Correlates of Bullying Victimization and Sexual Harassment: Implications for Life Satisfaction in Late Adolescents.

Bullying and sexual harassment are considered widespread public health concerns because they may have negative effects on physical and mental health. However, more studies are necessary that relate these forms of victimization and their overlap with subjective well-being. This study explores the prevalence and association between different forms of bullying victimization, sexual harassment, and life satisfaction using a sample of 47,114 students aged 16-18 years and from 646 Peruvian educational institutions. Face-to-face bullying was the most reported type of victimization, followed by cyberbullying. There was a large degree of overlap between these two forms of bullying as well as between traditional bullying and sexual harassment. This overlap causes a decrease in life satisfaction in late adolescents. Thus, the need of preventing the negative dynamics of violence in order to prevent the overlapping of different violence forms in adolescence is discussed. Finally, implications for school nurses are outlined.

Risk and protective factors at school: Reducing bullies and promoting positive bystanders' behaviors in adolescence.

Identifying protective factors present at schools located in neighborhoods with high structural violence is fundamental to help prevent the perpetuation of violence. Therefore, the aim of this study was to observe how some school micro-system variables, such as school environment and interpersonal relationships that adults establish with adolescents, may lead to bullying behaviors or, on the contrary, to positive bystander behavior in the bully-victim dynamic. The sample was composed of 5,774 adolescents from 71 schools located in violent neighborhoods in Lima (Peru). 31.9 per cent of the sample experienced verbal violence and the prevalence of cyberbullying was 24.6%. Boys were more prone to experience both types of bullying than girls, although no differences were seen in the probability of becoming aggressors during early and late adolescence. The protective model showed that a positive atmosphere based on a supportive environment with clear rules encouraged adults at school to show more support and to provide more orientation in bullying situations, thus promoting a positive bystander behavior between peers. Opposite results were observed in the risk model. Actions at the micro-system school level are discussed to enhance protective factors and reduce risk factors.

Adolescent Victimization during COVID-19 Lockdowns and Its Influence on Mental Health Problems in Seven Countries: The Mediation Effect of Resilience.

The objective of this study was to test the differences between the mean scores of victimization, an indicator of depression, stress, and anxiety (DASS), across seven countries (Australia, Chile, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, and the Russian Federation) during the COVID-19 lockdowns. In addition, this study sought to analyze the mediator role of resilience in these relationships in the different countries. To this end, a structural equation model (SEM) was tested and differences across countries were considered through a multigroup analysis. Data for adolescent students from seven countries (n = 7241) collected by the Global Research Alliance showed that levels of anxiety, depression, and stress among adolescents were different in the countries assessed; all of them presented values above the mean of the indicator, with Chile and Russia having the highest values. Regarding the prevalence of exposure to violence, the mean across all countries studied was 34%, with the highest prevalence in Russia and India. At the global level, an adequate adjustment was observed in the SEM mediation model considering all countries. However, a mediator effect of resilience was only observed in the relationship between victimization and the indicator of DASS in Chile, Indonesia, and Russia. The results are discussed, analyzing the relevance of resilience as a protective factor for mental health during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Characterization of Wellbeing and its Relationship with Exposure to Violence in Mexican and Chilean Early and Late Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The current COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has generated negative psychological effects on the global population. In this context, one of the most vulnerable groups is adolescents, who have faced a range of challenging scenarios. The consequences of this pandemic for the wellbeing of adolescents need to be researched across countries. From this perspective, this study aims to characterize the wellbeing of adolescents from Mexico and Chile during the pandemic and delve into the relationship between victimization and the hedonic and eudaimonic types of wellbeing. Data from adolescent students (n = 3,275) were used, with the support of the Global Research Alliance. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted and their results indicated that: 1) Late adolescents scored lower on flourishing, and males scored higher than females. There was also a higher prevalence of languishing in late adolescents from both countries, as well as high levels of languishing in non-binary adolescents, especially in Chile; 2) There was a high prevalence of poly-victimization, with the highest percentage reported by females and the late adolescent group in both countries; 3) Non-victims had a higher probability of being in the flourishing group than victims in both countries; 4) Poly-victimization especially had an effect on the eudaimonic wellbeing of early adolescents and on the hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing of late adolescents in both countries. Implications related to the mental health policies for adolescence are discussed in terms of how to increase adolescent wellbeing.

