Overcoming Gender Violence at Home in Young People: A Qualitative Study

El objetivo de este estudio ha sido analizar el impacto en jóvenes de una experiencia de violencia de género en el hogar. En concreto se trata de conocer su estado actual y las necesidades y apoyos que tuvieron, contados desde su propia experiencia. Se realizó un estudio cualitativo con 9 jóvenes (4 mujeres y 5 hombres) mayores de edad y que hacía más de 3 años que habían vivido una experiencia de violencia de género de su padre a su madre. Los resultados muestran que los apoyos sociales, tanto informales (familiares o amistades), como formales (apoyo psicológico), fueron fundamentales en su recuperación. Por otro lado, el rechazo social y la ausencia del padre es lo que afectó más negativamente a su bienestar. Estos datos pueden ayudar a la hora de evaluar o de diseñar programas de intervención en esta población.The objective of this study has been to analyze the impact on young people of an experience of gender violence in the home. Specifically, participants were inquired about their current state and the needs and support they had, told from their own experience. A qualitative study was carried out with 9 young people (4 women and 5 men) who were over 18 years old and who had experienced gender violence from their father to their mother more than three years ago. The results showed that social support, both informal (family or friends) and formal (psychological support), were essential in their recovery. On the other hand, social rejection and the absence of the father is what most negatively affected their well-being. These results can help in assessing or designing future intervention programs

Intervention Program to Improve Grief-Related Symptoms in Caregivers of Patients Diagnosed With Dementia

The objectives of the present study were to adapt a grief intervention program to family caregivers of patients with dementia, and assess its effectiveness in improving the symptoms of grief and other health-related variables. The intervention was based on Shear and Bloom’s grief intervention program, with the necessary adaptations for use in the grieving process for a family member’s illness. A total of 52 family caregivers of individuals with dementia participated. They were evaluated using a battery of self-report measures assessing grief, overload, resilience, post-traumatic growth, experiential avoidance, health-related quality of life, and benefits of care. The results suggest that the program is effective in improving grief symptoms, caregiver burden, resilience, post-traumatic growth, and quality of life of family caregivers. It is necessary to create and implement interventions targeting caregivers’ feelings andmanifestations of ambiguous grief, because there is a lack of programs providing an efficient solution for the mental and physical health of caregivers, and because of the human and socioeconomic cost involved in neglecting this group

Validity of the Computerized Battery for Neuropsychological Evaluation of Children (BENCI) in Spanish Children: Preliminary Results

Study of the neurodevelopment of children is vital to promote good quality of life during childhood. Few batteries showing adequate reliability and validity indices are available to evaluate the different neuropsychological domains. The objective of this study was to obtain initial evidence on the validity of the Computerized Battery for Neuropsychological Evaluation of Children (BENCI) in a Spanish population. To assess the validity of the BENCI battery and other measures of task switching, abstract reasoning, linguistic abilities, processing speed, and attention were used. The sample was composed of a total of 73 children aged 9, 10, and 11 years. Significant differences among age groups were observed in the domains of sustained attention, memory, and executive function. In addition, the BENCI subtests showed statistically significant correlations with the other neuropsychological tools. Further research is warranted on the relationship of the BENCI with other tests in wider age groups and to assess the factorial structure of the scale and the reliability values of the subtests. In conclusion, this study seems to indicate that the Spanish version of the BENCI has promising validity to be used for evaluating the main neuropsychological domains in children.Conselleria d'Educacio, Investigacio, Cultura i Esport de la Generalitat Valenciana (Proyectos I+D+i desarrollados por grupos de investigacion emergentes) GV/2017/166Agencia Andaluza de Cooperacion Internacional al Desarrollo de la Junta de Andalucia (Proyectos de Investigacion para la Cooperacion Internacional al Desarrollo AACID-Universidades) 2020U100

