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Funding This work was supported by grants UGP-18-255, UGP-19-253, and UGP-20-038 from ISABIAL and PI17/00328 from the Carlos III Health Research Institute (ISCIII) belonging to the Spanish Ministry of Health, and by FEDER (A way of making Europe) project funds., Introduction: Congruence, understood as the agreement between the patient’s preferred place of death and their actual place of death, is emerging as one of the main variables indicating the quality of end-of-life care. The aim of this research was to conduct a systematic literature review on levels and determinants of congruence in palliative patients over the period 2010–2021. Method: A systematic review of the literature in the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cuiden, the Cochrane Library, CSIC Indexes, and IBECS. Information was extracted on research characteristics, congruence, and associated factors. Results: A total of 30 studies were identified, mainly of retrospective observational design. The congruence values varied substantially between the various studies, ranging from 21 to 100%. The main predictors of congruence include illness-related factors (functional status, treatments and diagnosis), individual factors (age, gender, marital status, and end of life preferences), and environmental factors (place of residence, availability of health, and palliative care services). Conclusion: This review, in comparison with previous studies, shows that treatment-related factors such as physical pain control, marital status, having a non-working relative, age, discussing preferred place of death with a healthcare professional, and caregiver’s preference have been associated with higher levels of congruence. Depending on the study, other factors have been associated with either higher or lower congruence, such as the patient’s diagnosis, gender, or place of residence. This information is useful for designing interventions aimed towards greater congruence at the end of life., Carlos III Health Research Institute (ISCIII) UGP-18-255 UGP-19-253 UGP-20-038 PI17/00328, FEDER (A way of making Europe)

Nicolás Ruiz-Robledillo,1 Violeta Clement-Carbonell,1 Rosario Ferrer-Cascales,1 Irene Portilla-Tamarit,1 Cristian Alcocer-Bruno,1 Eva Gabaldón-Bravo2 1Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Health Science, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain; 2Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, University of Alicante, Alicante, SpainCorrespondence: Violeta Clement-CarbonellDepartment of Health Psychology, Faculty of Health Science, University of Alicante, Ctra. San Vicente, s/n. San Vicente Del Raspeig, Alicante, 03690, SpainTel +34 96 590 39 90Fax +34 96 590 98 35Email violeta.clement@ua.esIntroduction: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) stills remains a serious public health problem. HIV acquisition has several negative health consequences, such as a cognitive deterioration or health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impairment. Although these negative consequences could be directly related to a significant increase in self-stigma in this population, few previous studies have analysed the possible associations between these variables. This is especially the case in specific groups of people living with HIV, such as men who have sex with men who could be at a greater risk of stigmatisation. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between cognitive functioning, HRQoL and self-stigma in a group of men with HIV who have sex with men.Methods: The present study was conducted in the Infectious Diseases Unit of the General University Hospital of Alicante (Spain). The final sample was composed of 70 participants who passed the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All were men with HIV who had sex with men and the sample’s mean age was 45 years. Each participant completed questionnaires on HRQoL and HIV self-stigma. Moreover, they completed an online cognitive assessment through the previously validated platform for cognitive evaluation CogniFit, Inc.Results: The obtained results showed a significant association between memory functioning impairment, lower levels of HRQoL and higher HIV self-stigma scores. Hence, HRQoL, in the mental summary domain, was shown to be a significant mediator in the relationship between low memory performance and higher HIV self-stigma.Discussion: Neurocognitive impairment could decrease HRQoL in men with HIV who have sex with men, and hence, reinforce the idea widespread in society that having HIV holds serious consequences. This fact, together with the reduced cognitive abilities to fight against their own self-stigma could represent plausible explanations of the obtained results. In this sense, intervention strategies, oriented towards reducing cognitive impairment, such as those based on cognitive training, and other psychological interventions to promote HRQoL could be effective approaches to prevent the negative effects of HIV self-stigma in this population.Keywords: HIV, men who have sex with men, memory, health-related quality of life

