Facebook Intrusion as a Mediator Between Positive Capital and General Distress: A Cross-Cultural Study

Background: Social networking sites (SNSs) play an important role in many aspects of life nowadays, and it seems to be crucial to explore their impact on human well-being and functioning. The main aim of the study was to examine the mediating role of Facebook intrusion between positive capital and general distress. Positive capital was considered as comprising self-esteem, ego-resiliency, and self-control, while general distress was seen as having three dimensions: depression, anxiety, and stress. Methods: The sample consisted of N = 4,495 participants (M = 22.96 years, SD = 5.46) from 14 countries: Australia, Cyprus, Greece, Hong Kong, Lithuania, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and United States. We used the following methods: the Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire (FIQ), the Self-Esteem Scale (SES), the Brief Self-Control Scale (SCS), The Ego Resiliency Revised Scale and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Results: We found that Facebook intrusion was a mediator between self-esteem and general distress and between self-control and general distress. Limitations: The present study was based on a cross-sectional study, and the measures used were self-report measures. The majority of the participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Conclusions: The present findings contribute to a better understanding on how the social media have impact on individual mental health. Implications for future studies are discussed

Validación del "Cuestionario de ansiedad social para adultos" (CASO-A30) en universitarios españoles: similitudes y diferencias entre carreras universitarias y comunidades autónomas

Resumen: El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar las propiedades psicométricas del ?Cuestionario de ansiedad social para adultos? (CASO-A30) con universitarios y analizar las diferencias y similitudes en ansiedad social en esta muestra. Participaron 15504 estudiantes de 20 carreras universitarias de 17 comunidades autónomas españolas a los que se les aplicó el CASO-A30 y la ?Escala de ansiedad social de Liebowitz, versión de autoinforme? (LSAS-SR). Se obtuvieron cinco dimensiones a través de diversos análisis factoriales y de ecuaciones estructurales del CASO-A30: ?Hablar en público/Interacción con personas de autoridad?, ?Interacción con desconocidos?, ?Interacción con el sexo opuesto?, ?Expresión asertiva de molestia, desagrado o enfado? y ?Quedar en evidencia o en ridículo?. La consistencia interna fue de 0,91 y su validez concurrente (con la LSAS-SR) de 0,66. Se hallaron diferencias significativas entre hombres y mujeres, pero escasas diferencias entre las comunidades autónomas y las carreras. Estos resultados confirman la estructura pentafactorial y las buenas propiedades psicométricas del CASO-A30, que lo convierten en un instrumento adecuado para la evaluación de la ansiedad social en universitarios, tanto generalizada como específica, cuidando las diferencias de sexo.Abstract: This work presents the psychometric properties of the Social Anxiety Questionnaire for Adults (SAQ-A30) with university students and analyses the differences and similarities in social anxiety in the sample. The 15,504 participants, students of 20 degree subjects in 17 Spanish Autonomous Community regions, were applied the SAQ-A30 and the ?Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale-Self Report? (LSAS-SR). A five-factor structure was obtained through several factor analyses as well as an exploratory structural equation modeling of the SAQ-A30: ?Speaking in public/Talking with people in authority?, ?Interactions with strangers?, ?Interactions with the opposite sex?, ?Assertive expression of annoyance, disgust or displeasure?, and ?Criticism and embarrassment?. Internal consistency was 0.91 and concurrent validity (paired with LSAS-SR) was 0.66. Significant differences were found between males and females, but there was scarce difference between regions and subjects studied. These results confirm the five-factor structure and the good psychometric characteristics of the SAQ-A30, which make it a suitable instrument for assessing both general and specific social anxiety in universities, taking into account sex differences.Este estudio ha sido financiado parcialmente por la Fundación para el Avance de la Psicología Clínica Conductual (FUNVECA), el Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de España (BSO2003-07029/PSCE) y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)

Experimentation and Stages of Acquisition for Tobacco Consumption in Spanish Adolescents

Original article can be found at: http://www.bentham.org/open/toaddj/openaccess2.htm DOI: 10.2174/1874941000801010001Peer reviewe

Expectations of efficacy, social influence and age as predictors of helmet-use in a sample of Spanish adolescents

Original article can be found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/ Copyright ElsevierDespite the proven effectiveness of helmets in avoiding or reducing the severity of brain injuries and the law requiring their compulsory use, both by drivers and passengers of motorcycles, approximately 20% of Spanish adolescent motorcycle users do not wear them. This study analysed the pattern of motorcycle and helmet-use in a sample of Spanish adolescents (age range 14–17; n = 874) and the relationship this safety measure has with belief in its effectiveness and its use by friends and relatives. Overall more males than females ride motorcycles and this difference increased with age. Motorcycle drivers and passengers who always wear helmets consider them to be more effective than those who do not use a helmet all of the time. The best predictors of helmet-use among motorcycle drivers were their beliefs regarding the helmet-use of their friends and relatives. In the case of passengers, knowing that their friends always wear them and age were the best predictors of helmet-use. Programmes and campaigns promoting helmet-use must take into account the modelling effect of close referents or other role models in order to increase their effectiveness.Peer reviewe

The pedestrian behaviour of Spanish Adolscents

Original article can be found at : http://www.sciencedirect.com/ Copyright The Association for Professionals in Services for AdolescentsAdolescent pedestrians are a particularly vulnerable group of road users. This research tested the applicability of the recently developed Adolescent Road user Behaviour Questionnaire (ARBQ) amongst a sample of 2006 Spanish adolescents. Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the full scale found that the original three factors did not adequately fit the data, but an acceptable fit was obtained for the shortened 21-item version of the scale. In line with research from the UK, the present study found that males reported more unsafe road crossing behaviour and playing on the roads, but there was no gender difference for engaging in planned protective behaviour. This research also confirmed that unsafe road crossing behaviour increased with age, while dangerous playing on the road and planned protective behaviours both decreased with age. The present study also confirmed that the ARBQ is a useful tool for investigating the safety-related behaviour of adolescents on the road.Peer reviewe

Spanish drivers and their aberrant driving behaviours

Original article can be found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/ Copyright Elsevier [Full text of this article is not available in the UHRA]One of the most commonly used frameworks for investigating the relationship between self-reported driving behaviour and crash involvement is the Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). However, in spite of the fact that Spain has a relatively large road safety problem (annually more than 5000 people die and over 150,000 are injured in traffic accidents), only one study could be found using the DBQ to measure aberrant driving behaviour in this country. in addition that research solely reported the frequencies of the different driving behaviours they measured. The current research attempted to fill this gap by administering a translated Spanish version of the DBQ to a sample of drivers in Spain. Although factor analysis produced a four factor solution, there were a number of departures from the expected factor structure. The most unusual finding was that the first factor contained a mixture of lapses and errors. This may indicate that either some of the meaning was lost in the translation into Spanish, or that the distinction between these two factors may not apply to Spanish drivers. The second factor was a strong violations factor and was constructed of violations and aggressive violations to do with getting somewhere in a hurry. The third factor once again confirmed that interpersonal violations are a separate entity from the other aggressive violations, meaning that this research did not support the "aggressive violations" factor. The fourth factor had very low internal reliability and contained only three lapses. However, in agreement with previous research, it was the violations factor which was predictive of crash involvement after the contributions of the demographic and descriptive variables had been partialled out.Peer reviewe