Diseño, estudio de precisión y evidencias de la validez de una nueva batería neuropsicológica para la prevención de recaídas de pacientes con trastorno por consumo de sustancias

La tesis doctoral que se presenta a continuación ha tenido como objetivo el diseño, así como el estudio de precisión y evidencias de validez de las puntuaciones de una nueva batería de pruebas neuropsicológicas para la prevención de recaídas en pacientes con trastorno por consumo de sustancias. En su totalidad, esta investigación consta de siete capítulos distribuidos en tres bloques. A lo largo del primer bloque, se presenta el marco teórico que ha servido como base para el objetivo principal del estudio. Este bloque contiene el capítulo 1 donde se aborda a través de datos epidemiológicos, el consumo de sustancias durante la última década y las elevadas tasas de recaída asociadas a esta problemática. Realizando un recorrido sobre los principales modelos teóricos en relación al proceso adictivo y resumiendo las evidencias empíricas aportadas por la literatura, se ha focalizado la atención sobre una serie de circuitos cerebrales implicados en la recaída y sobre sus correspondientes correlatos neuropsicológicos. El segundo bloque, formado por el capítulo 2, se inicia especificando el objetivo general del estudio, así como los objetivos específicos. Estos se sintetizan en los siguientes: (i) identificar las funciones ejecutivas que han mostrado tener más relación con la recaída y la adherencia terapéutica; (ii) diseñar una tarea para evaluar el sesgo atencional hacia estímulos de consumo y aportar evidencias de validez en relación con los resultados del tratamiento; (iii) diseñar una tarea para evaluar la toma de decisiones y aportar evidencias de fiabilidad y validez en relación con los resultados del tratamiento y (iv) diseñar una tarea para evaluar la preferencia motivacional hacia estímulos relacionados con el consumo y aportar evidencias de fiabilidad y validez en relación con los resultados del tratamiento. Este capítulo se complementa con la descripción propia del proceso de elaboración del test que subyace al desarrollo de cada una de las tareas integradas en la batería neuropsicológica, así como las características metodológicas de la investigación que ha terminado por contrastar las propiedades psicométricas de las tareas diseñadas. El tercer bloque se corresponde con los resultados de investigación. En este bloque se presentan un total de cuatro capítulos donde se recogen los estudios llevados a cabo (una revisión sistemática y tres estudios empíricos). El primero de ellos se detalla en el capítulo 3 y se corresponde con un estudio de revisión sistemática donde se sintetizan las investigaciones llevadas a cabo desde al año 2000 a 2015, en las que se ha evaluado el funcionamiento ejecutivo a través de tareas neuropsicológicas con el objetivo de predecir la recaída y la adherencia al tratamiento en pacientes dependientes de sustancias. Los resultados de este estudio pusieron de manifiesto la elevada variabilidad en el conjunto de evidencias encontradas en función del dominio evaluado, la tarea utilizada y la sustancia de consumo. Del mismo modo, se pudo observar la inexistencia de instrumentos de evaluación de función ejecutiva diseñados específicamente para este tipo de población. Respecto a los resultados del tratamiento, este estudio manifestó que los componentes que mostraron tener una mayor relación con la adherencia y la recaída fueron el componente de cognición general, evaluado a través de la batería MicroCog, y la toma de decisiones, evaluada frecuentemente a través de la Iowa Gambling Task. En su conjunto, los resultados de este estudio sirvieron de apoyo para justificar la necesidad de desarrollar instrumentos de medición específicamente diseñados para pacientes consumidores de sustancias, lo que constituyó el objetivo principal de esta investigación. En el capítulo 4 se presenta un estudio empírico llevado a cabo con una nueva tarea, denominada Drug Visual Probe, diseñada para evaluar el sesgo atencional hacia estímulos de consumo bajo el paradigma Visual Probe, en pacientes dependientes de cocaína y consumidores de alcohol. Este estudio se corresponde con el segundo objetivo específico marcado. Los resultados obtenidos manifestaron que el sesgo atencional hacia estímulos relacionados con el alcohol tuvo capacidad predictiva sobre la adherencia al tratamiento en pacientes dependientes de cocaína. El análisis de los patrones de sesgo atencional mostró un patrón de evitación hacia estos estímulos en los pacientes que abandonaron el tratamiento. Por el contrario, los pacientes que