Effectiveness of training in expressing positive emotions, reacting to change and greeting peers after childhood traumatic brain injury: a single-case experimental study.

Background: Social cognitive deficits are common after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The participant in this single-case experimental design (SCED) was 7 years old when he sustained a severe TBI. After 2 years in rehabilitation, he continues to show deficits in social cognition. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of three interventions, each aimed at improving a behavior altered by social cognition deficits. These behaviors were: (1) expression of positive emotions, (2) reacting to changes in plans, and (3) greeting classmates. Method: An A-B-A' design was used for each behavior. In addition, each behavior was targeted with a rehabilitation program applied over 10 sessions. Results: For the first behavior, changes between phases B-A' (NAP = 0.712) and A-A' (NAP = 0.864) indicated improvements in the child's ability to express positive emotions. In the second behavior, changes in the intensity of reactions between phases B and A' (NAP = 0.815) and A vs. A' (NAP = 0.834) indicated that the child adapted to changes in a plan and to unexpected situations in a more adaptive way. For the third behavior, changes in the number of greetings between phases A and B (NAP = 0.883) and A vs. A' (NAP = 0.844) suggested that during the third phase of the study, the participant fully acquired the habit of greeting peers and increased his interactions with others. Conclusion: While the participant showed improvements in all three targeted behaviors, due to the complexity of the third behavior, it is recommended that in future research, the intervention targeting social interactions should be applied over a longer timeframe to ensure that improvements are more stable in the long term.

Effectiveness of Computerized Cognitive Training by VIRTRAEL on Memory and Executive Function in Older People: A Pilot Study.

The prevalence of people over 60 years of age with cognitive impairment has increased in recent decades. As a consequence, numerous computerized cognitive trainings (CCT) have been developed. This pilot study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the CCT with VIRTRAEL in improving older adults' cognition. Fifty-five participants (x¯ = 72.7 years; SD = 6.5) underwent CCT, and twenty participants (x¯ = 76.1 years; SD = 7.6) received face-to-face cognitive stimulation with a paper-and-pencil methodology. Both trainings were conducted in nine sessions (45-60 min each). Participants completed a pre-post training neuropsychological assessment. ANCOVAs and the standardized clinical change were performed. VIRTRAEL's group showed a significant and greater improvement in verbal learning (p < 0.006) and delayed recall (p ≤ 0.001), working memory (p < 0.005), abstract (p < 0.002) and semantic reasoning (p < 0.015), and planning (p < 0.021). Additionally, more large clinical changes (d > 0.8) were found in the VIRTRAEL condition (in verbal learning and delayed free and cued recall) than in the standard group. Here we show that the CCT with VIRTRAEL is effective in improving cognitive function in older adults and is superior to the standard format. These preliminary findings indicate that CCT is a useful tool potentially applicable in the fight against cognitive symptomatology associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases. VIRTRAEL represents a breakthrough in this field as it is inexpensive and easily accessible to any older person, regardless of whether they live far from health care resources.

Efficacy of computerized cognitive training and mindfulness for improving cognition and mood in older adults: better together than separately.

BACKGROUND: The risk of cognitive decline in older adults makes it necessary to design training programs for the improvement of cognition. AIMS: To determine the efficacy of applying a combined program of computerized cognitive training (CCT) and mindfulness for improving cognition and mood and quality of life in people aged 60 years and older, compared with using both interventions separately. METHODS: Adults, older than 95 years were assigned to groups that subsequently received one of the three interventions (CCT, mindfulness, and combined). Cognitive, emotional, and quality of life assessment instruments were administered pre- and post-intervention. The standardized individual change was determined, and one-factor ANOVAs and ANCOVAs were conducted to test between-group differences. RESULTS: After controlling for confounding factors, greater significant improvements were obtained in the combined group compared with the CCT and mindfulness groups in selective attention (median effect size) and abstract reasoning (large effect size). No significant differences were found in the rest of cognitive variables, mood or quality of life. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that, with the same investment of time, combining CCT and mindfulness effectively improves selective attention and abstract reasoning, in older adults. This combination of strategies might have implications for the improvement of cognitive impairment in older adults.