Chemsex, a new risky sexual behavior involving participation in sexual relations under the influence of drugs, has shown a significantly increased prevalence in recent years. This fact entails a serious public health issue, especially when Chemsex is practiced by individuals with an HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) diagnosis. Hence, analyzing the characteristics of Chemsex practices, associated sexual practices and the health outcomes of individuals who participate in Chemsex, is extremely important. The main aim of the present study is to analyze the prevalence and characteristics of the practice of Chemsex in a sample of 101 men with HIV who have sex with men who attended the Department of Infectious Diseases of the General University Hospital of Alicante (Spain). Furthermore, the association between Chemsex and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) was also assessed. Chemsex and sexual practices were evaluated by employing a questionnaire applied on an ad hoc basis. HRQoL was assessed by employing the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV). In total, 40.6% of the participants had practiced Chemsex during the last year. When sexual practices were compared between those individuals who practiced Chemsex and those who did not, the former presented a higher level of risky sexual behaviors, especially with occasional and multiple sexual partners. Regarding HRQoL, those individuals who practiced Chemsex exhibited a poorer HRQoL in the majority of domains, especially those participants who practiced it with a higher intensity. The present study points out the high prevalence of Chemsex practice between men with HIV who have sex with men in Spain. Moreover, this study highlights the negative effects of Chemsex on HRQoL, probably due to the mixed effects of higher levels of risky sexual practices and the consequences of drug consumption. This research was funded by the Office of the Vice President of Research and Knowledge Transfer of the University of Alicante, Grant Number: GRE-18-17B.

Currently, AIDS or severe immunodeficiency remains as a challenge for people with HIV (PWHIV) and healthcare providers. Our purpose was to analyze the impact of advanced HIV disease (AHD) on mortality, life expectancy and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We reviewed cohort studies and meta-analyses conducted in middle- and high-income countries. To analyze HRQoL, we selected studies that reported overall health and/or physical/mental health scores on a validated HRQoL instrument. AIDS diagnosis supposes a higher risk of mortality during the first six months, remaining higher for 48 months. It has been reported that cancer and cardiovascular disease persist as frequent causes of mortality in PWHIV, especially those with previous or current AHD. PWHIV who initiate combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) with CD4 < 200 cells/µL have significantly lower estimated life expectancy than those with higher counts. AHD is associated with lower HRQoL, and a worse physical health or mental health status. AIDS and non-AIDS defining events are significant predictors of a lower HRQoL, especially physical health status. AHD survivors are in risk of mortality and serious comorbidities, needing special clinical attention and preventive programs for associated comorbidities. Their specific needs should be reflected in HIV guidelines.

Background. Creativity is linked with educationally relevant constructs such as achievement, intelligence, and motivation. However, very few studies have explored longitudinal links between the constructs or the aetiology of individual differences in childhood creativity. Aims. The study addresses the gap in the literature of developmental studies on the relationship of creativity with other educationally relevant measures. Additionally, the present study is the first adequately powered genetically informative analysis of childhood creativity. Sample(s). The present study utilized data from 1,306 twins, a subsample from a longitudinal, representative twin sample in the UK. Methods. Creativity was operationalised as a Creative Expressiveness score, using the Consensual Assessment Technique on stories written by 9-year-olds. Intelligence and writing motivation were assessed at age 9. Academic achievement was collected at ages 9, 12, and 16. Results. Creative Expressiveness was associated with intelligence and motivation, all measured at age 9. It also predicted variance in English grades at ages 9 and 16. The associations were weak, but significant, over and above intelligence, motivation, and earlier English grades. The variance in Creative Expressiveness was explained by genetic (35%), shared environmental (21%), and non-shared environmental (45%) influences. The phenotypic correlations with other study variables were mainly mediated genetically. Conclusions. The results provide information that can be used for planning educational content. First, creativity can be detected in childhood writing. Second, childhood creativity may be overlooked in early educational assessments. Third, the results from the genetic analyses are important indications on the role of environments in the development of creativity. We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing contribution of the participants in the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) and their families. TEDS is supported by a programme grant from the UK Medical Research Council (MR/M021475/1). TT was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (grant number ES/J500124/1).