Influence of Socio-Economic Status on Psychopathology in Ecuadorian Children

The socioeconomic status (SES) of parents has been reported to have a crucial impact on emotional competence in childhood. However, studies have largely been carried out in developed countries and in children in a specific age range, and it is not clear whether the effect of the SES of parents varies by age. The objective of this study was to investigate the psychopathological profile (including externalizing and internalizing problems) of children aged 7, 9, and 11 years old with low SES in a developing country (Ecuador). The study included 274 children (139 boys and 135 girls), who were divided between medium-SES (n = 133) and low-SES (n = 141) groups. Data were gathered on socioeconomic and anthropometric variables of the children, and the parents completed the Child Behavior Check-List (CBCL). In comparison to the medium-SES group, children in the low-SES group obtained higher scores for internalizing and externalizing symptoms and for total problems, and they obtained lower scores for social competence skills. The housing risk index and school competence were the two main predictors of internalizing and externalizing problems in this population.This study was supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) [A3/042954/11] (PI: FC-Q) and Conselleria d'Educació, Investigació, Cultura I Esport de la Generalitat Valenciana (R+D+i projects developed by emerging research groups) [GV/2017/166] (PI: MF-A)

Overcoming Gender Violence at Home in Young People: A Qualitative Study

El objetivo de este estudio ha sido analizar el impacto en jóvenes de una experiencia de violencia de género en el hogar. En concreto se trata de conocer su estado actual y las necesidades y apoyos que tuvieron, contados desde su propia experiencia. Se realizó un estudio cualitativo con 9 jóvenes (4 mujeres y 5 hombres) mayores de edad y que hacía más de 3 años que habían vivido una experiencia de violencia de género de su padre a su madre. Los resultados muestran que los apoyos sociales, tanto informales (familiares o amistades), como formales (apoyo psicológico), fueron fundamentales en su recuperación. Por otro lado, el rechazo social y la ausencia del padre es lo que afectó más negativamente a su bienestar. Estos datos pueden ayudar a la hora de evaluar o de diseñar programas de intervención en esta población.The objective of this study has been to analyze the impact on young people of an experience of gender violence in the home. Specifically, participants were inquired about their current state and the needs and support they had, told from their own experience. A qualitative study was carried out with 9 young people (4 women and 5 men) who were over 18 years old and who had experienced gender violence from their father to their mother more than three years ago. The results showed that social support, both informal (family or friends) and formal (psychological support), were essential in their recovery. On the other hand, social rejection and the absence of the father is what most negatively affected their well-being. These results can help in assessing or designing future intervention programs

Differences in Neuropsychological Performance between Refugee and Non-Refugee Children in Palestine

Neuropsychological studies on refugee children are scarce, but there are even less in the case of Palestinian children. This work aims to study the neuropsychological performance of Palestinian refugee children in Palestine compared to other Palestinian children living outside refugee camps. A comprehensive Neuropsychological battery was administrated to 584 Palestinian school children (464 refugees and 120 non-refugees) aged 6, 7, and 8 years old. Results showed that non-refugee children outperformed refugee children in sustained attention, verbal comprehension, verbal memory, and visual memory. This study is the first to have performed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, based on a standardized and validated battery with the Palestinian refugee children. It supports professionals in their evaluation of neurodevelopment and neuropsychological alterations in refugee and non-refugee children in Palestine.Center for Development Cooperation Initiatives (Centro de Iniciativas de Cooperación al Desarrollo—CICODE), Granada University, Spain (Reference No. C14P11_9359

Psychological intervention for grief in caregivers of adults diagnosed with intellectual disabilities

