Homicide Profiles Based on Crime Scene and Victim Characteristics

One of the current trends in homicide research includes developing works based on scientific study and empirical evidence, which offer conclusions that can be used in an operational manner during police investigations. The objective of this study was to identify homicide characteristics from behaviors carried out on the crime scene and victim characteristics associated with those of the perpetrators of these crimes in Spain. The sample consisted of 448 homicide cases from the database of the Homicide Revision Project led by the Office of Coordination and Studies of the Secretary of State and Security. After creating six classification tree models, it was found that the modus operandi of the aggressor and the victim characteristics may permit hypothesizing about the demographic characteristics of the perpetrator (gender, age, and country of origin), his/her criminal record, and the type of relationship with the victim. Furthermore, the importance of the study of victimology during a criminal investigation is highlighted, as it may indirectly offer information about the potential perpetrator. The findings of this study suggest that criminal profiling contributes notably to the decision-making process to establish more rigorous suspect prioritization, improve the management of human resources and materials, and increase the efficiency of criminal investigations

Herramientas informáticas: un requisito imprescindible para la implementación de sistemas de calidad eficaces

La implementación de sistemas de gestión de calidad, cualquiera que sea la “herramienta” de base, norma o modelo, requiere un esfuerzo adicional por parte tanto de la organización como de las personas implicadas en el proyecto y supone una consecuencia natural del inicio de toda nueva actividad. Sin embargo, es el mantenimiento de los requisitos de las nuevas formas de trabajo lo que hace que sean percibidas como actividades separadas de lo cotidiano, como un aspecto más de la burocracia que no hace sino ralentizar la toma de decisiones y la ejecución de las tareas, cuando, en realidad, su finalidad es precisamente la contraria. El establecimiento de objetivos y acciones asociadas, la toma regular de datos para alimentación de indicadores, el tratamiento sistemático de las quejas o la resolución de no conformidades con acciones correctivas o preventivas asociadas, son algunos ejemplos de estas actividades “extras”. Resulta fundamental disponer de herramientas informáticas que permitan un tratamiento eficaz de todos estos elementos para que, una vez interiorizadas por la organización, sean percibidas como una herramienta de ayuda en el quehacer diario. Existen herramientas en el mercado que se adaptan a los requisitos imprescindibles en que se apoyan los sistemas de calidad. Algunas organizaciones han optado por sistemas ad hoc más flexibles y que responden a las características peculiares de la estructura de los sistemas. La Universidad de Almería ha optado por la elaboración, a través de su Servicio de Informática, de algunos programas que en la actualidad han supuesto una importante agilización de actividades. El programa de “No Conformidades” y el de “Módulo de Calidad” son un ejemplo de ello. Su funcionamiento fácil y eficaz ha dado lugar a que la detección inmediata de desviaciones existentes para su rápida solución, así como la integración de objetivos, acciones e indicadores con el correspondiente grado de cumplimiento sistemático, sean herramientas habituales de trabajo.Ebsco, Libera, Elsevier, Emerald, Asociación Andaluza de Bibliotecarios, Springer, Cambridge University Press, RSC Publishing, ISOTool

Analysis of Sociodemographic and Psychological Variables Involved in Sleep Quality in Nurses

Background: Sleep quality is related to health and quality of life and can lead to the development of related disorders. This study analyzed the sociodemographic and psychological factors related to sleep quality in nurses. Methods: The sample comprised 1094 nurses who were assessed according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Questionnaire, the Goal Content for Exercise Questionnaire, the Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory, and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18. Results: The results confirm the impacts of diet, motivation for physical exercise, emotional intelligence, and overall self-esteem on sleep quality in nurses. Conclusions: Sleep quality in healthcare professionals is vitally important for performance at work; therefore, appropriate strategies should be applied to improve it

