Association of maternal prenatal urinary fluoride levels with ADHD symptoms in childhood.

BACKGROUND: Health concerns about the potential impact of exposure to fluoride via drinking water (DW) on neuropsychological development include behavioral outcomes such as ADHD. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the association between prenatal maternal urinary fluoride and symptoms associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at the age of 8 and 11 years. METHOD: Data from 255 to 236 mother-child pairs from the "Infancia y Medio Ambiente" (INMA) birth cohort (Gipuzkoa; Spain) with maternal urinary F adjusted for creatinine (MUFcr) during pregnancy (first and third trimester) and child assessments of ADHD-like symptoms reported by Conners' Rating Scales-Revised at age of 8 and 11 years was available. Clinical approach was also used: cut off criteria (T > 66). Multiple linear regression models were fitted when outcomes were analyzed as continuous, and logistic regression models when the outcomes were analyzed with a categorical clinical approach. Covariates related to maternal characteristics, birth outcomes, childhood, quality of family context and biomarkers of neuro-toxicants were used. RESULTS: No association was found between MUFcr levels during pregnancy and cognitive problems-inattention, hyperactivity or ADHD index score of symptoms at 8 or 11 years. When results were analyzed from the perspective of a clinical approach, at the age of 11 years, there were significant inverse association between MUFcr and being categorized as a cognitive problems-inattention case. ORs were also indicative of a lower risk, although not significant, for ADHD index at age 11. Sensitivity analyses, taking into consideration quality of family context or the levels of other toxicants during pregnancy showed similar results. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of MUFcr in pregnant women were associated with a lower risk of cognitive problems-inattention at 11 years. These findings are inconsistent with those from previous studies and indicate the need for other population-based studies to confirm or overturn these results.

Development, Application and Evaluation of an Active Learning Methodology for Health Science Students, Oriented towards Equity and Cultural Diversity in the Treatment and Care of Geriatric Patients.

The increased aging of populations and rises in immigration have prompted the design of new methodologies and instruments for fostering the invisible care of geriatric patients among health science students in accordance with the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. A total of 656 psychology, nursing and dentistry students participated in this study, which had a pretest-posttest design and was implemented over the course of three academic years. The intervention groups received training using an active learning methodology based on a case study involving a geriatric patient; specifically, a Maghrebi woman. The control groups were not exposed to the case study. The CCI-U questionnaire was designed ad hoc to evaluate the acquisition of invisible competences for caring for geriatric patients in accordance with their age, sex, emotional situation and ethnic origin. The questionnaire had a reliability of α = 0.63 to 0.72 and its factor solution was found to have a good fit. Students in the intervention groups scored higher than those in the control groups, with the difference being statistically significant for ethnic origin in all three undergraduate courses and all three academic years. The proper application of this active learning methodology fosters the invisible care of geriatric patients among students in accordance with the 2030 Agenda.

Family Context Assessment in Middle Childhood: A Tool Supporting Social, Educational, and Public Health Interventions.

Quality of the family context has an important role in the physical and mental health of children; that is why it is important to have reliable and updated tools. This study aims to design and validate a new tool, the Haezi Etxadi Family Assessment Scale 7-11 (HEFAS 7-11), to assess family context quality in middle childhood. A sample of two cohorts of 772 Spanish families with children aged between 7 and 11 (M = 9.39 years; SD = 1.57; 51.2% girls), participated in the study. Results showed good psychometric properties for the instrument and the confirmatory factor analysis showed a five individual subscales structure: 1. Promotion of Cognitive and Linguistic Development (α = 0.79); 2. Promotion of Socio Emotional Development (α = 0.83); 3. Organization of Physical Environment and Social Context (α = 0.73); 4. Parental Stress & Conflict (α = 0.75); and 5. Parental Profile Fostering Child Development (α = 0.80). The association between HEFAS 7-11 and Trial Making Test was also analyzed to determine the concurrent validity of the instrument. The new scale shows its potential in the fields of research, social and educational, to know those variables that need to be promoted under the approach of positive parenting from a public health perspective.

