The moderation effect of mentalization in the relationship between impulsiveness and aggressive behavior.

Aggressive behavior is a growing problem across many contexts. Thus, searching for its predictors is important. The aim of the current study was to analyze the moderator effect of mentalization in the relationship between impulsiveness and both verbal and physical aggressive behavior, using a sample of 583 participants gathered from the general Spanish population (MAge = 34.60, SDAge = 12.99). In our sample, 182 were male and 401 were female. The results showed significant bivariate relationships among aggression, impulsiveness, and mentalization. Moderation structural equation modeling (MSEM) showed a significant moderation effect, so whereas the value of mentalization is not relevant in cases of people with low impulsiveness, high mentalization abilities allow those people with high impulsiveness to behave less aggressively than people with high impulsiveness and low mentalization abilities. Practical implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

Wearing mask hinders emotion recognition, but enhances perception of attractiveness.

The current global pandemic situation due to the Covid-19 has implied several consequences at all psychological levels. One of the main differences with respect to the pre-pandemic life in most of countries around the world is the obligation to wear a mask for citizens. This new habit could have several issues for human relationships. The current research aimed to explore the effect of wearing a mask on both emotion recognition and perception of attractiveness. Two hundred and two participants completed a task consisting of 24 face images presented twice, with and without mask. Of them, there were six images for emotion: anger, sadness, fear, and happiness. The results showed that emotion recognition was worse when wearing a face mask except for surprise: happiness, η2 = 0.84; anger, η2 = 0.74; anger, η2 = 52. Moreover, wearing a mask enhanced the perception of attractiveness both in male and female in all emotions except for happiness: sadness, η2 = 0.22; surprise, η2 = 0.05, and anger, η2 = 0.03. Finally, social implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

Psychological Adjustment in Adult Adoptees: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the effect adoption status has on psychological adjustment (for instance, depression, anxiety, problem behaviour, or drug misuse) in adulthood. The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis to study the impact of adoption status on adult adoptees' psychological adjustment. METHOD: The review included 18 quasi-experimental studies conducted between 1993 and 2019. RESULTS: Adoptees had significantly worse psychological adjustment than non-adoptees across all outcomes, except for the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and antisocial personality disorder (APD). The moderating analyses showed a significant effect for ethnicity and marital status. CONCLUSIONS: Our results shed light on the specific groups of adoptees at a higher risk of maladjustment. The outcomes most strongly influenced by adoptive status were angry emotions (hostility and anger), psychiatric care, drug abuse, and psychotic symptoms. These findings have clinical implications with regard to the support that practitioners can provide to adoptees and their families.

Do people drive as they live, or are they transformed when they drive? A comparison of driving styles and living styles.

The question of whether "people drive as they live" or whether "they are transformed behind the wheel" has been addressed in previous research but it mainly focused on anger and aggressive behaviors. Current research tries to go further and compares driving styles with their analogous living styles to analyze both convergence and divergence in both safe and unsafe driving styles. Then, dissociative driving style was linked with general dissociation experiences, risky driving style with general sensation seeking, angry driving style with a general anger trait, anxious driving style with an anxiety trait, distress-reduction driving style with control of aggression, and careful driving style with conscientiousness. A sample of 228 participants taken from the general population of Spanish drivers completed a set of questionnaires regarding both driving styles and living styles. The hierarchical linear regression models showed both convergence and divergence in the case of unsafe driving styles, whereas safe driving styles were not so strongly related to their respective general behaviors (especially in the case of the distress-reduction driving style). A final structural equation model (SEM) simultaneously analyzed the relationship between driving styles and living styles. Both clinical and road-safety implications of the current study are discussed, as well as its limitations.

Psychometric properties of the Mexican version of the Driver's Angry Thoughts Questionnaire and analysis of invariance with the Romanian and Spanish versions.

Research has shown the relevance of three axes in the study of violent behaviour: the emotional axis (anger), the behavioural axis (aggression), and the cognitive axis (hostility or aggressive thinking). In the field of driving, the first two axes have received a lot of attention, whereas the third one has been less studied. The current research aimed to analyse the psychometric properties of the Driver's Angry Thoughts Questionnaire (DATQ) in a Mexican sample. Besides, the structural invariance of this instruments was analysed with respect to both the Spanish and the Romanian versions. A sample of 294 participants taken from the general Mexican drivers population completed a set of measures including the DATQ and the Driving Survey, as a measure of risky driving, aggressive driving, and crash-related events. The results showed that the Mexican version of the DATQ replied the original five-factor structure, maintaining the 65 items likewise in both the Spanish and Romanian versions. Analyses of the invariance suggested the equivalence among the three versions, especially in the case of Mexican-Spanish. Moreover, the five factors were positive and mostly significantly related to each other, and with both risky driving and aggressive driving. Some significant relationships were attained also with crash-related events, especially in the case of those which happened in the last three months (short-termed). Finally, males showed higher scores than females in the five ways of aggressive thinking. Limitations of the study, practical implications and future research are discussed.