permanecieron en tratamiento mostraron un patrón de aproximación hacia el estímulo de consumo. En el capítulo 5 se presentan los resultados relacionados con el tercer objetivo específico, diseñar una tarea para evaluar la toma de decisiones en consumidores de sustancias y aportar evidencias de fiabilidad y validez en relación con los resultados del tratamiento. Este estudio se llevó a cabo con pacientes dependientes de cocaína y/o alcohol. Los resultados psicométricos de esta nueva tarea diseñada (Deciding About Your Health) mostraron, de manera general, coeficientes de fiabilidad estimados a través del procedimiento test-retest compatibles con su uso. En cuanto a las evidencias de validez en relación con los resultados terapéuticos, el estudio mostró que los pacientes con una ejecución en la tarea hacia la obtención de recompensas inmediatas y con una menor valoración hacia las consecuencias futuras, tuvieron una mayor probabilidad de recaída. Así, en pacientes en tratamiento ambulatorio, la ejecución en los bloques 2 y 3 de la tarea tuvo capacidad predictiva sobre la recaída a alcohol, y la ejecución en el bloque 1 predijo la recaída a cocaína en la modalidad de tratamiento residencial. En el capítulo 6 se presenta el último de los estudios empíricos llevado a cabo en esta investigación. Correspondiendo con el último objetivo específico marcado, se diseñó una tarea para evaluar la preferencia motivacional hacia estímulos relacionados con el consumo (Word Association Task for Drug Use Disorder). Los resultados de este estudio manifestaron buenas propiedades psicométricas en términos de fiabilidad a través del estudio de la consistencia interna y de la estabilidad test-retest para todos los indicadores de la tarea. En términos de validez basadas en la relación con otras variables, el estudio manifestó que los pacientes con mayor nivel de craving a cocaína y alcohol, mayor severidad de la dependencia a alcohol y mayor cantidad de síntomas de abstinencia, presentaron una mayor elección de palabras relacionadas con la droga ante imágenes ambiguas. Por último, en términos de evidencias de validez en relación con los resultados terapéuticos, los resultados del estudio indicaron que el grupo de pacientes que recayó manifestó un patrón evitativo hacia estímulos explícitos de consumo (mayor número de palabras no relacionadas con la droga elegidas junto con tiempos de respuestas más cortos). En el tercer y último bloque de esta tesis se presenta la discusión de los resultados encontrados. Este bloque se corresponde con el capítulo 7, donde además se desarrollan las implicaciones a nivel teórico y clínico de los resultados encontrados en esta investigación. Por último y dentro del mismo capítulo, se presentan las conclusiones.The doctoral thesis presented below has been aimed at the design, as well as the study of accuracy and evidence of validity of the scores of a new battery of neuropsychological tests for the prevention of relapse in patients with substance use disorder. In its totality, this investigation consists of seven chapters distributed in three blocks. Throughout the first block, the theoretical framework that has served as the basis for the main objective of the study is presented. This block contains chapter 1, which deals with epidemiological data, the consumption of substances during the last decade and the high relapse rates associated with this problem. Through the main theoretical models in relation to the addictive process and summarizing the empirical evidence provided by the literature, attention has been focused on several cerebral circuits involved in the relapse and on their corresponding neuropsychological correlates. The second block, formed by chapter 2, begins by specifying the general objective of the study, as well as the specific objectives. These are synthesized in the following: (i) identify the executive functions that have been shown to be more related to relapse and therapeutic adherence; (ii) design a task to evaluate the attentional bias towards consumption stimuli and provide evidence of validity in relation to the results of the treatment; (iii) design a task to evaluate the decision making and provide evidence of reliability and validity in relation to the results of the treatment and (iv) design a task to evaluate the motivational preference towards stimuli related to consumption and provide evidence of reliability and validity in relation to the results of the treatment. This chapter is complemented with the description of the process of elaboration of the test that underlies the development of each one of the tasks integrated in the