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Physiological systems need to be flexible in order to adapt to a changing environment. Negative events, however, induce flexibility reductions that seem necessary for coping purposes. To date, studies have measured linear variability and entropy in heart output, but none have examined the scaling properties of the cardiac system when individuals deal with stressful everyday events. This study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that the complexity of the cardiac dynamics is diminished when individuals face negative events in real life. Cardiac variability (linear) and complexity (nonlinear), as well as discomfort and effectiveness of event-related emotion regulation (EER) were ecologically examined in N = 65 adolescents (Mage = 14.80 years; SDage = 0.86; 55.38% girls). Repeated Measures MANOVAs revealed higher heart rate (HR) and lower cardiac complexity (higher long-term scaling exponent, p = .029; lower Fractal Dimension FD, p = .030; and lower Sample Entropy, p = .001) during EER in comparison with non-emotion regulation conditions (NER). Wilcoxon non-parametric tests revealed higher Hurst exponents (p = .006) in EER than in NER. No significant correlations were found between discomfort and cardiac variables although the higher the cardiac entropy in NER conditions, the greater the self-rated effectiveness of EER (p < .050). EER processes involved increases in HR as well as scaling and FD changes that might reflect the real-time scale’s predominance in HR output when adolescents are dealing with negative events Complejidad reducida de las series temporales de frecuencia cardíaca en adolescentes afrontando eventos negativos diarios. Los sistemas fisiológicos necesitan ser flexibles para adaptarse a un entorno cambiante. Sin embargo, los eventos negativos disminuyen dicha flexibilidad que parece necesaria para lograr un afrontamiento exitoso. Hasta entonces, los estudios han medido la variabilidad lineal y la entropía de la frecuencia cardíaca (FC), pero ninguno ha examinado las propiedades de escala del sistema cardíaco cuando se afrontan acontecimientos estresantes diarios. Este estudio investigó si la complejidad cardíaca disminuye cuando los individuos se enfrentan a eventos negativos cotidianos. La variabilidad cardíaca (lineal) y la complejidad (no lineal), así como el malestar y la eficacia de los episodios de regulación emocional (EER) se examinaron ecológicamente en N = 65 adolescentes (Medad = 14,80; DEedad = 0,86; 55,38% chicas). Los MANOVA de medidas repetidas revelaron una mayor FC y una menor complejidad cardíaca (mayor exponente de escala a largo plazo, p = .029; menor dimensión fractal DF, p = .030; y menor entropía muestral, p = .001) durante los EER en comparación con las condiciones de no regulación emocional (NER). Las pruebas de Wilcoxon revelaron mayores exponentes de Hurst (p = .006) en EER que en NER. No hubo correlaciones significativas entre el malestar y las variables cardíacas, pero a mayor entropía cardíaca en NER, mayor eficacia autocalificada en EER (p < .050). Los EER implicaron aumentos en la FC, así como cambios en la escala y en la DF que podrían reflejar el predominio de la escala en tiempo real del sistema cardíaco cuando los adolescentes afrontan eventos negativos.

Los programas de prevención de los trastornos psicopatológicos en la infancia y la adolescencia son todavía muy escasos. El objetivo del presente estudio fue el de analizar mediante un experimento complejo (diseño 2x3 de un factor entre grupo con dos niveles y un factor intra -tiempo- con tres niveles), la viabilidad de un programa breve de prevención selectiva de los problemas de ansiedad aplicado en la escuela en una muestra de niños y niñas de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Trece niños/-as con elevada sensibilidad a la ansiedad recibieron un programa para la prevención de la ansiedad. La sensibilidad a la ansiedad en la infancia y adolescencia se considera como uno de los principales factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de trastornos de ansiedad. Un grupo de sujetos procedentes de la misma muestra y con puntuaciones normales en todas las variables estudiadas sirvió de grupo control. Al final de la intervención, el grupo al que se aplicó el programa preventivo mostró reducciones estadísticamente significativas respecto al grupo control en dos de las tres variables de resultado analizadas: sensibilidad a la ansiedad, ansiedad rasgo pero no en sintomatología depresiva. Los resultados se mantenían en el seguimiento a tres meses Prevention programs for psychopathological disorders in children or adolescents are still scarce. The aim of this study was to analyse, in a complex experiment(2x3 design with the between factor Group with two levels and the within factor Time with three levels), the feasibility of a brief school-based selected prevention program for anxiety disorders in a sample of secondary education children with high scores in anxiety sensitivity. Anxiety sensitivity in children and adolescents is one of the most recognized early risk factors for the development several anxiety disorders. Thirteen children with high anxiety sensitivity scores received a program for the prevention of anxiety. A group of subjects from the initial normal sample and with normal scores on all the variables studied served as a control group. At post-intervention the prevention program group showed a significant reduction in two of the three outcome variables: anxiety sensitivity, trait anxiety but not in depressive symptomatology. Results were maintained in a 3-month follow-up Os programas de prevenção das perturbações psicopatológicas na infância e na adolescência são ainda escassos. O objectivo do presente estudo foi analisar, através de um plano experimental complexo (plano 2x3 de um factor entre grupos com dois níveis e um factor intra-tempo - com três níveis), a viabilidade de um programa breve de prevenção selectiva dos problemas de ansiedade aplicado numa amostra de rapazes e raparigas do Ensino Secundário Obrigatório com elevada sensibilidade à ansiedade. A sensibilidade à ansiedade na infância e adolescência é considerada um dos principais factores de risco para o desenvolvimento de perturbações de ansiedade. Treze crianças com elevada sensibilidade para a ansiedade receberam um programa para a prevenção da ansiedade. Um grupo de sujeitos procedentes da mesma amostra e com pontuações normais em todas as variáveis estudadas serviu de grupo de controlo. No final da intervenção o grupo ao qual se aplicou o programa preventivo mostrou reduções estatisticamente significativas por comparação com o grupo de controlo em duas das três variáveis analisadas: sensibilidade à ansiedade, ansiedade de traço mas não na sintomatologia depressiva. Os resultados mantiveram-se no período de seguimento de três meses

The goals of this study were (a) to examine the psychometric properties of a Catalan version of the Effortful control scale of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire short-form and (b) to analyze the relationships among effortful control (EC), negative affectivity (NA), and the use of negative cognitive emotion regulation (ER) strategies. In a sample of 353 college students, the instrument presents acceptable internal consistency, temporal stability and convergent validity; however, in general, psychometric properties are poorer than those reported for other versions. Confirmatory factor analysis fit indices revealed an overall poor fit for the three-factor theoretical model. Additionally, it has been found that the proneness to engage in negative cognitive ER strategies was mainly related with exhibiting high NA. Further, although such tendencies were also influenced by EC capabilities, data did not show EC moderating the relationships among NA, anxiety, and the use of negative cognitive ER strategies.