Analysis of the mediating effect of mentalization on the relationship between attachment styles and emotion dysregulation.

The current study aims to explore the relationship between attachment styles, mentalization and emotion dysregulation. Moreover, the mediation effect of mentalization in the relationship between attachment and emotion dysregulation is analyzed. A sample composed of 607 participants taken from the Spanish general population completed the measures in a cross-sectional designed study. The results show that secure attachment is negatively related to emotion dysregulation dimensions, whereas insecure attachment styles show a positive correlation. Furthermore, the mentalization variables are in general significantly related to emotion dysregulation. The mediation model shows a large mediational effect size (f2  = 2.64). The results suggest that mentalization significantly mediates the relationship between emotion dysregulation and preoccupation, self-sufficiency, and childhood trauma. These results have important implications, as they indicate that clinical interventions on mentalization should reduce emotion dysregulation even in those people with a predominant insecure attachment style.

A Pilot Study of Younger Sibling Adaptation: Contributions of Individual Variables, Daily Stress, Interparental Conflict and Older Sibling's Variables.

Older siblings are powerful socialization agents, playing a significant role in the sociocognitive, social, and emotional development of their younger siblings. However, there are few clues about the variables that explain younger sibling's adaptation. The objective of this pilot study was to identify the determinants of younger siblings' adaptation and to analyze the role played by personal, sibling, family and older siblings' variables using 50 dyads of siblings aged between 7 and 18 years. The variables considered were the sibling relationships and the maladaptation of older siblings, and individual (sex, number of siblings, extroversion, and agreeableness) and contextual variables (interparental conflict, daily stress) were controlled. Hierarchical multiple regressions provided evidence in favor of the model that analyzed the younger siblings' maladaptation to school, showing positive associations both with the older siblings' level of school maladaptation and with sibling conflict. In addition, the study highlighted the relevance of the trait of agreeableness and of family stress in the adaptation of younger siblings.

Stressful life events and hopelessness in adults: the mediating role of mentalization and emotional dysregulation.

OBJECTIVE: Hopelessness is considered a risk factor for several mental and behavioral disorders. Research has shown that a stressful life event can be a significant predictor of hopelessness. The aim of the current research study was to explore the relationship between stressful life events and hopelessness, as well as to analyses the mediation effect of both mentalization and emotional dysregulation on this relationship. METHODS: In a cross-sectional design, 607 participants recruited from the Spanish general population completed a series of measures. RESULTS: Hopelessness was significantly related to stressful life events (r = 0.24, p < 0.001), emotion dysregulation variables (r = 0.18/0.38), and most measures of mentalization (r = 0.02/0.34). A good-fitting structural equation modeling-based mediation model (χ2/df = 2.04; root mean squared error of approximation = 0.042 [90%CI 0.033-0.050]; comparative fit index = 0.97; non-normed fit index = 0.97) showed that mentalization significantly mediated the relationship between stressful life events and hopelessness, while emotion dysregulation had no significant mediating effect. CONCLUSIONS: These results could have important clinical implications, such as the development of mentalization-based interventions for people living under a large number of stressors.

Transnational links and family functioning in reunited Latin American families: Premigration variables' impact.

OBJECTIVES: Transnational ties refer to the affective, communicative, and economic relationships that migrant families build between the societies of origin and destination. Investigations of such ties are very scarce. In the present study, focused on Latin American migrant women, transnational ties are considered a protective factor of family functioning, conditioned by premigratory variables. The working hypothesis is that increased frequency of reunited mothers' communication with and remittances to their children during the period of separation prior to the reunion will be linked to better communication, cohesion, flexibility, satisfaction, and family resources, according to the reunited mothers' perception. METHOD: The sample consisted of 81 mothers of Latin American reunited families. Most of them (61.7%) have 2 or 3 children and 75.3% have already reunited all of their children in Bizkaia. The frequency of communication between family members in the societies of origin and destination and the frequency of remittances were the transnational variables. To observe family functioning, we used the Circumplex Model. A mediation model was tested through structural equation modeling. RESULTS: The results of the study confirmed the mediator role of the transnational variables, especially the frequency of transnational communications, partially or fully moderating the impact of the premigratory variables, and positively associated with family functioning, in terms of greater cohesion, flexibility, communication, satisfaction, and perception of resources. CONCLUSIONS: This study has highlighted the role of these ties, which lead to more functional family dynamics. It is necessary to promote new forms of transnational communication that favor subsequent family reunification. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Development of the Pedestrian Anger Scale. A Pilot Study.