neuropsychological battery, as well as the methodological characteristics of the research that has ended by contrasting the psychometric properties of the designed tasks. The third block corresponds to the research results. In this block a total of four chapters are presented where the studies carried out are collected (a systematic review and three empirical studies). The first of them is detailed in chapter 3 and corresponds to a systematic review study that synthesizes the research carried out since 2000 to 2015, in which the executive functioning has been evaluated through neuropsychological tasks with the objective of predicting relapse and adherence to treatment in substance-dependent patients. The results of this study showed the high variability in the set of evidence found in terms of the domain evaluated, the task used and the substance used. In the same way, it could be observed the inexistence of executive function evaluation instruments designed specifically for this population. Regarding the results of the treatment, this study showed that the components that showed a greater relationship with adherence and relapse were the component of general cognition, evaluated through the MicroCog battery, and decision making, frequently evaluated through of the Iowa Gambling Task. As a whole, the results of this study served as support to justify the need to develop measurement instruments specifically designed for patients consuming substances, which was the main objective of this research. Chapter 4 presents an empirical study carried out with a new task, called Drug Visual Probe, designed to evaluate the attentional bias towards consumption stimuli under the Visual Probe paradigm, in cocaine-dependent patients and alcohol users. This study corresponds to the second specific objective. The results obtained showed that the attentional bias towards stimuli related to alcohol had a predictive capacity on adherence to treatment in cocaine-dependent patients. The analysis of the patterns of attentional bias showed a pattern of avoidance towards these stimuli in patients who left the treatment. However, the patients who remained in treatment showed a pattern of approach towards consumption stimulus. Chapter 5 presents the results related to the third specific objective, designing a task to evaluate the decision making in consumers of substances and provide evidence of reliability and validity in relation to the results of the treatment. This study was carried out with patients dependent on cocaine and / or alcohol. The psychometric results of this new designed task (Deciding About Your Health) showed, in a general way, reliability coefficients estimated through the test-retest procedure compatible with its use. Regarding the evidence of validity in relation to the therapeutic results, the study showed that patients with an execution in the task towards obtaining immediate rewards and with a lower valuation towards future consequences, had a higher probability of relapse. Thus, in outpatient treatment, the performance in blocks 2 and 3 of the task had predictive capacity on relapse to alcohol, and performance in block 1 predicted relapse to cocaine in the residential treatment modality. Chapter 6 presents the last of the empirical studies carried out in this investigation. Corresponding to the last specific objective, a task was designed to evaluate the motivational preference towards stimuli related to consumption (Word Association Task for Drug Use Disorder). The results of this study showed good psychometric properties in terms of reliability through the study of internal consistency and test-retest stability for all the indicators of the task. In terms of validity based on the relationship with other variables, the study showed that patients with a higher level of craving to cocaine and alcohol, greater severity of alcohol dependence and greater amounts of withdrawal symptoms, presented a greater choice of drug-related words in response to ambiguous images. Finally, in terms of evidence of validity in relation to the therapeutic results, the results of the study indicated that the group of patients who relapsed manifested an avoidant pattern towards explicit consumption stimuli (greater number of words not related to the drug chosen together with shorter response times). The third and last block of this thesis contain the discussion of the results found. This block corresponds to Chapter 7, where the theoretical and clinical implications of the results found in this research are also developed. Finally, within the same chapter, conclusions of the research are presented