Study Objectives Twin studies have provided data about the relative weight of genetic and environmental factors on sleep variables over the last few decades. However, heritability is a non-intuitive concept and it is often misunderstood even amongst the scientific community. This study aimed to analyze: (1) understanding of the meaning of heritability of insomnia; (2) the accuracy of estimations of heritability in the general population regarding three sleep traits (sleep duration, sleep quality and insomnia); (3) perceptions of the effectiveness of different treatments for insomnia depending on how the disorder is presented (i.e. having an environmental or genetic etiology) and whether the subject’s estimate of genetic influence on sleep traits impacted beliefs about the effectiveness of different treatments. Methods Participants (N = 3658) completed a survey which included: questions about general genetic knowledge; a specific question about the meaning of heritability; estimates of heritability of three different sleep traits; and the effectiveness of different treatments for insomnia depending on how the etiology of this condition was presented. Results Fewer than 25% of the participants selected the correct description of the heritability of insomnia. Almost half of the sample incorrectly believed that heritability refers to the chance of passing a disorder onto their children. We also found that participants provided different estimates for the effectiveness of different treatments depending on the presumed etiology of the disorder. Conclusion Most people do not have accurate knowledge about the concept of heritability. People’s assumptions about the etiology of a disorder may influence which treatments they consider most effective. J.J.M-V. was supported by predoctoral scholarship (19814/FPI/15) of the Fundación Seneca. This work was supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research Grant No. 18-29-14071.

Background The use of technology and social media among adolescents is an increasingly prevalent phenomenon. However, there is a paucity of evidence on the relationship between frequency of use of electronic devices and social media and sleep-onset difficulties among the Italian population. Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the use of technology and social media, including Facebook and YouTube, and sleep-onset difficulties among adolescents from Lombardy, the most populous region in Italy. Methods The relationship between use of technology and social media and sleep-onset difficulties was investigated. Data came from the 2013-2014 wave of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children survey, a school-based cross-sectional study conducted on 3172 adolescents aged 11 to 15 years in Northern Italy. Information was collected on difficulties in falling asleep over the last 6 months. We estimated the odds ratios (ORs) for sleep-onset difficulties and corresponding 95% CIs using logistic regression models after adjustment for major potential confounders. Results The percentage of adolescents with sleep-onset difficulties was 34.3% (1081/3151) overall, 29.7% (483/1625) in boys and 39.2% (598/1526) in girls. It was 30.3% (356/1176) in 11-year-olds, 36.2% (389/1074) in 13-year-olds, and 37.3% (336/901) in 15-year-olds. Sleep-onset difficulties were more frequent among adolescents with higher use of electronic devices, for general use (OR 1.50 for highest vs lowest tertile of use; 95% CI 1.21-1.85), use for playing games (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.11-1.64), use of online social networks (OR 1.40 for always vs never or rarely; 95% CI 1.09-1.81), and YouTube (OR 2.00; 95% CI 1.50-2.66). Conclusions This study adds novel information about the relationship between sleep-onset difficulties and technology and social media in a representative sample of school-aged children from a geographical location that has not been included in studies of this type previously. Exposure to screen-based devices and online social media is significantly associated with adolescent sleep-onset difficulties. Interventions to create a well-coordinated parent- and school-centered strategy, thereby increasing awareness on the unfavorable effect of evolving technologies on sleep among adolescents, are needed.

Sexual aggression is one of the most humiliating forms of gender-based violence and may profoundly affect victims’ physical, mental, and sexual health. This research analyzed the role of previous experiences of sexual coercion by an intimate partner on women’s behavioral, cognitive, and emotional responses to a video clip showing a sexual assault involving a couple. Spanish college women with (N = 63) and without (N = 77) experience of sexual coercion indicated the point at which they would leave the situation (response latency), the probability of terminating the relationship if they were the woman in the video, attributions of responsibility to victim and perpetrator, and their emotional state. Victims were less likely to say they would terminate the relationship and reported more negative emotions than did nonvictims, but no differences were found on the response latency and attribution measures. Overall, the results suggest that previous sexual coercion may be related to women’s behavioral and emotional responses to situations involving the threat of sexual victimization., International Journal of Conflict and Violence (IJCV), Vol. 14 (2020)