Anger has been closely related to risky behavior, and this last has been related to road accidents. The current research aimed to develop and validate a self-report questionnaire to measure anger in pedestrians (n = 550, 40.73% male) of a wide age rage (14-65 years, M = 27.91, SD = 13.21). The Parallel Analysis showed that the 15 items of the Pedestrian Anger Scale fitted satisfactorily in a four-factor solution: Anger because of obstructions or slowdowns caused by other pedestrians (α = .79), Anger because of hostility from drivers (α = .64), Anger because of bad conditions of the infrastructure (α = .62), and Anger because of dangerous situations caused by vehicles (α = .71). The global scale had also a good internal consistency (α = .83). Further analyses suggested convergent, divergent and incremental validity by correlating the global score of the questionnaire with both risk and anger measures. Middle-aged people (19-30 years) scored higher in anger as pedestrians than eldest (> 45 years), η2 = .02, but no significant effect were obtained by gender. Practical implications from both clinical and road safety viewpoints are discussed, and both future research proposals and limitations of the current study are also commented.

Psychometrics of the SCL-90-R and Development and Testing of Brief Versions SCL-45 and SCL-9 in Infertile Couples.

BACKGROUND: Although infertile couples are mentally healthy, dealing with infertility and assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment is usually associated with psychological distress. It would therefore be useful to have short, multidimensional instruments to be able to identify people who present more intense emotional reactions and follow up their emotional distress throughout the ART. OBJECTIVES: The goals of the study were to analyze the psychometric adequacy of the original 90-item version of the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) in a sample of Spanish women and their partners undergoing ART, as well as to develop and analyze two brief versions of the SCL-90, given the absence of adequate short versions for this population. METHODS: A cross-sectional design for patients and their partners in the process of ART through in vitro fertilization was used. The two brief scales were obtained, which took into account the levels of variance explained by the items and confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS: Two brief instruments were developed. The first, with 45 items (SCL-45-I Infertility), includes nine subdimensions: Somatization, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Hostility, Paranoid Ideation, Phobic Anxiety, and Psychoticism. The second instrument contains nine items (SCL-9-I or Global Severity Index [GSI]), one item for each dimension. Both instruments were psychometrically adequate (SCL-45-I: χ/df = 7.24, RMSEA = .057, 95% CI [.056, .059], CFI = .97, NNFI = .97, SRMR = .049; SCL-9-I: χ/df = 9.66, RMSEA = .068, 95% CI [.061, .076], CFI = .97, NNFI = .96, SRMR = .035). Measurement invariance analysis by gender was conducted, and the instruments were shown to be suitable for both men and women. DISCUSSION: The suitability of the SCL-90-R for use in ART was verified, and two valid instruments-useful and easy to use for nurses, psychologists, and other care providers-were developed.

The Mediator Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas Between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Impulsive Symptoms in Female Survivors of CSA.

Child abuse is a traumatic experience that may have psychological consequences such as dysfunctional beliefs. The aim of this study was to analyze the impulsive behaviors (alcohol abuse, gambling, drug abuse, eating disorders, Internet abuse, videogame abuse, shopping and sex addiction) in sexual abuse survivors and to study the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in the appearance of impulsive behaviors in adult female victims. The sample consisted of 182 adult women who had suffered childhood sexual abuse (CSA), mostly referred by associations for the treatment of childhood abuse and maltreatment. Sexual abuse was found to be positively related to the domains of Disconnection/Rejection and Impaired Autonomy. Moreover, these domains were significantly related to impulsivity and impulsive behaviors. Finally, the Disconnection/Rejection domain was found to mediate between CSA and eating disorders and alcohol abuse. These results may provide important guidance for clinical intervention.

Adaptación del Empathy Quotient (EQ) en una muestra española / Adaptation of the Empathy Quotient (EQ) in a Spanish sample

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio consistió en adaptar el cuestionario autoaplicado Empathy Quotient en población española. El cuestionario se aplicó a 471 estudiantes universitarios. Los análisis psicométricos mostraron un buen ajuste para una estructura factorial de 23 ítems en tres dimensiones, similar a la propuesta por otros autores. Además se encontraron valores adecuados de consistencia interna, así como correlaciones con otras medidas de empatía y de desempeño emocional. Se concluye que el EQ es una medida fiable y válida para evaluar empatía en muestras no clínicas, aunque se recomienda realizar una validación con una muestra más grande y heterogénea e incluir alguna medida de fiabilidad test-retest y de ejecución.