Expressiveness and Instrumentality of Crime Scene Behavior in Spanish Homicides

One of the current trends in the study of criminal profiling consists of developing theoretical and methodological typologies to offer information of operational use in police investigations. The objective of this work was to verify the validity of the instrumental/expressive model, so as to establish homicide typologies based on modus operandi relationships, characteristics of the victims, and characteristics of perpetrators. The sample consisted of 448 homicide cases registered in the database of the Homicide Revision Project of the Office of Coordination and Studies of the Spanish Secretary of State and Security. Through multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis, three expressive homicide subtypes were identified (expressive-impulsive, expressive-distancing, and expressive-family), as well as two instrumental homicide subtypes (instrumental-opportunist and instrumental-gratification). The expressive homicide typologies accounted for almost 95% of all of the studied cases, and most of the homicides occurring in Spain were found to take place between individuals who know one another (friends, family members, intimate couples/ex-couples). The findings from this study suggest that the instrumental/expressive model may be a useful framework for understanding the psychological processes underlying homicides, based on the study of relationships between the crime and aggressor characteristics, which may be very helpful in the prioritization of suspect

New Burnout Evaluation Model Based on the Brief Burnout Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties for Nursing

Health care personnel are considered one of the worker sectors most exposed to heavier workloads and work stress. One of the consequences associated with the exposure to chronic stress is the development of burnout syndrome. Given that evaluating this syndrome requires addressing the context in which they are to be used, the purpose of this work was to analyze the psychometric properties and structure of the Burnout Brief Questionnaire (CBB), and to propose a more suitable version for its application to health professionals, and more specifically nurses. The final study sample was made up of 1236 working nursing professionals. An exploratory factorial analysis was carried out and a new model was proposed through a confirmatory factorial analysis. Thus, validation of the CBB questionnaire for nursing health care personnel showed an adequate discrimination of the items and a high internal consistency of the scale. With respect to the factorial analysis, four factors were extracted from the revised model. Specifically, these new factors, called job dissatisfaction, social climate, personal impact, and motivational abandonment, showed an adequate index of adjustment. Thus, the Brief Burnout Questionnaire Revised for nursing staff has favorable psychometric properties, and this model can be applied to all health care professionals

Analysis of the Risk and Protective Roles of Work-Related and Individual Variables in Burnout Syndrome in Nurses

Aims: Burnout syndrome is a phenomenon that is becoming ever more widespread, especially in workers such as nurses who have heavy workloads and time pressures. The progression of burnout syndrome has been shown to be related to both individual and work-related variables. The objective of this study is to examine the risk and protective roles played by work-related and personal variables, both sociodemographic and psychological, in the development of burnout in nurses. Method: The sample was composed of 1236 nurses aged between 21 and 57 years, with a mean age of 31.50 years (SD = 6.18). Women accounted for 84.5% (n = 1044), and the remaining 15.5% (n = 192) were men. Exploratory tests were performed to understand the relationships between burnout and other variables, and a binary logistic regression was conducted to understand the roles of these variables in the incidence of this syndrome. Lastly, a regression tree was constructed. Results: The results show that the sociodemographic variables examined are not related to the level of burnout in nurses. However, certain work-related variables, such as spending more time with colleagues and patients and reporting good-quality relationships, exhibit a negative relationship with the occurrence of burnout. Of the psychological variables, the stress factors conflict-social acceptance and irritability-tension-fatigue, as well as informative communication, are shown to be risk factors for the appearance of burnout in nurses. In contrast, the communication skills factor, empathy, and energy-joy exert a protective function. Conclusion: Identifying the variables that influence the occurrence of burnout syndrome and understanding the manner in which they exert their influence are key elements in the development of effective prevention and intervention of burnout in nursing

Peer Victimization in Overweight Adolescents and Its Effect on Their Self-Esteem and Peer Difficulties