Testing general self-efficacy, perceived competence, resilience, and stress among nursing students: An integrator evaluation.

The purpose of this study was to develop a predictive model for perceived competence and to obtain an integrator evaluation of the nursing curriculum with measures of nursing self-efficacy, general self-efficacy, resilience, and stress among nursing students. A correlational study with nursing students (N = 265) from the degree in nursing was conducted. A factor analysis was used to test the construct validity of nursing self-efficacy and perceived competence. The correlational and discriminant analyses evaluated the factors in the four academic levels of the degree (2016-2017) to identify the variables involved in the classification of the students in each level. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of nursing self-efficacy and perceived competence revealed a statistically significant good fit and consistency. Nursing self-efficacy, general self-efficacy, resilience, and year of the degree course predicted 34% of perceived competence scores. The discriminant function of nursing self-efficacy, perceived competence, and resilience classified 76% of participants in the first and last years of the degree. Nursing self-efficacy, perceived competence, and resilience increased with academic level. They help chart nursing students' progress through the curriculum.

Factors contributing to stress in clinical practices: A proposed structural equation model.

Aim: To propose a predictive model of procedural and emotional stress in clinical placements while testing self-efficacy as a possible mediator factor. Design: The study used an exploratory correlational design. Method: A total of 334 nursing students completed the KEZKAK-stress in clinical practice, AG-general self-efficacy and CEA-academic overload questionnaires, along with one about leadership. Sociodemographic information was also included. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses and internal consistency reliabilities were satisfactory in all questionnaires. Procedural stress and emotional stress were confirmed by KEZKAK [χ2 (674) = 1,555.58, p = .001; χ2/df = 2.308, CFI = .90, IFI = 91, RMSEA = .06]. The structural equation method for procedural stress and emotional stress had an acceptable fit. They revealed that academic level influenced the perception of leadership and academic overload in both procedural stress and emotional stress. General self-efficacy only mediated emotional stress. Hospital unit acted independently as a predictor of procedural stress.

Adapting and validating the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS) for nursing students (HSOPS-NS): A new measure of Patient Safety Climate.

BACKGROUND: Patient Safety Culture and Patient Safety Climate (PSC) are different factors. PSC is the shared perception that is held within a hospital's area or unit at a specific moment in time. This measure is necessary for designing activities for promoting and improving safety. It must include the perception of all the agents involved, including future nurses throughout their patient safety education. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to adapt and validate a new version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS), targeted specifically at nursing students. It provides a new comprehensive and more complete measure of PSC that contributes to improving patient safety. METHODS: Data were obtained from 654 undergraduate and postgraduate nursing students. PSC was tested using factor analyses and structural equation modeling. In order to facilitate the improvement of PSC, we examined differences in climate strength across different academic groups using the Rwg(j) and ICC measures of inter-rater agreement. RESULTS: Factor analyses confirmed a five-factor solution that explained between 52.45% and 54.75% of the variance. The model was found to have adequate fit χ2 (5) = 14.333, p = .014; CFI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.05. Cronbach's alphas for PSC were between 0.74 and 0.77. "Teamwork within units" was the highest rated dimension, and "Staffing" the lowest rated. Medium-to-high scores were obtained for PSC. The median of Rwg (j) was high in the five dimensions of the PSC survey, supporting the idea of shared climate perceptions (0.81-0.96) among undergraduate and postgraduate nursing students. CONCLUSIONS: HSOPS-NS is a useful and versatile tool for measuring the level and strength of PSC. It screens knowledge regarding patient safety in clinical practice placements and compares nursing students' perceptions of the strength of PSC. Weaknesses perceived in relation to PSC help implement changes in patient safety learning.

Preliminary validation of the Perceived Locus of Causality scale for academic motivation in the context of university studies (PLOC-U).