Abstract The aim of the study consisted of adapting the self-report questionnaire Empathy Quotient to the Spanish population. A sample of 471 university students answered the questionnaire. The psychometric analysis showed a good fit for 23-ítem three factor model, similar to those proposed by other authors. Furthermore, the internal consistency was adequated and correlations with other empathy and emotional measures were found. In conclusion, EQ is a reliable and valid measure to evaluate empathy in non clinical samples, but a validation with a larger and more heterogeneous sample is recommended, together with test-retest and ejecution measures.

Validation of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test in a healthy Spanish sample and women with anorexia nervosa.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to build a Spanish version of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) including limited time of response and an integrated glossary, and to test its validity. METHODS: A total of 433 university students (121 men and 350 women) and 38 anorexic women completed the RMET and other related measures of empathy and alexithymia. The results of the Parallel Analysis suggested a unidimensional structure for 19 items, which was verified through a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. RESULTS: Similarly to other research, this factor had a low reliability (α = .56, ρ = .59); however, regarding validity, the total score of the instrument showed positive correlations with empathy and negatives with alexithymia. Furthermore, healthy females were superior to males in RMET, and to anorexic women; but no significant differences appeared between healthy men and the anorexic group. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the validity of the test and permits a relatively short and inexpensive means of administration in large samples of adults. Besides, it suggests the necessity of assessing and treating the theory of mind in anorexic women.

The Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas in the Appearance of Psychological Symptomatology in Adult Women Victims of Child Abuse.

Child abuse affects people's ways of thinking, feeling, and observing the world, resulting in dysfunctional beliefs and maladaptive schemas. Thus, consequences of child abuse may persist during adulthood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the psychological consequences (anxiety, phobic anxiety, depression, and hopelessness) of different types of maltreatment (physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and physical and emotional neglect) and to study the role of early maladaptive schemas in the onset of symptomatology in adult female victims of child abuse. The sample consisted of 75 women referred by associations for treatment of abuse and maltreatment in childhood. Sexual abuse was the type of maltreatment that was most strongly related to most dysfunctional symptomatology, followed by emotional abuse and physical abuse, whereas physical neglect was the least related. Also, early maladaptive schemas were found to correlate with child abuse and dysfunctional symptomatology. Finally, early maladaptive schemas mediated the relationship between sexual abuse and dysfunctional symptomatology when the effect of other types of abuse was controlled. These results may provide important guidance for clinical intervention.

Angry thoughts in Spanish drivers and their relationship with crash-related events. The mediation effect of aggressive and risky driving.

Several studies have related aggressive and risky driving behaviours to accidents. However, the cognitive processes associated with driving aggression have received very little attention in the scientific literature. With the aim of shedding light on this topic, the present research was carried out on a sample of 414 participants in order to validate the Driver's Angry Thoughts Questionnaire (DATQ) with a sample of Spanish drivers and to test the hypothesis of the mediation effect of aggressive and risky driving on the relationship between drivers' angry thoughts and crash-related events. The results showed a good fit with the five-factor model of the questionnaire (Judgmental and Disbelieving Thinking, Pejorative Labelling and Verbally Aggressive Thinking, Revenge and Retaliatory Thinking, Physically Aggressive Thinking, and Coping Self-Instruction). Moreover, slight gender differences were observed in drivers' angry thoughts, with women scoring higher than men (η2=0.03). However, younger drivers had higher scores than older drivers in general (η2=0.06). Finally, several mediation effects of aggressive driving and risky driving on the relationship between aggressive thinking and the crash-related events were found. Implications of the results for research in traffic psychology and clinical assessment of aggressive drivers as well as limitations of the study are discussed.

Mediationg Role of Mindfulness as a Trait Between Attachment Styles and Depressive Symptoms.

Attachment styles and dysfunctional symptoms have been associated. This relationship could be affected by metacognitive capacity. The aim of this study is to clarify the relationship between depressive symptoms, attachment styles, and metacognitive capacity. In addition, the mediating role of metacognition between attachment and depressive symptoms has been studied. A total of 505 participants recruited from the general population of the province of Bizkaia (Spain) completed questionnaires regarding depression, anxiety, mindfulness, decentering, and attachment. Results showed positive and significant relations between (a) dysfunctional symptoms and insecure attachment styles and (b) metacognitive capacity and secure attachment style. Additionally, the mediating role of metacognition between attachment and depressive symptoms was confirmed. Intervention in metacognitive abilities such as mindfulness could be a useful therapeutic tool for depressive symptoms.