Gratitude as a Protective Factor for Cyberbullying Victims: Conditional Effects on School and Life Satisfaction.

Recently, studies linking the emotion of dispositional gratitude to cyberbullying have attracted attention. However, this is still a seminal research area that requires further scientific studies. Through longitudinal data, this study aims to analyze the mitigating effect of gratitude on cybervictimization and two indicators of adolescent subjective well-being, namely school and life satisfaction. To this end, 221 adolescents attending private schools in Peru (age: mean (M) = 12.09; standard deviation (SD) = 0.89) were selected to respond to a self-administered questionnaire in two waves that were six months apart. Descriptive data show that 27% of cybervictims also suffer other types of traditional bullying. The overlaps between forms of bullying contribute to higher probabilities of experiencing low school and life satisfaction compared to non-victims after six months. The results of the moderation analysis show that experience high gratitude help students to maintain stable levels of life satisfaction regardless of the prevalence of cyberbullying after six months The results are discussed in terms of the relevance of fostering gratitude from early ages.

Gratitude at Work Prospectively Predicts Lower Workplace Materialism: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study in Chile.

Materialism at work refers to a higher importance attached to extrinsic (e.g., money, fame, image) versus intrinsic (self-development, affiliation, community participation) employees' 'aspirations'. Research from self-determination theory has consistently found that materialism at work is strongly detrimental for both employees and organizations. For example, materialism is negatively associated with lower job satisfaction and engagement and positively associated with higher turnover intentions and job insecurity. Unfortunately, there are no viable strategies for reducing materialism in the workplace yet. In this sense, based on emergent research in psychology, we theorized that dispositional gratitude-a key construct within the Positive Organizational Psychology field-could be a protecting factor against materialism. Further, we conducted a three-wave longitudinal design among a large sample of Chilean workers (n = 1841) to test, for the first time, the longitudinal link between gratitude and materialism. We used two novel methodologies: A cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) to test between-person changes and a trait-state-occasion model (TSO) to test within-person changes. We found that both the CLPM as well as the TSO models showed that gratitude at work prospectively predicted further lower workplace materialism. Specifically, the CLPM shows that individuals with higher than average gratitude at Ti, are more likely to show lower than average materialism at Ti+1. The TSO shows that individuals with a higher than their usual level of gratitude at Ti are more likely to show a lower than their usual level of materialism at Ti+1. Important implications for materialism research as well as for the Positive Organizational Psychology field are discussed.

Distinct Routes to Understand the Relationship Between Dispositional Optimism and Life Satisfaction: Self-Control and Grit, Positive Affect, Gratitude, and Meaning in Life.

Over the last years, understanding the implications of prospective thinking toward the future has become of increasing interest. This study aims to delve into the relation between dispositional optimism, one of the most relevant prospective constructs, and life satisfaction. Additionally, we also seek to prove the mediating effect of different cognitive and affective variables associated with both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being on this relationship. A first study is conducted with 275 secondary students to assess the relationship between optimism and life satisfaction through self-control and grit (14.82, SD = 1.07), which indicates a mediating effect of grit but not of self-control. A second study is carried out with 1,356 university students (21.5, SD = 2.35) to demonstrate the mediating effect of positive affect on dispositional optimism and life satisfaction. Results show a strong relationship between optimism and positive affect, but no mediating effect on life satisfaction. Finally, a third study comprising 371 secondary students (14.12, SD = 1.78) demonstrates the existence of a serial multiple mediation from gratitude and meaning in life over the relationship between optimism and life satisfaction. Implications are discussed in terms of how prospective variables like dispositional optimism may lead to an increase in subjective well-being (SWB) through different affective and cognitive mechanisms.