BACKGROUND: Research has shown that self-determination theory can be useful in the study of motivation in sport and other forms of physical activity. The Perceived Locus of Causality (PLOC) scale was originally designed to study both. AIM: The current research presents and validates the new PLOC-U scale to measure academic motivation in the university context. We tested levels of self-determination before and after academic examinations. Also, we analysed degree of internalization of extrinsic motivation in students' practical activities. SAMPLE: Two hundred and eighty-seven Spanish university students participated in the study. METHOD: Data were collected at two time points to check the reliability and stability of PLOC-U by a test-retest procedure. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the PLOC-U. Also convergent validity was tested against the Academic Motivation Scale (EME-E). RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis showed optimum fit and good reliability of PLOC-U. It also presented excellent convergent validity with the EME-E and good stability over time. Our findings did not show any significant correlation between self-determination and expected results before academic examinations, but it did so afterwards, revealing greater regulation by and integration of extrinsic motivation. The high score obtained for extrinsic motivation points to a greater regulation associated with an external contingency (rewards in the practical coursework). CONCLUSIONS: PLOC-U is a good instrument for the measurement of academic motivation and provides a new tool to analyse self-determination among university students.

Association between breastfeeding duration and cognitive development, autistic traits and ADHD symptoms: a multicenter study in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have related longer breastfeeding duration to better intellectual performance in children. By contrast, few studies have investigated the potential protective effects of breastfeeding against behavioral problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, and even fewer on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) traits. METHODS: We examined the association between breastfeeding duration and cognitive development, attention, ADHD symptoms, and autistic traits using data from the INMA Project, a Spanish multicenter birth-cohort study, and taking into account the intensity of breastfeeding. Duration of any, predominant, and exclusive breastfeeding was documented during infancy through maternal questionnaires. Children (N = 1,346; mean age = 4.9 y) were assessed using the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, Conners' Kiddie Continuous Performance Test, criteria of the DSM-ADHD symptoms form list, and the Childhood Autism Spectrum Test. RESULTS: After adjustment for several confounders, longer duration of breastfeeding was independently associated with better cognitive development and with fewer autistic traits. CONCLUSION: This study provides further evidence of a positive association of breastfeeding with cognitive function apart from socio-environmental factors, and also suggests a protective role against autistic traits. Results are in agreement with recommendations for prolonged breastfeeding duration to promote child development.

Una aproximación psicosocial al conflicto vasco como sistema dinámico / A Psychosocial Approach to the Basque Conflict as a Dynamical System

El artículo presenta una aproximación psicosocial al conflicto del País Vasco desde el modelo dinámico/sistémico del conflicto (Coleman, 2006). La investigación se llevó a cabo a partir de 60 entrevistas en profundidad realizadas a personas de distintos sectores de la sociedad vasca, analizadas a partir de un análisis de contenido por categorización, y de un análisis interpretativo fenomenológico. Los resultados apuntan a cinco elementos centrales del conflicto: las manifestaciones de violencia y sus formas de legitimación, la vulneración de necesidades humanas básicas, la interdependencia negativa de las identidades colectivas, cuestiones políticas e ideológicas. Igualmente, se mencionan tres factores adicionales -polarización social, emociones y aspectos cognitivos-. Finalmente, se interpreta el conjunto de datos sobre el conflicto vasco a partir del modelo dinámico/sistémico.

The paper presents a psychosocial approach to Basque Country conflict from the dynamical system model of conflict (Coleman, 2006). Research was make throughout 60 interviews fulfilled with people of different sectors of basque society, and were analyzed by categorization content analysis and by interpretative fhenomenologycal analysis. Results point to five central elements of conflict: violence manifestations and there legitimation forms, violation of Basic Human Needs, negative interdependence of collective identities, political and ideological issues. Three additional factors are also mentionated -social polarization, emotional and cognitive issues-. Finally, we explain the whole dates about basque conflict throughout dynamic/ systemic model.