The objective of this pilot study was to adapt and provide preliminary data of the efficacy of an intervention aimed at family caregivers of adults with intellectual disability to provide them with different coping resources to better cope with their role as caregivers, as well as to reduce the psychological overload and pain associated with the diagnosis. A total of 24 caregivers participated, of which 14 were assigned to an intervention group (IG) and 10 to a control group (CG) through simple randomization. Variables of overload, mental health and feelings of grief produced by the diagnosis were measured. Linear models for repeated measures were used to evaluate the effect of the program. After the intervention, significant differences (p< .5) were found in the dimensions of emotional pain, relational loss and acceptance of loss, and feelings of grief brought on by the diagnosis. In conclusion, it is necessary that this type of program be given early to these caregivers in order to avoid the pathological and chronic grief into which they frequently end up.El objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar y aportar datos preliminares de la eficacia de una intervención psicológica para cuidadores familiares de adultos con discapacidad intelectual, con el fin de proporcionarles recursos de afrontamiento para sobrellevar su rol de cuidador y reducir la sobrecarga psicológica y el dolor que conlleva el diagnóstico. Participaron 24 cuidadores, de los cuales 14 fueron asignados a un grupo intervención (GI) y 10 a un grupo control (GC) mediante una aleatorización simple. Se midieron variables de sobrecarga, salud mental y sentimientos de duelo derivados del diagnóstico. Se utilizaron modelos lineales de medidas repetidas para evaluar el efecto del programa. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p< 0,05) en las variables de dolor emocional, aceptación de la pérdida y en la experiencia actual del duelo, mostrando el GI una mejora tras la intervención. Como conclusión, es necesario que este tipo de programas se impartan de forma temprana en estos cuidadores con el fin de evitar el duelo patológico y crónico en el que terminan desembocando frecuentemente.This work has received a grant from the University Teaching Research Networks Program of the Institute of Educational Sciences of the University of Alicante (2021-22 call). Ref: 5537

Feeling of grief and loss in parental caregivers of adults diagnosed with intellectual disability

Background: The diagnosis of intellectual disability in children can produce complex grief‐related feelings in their parents. Previous studies have focused on the moment of the diagnosis or the early life of the children, and little research has been conducted on their feelings of grief in adulthood. The objective was to analyse the process of grief/loss in parents of adult offspring with intellectual disability. Method: The intentional sampling included sixteen parents who responded to semi‐structured interviews. A qualitative study was conducted based on grounded theory. Results: Five categories were identified: “Reception of the diagnosis”, “Emotional bonds with the child”, “Experience of loss and feelings in response to intellectual disability diagnosis”, “Recurrent grief” and “Coping strategies”. Conclusions: Recurring feelings of loss experienced by parents in relation to their child's diagnosis persist over time. Specialized emotional interventions are needed to help parents to reduce the intensity of their feelings of grief

Increased Amygdala Activations during the Emotional Experience of Death-Related Pictures in Complicated Grief: An fMRI Study

Complicated grief (CG) is associated with alterations in various components of emotional processing. The main aim of this study was to identify brain activations in individuals diagnosed with CG while they were observing positive, negative, and death-related pictures. The participants included 19 individuals with CG and 19 healthy non-bereaved (NB) individuals. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans were obtained during an emotional experience task. The perception of death-related pictures differed between the CG group and the NB group, with a greater activation in the former of the amygdala, putamen, hypothalamus, middle frontal gyrus, and anterior cingulate cortex. Amygdala and putamen activations were significantly correlated with Texas Revised Inventory of Grief scores in the CG group, suggesting that the higher level of grief in this group was associated with a greater activation in both brain areas while watching death-related pictures. A significant interaction between image type and group was observed in the amygdala, midbrain, periaqueductal gray, cerebellum, and hippocampus, largely driven by the greater activation of these areas in the CG group when watching death-related pictures and the lower activation when watching positive-valence pictures. In this study, individuals with CG showed significantly distinct brain activations in response to different emotional images.This research was supported by CEI-BioTic (University of Granada), Grant number: CEI2014-MPBS34. and by the Program of Networks-I3CE of Investigation in University Teaching (Program Networks) from the Vice-Rectorate of Quality and Educational Innovation and Education Sciences Institute of the University of Alicante (2018–2019). Ref: 4561. J.V.R and was funded by a Grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (FJCI-2017-33396)

Grief Experiences in Family Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

The main objective of this study was to analyse the experience of grief and feelings of loss in family caregivers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as the perceived overload from taking on the primary caregiver role. Twenty family caregivers of children with ASD participated. The family members were assessed using an ad-hoc semi-structured interview that addressed the families' reactions to the diagnosis, implications for daily functioning, and concerns for the immediate and long-term future of their relatives with ASD. The results indicate that family caregivers of children with ASD endure intense and continuous sorrow and grief due to the impact that having and caring for a child with these characteristics has on all aspects of their lives. These data highlight the importance of creating support and intervention programmes and services focused on the feelings and manifestations of ambiguous grief that occur in these family members, in order to improve their well-being and quality of life and reduce caregiver role overload