Objectives: To determine the satisfaction of relatives of deceased patients with the care received in a palliative care unit (PCU) and compare it with cases in which a team with specific psychological care were not involved. Material and methods: An anonymous survey (n = 202) was administered to the relatives (response rate, 42.1%), which evaluated 9 issues related to the process of dying and the overall assessment of the care. Results: The overall satisfaction was high (mean score of 9.22); the score for the full team was 9.40, while that of the team without the psychologist was 8.40 (P=.005). The items that scored highest were “team availability”, “information received” and “assistance for facing the disease”, followed by “pain control”, “peaceful death”, “assistance for patient-family communication”, “grief support” and “quality of life”. Conclusions: Based on the relatives’ assessment, the hospital PCU teams help increase the quality of care at the end of life. Objetivo: Conocer la satisfacción de familiares de pacientes fallecidos con la atención recibida en una unidad de cuidados paliativos (UCP) y comparar con los casos donde no intervino el equipo con atención psicológica específica. Material y métodos: Administración de encuesta anónima (n = 202) a familiares (tasa de respuesta = 42,1%). Se evaluaron 9 cuestiones relacionadas con el proceso de morir y la valoración global de la atención. Resultados: La satisfacción global fue alta (9,22). La valoración del equipo completo fue 9,40 y sin la psicóloga, 8,40 (p = 0,005). Los ítems mejor valorados fueron «disponibilidad del equipo», «información recibida» y «ayuda para enfrentar la enfermedad», seguidos de «control del dolor», «muerte en paz», «ayuda para la comunicación entre paciente-familia», «apoyo en el duelo» y «calidad de vida». Conclusiones: Según la valoración de los familiares, los equipos de las UCP hospitalarias contribuyen a incrementar la calidad de la atención al final de la vida. This study was funded by the Biomedical and Healthcare Research Institute of Alicante (ISABIAL). Research project: ‘‘Quality of life and the efficacy of the intervention of the palliative care team in a general hospital’’ (‘‘Calidad de vida y eficacia de la intervención del equipo de Cuidados Paliativos en un Hospital General’’), approved in the Second Round of Research Project Bids of ISABIAL-2015, modality of Predoctoral Grants, reference UGP-15-295.

The dramatic increase in the number of older people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) entails a serious public health problem. MCI involves different degrees of dependence that has been previously related to a decrease in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), due to impairment in the performance of activities of daily living. Resilient coping, as an adaptive coping style, could reduce the associated limitations derived by the characteristic deficits of MCI, and hence improve HRQoL. The principal objective of this work was to compare the level of autonomy (measured in terms of independence in the performance of basic (ADL) and instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living), and HRQoL between resilient and non-resilient individuals with MCI. The results showed a positive relationship between resilience, autonomy, and HRQoL. Hence, resilient participants exhibited higher independence in daily living activities and better HRQoL than non-resilient individuals. Mediation analyses confirmed an indirect influence of resilience on HRQoL through the mediation effect of better performance in IADLs. These findings underline the relevance of resilience as a coping style to compensate deficits in daily living in people with MCI. The inclusion of intervention programs, oriented to the promotion of resilience coping for older adults, might increase the autonomy levels in this population, improving their HRQoL. This research was supported 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 (2017–2018). Ref.: (4253).