Self-Transcendent Aspirations and Life Satisfaction: The Moderated Mediation Role of Gratitude Considering Conditional Effects of Affective and Cognitive Empathy.

Life aspirations are considered one of the most relevant components for human beings to give meaning and purpose to their existence. Different studies emphasized the relevance of intrinsic life aspirations to promote life satisfaction. However, few studies analyze the specific role of the intrinsic aspirations that have been recently categorized as self-transcendent. Self-transcendent aspirations are focused on helping others and improving society and, consequently, are considered aspirations whose purpose transcends oneself. In this sense, the objective of this study is to observe how self-transcendent aspirations are related to life satisfaction through dispositional gratitude. Additionally, we aim to study the moderating role of cognitive and affective empathy. There were 1,356 students (mean age = 21.5, standard deviation = 2.35 years) who took part in a scholarship program funded by the Education Ministry of Peru (PRONABEC), of which 57.7% were men and 42.3% were women. Results show a strong relationship between self-transcendent aspirations, gratitude, and cognitive and affective empathy. In the mediation analysis, an indirect effect of self-transcendent aspirations is observed on life satisfaction via gratitude. However, the moderated mediation showed that the addition of cognitive and affective empathy conditions the mediation effect. In this way, cognitive empathy has a significant interaction in the relationships between self-transcendent aspirations and gratitude, and between self-transcendent aspirations and life satisfaction. Results are discussed to emphasize the relevance of the mediating and moderating mechanisms considered in this study for the understanding of how self-transcendent life aspirations may promote life satisfaction.

The Effects of the 2016 Copa América Centenario Victory on Social Trust, Self-Transcendent Aspirations and Evaluated Subjective Well-Being: The Role of Identity With the National Team and Collective Pride in Major Sport Events.

Following a neo-Durkheimian perspective, major sporting events such as the World Cup or the America's Cup differ from other collective rituals because they promote interest throughout the nation due to their massiveness and international character. In order to increase the scientific knowledge related to these type of rituals, the aim of this study was to observe the effects that the Chilean victory in the 2016 Copa América Centenario had on social variables such as trust, self-transcendent aspirations, and evaluated subjective well-being (SWB) of both fans and non-fans. In addition, two longitudinal structural equation models (SEMs) were performed to estimate the effect of identity with the national team before the final match on evaluated SWB, trust, and self-transcendent aspirations post-final. A total of 648 Chilean participants (mean age = 38.58; SD = 10.96) answered the questionnaire before the final match. Out of these, 409 completed our measures after the final. The results show that fans presented higher scores in many of the studied variables before and after the final compared to non-fans. Identification with the national team (before the final) prospectively and significantly predicted pride in the national team and pride in the country (after the final). In addition, these two forms of collective pride mediated the relationship between identification with the national team (before the final) and evaluated SWB (after the final). The results are discussed emphasizing the importance of these kinds of specific massive rituals and their effects.

The Assertive Resolution of Conflicts in School With a Gamified Emotion Education Program.

Coexistence in schools inevitably carries a higher risk of conflicts among peers. This fact can be detrimental to the well-being and academic achievement of the students. In many developed countries, about 90% of the pupils in compulsory secondary education report witnessing assaults among peers. In this regard, recognizing, controlling and managing emotions is key to ensure a healthy and effective interaction with others. Negative emotions, such as anger, can trigger conflicts or even episodes of violence if not regulated properly. Interactive tools, such as specialized software's, have shown high rates of efficacy for the training of different kinds of competences like the regulation of emotions. The aim of the present work is to describe the Happy Emotional Education Program and its effects over a sample of secondary school students. This software focuses in the training of emotional competences of the students with the objective of solving conflicts in a more assertive way. The design employed in the present work was a quasiexperimental design with pretest and posttest with a control group. Results show that Happy Emotional Education Program contributes to the management of emotions and the absence of negative affect or anxiety in a significant way. Additionally, the constant use of this interactive tool enhances motivation and the learning process of students. Results also indicate the importance of assessing the effects of the program in the long term. This would enable researchers to further assess the effects of the program over those emotional competences that are more resistant to change given its stable nature.