Guía para la elaboración de trabajos fin de grado y trabajos fin de máster en psicología y ciencias afines : Volumen 2

Este libro sigue el camino iniciado por la Guía para la elaboración de Trabajos Fin de Grado y Trabajos Fin de Máster en Psicología y Ciencias afines (Volumen I), publicada en el año 2022 por la editorial Dykinson. El objetivo de ambas guías es ofrecer orientaciones y pautas que ayuden al alumnado universitario en la realización de su Trabajo Fin de Grado (TFG) o Trabajo Fin de Máster (TFM). En este segundo volumen se presentan once capítulos de interés en Psicología y en otras disciplinas afines como Medicina, Educación, Economía, Comunicación, Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte, Estudios Internacionales y Ciencias Políticas. Los cuatro capítulos iniciales abordan nociones imprescindibles para la realización de algunas tipologías de TFG o TFM, como los principios básicos de ética en investigación, la Agenda 2030 para el desarrollo sostenible, la escritura de textos académicos en inglés y el cálculo del tamaño muestral. En el resto de los capítulos se exponen algunas modalidades de TFG y TFM en las disciplicas mencionadas, comenzando con su conceptualización, competencias básicas requeridas, procedimiento a seguir y autoevaluación del alumnado, así como aportando bibliografía de consulta o recursos de soporte. Al igual que lo pretendido con la guía volumen I, nos gustaría que este trabajo sea de utilidad para estudiantes y docentes, cubriendo a su vez las necesidades que puedan demandar ambas figuras en el abordaje de estas asignaturas finales de grado y posgrado.CAPÍTULO 1. PRINCIPIOS BÁSICOS DE ÉTICA EN INVESTIGACIÓN (Mencía R. Gutiérrez-Colosía; Nerea Almeda; Federico Alonso-Trujillo; Noelia Muñoz-Fernández y Julia Morales) ; CAPÍTULO 2. CÓMO REALIZAR UN TFG/TFM SIGUIENDO LA SENDA DE LA AGENDA 2030 (Ana Hernández Román y Mª Luz Ortega Carpio) ; CAPÍTULO 3. LEARNING TO WRITE ACADEMIC TEXTS IN ENGLISH (Esther Menor Campos; Sergio Fernández-Artamendi y Pilar Gómez-Rey) ; CAPÍTULO 4. EL CÁLCULO DEL TAMAÑO DE LA MUESTRA (Noelia Muñoz-Fernández y María Luisa Rodríguez-deArriba) ; CAPÍTULO 5. ESTUDIO CUALITATIVO DESDE EL ANÁLISIS TEMÁTICO (Sofía Baena y Davinia M. Resurrección ) ; CAPÍTULO 6. ESTUDIO DE METAANÁLISIS (Irene Gómez-Gómez) ; CAPÍTULO 7. ESTUDIO PSICOMÉTRICO PARA LA VALIDACIÓN DE INSTRUMENTOS (Ana Isabel Arcos-Romero; Sara Domínguez-Salas y Carmen Rodríguez-Domínguez) ; CAPÍTULO 8. DISEÑO DE PROYECTO DE INNOVACIÓN EDUCATIVA (Isabel Cáceres Campos y Ana Rodríguez-Meirinhos) ; CAPÍTULO 9. CREACIÓN DE SITUACIONES DE APRENDIZAJE PARA UN TRABAJO DE FIN DE ESTUDIOS EN EDUCACIÓN FÍSICA (Pablo Galan-Lopez y Antonio J. Sanchez-Oliver) ; CAPÍTULO 10. ANÁLISIS BIBLIOMÉTRICO Alfonso Sánchez-Carrasco) ; CAPÍTULO 11. CÓMO PREPARAR UN INFORME POLÍTICO DE MANERA EFICAZ (Alfonso Sánchez-Carrasco y Beatriz Tomé Alonso

The influence of lifestyles to cope with stress over mental health in pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic afected daily life routines and lifestyles of pregnant and postpartum women and increased their stress and risk of sufering from mental health problems. The aim of this study was to analyse which sociodemographic variables, COVID-19 exposure variables and lifestyles to cope with stress variables predicted anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms in pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional design was performed with a sample of 3356 Spanish women participating in the Riseup-PPD-COVID-19 study. These participants completed an online survey composed of measures of anxiety (GAD-7), depression (EPDS), and PTSD related to COVID-19 (Checklist DSM-5), as well as demographics, exposure to COVID-19, and lifestyles to cope with stress. Regarding results, 47.2% showed depression and a third reported anxiety, whereas moderate scores were observed in PTSD symptoms. The most commonly used strategies to cope with stress in the COVID-19 pandemic were talking with friends and family and increasing time with social networks. Better results in mental health were associated with coping strategies such as talking with family and friends or participating in family activities, physical activity, sleeping well at night, eating healthier, and increasing personal care. Furthermore, poor results in mental health were observed in those participants who increased time with screens, ate fast food, reported substance use, and talked more frequently with health professionals. More symptoms were also observed in younger women, primiparous women, and those who reported more exposure to COVID-19. The results underline the need to strengthen the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women

Psychometric properties and factor structure of the brief Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives among Spanish smokers from the general population

