Validation of the knowledge evaluation questionnaire of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation training program in high school students.

There is an urgent need for generalized training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques, starting with secondary education. Validated instruments for assessing the efficacy of such interventions are not yet available. This study aimed to validate an evaluation questionnaire of a CPR training program for high school students, to analyze the levels of readability, difficulty, reliability, and content validity, as well as the fit the purpose for which they were designed, the trait they are intended to measure. An instrumental study was conducted in 2 phases. In the first phase, an inter-judge validation was carried out with 11 experts in CPR accredited instructors of basic and advanced CPR by the American Heart Association. In the second phase, the psychometric properties were evaluated from the perspective of Item Response Theory. During May of the 2017/18 and 2018/19 academic years, 259 4th-year secondary school students from a high school in the southeastern area of the island of Gran Canaria (mean age: 15.78 years; 50.60% male) were surveyed anonymously using the questionnaire to be validated. The questionnaire was easily readable (74.12 Flesch-Szigriszt Index); the difficulty level (Easy/Very Easy) in the context of this secondary school level of education and the ability level of the respondents overlapped sufficiently and there was no gender bias. The questionnaire was able to discriminate between respondents of slightly more than 7 levels of expertise, from low knowledge of CPR to high knowledge of CPR (Separation Index 7.53). The model fit was excellent (infit = 1/outfit = 1.01). The content validity index was adequate. The separation index and reliability exceeded what was considered adequate for guaranteed use. The level of difficulty of the items and the level of ability of the respondents is in line with the educational level of the students. The questionnaire did not produce a gender bias in response probability. The questionnaire is easily understandable and can discriminate between different levels of ability without differential gender bias, and its reliability is outstanding, as it exceeds the minimum criteria.

Predictors of personal growth in induced abortion.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge about the psychological experience in induced abortion remains limited. Studies have been biased towards negative consequences. METHOD: A descriptive and prospective study was conducted. Participants were 338 adult women who came to have an induced abortion in authorized centers of Las Palmas (Spain). RESULTS: A large proportion of women reflected moderate to very high personal growth at all measurement times (from 64.79% to 76.36%), with statistically significant increases. The perception of social support explained most of the variance in the cross-sectional prediction of personal growth, both at the time of the abortion and in the follow-up one month later. The variables that predicted growth longitudinally were: greater perception of the abortion as a turning point in their lives, lower level of academic education, greater frequency of thoughts about abortion one month later, lower frequency of thoughts about abortion six months later, and greater perceived social support one month later. CONCLUSIONS: The perception of personal growth is part of the psychological experience of abortion. This finding invites us to broaden the traditional focus on the psychological effects of induced abortion, to also include the positive outcomes.

The use of physical restraints in long-term care in Spain: a multi-center cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Physical restraint is a procedure used frequently in long-term care. It is a controversial practice because its use is associated with numerous complications and also affects freedom and individual autonomy. The objective of this study was to examine the use of physical restraint of long-term care residents with the ability to move voluntarily. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional observational and correlational multi-center study. Nine centers agreed to participate. Of the 1,200 people present at the time of data collection, those without voluntary movement or in the facility for less than a month were excluded. Thus, the final sample was 920 residents. Data on the use of restraints was collected by direct observation. Information about the age, gender, length of stay, falls, mobility, cognition and functional status of residents was gathered by reviewing clinical records and interviewing nursing staff. A descriptive analysis of the data obtained was conducted. The generalized linear model was used, considering only the principal effects of each variable and using the logit link function. The model has been adjusted for clusters and for other possibly confounding factors. For all analyses, a confidence interval (CI) of 95% was estimated. RESULTS: The prevalence of residents with at least one physical restraint was 84.9% (95% CI: 81.7-88.1), with variability between centers of 70.3 to 96.6% (p-value Kruskal Wallis test <0.001). Full-enclosure side rails were most often used (84.5; 95% CI: 81.1-87.9), but other types of restraints were also used frequently. Multivariate analysis showed that the degree of functional impairment increased the probability of the use of restraint. A significant association was also found between restraint use and the impaired cognitive status of residents. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence was higher than in studies from other countries. The results emphasize the need to improve the training of nursing staff in the care of residents with impairments in functional and cognitive status. The use of alternative devices and nurse consultants need to be evaluated, and the introduction of specific laws considered.

Validation of the BASR relaxation technique for the control of craving, anxiety and stress in an experimental nicotine withdrawal set / Validación de la técnica de relajación RBSA para el control del craving, la ansiedad y el estrés bajo condiciones experimentales de abstinencia a la nitcotina

Anxiety, craving and stress are associated with a higher risk of recurrence and a success reduction of smoking cessation programs. Relaxation techniques are one of the resources that psychology can bring to bear on these programs. The Brief Automated Suggestive Relaxation technique (BASR) is presented. Its design carries with it the idea of creating a brief and self-applied procedure which allows one to obtain results from the outset with minimum effort by both patient and therapist. This technique is confirmed within the multi-component program for smoking cessation as a confrontation resource for symptoms of anxiety/craving/stress deriving from quit smoking and nicotine Withdrawal Syndrome, its possible effectiveness was studied. There were 45 participants and all were smokers (average age of 43.91, 55.6% women), randomly divided in two groups: BASR condition (15 minutes relaxation session) or control condition (15 minutes rest session). Two standardized tests were used for the evaluation, the Anxiety-State scale (STAI-S) and the Differential Stress Inventory of Adjectives for the Study of Moods (IDDA-EA). An analogical qualification Scale of Smoking Desire was also used. In agreement with findings, a positive effect and the efficacy of the technique employed for the control of craving, anxiety and stress in smokers was corroborated.

La ansiedad, el craving y el estrés se asocian con un mayor riesgo de recurrencia y a una reducción del éxito de los programas para dejar de fumar. Las técnicas de relajación son uno de los recursos que la psicología puede aportar a estos programas. Presentamos la técnica de Relajación Breve Sugestiva Automatizada (RBSA), diseñada con la idea de crear un procedimiento breve y auto-aplicado que permita obtener resultados inmediatos y con un mínimo esfuerzo tanto del paciente como del terapeuta. Esta técnica se integra en un programa multicomponente para dejar de fumar como un recurso para la confrontación de los síntomas de ansiedad/craving/estrés que se derivan de dejar de fumar y del Síndrome de Abstinencia de la nicotina. Se estudió su posible eficacia. Participaron 45 fumadores (edad promedio de 43.91, 55,6% mujeres), divididos aleatoriamente en dos grupos: condición RBSA (sesión de 15 minutos de relajación) o condición de control (15 minutos de reposo). Se utilizaron dos pruebas estandarizadas para la evaluación, la escala de Ansiedad-Estado (STAI-S) y la escala de Estrés del Inventario de Diferencial de Adjetivos para el Estudio de Estados de Ánimo (IDDA-EA). También se empleó una escala analógica para la evaluación del Deseo de fumar. De acuerdo con los resultados se constató un efecto positivo y la eficacia de la técnica empleada para el control del craving, la ansiedad y el estrés en fumadores.