Development and validation of the Relaxation-Mindfulness Scale for Adolescents (EREMIND-A).

BACKGROUND: The aim of this investigation was to validate the Relaxation-Mindfulness Scale for Adolescents (EREMIND-A), consisting of 18 items and three factors (Attention-Concentration in the present moment; Relaxation (abilities and attitudes); and Sensory awareness/Contemplation/Interiority). METHOD: The validation was done with a sample of Secondary Education and Baccalaureate students from four different centres in Spain (n = 1.120). EFA and CFA of the EREMIND-A were performed and construct and incremental validities calculated. RESULTS: Initial results confirm the validity and reliability of the scale. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for a broader conceptualization of mindfulness, as well as the inclusion and analysis of other related and cross-cutting concepts. The research in this sense will propitiate the adaptation of the Mindfulness-Based Interventions to the reality of the adolescents in the educational centers, where relaxation and the interiority are aspects to be taken into consideration.

The Role of Self-control and Grit in Domains of School Success in Students of Primary and Secondary School.

Objective: Self-control and grit have become two of the most important variables that explain success in different aspects of people's daily life (Duckworth and Gross, 2014). Self-control promotes delayed gratification and directly influences thoughts, emotions, and impulses. On the other hand, grit enhances the achievement of goals through perseverance even before extreme external circumstances. Since both constructs are related, examining them together is compelling, as long as the different nuances that characterize each are taken into account. Two structural equation models (SEM) were conducted to observe the effect of self-control and grit on a more specific indicator of academic success (academic self-efficacy) and a more general indicator of school experience (satisfaction with school). Methods: The first model comprises 5,681 primary students (M = 9.05; SD = 0.79), and the second 10,017 secondary students (M = 14.20; SD = 1.04) from Lima, Peru. In both models, the influence of grit and self-control on school satisfaction was observed when taking self-efficacy as a mediator variable. Results: The results show that grit and self-control have strong associations in both primary and secondary students. When estimating the covariance of both constructs, grit is related with academic-self efficacy at both educational stages, but only to satisfaction with school in secondary students. On the contrary, self-control shows a significant relationship with school satisfaction only in primary education. In turn, self-efficacy shows a mediating effect between grit and school satisfaction. After calculating the invariance of the models, differences are observed by gender in the relationships between variables. Conclusion: The results indicate that both constructs are strongly interrelated. Regarding the associations with the indicators of academic success, a need for timely interventions specific to each educational stage is observed.

Violent relationships at the social-ecological level: A multi-mediation model to predict adolescent victimization by peers, bullying and depression in early and late adolescence.

BACKGROUND: From the social-ecological perspective, exposure to violence at the different developmental levels is fundamental to explain the dynamics of violence and victimization in educational centers. The following study aims at analyzing how these relationships are produced in the Peruvian context, where structural violence situations exist. METHODS: A multi-mediation structural model with 21,416 Peruvian adolescents (M = 13.69; SD = 0.71) was conducted to determine the influence of violence in the school environment on violence perceived within school and violence exercised by teachers. In addition, it was also intended to determine whether these violent relationships predict depression through loneliness, and bullying through peer victimization. The existence of differences between early and late adolescence was also verified. RESULTS: Results confirm that violence in the school setting has high influence on violence exercised by adolescents and teachers within the school. Teacher violence is the most important predictor of depression through loneliness, and encourages peer victimization and the emergence of aggressive behavior. Exposure to violence exercised by support sources-teachers and classmates-explains more than 90% of the total variance explained in bullying behavior. Differences were found between early and late adolescence models. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of structural violence in school settings facilitates the bullying/victimization dynamics within school. From a social-ecological perspective, this result suggests the importance of network cooperation at a mesosystem level, with teachers from educational centers playing a crucial role in the prevention of bullying/victimization.