This study has three objectives: to examine whether adolescents who perceive themselves as overweight differ from others in terms of offline victimization at school, cybervictimization, self-esteem, and difficulties relating to peers; to examine the possible effects of offline and cybervictimization on self-esteem and difficulties relating to peers; and to examine the possible moderating role of perceiving oneself as overweight on those effects. Previously validated questionnaires were applied to a sample of 3145 adolescents in Asturias (Spain). Descriptive, inferential, correlational, and structural equation analyses were performed. Adolescents who perceived themselves as overweight reported being victims of both offline victimization and most forms of cybervictimization to a greater extent than those who did not perceive themselves as overweight. They also reported lower self-esteem and more peer difficulties (shyness or social anxiety). In both groups of adolescents, victimization and cybervictimization were correlated with each other, both types of victimization had direct, negative effects on self-esteem, and self-esteem in turn had a direct, negative effect on peer difficulties. Furthermore, offline victimization had a direct, positive effect on peer difficulties. Perceiving oneself as overweight moderated the effect of self-esteem on peer difficulties. In adolescents perceiving themselves as overweight, low self-esteem was a stronger risk factor of peer difficulties than in the rest of the adolescents. With high overall self-esteem there were no significant differences in peer difficulties between the adolescents perceiving themselves as overweight and the rest of the adolescents

La influencia del apoyo social percibido en el compromiso académico entre adolescentes: el papel mediador de la autoeficacia

Academic engagement is influenced by environmental and personal factors, such as perceived social support and self-efficacy. Both factors have become one of the most important elements in the academic context, due to their relationships with the school adjustment of adolescents. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of the perceived social support of friends and family on academic engagement, as well as to check whether self-efficacy plays a mediating role in the relationship between both variables. A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed. The sample consisted of 802 secondary school students, with an average age of 13.65 years (SD = 1.24) (where 50.6% were women and 49.4% men). The results showed the existence of positive relationships between perceived social support and the dimensions of academic engagement. The mediation models showed the direct effect of perceived social support on academic engagement and the indirect effect of perceived social support on academic engagement when self-efficacy mediates in this relationship. In conclusion, it is recommended to promote self-efficacy and a positive academic path, due to the involvement of the perceived social support of friends and family in the school path and engagement to studies.El compromiso académico se ve influenciado por factores ambientales y personales, como el apoyo social percibido y la autoeficacia. Ambos factores se han convertido en unos de los elementos más importantes en el contexto académico, debido a sus relaciones con el ajuste escolar de los adolescentes. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la influencia del apoyo social percibido de los amigos y de la familia sobre el compromiso académico, así como comprobar si la autoeficacia juega un papel mediador en la relación entre ambas variables. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal. La muestra constaba de 802 estudiantes de secundaria, con una edad media de 13.65 años (SD = 1.24) (donde el 50.6% eran mujeres y el 49.4% hombres). Los resultados mostraron la existencia de relaciones positivas entre apoyo social percibido y las dimensiones del compromiso académico. Los modelos de mediación mostraron el efecto directo del apoyo social percibido en el compromiso académico y el efecto indirecto del apoyo social percibido en el compromiso académico cuando la autoeficacia media en esta relación. En conclusión, se recomienda promover la autoeficacia y una trayectoria académica positiva, debido a la implicación del apoyo social percibido de amigos y familiares en la trayectoria escolar y compromiso hacia los estudios

Variables relacionadas con el compromiso académico y las habilidades socioemocionales en adolescentes: una revisión sistemática