Resilience, Stress, and Cortisol Predict Cognitive Performance in Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: to determine the relationship between stress, resilience, and cognitive performance in older people without dementia. METHOD: multiple linear regressions were performed using measures of cognitive performance as dependent variables, and measures of stress and resilience as predictors in a sample of 63 Spanish elderly people. RESULTS: participants reported low levels of stress during their lifetime. In addition to socio-demographic variables, greater stress was related to better delayed recall and worse letter-number sequencing and block design. Higher capillary cortisol was associated with lower flexibility on the Stroop task. Regarding protective factors, we found that greater psychological resilience was related to higher scores on the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-III, letter-number sequencing, and verbal fluency. CONCLUSION: in older people with low stress, apart from age, gender, and education, psychological resilience is a significant predictor of global cognitive status, working memory, and fluency. Likewise, stress is related to verbal memory functioning, working memory, and visuoconstructive abilities. Capillary cortisol level predicts cognitive flexibility. These findings may help to identify risk and protective factors for cognitive decline in older people. Training-based programs to reduce stress and increase psychological resilience may play an important role in preventing cognitive decline.

Cognitive training and remediation interventions for substance use disorders: a Delphi consensus study.

AIMS: Substance use disorders (SUD) are associated with cognitive deficits that are not always addressed in current treatments, and this hampers recovery. Cognitive training and remediation interventions are well suited to fill the gap for managing cognitive deficits in SUD. We aimed to reach consensus on recommendations for developing and applying these interventions. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We used a Delphi approach with two sequential phases: survey development and iterative surveying of experts. This was an on-line study. During survey development, we engaged a group of 15 experts from a working group of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (Steering Committee). During the surveying process, we engaged a larger pool of experts (n = 54) identified via recommendations from the Steering Committee and a systematic review. MEASUREMENTS: Survey with 67 items covering four key areas of intervention development: targets, intervention approaches, active ingredients and modes of delivery. FINDINGS: Across two iterative rounds (98% retention rate), the experts reached a consensus on 50 items including: (i) implicit biases, positive affect, arousal, executive functions and social processing as key targets of interventions; (ii) cognitive bias modification, contingency management, emotion regulation training and cognitive remediation as preferred approaches; (iii) practice, feedback, difficulty-titration, bias modification, goal-setting, strategy learning and meta-awareness as active ingredients; and (iv) both addiction treatment work-force and specialized neuropsychologists facilitating delivery, together with novel digital-based delivery modalities. CONCLUSIONS: Expert recommendations on cognitive training and remediation for substance use disorders highlight the relevance of targeting implicit biases, reward, emotion regulation and higher-order cognitive skills via well-validated intervention approaches qualified with mechanistic techniques and flexible delivery options.

Visuospatial working memory and attention control make the difference between experts, regulars and non-players of the videogame League of Legends.

Video games have been postulated as an emerging field for studying the cognition-expertise relationship. Despite this, some methodological practices hinder scientific advance (e.g., heterogeneous samples, an ambiguous definition of expertise, etc.). League of Legends (LOL) is a massively played video game with a moderately defined structure that meets the requirements to overcome current study limitations. The aim of this study was to analyze cognitive differences among expert LOL players, regular LOL players, and non-videogame players. A sample of 80 participants was enrolled in three different groups of expertise. Participants were evaluated with behavioral tests of working memory, attention, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition. Kruskal-Wallis tests for group comparison showed that the experts performed significantly better than regular players and non-videogame players in the working memory test. Significant differences were also found between players and non-videogame players in the attention test. Methodological implications for future research in neuroscience and human-computer interaction are discussed.

A Program for the Comprehensive Cognitive Training of Excess Weight (TRAINEP): The Study Protocol for A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The available treatments for people with excess weight have shown small effects. Cognitive training has shown promising results, but most of the research focused on normal-weight university students and reported immediate results after a single training session. This parallel group, randomized, controlled trial aims to study the efficacy of a program for the comprehensive cognitive treatment of excess weight. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Participants will be 150 people with excess weight recruited through social media, who will be randomized into three groups: cognitive intervention, sham cognitive intervention, and treatment as usual. All assessment and intervention sessions will be online in groups of 5-6 participants. The three groups will attend a motivational interviewing session, and they will receive individualized diet and physical exercise guidelines throughout the program. The cognitive training will consist of four weekly sessions of approximately 60-90 min, each based on approach-avoidance bias training, inhibitory control training, implementation of intentions, and episodic future thinking, respectively. The main outcome measure will be a change in Body Mass Index (kg/m2). Secondary outcomes include changes in cognitive measures, eating and physical exercise behaviors, and anthropometric measures. Assessments will be conducted up to 6 months after the end of the program. In addition, data on the use of the health system will be collected to analyze the cost-effectiveness and the cost-utility of training. Linear mixed models will be used for statistical analysis. Findings of this study will expand the available evidence on cognitive interventions to reduce excess weight.

Participation Predicts Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults Using the PART-O Transformed Scores Systems.