[Individual and ecological factors related to the geographical variability of psychological distress among small areas: a multilevel analysis in Catalonia, Spain]. / Factores individuales y del entorno asociados a la variabilidad geográfica de los trastornos psicológicos entre areas pequeñas: un análisis multinivel.

BACKGROUND: To know the geographic distribution of the prevalence of psychological distress is important for mental health services planning. This study is aimed at identifying the individual factors and those related to the area of residence which may explain the geographic variability of psychological distress (by healthcare districts) in Catalonia. METHODS: The data was taken from the 1994 Catalonian Health Survey and from the 1996 Catalonia population statistics. The prevalence of psychological distress is estimated by age and sex and by healthcare district. In a two-level logic regression model, a study is made of the relationship between the individual variables (first level: health survey n = 12,455) and those of the area of residence (second level: the healthcare district, n = 46) to the geographic distribution of the prevalence of psychological distress. RESULTS: The significant variables at individual level are in men: age (45-64 years OR: 0.63 y > 64 years OR: 0.22), working status (no work OR: 1.60), number of chronic diseases (CD) (CD = 1 OR: 1.75 CD = 2 OR: 2.06 CD = 3-5 OR: 3.36 and CD > 5 OR: 8.9). In women: age (25-44 years OR: 0.63 45-64 years OR: 0.45 and > 64 years OR: 0.32), working status (no work OR: 1.30), number of chronic diseases (CD = 1 OR: 1.75 CD = 2 OR: 2.44 CD = 3-5 OR: 4.09 and CD > 5 OR: 11.14), and also the kind of parental household in women (single-parental OR: 1.42). The variables at the level of the area of residence are in migration (men OR: 1.55 and women OR: 1.68) and unemployment (men OR: 1.07 and women OR: 1.06). CONCLUSIONS: The individual factors do not suffice to explain the geographical variability of the prevalence of psychological distress, but the characteristics of the area of residence are also important.

Effect of a Mindfulness Training Program on the Impulsivity and Aggression Levels of Adolescents with Behavioral Problems in the Classroom.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of a mindfulness training psycho-educative program on impulsivity and aggression levels in a sample of high school students. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with pre-test-post-test measurements was applied to an experimental group and a control group (waiting list). The Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) Patton et al. (1995) and the Aggression Questionnaire (Buss and Perry, 1992) were used. Results: Statistical analyses showed a significant decrease in the levels of impulsivity and aggressiveness in the experimental group compared with the control group. These results have important implications for improving the level of academic engagement and self-efficacy of students and for reducing school failure. Conclusion: This is one of the first studies showing the effectiveness of mindfulness training at reducing impulsive and aggressive behaviors in the classroom. The efficacy of mindfulness-based programs is emphasized.

Emotional Creativity as Predictor of Intrinsic Motivation and Academic Engagement in University Students: The Mediating Role of Positive Emotions.

OBJECTIVE: Emotional creativity (EC) implies experiencing a complex emotional life, which is becoming increasingly necessary in societies that demand innovation and constant changes. This research studies the relation of EC as a dispositional trait with intrinsic motivation (IM) and academic engagement (AE). METHODS: A sample of 428 university Chilean students, 36.5% men and 63.5% women, with ages from 18 to 45 years-old (M = 20.37; DT = 2.71). Additionally, the mediating function of class-related positive emotions in this relation is explored. RESULTS: The obtained data indicate that developing high levels of dispositional EC enhances the activation of positive emotions, such as gratitude, love and hope, in the classroom. Furthermore, EC predicts IM and AE of university students by the experience of positive emotions. CONCLUSION: These results compel us to be aware of the importance that university students can understand the complexity of the emotional processes they undergo. A greater control of these emotions would allow students to maintain higher levels of interest in their studies at the different educational stages and to avoid the risk of school failure.