Family context assessment in a public health study.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the factorial structure of a new instrument to assess the quality of the family context (Etxadi-Gangoiti Scale) in a sample from the Gipuzkoa cohort of the Environment and Childhood (Infancia y Medio Ambiente [INMA]) study. METHODS: Families in a sample of 433 two-year-old children were assessed in a home visit with subsequent analysis of the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the data. RESULTS: An exploratory factorial analysis (principal axis factoring and varimax rotation) and a confirmatory factorial analysis were carried out; partial confirmation of the original factorial structure of the instrument was obtained, which revealed the following factorial structures. Subscale (1): promotion of cognitive and linguistic development, social skills, psychomotor skills, and pretend play and imitation; subscale (2): promotion of independence and self-esteem, provision of optimal frustration, social and emotional quality of the relationship, and absence of physical punishment; subscale (3): paternal involvement, low exposure to family conflict, low frequency of family conflict, relationship with the extended family, social support, diversity of experiences, low frequency of stressful events, and low parental perception of stress. DISCUSSION: The structure of the original instrument structure was partially confirmed, which was attributed to the characteristics of the sample. We stress the importance of the variability obtained in the evaluation of the families, as well as of adequate indicators of reliability in such evaluation. The new instrument could be used in public health to identify deficient family contexts and to design preventive interventions focused on parenting skills.

Yale University's Institute of Human Relations and the Spanish Civil War: Dollard and Miller's study of fear and courage under battle conditions.

In the late 1930s, the Institute of Human Relations of Yale University developed a research program on conflict and anxiety as an outcome of Clark Hull's informal seminar on the integration of Freud's and Pavlov's theories. The program was launched at the 1937 Annual Meeting of the APA in a session chaired by Clark L. Hull, and the experiments continued through 1941, when the United States entered the Second World War. In an effort to apply the findings from animal experiments to the war situation, John Dollard and Neal E. Miller decided to study soldiers' fear reactions in combat. As a first step, they arranged interviews with a few veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Taking these interviews as a point of departure, Dollard devised a questionnaire to which 300 former Lincoln brigaders responded. The present paper analyzes the main outcomes of the questionnaire, together with the war experiences reported in the interview transcripts. Our purpose was to evaluate a project which was initially investigated by the FBI because of the communists among the Lincoln ranks, but eventually supported by the American Army, and which exerted great influence on the military psychology of the time.

[Distinct forms of entering retirement and their relationship with psychological health]. / Diferentes formas de acceder a la jubilación y su relación con la salud psicológica.

INTRODUCTION: Due to a series of factors such as working conditions, economic position and health status, retirement does not necessarily occur at the age of 65 years, thus generating new types of retirement. OBJECTIVES: To study the possible relationship between retirement types and psychological health indicators, i.e. depression, anxiety and life satisfaction and to analyze perceptions and feelings about the change produced as a result of retirement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 119 retired persons (68.1% men, 31.9% women) participated in this study. The mean age was 66.5 years. Participants were interviewed individually. The instruments used were the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, an ad hoc interview, in which sociodemographic data and information on retirement were gathered, the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Life Satisfaction Scale, and lastly, the COOP-WONCA Health-Related Quality of Life Scale. RESULTS: Participants who retired due to illness had higher levels of anxiety and depression and lower life satisfaction than persons retiring for other reasons. The ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences (p<.001) only in life satisfaction. After the corresponding regression analysis was performed on this variable, a statistically significant model was found that grouped together four predictive variables: anxiety (p<.001), depression (p<.001), income bracket (p<.001) and physical status (p<.05). These variables explained 46% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: In line with other studies, the present study found that retirement is not associated with depression, although retirement due to illness is associated with poorer psychological health. The results on life satisfaction support the idea that retirement is no longer a homogeneous event. Retirement type does not appear to be a major predictor of life satisfaction.