Participation has been shown to be a protective factor for cognition in older adults, but instruments to assess it are limited. The main objective was to determine the validity of two scoring systems (direct vs transformed) for the Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools-Objective (PART-O) by applying structural equation modeling to the relationship between the subscales and the cognitive functions, in a sample of 245 people over 60 years of age. The transformed scores model showed stronger relationships and larger explained variance in overall participation (55.4% vs 37.4%), especially in the Social Relations subscale (31.4% vs 14.6%). Participation was a direct predictor of cognitive functions in both models. Age and depression inversely influenced participation in the transformed scores model. The proposed score transformation for the PART-O provides a more appropriate measurement of the older adults' participation. Participation has a mediating role in the relationship between cognition and both age and depression.

Efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in cognitive function in the elderly people: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The main objective was to determine the efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in improving the cognitive function of older adults (healthy adults or adults with mild cognitive impairment). METHODS: A search was conducted in 4 databases. The effect sizes were extracted to perform a meta-analysis of the cognitive functions, as well as subgroup meta-analyses according to each domain: attention, memory and executive function. RESULTS: The meta-analysis of cognitive functions showed an average effect size of g = .07, 95% CI [-.013; .160], p = .09, with the following values for each domain: g = .02, 95% CI [-.167; .204] for attention; g = .06, 95% CI [-.148; .262] for memory; and g = .14, 95% CI [-.042; .329] for executive function. CONCLUSION: The MBI had a null global effect. The attention and memory results showed a null effect size and a small effect size was found for executive function. The methodological quality of the studies, however, was poor, so the results need to be interpreted with caution.

Pandemic-related pregnancy stress among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to develop and establish the psychometric properties of the Pandemic-Related Pregnancy Stress Scale (PREPS) in European Spanish speaking pregnant women in Spain. DESIGN: A cross section design using a non-random sample of 206 women completed the questionnaire during the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown from April to June 2020 in Spain. Psychological, sociodemographic and obstetric factors and the new PREPS were collected. RESULTS: Bartlett's test of sphericity (χ2(105) = 580.36, p < .001), and KMO = .79 confirmed appropriateness for factor analysis of the PREPS. Confirmatory factor analyses based on the factor structure of the original USA English version of this instrument confirmed three factors - Preparedness Stress (7 items), Perinatal Infection Stress (5 items), and Positive Appraisal (3 items). The 15-item version of the PREPS demonstrates internal consistency and reliability are adequate (α > .77), and for F1 - Preparedness (α > .65), for F2 - Infection (α > 0.60) and for F3 - Positive appraisal (α > .55). The three factors exhibited good inter-item correlations, (F1 - Preparedness: .21; F2 - Infection: .23, and F3 - Positive Appraisal: .29). Convergent validity was examined through the Pearson's correlation coefficients of the PREPS with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (PDQ). Correlation between PREPS total and PSS was high, and moderate with PDQ (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the PREPS make it a valuable psychological measure to assess pandemic-related stress among pregnant women.

Complexity of work with people: Associations with cognitive functioning and change after retirement.

Retirement has been associated with cognitive decline. However, the influence of specific job characteristics like occupational complexity on post-retirement cognitive outcomes is not well understood. Data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study were used to examine occupational complexity in relation to cognitive performance and cognitive change after retirement. Initial sample included 471 workers between 45 and 75 years of age. At 9-year follow-up (T2), 149 were retired and 322 were still working. All six tasks from the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT) were used. Hierarchical regression with workers at T1 indicated that, controlling for sociodemographic variables, complexity of work with people significantly contributed to explaining variance in overall cognitive performance (1.7%) and executive function (2%). In Latent Change Score (LCS) models, complexity of work with people was the only significant predictor of cognitive change in retirees, with those retiring from high-complexity jobs showing less decline. In conclusion, high complexity of work with people is related to better executive functioning and overall cognition during working life and slower decline after retirement. The finding that more intellectually stimulating work carries cognitive advantage into retirement fits the cognitive reserve concept, where earlier intellectual stimulation brings about lower risks of cognitive problems later. Study results also go along with the unengaged lifestyle hypothesis, whereby people may slip into so-called "mental retirement," leading to post-retirement cognitive loss, which may be most apparent among those retiring from jobs with low complexity of work with people. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The Family Needs Questionnaire-Revised: a Rasch analysis of measurement properties in the chronic phase after traumatic brain injury.