Introduction: The brief version of the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (B-WISDM) is a well-established instrument to measure the multidimensional nature of nicotine dependence. However, no previous research has assessed its psychometric properties in the Spanish context. The aim of the present study was to analyze the factor structure and measurement invariance across gender of this instrument among Spanish smokers from the general population. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed 480 smokers through an online questionnaire including information on tobacco use and several nicotine dependence measures. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to assess the factorial structure of the Spanish B-WISDM, its internal consistency, measurement invariance across gender and convergent validity with the Fagerstr¨om Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and the Glover-Nilsson Smoking Behavioral Questionnaire (GN-SBQ) scores. Results: Results indicate that the eleven correlated factors solution had a better fit when compared to the other tested models (two correlated factors and two second-order factors with eleven first-order correlated factors solution), remaining such structure invariant across gender. Internal consistency of the scale was high (α =0.950; dimension α values ranged between 0.657 and 0.921). Overall scores and dimensions of the scale significantly and positively correlated with other nicotine dependence measures (except for Social/Environmental Goads and FTND). Conclusions: This is the first version of the B-WISDM validated to assess nicotine dependence with a multidimensional perspective within the Spanish culture. Results show adequate psychometric properties regarding its factor structure and measurement invariance across gender, supporting its utility to evaluate the motives driving tobacco use among Spanish smokers from the general population

Women, negative work-home interaction and stress: Impact of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on spanish general and healthcare workers

The COVID-19 pandemic has come to stay, at least for a while. The initial bewilderment and restrictive measures have given way to the population's mental decay and increased stress on workers facing work and family demands in a difficult-to-manage situation. For this reason, this descriptive cross-sectional study sought to analyze stress levels in a sample of 263 general and healthcare workers (from 24 to 67 years of age) and their relationship with negative work-home interaction (WHI) and with gender in the second wave of contagions and deaths caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain (October-December 2020). The results showed that having a higher level of WHI, the presence of work overload, health concerns, economic concerns, and lower-income were predictors of stress among these workers. Age and health-related occupations were contributing factors to work overload and health-related concerns. In addition, the relationship between being a woman and suffering from higher stress levels was mediated by income level, economic concern, and the WHI. Other variables such as having children or dependents, marital status, concern for the health of others, and teleworking were not associated with the stress levels detected in the sample. This research pays attention to the health state of workers beyond the initial stage of the pandemic, where most studies on this issue have concentrated. Thus, this study provides evidence of the uneven impact this crisis has on women and men, contributing to clarifying the relationship between gender, the WHI, and stress

La relación entre la experiencia de la atención sanitaria y la depresión perinatal durante la pandemia COVID-19

Background: The prevalence of peripartum depression (PPD) has increased substantially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. To reduce the probability of contagion, hospitals had to adapt their care protocols, including the care of women in the perinatal period. Method: A cross-sectional study was used in a total sample of 3,356 women, 1,402 in the prenatal period and 1,954 in the postnatal period. They completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to assess depressive symptoms and the Spanish version of the Coronavirus Perinatal Experiences to assess health experience. Results: The results showed that feeling very well supported by a health professional was associated with a lower risk of PPD. On the other hand, believing it very important to have access to a mental health professional and being concerned about changes in infant care due to COVID-19 were associated with a higher risk of PPD. Conclusion: The results showed the relationship between health experience and the risk of depressive symptoms, highlighting the importance of considering the psychological aspects in the development of measures and protocols for perinatal care.Antecedentes: La prevalencia de la depresión perinatal ha aumentado sustancialmente desde el inicio de la pandemia debido al coronavirus (COVID-19). Para reducir la probabilidad de contagio, los hospitales tuvieron que adaptar sus protocolos asistenciales, incluyendo la atención a las mujeres en el periodo perinatal. Método: Se utilizó un estudio transversal en una muestra total de 3,356 mujeres, 1,402 en el período prenatal y 1,954 en el período postnatal. Cumplimentaron la Escala de Depresión Postnatal de Edimburgo para evaluar los síntomas depresivos y la versión española de la Encuesta sobre Experiencias Perinatales durante el Coronavirus para evaluar la experiencia de la atención sanitaria. Resultados. Los resultados mostraron que sentirse muy bien apoyada por un profesional de la salud se asoció con un menor riesgo de desarrollar depresión perinatal. Por otro lado, creer que es muy importante tener acceso a un profesional de la salud mental y estar preocupada por los cambios en el cuidado del bebé debido al COVID-19 se asociaron con un mayor riesgo de depresión perinatal. Conclusión: Los resultados mostraron la relación entre la experiencia sanitaria y el riesgo de síntomas depresivos, destacando la importancia de considerar los aspectos psicológicos en el desarrollo de medidas y protocolos de atención perinatal

Development and criterion validity of the COVID-19 anxiety and fear assessment scale: a cross sectional study