El objetivo de esta tesis es investigar los cambios cerebrales que ocurren a corto y a largo plazo tras un breve e intenso entrenamiento en memoria de trabajo. Se realizó un estudio longitudinal de resonancia magnética para estudiar los cambios conductuales y cerebrales. Se utilizaron diferentes técnicas de análisis de neuroimagen cuyos resultados se interpretaron siguiendo teorías neurocomputacionales. Los resultados señalan que el entrenamiento breve en memoria de trabajo produce mejoras conductuales y cambios cerebrales a nivel de activación y de volumen de sustancia gris. Estos cambios aparecen en áreas cerebrales de memoria de trabajo y ganglios basales, están relacionados con la mejora conductual y prevalecen cinco semanas. Los resultados apuntan en la dirección de la hipótesis de eficiencia neural, porque cuanto mayor es la mejora conductual menor es la activad cerebral. En general, un entrenamiento breve en memoria de trabajo mejora la eficiencia cerebral durante, al menos, cinco semanas. The objective of this thesis is to study the short and long-term cerebral changes after a brief and intensive working memory training. A longitudinal magnetic resonance study was made in order to observe the behavioral and cerebral changes. Diverse techniques of neuroimage analysis were used and their interpretation was made following the neurocomputation theories. Results show that a brief working memory training cause behavioral improvements and functional and gray matter volume cerebral modifications. Those changes were found in working memory brain areas and basal ganglia, they were related with behavioral improvement and remain stable five weeks. Results may support the neural efficiency hypothesis since the greater behavioral improvements were, the fewer the brain activations. Overall, a brief working memory training improves the brain efficiency during, at least, five weeks. Programa de Doctorat en Psicologia

Hair cortisol concentration (HCC), as a novel promising method to retrospectively measure hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation, is being increasingly studied. We tested the relationships between HCC and a range of possible confounding variables in a Spanish sample of healthy adults and pregnant women. In this sample of healthy Spaniards, results suggested an association between HCC and physical exercise and educational level. In pregnant women, the prevalence of HCC was higher than in non-pregnant woman, and was related to educational level. This study emphasises the need to determine the relationship between HCC and confounders such as sociodemographic and lifestyle variables in the general population and specific groups formed by individuals such as pregnant women., This research is part of a doctoral thesis. It has been economically supported by the "PSI2015-63494-P" I+D Project of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) and FEDER

This study examined the predictive validity of the Spanish version of the Suicide Risk Assessment Manual (S-RAMM) and the Historical-Clinical-Risk Management-20 (HCR-20) in a sample of violent offenders with schizophrenia and other psychosis, who had committed violent crimes and had been sentenced to compulsory psychiatric treatment by the criminal justice system. Patients were prospectively monitored within the institution for 18 months. During the follow-up period, 25% of offenders were involved in any suicidal behavior including acts of self-harm, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts and 34% were physically or verbally violent. The S-RAMM and HCR-20 risk assessment tools were strongly correlated and were able to predict suicidal behavior and violence with a moderate-large effect size (AUCs = 0.81–0.85; AUCs = 0.78–0.80 respectively). Patients scoring above the mean on the S-RAMM (>20-point cut-off) had a five times increased risk of suicide related events (OR = 5.05, 95% CI = 2.6–9.7) and sevenfold risk of violence in the HCR-20 (>21-point cut-off) (OR = 7.13, 95% CI = 2.0–21.2) than those scoring below the mean. Offenders at high risk for suicide and violence had significantly more suicide attempts (p < 0.001) and more prior sentences for violent crimes (p < 0.001). These results support the use of the S-RAMM and HCR-20 for clinical practice by providing evidence of the utility of these measures for predicting risk for suicidal and violent behavior in mentally disordered offenders.

The prevalence of bullying has increased dramatically during recent years, with numerous negative consequences for the health and quality of life of bullied adolescents. Although negative psychological consequences of this type of situation have been widely investigated, no previous research has evaluated the effects of bullying victimization on dietary habits, and its relationship with psychological outcomes, such as depression. For this reason, the main aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between bullying, dietary habits, and depression in a sample of 527 Spanish adolescents. The results obtained showed that being bullied was correlated negatively with healthy dietary habits and positively with depression. Moderation analysis revealed dietary habits as moderator of the association between bullying and depression. These results underline the relevance of diet in the phenomenon of bullying, especially in victims, as could be related to the high levels of depression characteristic of this population. The inclusion of nutritional education in intervention programs oriented to victims of bullying might significantly improve their efficacy, reducing depression levels.