PURPOSE: The main aim was to evaluate the measurement properties of the Family Needs Questionnaire-Revised (FNQ-R) in family members of individuals living with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: A total of 309 family members of individuals with severe TBI from Colombia, Denmark, Mexico, Norway and Spain participated. Rasch analysis of the FNQ-R and its 6 subscales was conducted. RESULTS: The Rasch analysis indicated a lack of fit of the 37-item FNQ-R to one single underlying construct of needs, and less than half of the items were invariant across the countries. Misfit of single items was revealed in the Need for Health Information, Need for Emotional Support, Need for Instrumental Support, Need for Professional Support and Need for Community Support Network subscales. Fit to the Rasch model was obtained after removal of misfitting items. The Involvement in Care subscale had too few items to be adequately assessed by the Rasch approach. CONCLUSION: The FNQ-R is a well-targeted instrument for assessing the unmet needs of caregivers regarding the need for health information, emotional support, professional support and a community support network after some scoring adjustment and the removal of misfitting items. Caution should be taken when comparing responses across countries.

Evaluation of Motivation for the Treatment of Drug Addicts with Personality Disorders.

Lack of motivation for the treatment of drug addiction is associated with dropout and relapses. Further, personality disorders (PD) have traditionally been linked to low motivation and therapeutic failure. Thus, the present study aims to analyze the structure of the Motivation for Treatment Questionnaire (MTQ-8), as well as to determine differences in motivation due to the presence of PD and the impact of psychological adjustment on motivation. The sample included 125 patients (84% male) who started a treatment for their addiction to cocaine and alcohol. Rasch analysis was applied for the first objective, and means contrast and regression analysis for the others. The two subscales of the MTQ-8 fit the Rasch model, with appropriate psychometric characteristics when merging Items 5 and 7. The presence of PD was not associated with reduced motivation. Motivation for treatment was greater when abstinence was less than three weeks, and psychological distress predicted motivation for treatment. The present study confirms that MTQ-8 subscales are suitable for measuring motivation for treatment and readiness for change in drug-dependent patients. It is noted that the presence of PD should not be associated with a lower level of motivation, and that psychological distress influences motivation.

Validation of the ToMas-child Scale for the Assessment of the Theory of Mind in a Group of Spanish Speaking Children Aged 3 to 7 Years from Spain.

This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Theory of Mind assessment scale in children (ToMas-child). Two hundred and fifty-two Spanish children from 3 to 7 years were assessed in school settings. Rasch analysis showed the ToMas-child is a unidimensional scale valid for the assessment of the main components of the ToM in children. Data of hierarchical distribution of six items (seven tasks) are discussed as milestones in the latent construct of ToM development in childhood, and construct validity of the scale is examined. A reliability index of PSI = 0.7 indicated the usefulness of the scale as a screening tool.

Evaluation of motivation for the treatment of drug addicts with personality disorders

Lack of motivation for the treatment of drug addiction is associated with dropout and relapses. Further, personality disorders (PD) have traditionally been linked to low motivation and therapeutic failure. Thus, the present study aims to analyze the structure of the Motivation for Treatment Questionnaire (MTQ-8), as well as to determine differences in motivation due to the presence of PD and the impact of psychological adjustment on motivation. The sample included 125 patients (84% male) who started a treatment for their addiction to cocaine and alcohol. Rasch analysis was applied for the first objective, and means contrast and regression analysis for the others. The two subscales of the MTQ-8 fit the Rasch model, with appropriate psychometric characteristics when merging Items 5 and 7. The presence of PD was not associated with reduced motivation. Motivation for treatment was greater when abstinence was less than three weeks, and psychological distress predicted motivation for treatment. The present study confirms that MTQ-8 subscales are suitable for measuring motivation for treatment and readiness for change in drug-dependent patients. It is noted that the presence of PD should not be associated with a lower level of motivation, and that psychological distress influences motivation

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Adaptación española de la escala de liderazgo pedagógico Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL-ED) / Spanish Adaptation of the Pedagogical Leadership Scale Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL-ED)

Resumen El liderazgo educativo ha llegado a ser un factor clave en la mejora de la calidad educativa. El objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar la escala de liderazgo pedagógico VAL-ED (Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education) a población española (adaptación cross-cultural y validación), y obtener sus características psicométricas mediante análisis de Rasch. Los resultados obtenidos confirman que la unidimensionalidad de cada una de las seis subescalas que la componen ha sido demostrada, garantizando su utilidad para diagnosticar el liderazgo educativo, decidir vías de mejora y llevar a cabo mediciones de la eficacia de las medidas implementadas. La conclusión es que la adaptación del cuestionario VAL-ED a población española es una herramienta válida y fiable para la medición del liderazgo educativo.

