Diferencias de sexo y edad en el autoconcepto social / Sex and age differences in social self-concept

Resumen Este estudio tiene por objeto identificar diferencias asociadas a la edad y al sexo en el autoconcepto social medido con el Cuestionario de Autoconcepto Social (AUSO), de Fernández-Zabala (2011), que consta de las escalas de responsabilidad social y de competencia social. Participaron en la investigación 767 estudiantes, 318 hombres (41.5 %) y 449 mujeres (58.5 %), de entre 16 y 25 años (M = 19.97; DT = 1.86) divididos en dos grupos de edad (menores de 20 años y mayores de 20). Tras comprobar la invarianza factorial del cuestionario por sexo y edad, se verifican diferencias en la escala de responsabilidad social, y no en la de competencia social, a favor de las mujeres y del grupo de más edad. Estos resultados suponen un avance respecto de anteriores conocimientos sobre el desarrollo del autoconcepto social a la par que refrendan la calidad psicométrica del AUSO.

Abstract The aim of this study is to identify differences associated with age and sex in the social self-concept measured by the Social Self-Concept Questionnaire (AUSO), by Fernández-Zabala (2011), made up for two scales: social responsibility and social competence. In the research participated a total of 767 students, 318 men (41.5 %) and 449 women (58.5 %), between 16 and 25 years (M = 19.97, SD = 1.86) divided into two age groups (under 20 years and older than 20). After checking the factorial invariance of the questionnaire by sex and age, differences in the scale of social responsibility are verified, but not on social competence, in favor of women and older group. These results represent an advance over previous knowledge on the development of social self-concept and at the same time endorse AUSO psychometric quality.

Sources of perceived sociocultural pressure on physical self-concept.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to analyze the four-factor structure (advertising, information, family environment and friendship setting) of the Cuestionario de Influjos Socioculturales sobre el Autoconcepto Físico (CIAF) [Sociocultural Influences on Physical Self-concept Questionnaire] and its invariance in relation to sex, age and physical activity. METHOD: Participants were 579 students (339 men and 240 women) aged between 12 and 23, divided into three groups (137 under 14 years, 338 aged between 15 and 18 and 104 over 18 years). All completed the CIAF. RESULTS: Both the confirmatory factor analyses and the factor invariance tests support the four-factor structure of the CIAF and, therefore, the identification of four different types of sociocultural perceived influence. CONCLUSIONS: These results allow us to apply the abundant data found by previous studies on sociocultural pressure on body image to our understanding of physical self-concept.

[Physical self-perceptions in adulthood and old age]. / Las autopercepciones físicas en la edad adulta y en la vejez.

The aim of this work is to confirm the tetra-factorial validity of the Cuestionario de Autoconcepto Físico (CAF [in English, the Physical Self-concept Questionnaire]) in adulthood and old age from the responses of 1,114 people (39.50% men and 60.50% women), divided into four age groups (24 to 34 years, n= 390; 35 to 49 years, n= 277; 50 to 64 years, n= 330; and over 65, n= 117). The correlations between scales (physical skills, physical fitness, physical attractiveness and strength) are lower than those obtained in previous studies, which supports their being different. However, confirmatory factor analysis supported the tetra-factorial structure primarily in the 24-34 age group.

Analizan los factores asociados con trastornos alimentarios en la adolescencia / Factors associated with eating disorders in adolescence

New data are presented on the relationship between eating disorders in adolescence and physical self-concept. The degree to which age, engagement in sports activities, and body mass index present a risk in the development of eating disorders is analyzed. The study population was comprised of 740 adolescents (366 males and 374 females) between the ages of 12 and 18 years. Study subjects answered questions on the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI); the Physical Self-Concept Inventory (PSCI); and questions about sports activity habits, weight and height. Very significant differences are noted on EDI scores between groups of adolescents with low, medium, or high esteem concerning physical self-concept. Female adolescents, in general, are at higher risk of developing eating disorders than their male adolescent counterparts. This general finding is notable when considering age (12-14 years of age versus 15-18 years of age), physical activity (sporadic or habitual) and body mass index (low weight, normal weight, overweight)

En este trabajo se presentan nuevos datos sobre la asociación de los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria en la adolescencia mcon el autoconcepto físico; se analiza, asimismo, hasta qué punto la variable sexo interactúa con las de edad, práctica deportiva e índice de masa corporal con respecto al riesgo de padecer trastornos de la alimentación. Participaron en el estudio 740 adolescentes (366 hombres y 374 mujeres), de edades comprendidas entre los 12 y los 18 años, que respondieron al Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), al Cuestionario de Autoconcepto Físico (CAF), así como a una batería de preguntas acerca de sus hábitos deportivos, su peso y su altura. Resultan muy significativas las diferencias de puntuación en el EDI en función de la pertenencia al grupo de adolescentes con autoconcepto físico bajo, medio o alto. De otro lado, la población femenina adolescente muestra, en general, mayor riesgo que la masculina de padecer trastornos alimentarios; ahora bien, esta afirmación general exige notables precisiones cuando se toma en consideración la edad (12-14 vs. 15-18 años), la actividad física (esporádica o habitual) y el índice de masa corporal (bajo peso, peso normal, sobrepeso)