Background: The emergence of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which causes COVID-19 disease, has been a major public health challenge and an increase in the feeling of uncertainty of the population, who is also experiencing an increase in levels of anx iety and fear regarding the COVID-19 disease. Objective: The objective of the study was the construct and criterion validation of the Escala de evaluación de la Ansiedad y MIedo a COVID-19 (AMICO, for its acronym in Spanish) to measure both constructs in the general Spanish population Methods: Descriptive study of psychometric validation. A field study was carried out to execute univariate and bivariate analyses, in addition to the exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis of the scale. For the criteria validity study, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and sensitivity and specificity values were calculated. Results: The study sample was composed of 1036 subjects over 18 years of age, who resided in Spain, where 56.3% were women with a mean age of 48.11 years (SD =15.13). The study of con struct validity reported two factors and 16 items, with a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.92. The scale was concurrently valid with the used gold standard and obtained sensitivity values of 90.48% and specificity values of 76%. Conclusions: The AMICO scale is valid and reliable for assessing the level of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 in the adult Spanish population and is highly sensitive

The Relationship between Healthcare Experience and Perinatal Depression during COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The prevalence of peripartum depression (PPD) has increased substantially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. To reduce the probability of contagion, hospitals had to adapt their care protocols, including the care of women in the perinatal period. Method: A cross-sectional study was used in a total sample of 3,356 women, 1,402 in the prenatal period and 1,954 in the postnatal period. They completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to assess depressive symptoms and the Spanish version of the Coronavirus Perinatal Experiences to assess health experience. Results: The results showed that feeling very well supported by a health professional was associated with a lower risk of PPD. On the other hand, believing it very important to have access to a mental health professional and being concerned about changes in infant care due to COVID-19 were associated with a higher risk of PPD. Conclusion: The results showed the relationship between health experience and the risk of depressive symptoms, highlighting the importance of considering the psychological aspects in the development of measures and protocols for perinatal care

Psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in the population of Argentina

In addition to the implications that this pandemic has had on physical health, there are other circumstances that threaten the mental health of the population, such as lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the virus, uncertainty, and the increase in infections and deaths. For this reason, this study explored indicators of psychological distress in the Argentine population, as well as its relationship with sociodemographic and health variables. Cross-sectional observational study, with data collection from May to August 2020. A total of 1112 people over the age of 18 who responded to various measurement instruments through an online questionnaire participated. A bivariate analysis and logistic regression were carried out in order to determine predictive factors of psychological distress. The data revealed that 60.9% of the sample presented psychological distress. A greater number with this condition was observed in women, apart from younger people, with a greater number of symptoms associated with the disease and with worse self-perceived health. There was no evidence of association between psychological distress and contact with people infected with coronavirus disease 2019 or with material suspicious of being infected. This research provided an overview of the mental health status of a significant population sample in Argentina, months after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. These findings complement those found in other national and international studies, allowing the accumulation of evidence that states the need to demand to draw attention to the mental health of the population, especially the most vulnerable groups, on behalf of the public authoritie

Effects of Dietary Phytoestrogens on Hormones throughout a Human Lifespan: A Review

Dietary phytoestrogens are bioactive compounds with estrogenic activity. With the growing popularity of plant-based diets, the intake of phytoestrogen-rich legumes (especially soy) and legume-derived foods has increased. Evidence from preclinical studies suggests these compounds may have an effect on hormones and health, although the results of human trials are unclear. The effects of dietary phytoestrogens depend on the exposure (phytoestrogen type, matrix, concentration, and bioavailability), ethnicity, hormone levels (related to age, sex, and physiological condition), and health status of the consumer. In this review, we have summarized the results of human studies on dietary phytoestrogens with the aim of assessing the possible hormone-dependent outcomes and health effects of their consumption throughout a lifespan, focusing on pregnancy, childhood, adulthood, and the premenopausal and postmenopausal stages. In pregnant women, an improvement of insulin metabolism has been reported in only one study. Sex hormone alterations have been found in the late stages of childhood, and goitrogenic effects in children with hypothyroidism. In premenopausal and postmenopausal women, the reported impacts on hormones are inconsistent, although beneficial goitrogenic effects and improved glycemic control and cardiovascular risk markers have been described in postmenopausal individuals. In adult men, different authors report goitrogenic effects and a reduction of insulin in non-alcoholic fatty liver patients. Further carefully designed studies are warranted to better elucidate the impact of phytoestrogen consumption on the endocrine system at different life stages