Abstract Educational leadership has become a key factor in the improvement of educational quality. The aim of the work was to describe the adaptation of the Pedagogical Leadership Scale VAL-ED (Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education) to the Spanish population (cross-cultural adaptation process and validation) and obtain their psychometric characteristics through Rasch analysis. The obtained results confirm that the unidimensionality of each of the six subscales that compose it has been demonstrated, it is guaranteed its usefulness to diagnose the educational leadership, to decide ways of improvement and to measure the effectiveness of its implementation. The conclusion is that the adaptation of the VAL-ED questionnaire to the Spanish population is a valid and reliable tool for the measurement of educational leadership.

A pilot investigation of the potential for incorporating lifelog technology into executive function rehabilitation for enhanced transfer of self-regulation skills to everyday life.

The objective of the study was to identify the potential target and effect size of goal management training (GMT) enhanced with life-logging technology compared with standard GMT on a range of possible primary outcomes reflecting cognitive and ecological aspects of executive functioning and quality of life. Sixteen patients with acquired brain injury involving executive dysfunction were randomly allocated to one of the two interventions: seven weeks of GMT (n = 8), or seven weeks of GMT+Lifelog (n = 8). Outcome measures included a battery of executive function tests, the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX) and the Quality of Life after Brain Injury scale (QOLIBRI), measured pre- and post-interventions. Within-group changes were assessed with related-samples t-tests and estimation of effect sizes. GMT+Lifelog was associated with significant changes, of medium to large effect size, in response inhibition (Stroop), multitasking (Strategy Application and Multiple Errand tests), DEX Intentionality and Positive Affect subscales and QOLIBRI Daily Life and Autonomy, subscales. GMT alone was associated with significant changes of overall quality of life. It was concluded that GMT+Lifelog holds promise to optimise the impact of GMT on executive dysfunction and quality of life.

Development of a Contextualized Version of the Multiple Errands Test for People with Substance Dependence.

BACKGROUND: Substance dependence is associated with deficits in several areas of executive functioning, such as planning and multitasking. Traditional tests of executive functioning have been criticized for their low ecological validity. Shallice and Burgess (1991) developed the Multiple Errands Test (MET), where participants are required to perform multiple tasks in a real-world setting. In this study, we aimed to adapt the MET for use in populations with substance dependence. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to: (1) examine the applicability of a contextualized version of the Multiple Errands Test, namely, the Multiple Errands Test - Contextualized Version (MET-CV); (2) study the testing context reliability and convergent validity of MET-CV scores; (3) compare the performance of people with substance dependence to a control group. METHODS: Data were collected from 60 participants with substance dependence and 30 healthy controls. Both groups performed a neuropsychological assessment, which consisted of the MET-CV and traditional neuropsychological tests (Letter Number Sequencing, Zoo Map Test, Revised Strategy Application Test, Information Sampling Test, Stockings of Cambridge). RESULTS: The MET-CV has adequate testing context reliability and moderate convergent validity relative to traditional planning measures. People with substance dependence (PWSD) showed significant deficits in executive function tests compared to healthy controls, most notably on the MET-CV rather than on traditional neuropsychological tests. CONCLUSIONS: The MET-CV can be feasibly applied in the context of therapeutic communities treatment in PWSD. The MET-CV showed adequate reliability and validity, and detected planning deficits in PWSD. (JINS, 2018, 24, 347-359).

An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model of Acquired Brain Injury Patient Impairments and Caregiver Psychosocial Functioning: A Dyadic-Report, Multinational Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to use actor-partner interdependence modeling (APIM) to examine the simultaneous effects of both acquired brain injury (ABI) patient and caregiver ratings of patient impairments on both patient and caregiver ratings of caregiver psychosocial dysfunction. METHOD: A sample of 968 individuals with ABI and their caregivers (n = 1,936) from 4 countries completed the European Brain Injury Questionnaire, a measure of ABI impairments and caregiver psychosocial functioning in the context of providing care for the person with ABI. RESULTS: An APIM with all adequate or good fit indices found that patient ratings of their own impairments in the domains of social disadaptation and depression were uniquely and positively associated with patient ratings of caregiver psychosocial dysfunction, yet none of the patient ratings of their own impairments were uniquely associated with caregiver ratings of caregiver psychosocial dysfunction. Caregiver ratings of patient impairments across all 3 domains (cognition, social disadaptation, and depression) were uniquely and positively associated with caregiver ratings of caregiver psychosocial dysfunction. Yet only caregiver ratings of patient social disadaptation were uniquely and positively associated with patient ratings of caregiver psychosocial dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that caregivers' views of ABI patients' impairments are likely much more associated with caregiver psychosocial functioning than are patients' views of their own impairments, pointing to caregivers' interpretations of their patients' impairments as a primary target for cognitive behavioral interventions.