Objective: To evaluate psychopathological status and stress level from a sample with SLE; compare mental functioning and stress levels between women with SLE and healthy women; determine whether disease duration, disease activity, cumulative organ damage and stress have an influence on psychopathological symptoms in SLE patients; and evaluate whether perception of stress is related to SLE severity. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 425 participants; 202 women with SLE, with an average age (SD) of 36.61 (10.15), and 223 healthy women, with age-matched controls. The assessment included the clinical characteristics (disease duration, SLE activity, cumulative organ damage, pharmacotherapy), the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and the Perceived Stress Scale. Descriptive, comparative, univariate and multivariate analysis were performed. Results: SLE patients showed psychopathological alterations in the somatisation, obsessive-compulsive and positive discomfort subscales of SCL-90-R. Women with SLE reported significantly higher scores on the psychopathological dimensions and perceived stress compared to healthy women, except for paranoid ideation. Disease duration, SLE activity, cumulative organ damage, and perceived stress were shown to be significant predictors of psychopathological manifestations, explaining a range, between 20 and 43%, of variance across SCL-90-R dimensions. Moreover, perceived stress was related to SLE activity, after controlling for psychopathological dimensions. Conclusion: The psychopathological manifestations in SLE appeared to be influenced by perceived stress, disease duration, disease activity and cumulative organ damage. In turn, perceived stress was associated with disease severity. This knowledge may contribute to a more comprehensive perspective of these manifestations in the SLE population in the clinical setting. This research was developed in the framework of the I+D Project “SEJ2007-61857” and the I+D Project ‘‘PSI2010- 15780’’, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. In addition, this study was supported by the Andalusian Health Service (grant no. PI-0059/2007).

This study aims to determine whether it is possible to modify executive function in stressed individuals by means of cognitive-behavioral therapy for stress management. Thirty-one people with high levels of perceived stress were recruited into the study (treatment group = 18; wait-list group = 13). The treatment group received 14 weeks of stress management program. Psychological and executive function variables were evaluated in both groups pre and post-intervention. The treatment group showed improved psychological variables of perceived stress (t = 5.492; p = .001), vulnerability to stress (t = 4.061; p = .001) and superstitious thinking (t = 2.961; p = .009). Likewise, the results showed statistically significant differences in personality variables related to executive function, positive urgency (t = 3.585; p = .002) and sensitivity to reward (t = –2.201; p = .042), which improved after the therapy. These variables showed a moderate to high effect size (oscillates between 1.30 for perceived stress and .566 for sensitivity to reward). The cognitive-behavioral therapy for stress management may be an appropriate strategy for improving personality construct components related to executive function, however effects of the therapy are not showed on performance on the tests of executive function applied, as presented studies previous.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of corticosteroids in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in two processes of executive function: cognitive flexibility and decision-making. To that end, we evaluated 121 women divided into three groups: 50 healthy women, 38 women with SLE not receiving corticosteroid treatment and 33 women with SLE receiving corticosteroid treatment. Cognitive flexibility was measured with the Trail Making Tests A and B; decision-making was measured with the Iowa Gambling Task. Additionally, demographic (age and education level), clinical (SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Damage Index (SDI) and disease duration) and psychological characteristics (stress vulnerability, perceived stress and psychopathic symptomatology) were evaluated. The results showed that both SLE groups displayed poorer decision-making than the healthy women (p = 0.006) and also that the SLE group receiving corticosteroid treatment showed lower cognitive flexibility than the other two groups (p = 0.030). Moreover, SLE patients showed poorer scores than healthy women on the following SCL-90-R subscales: somatisation (p = 0.005), obsessions and compulsions (p = 0.045), depression (p = 0.004), hostility (p = 0.013), phobic anxiety (p = 0.005), psychoticism (p = 0.016) and positive symptom total (p = 0.001). In addition, both SLE groups were more vulnerable to stress (p = 0.000). These findings help to understand the effects of corticosteroid treatment on cognitive flexibility and decision-making, in addition to the disease-specific effects suffered by women with SLE. This study is a part of a doctoral thesis, and was supported by the I+D Project “PSI2010-15780” of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

