEO-A50 is a sound inventory to measure the five broad personality domains in Spanish-speaking adolescents

Self-reported DSM-5 Anxiety Severity Measures: Evidence of Validity and Reliability in Spanish youths

Background: Very few studies about the psychometric properties of the Anxiety Severity Measures (ASM) proposed in the DSM-5 exist, and none in Spanish-speaking populations. Thus, the aim of the present study was to provide validity and reliability evidence for the Spanish versions of the Agoraphobia, Social Anxiety, Separation Anxiety, Panic, Generalized Anxiety and Specific Phobia Severity measures. Method: Participants included 567 Spaniards (mean age=21.26, SD=3.61; 68.3% women). We performed Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses to test the structure of the scales, Differential Item Functioning (DIF) by sex, Cronbach's alpha and ordinal omega to test reliability, and the Pearson correlations between the ASM and different outcomes to provide evidence for convergent/discriminant (internalizing/externalizing symptoms) and criterion validity (satisfaction, quality of life and personality). Results: Structural analyses supported a one-factor solution for all of the ASM except for the Specific Phobia scale, which was also the only scale that exhibited DIF. Reliability indices ranked from .82 to .93. All six scales showed stronger associations with internalizing than externalizing measures and were also negatively related to criterion measures. Conclusions: The Spanish version of ASM is suitable for assessing anxiety-related symptoms, except the Specific Phobia Scale, which requires further examination.Antecedentes: existen pocos estudios sobre las propiedades psicométricas de las Escalas de Gravedad de la Ansiedad (EGA) del DSM-5, y ninguno en población española. Así, el objetivo del estudio fue aportar evidencias de validez y fiabilidad de la versión española de las escalas para evaluar síntomas de Agorafobia, Ansiedad Social, Ansiedad por Separación, Pánico, Ansiedad Generalizada y Fobia Específi ca. Método: participaron 567 españoles (edad media= 21,26, DT= 3,61; 68,3% mujeres). Se realizaron análisis factoriales exploratorios y confi rmatorios para testar la estructura, Funcionamiento Diferencial de Ítems (FDI) por sexo, alfa de Cronbach y Omega Ordinal para evaluar la fiabilidad y correlaciones de Pearson entre las EGA y otras variables para analizar la validez convergente/discriminante (síntomas internalizados/externalizados) y de criterio (satisfacción, calidad de vida y personalidad). Resultados: los análisis respaldan una estructura unidimensional para las EGA excepto para Fobia Específica, que además fue la única escala que mostró un FDI. Los índices de fi abilidad oscilaron entre 0,82 y 0,93. Las escalas se asociaron más con las conductas internalizadas que externalizadas, y se asociaron negativamente con las variables criterio. Conclusiones: la versión española de las EGA son adecuadas para evaluar síntomas relacionados con la ansiedad, excepto la escala de Fobia Específi ca que requiere más investigación

Mediational role of gaming motives in the associations of the Five Factor Model of personality with weekly and disordered gaming in adolescents

Five Factor Model (FFM) personality dimensions are relevant distal factors for explaining videogaming behaviors that may act through more proximal variables such as motives. However, this mediational role of gaming motives in the relationships between FFM domains and gaming behaviors has not been examined yet. The present study explored direct and indirect effects of the FFM personality traits on weekly and disordered gaming via gaming motives among 364 adolescent players. Structural equation modeling revealed that disordered gaming was directly predicted by conscientiousness and directly and indirectly, via coping motives, by neuroticism. Low agreeableness was associated with disordered gaming through social interaction. On the other hand, low agreeableness presented significant total effects on weekly gaming. The findings suggest risky personality pathways observed in drug use and abuse are also found in regular and disordered gaming such as the negative affect regulation pathway and a possible deviance proneness pathway.Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Jaume

Longitudinal measurement invariance of the DSM-5 anxiety and depression severity measures

There is scarce evidence on the psychometric properties of the Severity Measures (SMs) of the DSM-5 longitudinally, especially among Spanish young adults. Thus, the main objective of the present study was to analyze the Longitudinal Measurement Invariance (LMI) of the SMs for Depression, Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Panic, Separation Anxiety, Agoraphobia, and Specific Phobia scales in four assessment waves at 6-month intervals. A total of 564 Spanish young adults (Mage = 21.5 years; 67.9% females) participated in the study. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs) were carried out at each wave. Once the adequacy of the factor structure of the models was confirmed, three levels of LMI were examined (i.e., configural, metric, and scalar). Finally, we examined internal consistency (i.e., Cronbach’s α and ω) across assessment waves and gender groups. CFAs analyses supported a two-factor solution for the specific phobia scale and a one-factor solution for the rest of the SMs in baseline models. Evidence of LMI at the configural, metric, and scalar levels was observed for all seven SMs. Reliability indices ranged from .73 to .96. These results suggest that the DSM-5 SMs are useful assessment tools for longitudinal and follow-up studies in Spanish young adults

Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire: Preliminary Validation with Spanish Adults

There are two major advantages of the Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire (BFPTSQ) over other non-commercial short Five-Factor Model personality measures: widen conceptual breadth, and its use in both adolescents and adults. The aim of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of this questionnaire in an adult Spanish sample. Factor, convergent (using the NEO-PI-R), and criterion (using scales that assess happiness and alcohol consumption) validities, internal consistency as well as test-retest reliabilities of the BFPTSQ were evaluated. The sample was composed of 262 participants; a subsample of 71 individuals also answered the NEO-PI-R, and another subsample of 42 respondents filled the BFPTSQ out again a month later. The results indicated that the expected factor structure was recovered using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). The ESEM showed satisfactory fit indices, with CFI and TLI around .90, as well as RMSEA and SRMR below .06. Moreover, coefficient alphas ranged from .75 to .85 and test-retest correlations ranged from .72 to .93 (p < .001). Regarding the associations of BFPTSQ with NEO-PI-R scales, the correlations with the broad-trait scales ranged from .57 to .80 (p < .001), and 27 out of 30 correlations with the facet scales were significant (p < .05 or lower). We also found that extraversion and emotional stability were associated with subjective well-being (p < .001), and extraversion and conscientiousness were related to alcohol consumption (p < .01). This study supports the construct validity of the Spanish version of the BFPTSQ in adults

Development and Validation of the Marijuana Motives Measure Short Form

Marijuana motives are a proximal variable to marijuana use. This research aimed to adapt and validate the short form of the Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM; Simons, Correia, Carey, y Borsari, 1998), the MMM SF, in Spanish. The sample comprised 232 participants (mean age = 25.11 (7.58), 50.43% males) who had tried marijuana at least once in their lifetime. Item and Rasch analyses were performed to choose the final pool of 15 items. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) showed an adequate 5-factor structure (S-BX2(80) = 121.30, p = .002; NNFI = .944; CFI = .958; IFI = .959; MFI = .915; RMSEA = .047(0.029, 0.063); AIC = -38.70), and the multi-group CFA between males and females showed acceptable fit indices (S-BX2(160) = 230.01, p = .000; NNFI = .900; CFI = .924; IFI = .927; MFI = .860; RMSEA = .062(.043, .078); AIC = -89.99). The questionnaire indicated metric (S-BX2diff (15) = 13.61, p = .556)), scalar (S-BX2diff (15) = 23.15, p = .081)) and error measurement invariance (S-BX2diff (15) = 8.65, p = .895)) between gender groups. The internal consistencies and ordinal omega of the scales were between .79 and .90. In the regression analysis, enhancement, coping and low conformity motives predicted frequency and quantity of marijuana smoked. The best predictor of frequency and quantity consumed during the heaviest smoking period was enhancement, while coping and, to a lesser extent, low conformity, were the only predictors of cannabis-related problems when marijuana frequency and quantity were controlled for. The MMM SF shows adequate psychometric properties and is a suitable instrument to assess marijuana motives, especially during time-limited sessions.Los motivos de consumo son una variable proximal al uso de marihuana. Este estudio pretende adaptar y validar la versión española breve del Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM; Simons, Correia, Carey, y Borsari, 1998), el MMM SF. La muestra estaba compuesta por 232 participantes (edad media = 25,11 (7,58), 50,43% hombres) que habían probado la marihuana al menos una vez. Se realizaron análisis de los ítems y de Rasch para seleccionar los 15 ítems. El Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio (AFC) mostró una estructura de cinco factores adecuada (S-BX2(80) = 121,30, p = ,002; NNFI = 0,944; CFI = 0,958; IFI = 0,959; MFI = 0,915; RMSEA = 0,047(0,029, 0,063); AIC = -38,70), y el AFC multigrupo entre hombres y mujeres mostró índices de ajuste aceptables (S-BX2(160) = 230,01, p = ,000; NNFI = 0,900; CFI = 0,924; IFI = 0,927; MFI = 0,860; RMSEA = 0,062(0,043, 0,078); AIC = -89,99). El cuestionario mostró invarianza métrica (S-BX2dif (15) = 13,61, p = ,556)), escalar (S-BX2dif (15) = 23,15, p = ,081)) y de los errores de medida (S-BX2dif (15) = 8,65, p = ,895)) entre grupos de género. Los alfas de Cronbach y omega ordinal de las escalas fueron de 0,79 a 0,90. Los motivos de animación, afrontamiento y bajos motivos de conformidad predijeron el consumo de marihuana. El mejor predictor durante la época de mayor consumo fueron los motivos de animación, mientras que los motivos de afrontamiento, y en menor medida los bajos motivos de conformidad, fueron los mejores predictores de los problemas derivados una vez se controló el efecto de frecuencia y cantidad fumada. El MMM SF presenta unas propiedades psicométricas adecuadas y es una medida útil para evaluar los motivos de consumo de marihuana, especialmente durante sesiones de evaluación con tiempo limitado