Some research aimed at the educational context showed that the promotion of academic engagement and developing socioemotional skills benefit the development of students, especially adolescents. However, there were difficulties in finding studies that addressing both constructs simultaneously, as the scientific evidence regarding the subject is scarce. Due to this inconsistency, the objective of the present review was to identify the variables associated with academic engagement and socioemotional skills that are studied in the stage of adolescence. This study followed a systematic review methodology based on the recommendations established by the PRISMA 2020 Declaration. To do this, two different searches were made in the scientific databases of Scopus, Web of Science and PsyCINFO: the first focused on academic engagement and the second on socioemotional skills, both focused on adolescent population, including a total of 47 documents in the study. The results showed the existence of numerous variables, establishing those that are analyzed in both constructs through a qualitative analysis with Atlas.ti 22: academic performance, emotional intelligence, school bullying and resilience, finding that academic commitment is the most prevalent construct in research. In conclusion, it is advisable to include programs, strategies or projects in educational centers in order to increase the levels of academic engagement of students and develop socioemotional skills in the most favorable way possible.Algunas investigaciones dirigidas al contexto educativo mostraron que el fomento del compromiso académico y el desarrollo de habilidades socioemocionales benefician a los estudiantes, especialmente a los adolescentes. Sin embargo, hubo dificultades para encontrar estudios que aborden ambas construcciones simultáneamente, ya que la evidencia científica con respecto al tema es escasa. Debido a esta inconsistencia, el objetivo de la presente revisión fue identificar las variables asociadas con el compromiso académico y las habilidades socioemocionales que se estudian en la etapa de la adolescencia. Este estudio siguió una metodología de revisión sistemática basada en las recomendaciones establecidas por la Declaración PRISMA 2020. Para ello, se realizaron dos búsquedas diferentes en las bases de datos científicas de Scopus, Web of Science y PsyCINFO: la primera se centró en el compromiso académico y la segunda en las habilidades socioemocionales, ambas enfocadas en la población adolescente, incluyendo un total de 47 documentos en el estudio. Los resultados mostraron la existencia de numerosas variables, estableciendo las que se analizan en ambos constructos mediante un análisis cualitativo con Atlas.ti 22: rendimiento académico, inteligencia emocional, acoso escolar y resiliencia, encontrando que el compromiso académico es el constructo con mayor prevalencia en la investigación. Concluyendo, es recomendable incluir programas, estrategias o proyectos en los centros educativos con el fin de aumentar los niveles de compromiso académico de los estudiantes y desarrollar habilidades socioemocionales de la manera más favorable posible

La influencia del apoyo social percibido en el compromiso acadé-mico entre adolescentes: el papel mediador de la autoeficacia

Academic engagement is influenced by environmental and personal factors, such as perceivedsocial support and self-efficacy. Both fac-tors have become one of the most important elements in the academic context, due to their relationships with the school adjustment of adolescents. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of the perceived social support of friends and family on academic engagement, as well as to check whether self-efficacy plays a mediating role in the relationship between both variables. A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed. The sample consisted of 802secondary school students, with an average age of 13.65 years (SD = 1.24) (where 50.6% were women and 49.4% men). The results showed the existence of positive relationships between perceived social support and the dimensions of academic engagement. The mediation models showed the direct effect of perceived social support on academic engagement and the indirect effect of perceived so-cial support on academic engagement when self-efficacy mediates in this relationship. In conclusion, it is recommended to promote self-efficacy and a positive academic path, due to the involvement of the perceived social support of friends and family in the school path and engagement to stu-dies.El compromiso académico se ve influenciado por factores ambientales y personales, como el apoyo social percibido y la autoeficacia. Ambos factores se han convertido en unos de los elementos más importan-tes en el contexto académico, debido a sus relaciones con el ajuste escolar de los adolescentes. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la influencia del apoyo social percibido de los amigos y de la familia sobre el compromiso académico, así como comprobar si la autoeficacia juega un papel mediador en la relación entre ambas variables. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal. La muestra constaba de 802 estudiantes de secundaria, con una edad media de 13.65 años (SD = 1.24) (donde el 50.6% eran mujeres y el 49.4% hombres). Los resultados mostraron la existencia de relaciones positivas entre apoyo social percibido y las dimensiones del compromiso académico. Los modelos de mediación mostraron el efecto directo del apoyo social percibido en el compromiso académico y el efecto indirecto del apoyo social percibido en el compromiso académico cuando la autoeficacia media en esta relación. En conclusión, se recomienda promover la autoeficacia y una trayectoria académica positiva, debido a la implicación del apoyo social percibido de amigos y familiares en la trayectoria escolar y compromiso hacia los estudios