Maladaptive Schemas as Mediators in the Relationship Between Child Sexual Abuse and Displaced Aggression.

Child sexual abuse is one of the most serious forms of abuse due to the psychological consequences that persist even into adulthood. Expressions of anger among child sexual abuse survivors remain common even years after the event. While child sexual abuse has been extensively studied, the expression of displaced aggression has been studied less. Some factors, such as the maladaptive early schemas, might account for this deficiency. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationships between child sexual abuse, displaced aggression, and these schemas according to gender and determine if these early schemas mediate the relationship between child sexual abuse and displaced aggression. A total of 168 Spanish subjects who were victims of child sexual abuse completed measures of childhood trauma, displaced aggression, and early maladaptive schemas. The results depict the relationship between child sexual abuse, displaced aggression, and early maladaptive schemas. Women scored higher than men in child sexual abuse, emotional abuse, disconnection or rejection and impaired autonomy. Mediational analysis found a significant mediation effect of disconnection or rejection on the relationship between child sexual abuse and displaced aggression; however, impaired autonomy did not mediate significantly.

Desarrollo de un Cuestionario Breve para la Medición del Comportamiento Arriesgado en Peatones Adolescentes / Development of a Brief Questionnaire to Measure Risky Behavior in Adolescent Pedestrians / Desenvolvimento de um Questionário Breve para a Medição do Comportamento Arriscado em Pedestres Adolescentes

El objetivo del presente estudio fue la creación de un cuestionario autoinformado breve para valorar los comportamientos arriesgados en peatones. Para ello se contó con una muestra de 351 personas que completaron los 13 ítems iniciales del instrumento y que llevaron a cabo una tarea de percepción de riesgo a modo de medida de validez. El análisis factorial confirmatorio verificó el ajuste satisfactorio del modelo final de 8 ítems en un único factor, que alcanzó una consistencia interna satisfactoria (α=.75). Posteriormente los análisis evidenciaron la validez convergente y discriminante del cuestionario, con base en las correlaciones obtenidas con las medidas de percepción de riesgo administradas.

The objective of the present study is the creation of a brief self-reporting questionnaire to assess risky behaviors among pedestrians. For this purpose, a sample of 351 people completed the initial 13 items on the instrument and performed a task of risk perception as a measure of validity. The confirmatory factor analysis verified a satisfactory fit of the final 8-item model for a single factor, which reached a satisfactory internal consistency (α=.75). Subsequently, the analysis showed the convergent and discriminant validity of the questionnaire based on correlations obtained with the administered measures of risk perception.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi a criação de um questionário autorrelatado breve para avaliar os comportamentos arriscados em pedestres. Para isso, contou-se com uma amostra de 351 pessoas que completaram os 13 itens do instrumento e que realizaram uma tarefa de percepção de risco como modo de medida de validez. A análise fatorial confirmatória verificou o ajuste satisfatório do modelo final de 8 itens num único fator, que alcançou uma consistência interna satisfatória (α=.75). Posteriormente, as análises evidenciaram a validez convergente e discriminante do questionário, com base nas correlações obtidas com as medidas de percepção de risco administradas.

The impulsivity and sensation-seeking mediators of the psychological consequences of pathological gambling in adolescence.

Pathological gambling has severe consequences for adolescents and their families and friends. Despite its high prevalence, pathological gambling in adolescents has been insufficiently studied. Sensation seeking and impulsivity are two variables that are related to the appearance and maintenance of pathological gambling. However, few studies have determined the role these variables play in the development of the dysfunctional symptomatology of gambling behavior in adolescents and young adults. The aims of this study were to analyze the consequences of gambling in young adults and adolescents, and to evaluate the roles of sensation seeking and impulsivity in the appearance of dysfunctional symptomatology. The sample consisted of 1,241 young adults and adolescents recruited from scholar centers and free-time groups, as well as 71 subjects from associations that assist pathological gamblers. Pathological gambling, impulsive behavior, dysfunctional symptomatology and sensation seeking were assessed. The results confirmed that young adults and adolescents who gamble pathologically have more dysfunctional symptomatology related to anxiety, depression, hostility, obsessive-compulsive behavior and somatization, as well as sensation seeking, impulsivity and addictive behavior. Moreover, the results showed that sensation seeking did not mediate the appearance of dysfunctional symptomatology and that impulsivity partially mediated the appearance of anxiety, phobic anxiety, depression and psychosis and perfectly mediated somatization, obsessive-compulsive behavior, interpersonal sensitivity, paranoid ideation and hostility. These results have consequences for the development of treatment and prevention programs for adolescent pathological gambling.