Collective Efficacy in Sports and Physical Activities: Perceived Emotional Synchrony and Shared Flow.

This cross-sectional study analyzes the relationship between collective efficacy and two psychosocial processes involved in collective sport-physical activities. It argues that in-group identification and fusion with the group will affect collective efficacy (CE). A sample of 276 university students answered different scales regarding their participation in collective physical and sport activities. Multiple-mediation analyses showed that shared flow and perceived emotional synchrony mediate the relationship between in-group identification and CE, whereas the relationship between identity fusion and CE was only mediated by perceived emotional synchrony. Results suggest that both psychosocial processes explain the positive effects of in-group identification and identity fusion with the group in collective efficacy. Specifically, the role of perceived emotional synchrony in explaining the positive effects of participation in collective sport-physical activities is underlined. In sum, this study highlights the utility of collective actions and social identities to explain the psychosocial processes related to collective efficacy in physical and sports activities. Finally, practical implications are discussed.

[Dependency for activities of daily living in the elderly in Catalonia, Spain]. / Dependencia para la realización de actividades de la vida diaria en las personas mayores de Cataluña.

The aim of this article is to estimate the disabilty prevalence for the activities of daily living (ADL), the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and the use of health services, distinguishing between the population receiving assistance for ADL and not. Cross-sectional study (Encuesta de Salud de Cataluña [ESCA] 2006). We have analyzed 17 ADL. Differences among proportions are estimated with a 95% confidence interval to characterize the analysis groups. Logistic regression describes the explanatory variables about getting help or not. Disabilty prevalence for the ADL: 26.6% men and 48.2% in women. Of these, 79.6% is getting help. There is a socioeconomic gradient in prevalence, not being observed in relation to assistance or not. We must deepen our understanding of the phenomenon and its evolution to which the ESCA is an essential tool.

Regulación de la afectividad en el ámbito laboral: validez de las escalas de heteroregulación EROS y EIM / Affect regulation in the work domain: EROS and EIM hetero-regulation scales' validity

Una muestra de trabajadores y estudiantes de máster organizacional de dos universidades españolas respondió a las escalas de regulación interpersonal EROS y EIM, una sub-escala del test de inteligencia emocional MSCEIT, una escala de creatividad emocional, de auto-regulación, MARS, así como a la percepción de ajuste emocional después de episodios laborales estresantes. Todas mostraron en general fiabilidades satisfactorias. Un análisis factorial confirmatorio encontró que las dimensiones postuladas se adaptaban bien al perfil de datos. También confirmaron su validez de constructo. Las formas de hetero-regulación de mejora de las emociones de los demás, la alta modificación de la situación, la reevaluación cognitiva y la baja supresión y expresión emocional se asociaron al manejo de emociones evaluados por el MSCEIT, a la creatividad emocional y a formas de auto-regulación adaptativa. Se discuten los resultados en relación a la validez de constructo de las dimensiones de regulación interpersonal y a sus implicaciones para un clima emocional laboral positivo (AU)

A sample of workers and organizational master students filled in the scales of interpersonal regulation EROS and EIM, as well as the Emotional Intelligence facet of emotion management MSCEIT's subscales, the Emotional Creativity scale, ECI, the emotional regulation scale, MARS, and the perception of affective adjustment in the aftermath of stress in the workplace. Reliabilities were satisfactory for all the scales, expected dimensions were found in an exploratory factorial analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis found that theoretical dimensions fit well the data. Construct validity was confirmed since modification of situation, reevaluation, low suppression, and emotional expression were related to MSCEIT's management of emotions subscale, and to emotional creativity and adaptive forms of self-regulation. Results are discussed with regard to interpersonal regulation and implications for a positive emotional climate at work (AU)

