Miscelánea

Perfectionism, Academic Stress, Rumination and Worry: A Predictive Model for Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in University Students From Colombia

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Perfectionism, Academic Stress, Rumination and Worry: A Predictive Model for Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in University Students From Colombia García-Martín, María Belén; Cuervo Gil, Tabata; Obando, Diana; Sandoval-Reyes, Juan Perfectionism, academic stress, worry, and rumination are associated with increased levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms in university students. However, associations between these variables have been explored separately. Using PLS-SEM, the present study explored a multivariate model in which these variables interplay to predict affective symptoms. A sample of 403 students between ages 18 and 29 years from 55 Colombian institutions of higher education participated by completing Zung depression and anxiety scales, the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Inventory of Academic Stress, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, and the Ruminative Responses Scale. Results indicate a positive relationship between perfectionism and academic stress, and a mediation effect of worry and rumination in the relationship between academic stress and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Findings provide evidence of a novel model that precedes the design of target prevention and intervention programs pointing to reduce the risk of affective disorders and its associated negative consequences.

Predictors of changing patterns of adherence to containment measures during the early stage of COVID-19 pandemic: an international longitudinal study

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Predictors of changing patterns of adherence to containment measures during the early stage of COVID-19 pandemic: an international longitudinal study García-Martín, María Belén; Chong, Yuen Yu; Wai Tong, Chien; Cheng, Ho Yu; Lamnisos, Demetris; Ļubenko, Jeļena; Presti, Giovambattista; Squatrito, Valeria; Constantinou, Marios; Nicolaou, Christiana; Papacostas, Savvas; Aydin, Gökçen; Ruiz, Francisco J Background Identifying common factors that affect public adherence to COVID‑19 containment measures can directly inform the development of official public health communication strategies. The present international longitudinal study aimed to examine whether prosociality, together with other theoretically derived motivating factors (selfefficacy, perceived susceptibility and severity of COVID‑19, perceived social support) predict the change in adherence to COVID‑19 containment strategies. Method In wave 1 of data collection, adults from eight geographical regions completed online surveys beginning in April 2020, and wave 2 began in June and ended in September 2020. Hypothesized predictors included prosociality, self‑efficacy in following COVID‑19 containment measures, perceived susceptibility to COVID‑19, perceived severity of COVID‑19 and perceived social support. Baseline covariates included age, sex, history of COVID‑19 infection and geographical regions. Participants who reported adhering to specific containment measures, including physical distancing, avoidance of non‑essential travel and hand hygiene, were classified as adherence. The dependent variable was the category of adherence, which was constructed based on changes in adherence across the survey period and included four categories: non‑adherence, less adherence, greater adherence and sustained adherence (which was designated as the reference category). Results In total, 2189 adult participants (82% female, 57.2% aged 31–59 years) from East Asia (217 [9.7%]), West Asia (246 [11.2%]), North and South America (131 [6.0%]), Northern Europe (600 [27.4%]), Western Europe (322 [14.7%]), Southern Europe (433 [19.8%]), Eastern Europe (148 [6.8%]) and other regions (96 [4.4%]) were analyzed. Adjusted multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that prosociality, self‑efficacy, perceived susceptibility and severity of COVID‑19 were significant factors affecting adherence. Participants with greater self‑efficacy at wave 1 were less likely to become non‑adherence at wave 2 by 26% (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.74; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.77; P < .001), while those with greater prosociality at wave 1 were less likely to become less adherence at wave 2 by 23% (aOR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.79; P = .04). Conclusions This study provides evidence that in addition to emphasizing the potential severity of COVID‑19 and the potential susceptibility to contact with the virus, fostering self‑efficacy in following containment strategies and prosociality appears to be a viable public health education or communication strategy to combat COVID‑19.

Relationships among behavioural and emotional symptoms, ADHD diagnosis, attentional complaints, and sex in young adults

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Relationships among behavioural and emotional symptoms, ADHD diagnosis, attentional complaints, and sex in young adults García-Martín, María Belén; Quiroz Padilla, María Fernanda; Garzón Rodríguez, Nicolás; Sarmiento Cabrera, Gabriela Lucía; Carvajal Rodríguez, Dalia; Nicolini, Humberto Introduction: Research has shown the importance of differentiating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) from subjective complaints of attention difficulties. In both cases, there is a clinical manifestation that differentially affects women and men. This study assessed the potential relationships among Behavioural and Emotional Symptoms, ADHD Diagnosis, Attentional Complaints, and Sex in Young Adults between 18 and 25 years of age. Method: Using a cross-sectional design, we examined the relationships across three groups (diagnosed with ADHD, attentional complaints, and controls) in a sample of 232 participants (Meanage = 20.38 years, SDage = 1.81 years; 52% women). We employed the Adult ADHD Self Report Scale and the Toulouse Pieron Test to classify participants among groups; for measures of behavioural/emotional symptoms using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 – Restructured Form (MMPI2-RF), through High-Order and Somatic/Cognitive Scales. Results: Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) revealed a significant relationship between group membership and the MMPI-2-RF variables after controlling for sex (p < 0.01). Post hoc tests indicated group differences across all variables except for Head Pain Complaints. Additionally, comparisons between men and women revealed significant differences in Behavioural and Emotional Dysfunction, and Gastro-Intestinal Complaints. Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of making a diagnosis that is not only based on a list of symptoms and signs but also takes into account differences in sex, emotional/behavioural alterations, and associated connections to increased rumination in young adults, which may influence self-assessment bias and contribute to overestimation or underestimation of ADHD symptomatology.

Personality styles and behavioral repertoires in girls with high abilities

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Personality styles and behavioral repertoires in girls with high abilities García-Martín, María Belén; Calero García, María Dolores; Gómez-Pérez, M. Mar Several explanations have been given for underrepresentation of women w-ithin gifted population, including differences in personality traits, competencies and/ or motivations, beliefs and gender stereotypes expecta-tions, and gender-differentiated beha\"Íors; which highlights the importance of including these factors in observation, e,·aluation and screening proto-cols for children and adolescents. Therefore, this study aims to define if there are significant differences in gender-related personality styles and be-havior patterns in highly talented adolescents. Participants were 159 ado-lescents between 11-16 years of age, divided into two groups. (1) High abíl-ities group: a group of 85 adolescents (40 boys, 45 gitls); (2) Typical group: a group of 74 adolescents (49 boys, 25 girls). Ali participants were assessed usíng personality, resilience, perfectionism, rule-follmv-ing, perseverative thinking and experiential avoidance tests. Results reYealed that gifted girls had higher seores than boys in sorne personality styles and beha,-ior pat-tems considered as "negative". Specifically, girls scored significantly higher in anxiety, dominance, aggressi,·eness, among others and lower than boys on emotional stability, self-concept, self-confidence and cogniti,·e control Finally, implications for assessing and supporting gifted population are dis-cussed.