Se estudia la relación entre el estrés acultural y el malestar con la pareja en una muestra comunitaria de mujeres inmigrantes hispanas (N = 95) y se explora el papel de otras variables importantes para el funcionamiento de la pareja, y específicamente entre los inmigrantes (aculturación, identidad étnica, apoyo social, etc.). En consonancia con la teoría transaccional del estrés, los aumentos en estrés acultural se asociarán significativamente con niveles altos de malestar con la pareja. Los resultados del análisis de regresión paso a paso señalan que, entre otras variables, únicamente el estrés acultural y el apoyo social contribuyen significativamente a la predicción del malestar de pareja. A través de análisis mediacional se observa que el apoyo social se comporta como mediador parcial de los efectos del estrés acultural sobre el grado de malestar de pareja. Los resultados sugieren que aunque el apoyo social parece reducir tanto el estrés acultural como el malestar de pareja, el estrés parece relacionarse de manera independiente con el malestar de pareja. Se discute la importancia de que los profesionales de la salud mental tengan en consideración el estrés acultural a la hora de trabajar con mujeres hispanas o con parejas en terapia de pareja. In this study, we examined the relation between acculturative stress and marital distress among Hispanic immigrant women (N = 95) from the community and explored the role of other variables believed to be important to marital functioning generally, and among immigrants, specifically (e.g., acculturation, ethnic identity, social support, etc.). Consistent with transactional theory of stress, increases in acculturative stress were associated significantly with higher levels of marital distress. A stepwise regression analysis indicated that, among study variables, only acculturative stress and social support contributed significantly to the prediction of marital distress. A mediational analysis indicated that social support partially mediated the effects of acculturative stress on marital distress. Overall, results suggest that although social support seems to reduce both acculturative stress and marital distress, acculturative stress appears to be linked independently with marital distress. The importance of mental health professionals to address acculturative stress with Hispanic women or couples in marital therapy is discussed.

[cat] L'any 1971 Daniel Berlyne va proposar que les persones preferirien estímuls visuals de complexitat intermitja per sobre dels estímuls d’alta i baixa complexitat. Tot i que els resultats d’alguns treballs previs han verificat aquesta predicció, altres investigacions, en canvi, apunten que la preferència augmenta linealment amb la complexitat, mentre que d’altres no han trobat relació significativa alguna. L’objectiu d’aquest treball és el de clarificar les causes d’aquesta divergència entre els resultats anteriors. Els nostres propis resultats suggereixen que ni les diferències en la composició dels grups de participants pel que fa al sexe, ni tampoc el tipus de materials utilitzats, expliquen la discrepància. Pel contrari, els nostres resultats indiquen que la divergència en els resultats d’estudis anteriors que han explorat la relació entre complexitat visual i preferència estètica es deu principalment a diferències en la concepció, definició i operativització del concepte de «complexitat»., [spa] Daniel Berlyne propuso en 1971 que las personas preferirían estímulos visuales de complejidad intermedia por encima de los de alta y baja complejidad. A pesar de que los resultados de algunos trabajos posteriores han verificado esta predicción, otros apuntan a que la preferencia aumenta linealmente con la complejidad, mientras que otros no han hallado relación significativa alguna. El objetivo de este trabajo es clarificar las causas de esta divergencia entre resultados anteriores. Nuestros propios resultados sugieren que ni diferencias en la composición de los grupos de participantes en cuanto al sexo ni en el tipo de materiales utilizados explican la discrepancia. Por el contrario, nuestros resultados sugieren que la divergencia en los resultados de estudios anteriores que han explorado la relación entre complejidad visual y preferencia estética se debe principalmente a diferencias en la concepción, definición y operativización del concepto de complejidad., [eng] In 1971 Daniel Berlyne suggested that people would prefer intermediately complex visual stimuli over very simple or very complex ones. In spite of the fact that some subsequent studies have verified this prediction, others found that preference was linearly related with complexity, whereas others have found no significant relation. The objective of this work is to clarify the causes of this divergence among prior results. Our own results suggest that neither differences in the composition of participant groups in relation to sex nor the kind of materials they used explained the discrepancy. On the contrary, our results indicate that the divergence in the results of prior studies that have explored the relation between visual complexity and aesthetic preference is mainly due to difference sin the conception, definition, and operativization of the concept of complexity.