Factores individuales y del entorno asociados a la variabilidad geográfica de los trastornos psicológicos entre áreas pequeñas: un análisis multinivel / Individual and ecological factors related to the geographical variability of psychological distress among small areas: a multilevel analysis in Catalonia, Spain

Fundamento: Para planificar las necesidades de servicios sanitarioses fundamental conocer la distribución de la morbilidad portrastornos psicológicos en el territorio así como los factores que ladeterminan. El objetivo es identificar los factores que pueden explicarla variabilidad geográfica de estos trastornos en Cataluña.Métodos: Los datos proceden de la Encuesta de Salud de l994 yde la estadística de población de l996 para Cataluña. Se estima la prevalenciade trastornos psicológicos por edad y sexo y por sector sanitario.En un modelo de regresión logística a dos niveles se estudia laasociación entre las variables individuales (primer nivel: Encuestade Salud n=12.455) y las de la zona de residencia (segundo nivel: elsector sanitario, n= 46) con la prevalencia de trastornos psicológicos.Resultados: Las variables individuales que influyen en las diferenciasentre sectores son: la edad (45-64 años OR:0,63 y >64 años:OR:0,22), la situación laboral (no trabaja OR:1,60) y el número detrastornos crónicos (TC) (TC=1 OR: 1,75 TC=2 OR: 2,06 TC=3-5OR:3,36 y TC>5 OR: 8,9) en hombres. En las mujeres, además deestas variables (edad 25-44 años OR: 0,63 45-64 años OR:0,45 y >64años OR: 0,32 la situación laboral no trabaja OR:1,30 y el número detrastornos crónicos (TC) TC=1 OR: 1,75 TC=2 OR: 2,44 TC=3-5OR:4,09 y TC>5 OR: 11,14), influye el tipo de hogar (monoparentalOR: 1,42). Las variables a nivel de la zona de residencia son la proporciónde inmigración (hombres OR:1,55 y mujeres OR:1,68) y dedesempleo (hombres OR:1,07 y mujeres OR:1,06).Conclusiones: Los factores individuales no son suficientes paraexplicar la variabilidad geográfica de la prevalencia de los trastornospsicológicos, ya que también influyen las características de la zonade residencia

Background: To know the geographic distribution of the prevalenceof psychological distress is important for mental healthservices planning. This study is aimed at identifying the individualfactors and those related to the area of residence which may explainthe geographic variability of psychological distress (by healthcaredistricts) in Catalonia.Methods: The data was taken from the 1994 Catalonian HealthSurvey and from the 1996 Catalonia population statistics. The prevalenceof psychological distress is estimated by age and sex and byhealthcare district. In a two-level logic regression model, a study ismade of the relationship between the individual variables (first level:health survey n=12,455) and those of the area of residence (secondlevel: the healthcare district, n=46) to the geographic distribution ofthe prevalence of psychological distress.Results: The significant variables at individual level are in men:age (45-64 years OR:0,63 y >64 years OR: 0,22), working status (nowork OR:1,60) , number of chronic diseases (CD) (CD=1 OR: 1,75CD=2 OR: 2,06 CD=3-5 OR:3,36 and CD>5 OR: 8,9). In women:age (25-44 years OR: 0,63 45-64 years OR:0,45 and >64 years OR:0,32), working status (no work OR:1,30), number of chronic diseases(CD=1 OR: 1,75 CD=2 OR: 2,44 CD=3-5 OR:4,09 and CD>5OR: 11,14), and also the kind of parental household in women (single-parental OR: 1,42). The variables at the level of the area of residenceare inmigration (men OR:1,55 and women OR:1,68) andunemployment (men OR:1,07 and women OR:1,06).Conclusions: The individual factors do not suffice to explain thegeographical variability of the prevalence of psychological distress,but the characteristics of the area of residence are also important