ABSTRACT
Background: Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in Latin America, with an extremely low human development index (HDI). Fifty-two percent of the Nicaraguan population are children and adolescents under 18 years of age. Nicaraguan adolescents present several risk behaviors (such as teenage pregnancies, consumption of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis). Our study examines the links between risk behaviors, fatalism, real economic scarcity, and concrete construal level for adolescents with low and middle-low socioeconomic status in Nicaragua. Methods: Nicaraguan adolescents (N = 834) from schools located in especially vulnerable areas (low economic status) or in neighborhoods with middle-low social class completed several scales and questions to evaluate fatalism (SFC-social fatalism scale), construal level (BIF) and their past and future risk behaviors (smoking cigarettes, smoking cannabis, unsafe sex, and alcohol consumption). Results: We identified that the poorest individuals who maintained a concrete style of thinking had the highest rates of past and future risk behaviors. This vulnerable group also reported the highest levels of fatalism, i.e., negative attitudes and feelings of helplessness. Encouragingly, the adolescents who were able to maintain an abstract mindset reported healthier past and future habits and lower fatalism, even when they belonged to the lowest social status. In the middle-low economic group, the construal level was not as relevant to maintaining healthy habits, as adolescents reported similar rates of past and future risk behavior at both construal levels. Conclusions: All these results support the importance of considering construal level when studying vulnerable populations and designing risk prevention programs.
Subject(s)
Risk-Taking , Socioeconomic Factors , Adolescent , Child , Female , Humans , Nicaragua/epidemiology , Pregnancy , Pregnancy in Adolescence , SmokingABSTRACT
Numerosas investigaciones ponen de manifiesto que la discriminación percibida tiene un efecto negativo importante en la salud física y mental de las personas pertenecientes a diversos grupos estigmatizados. El objetivo del presente estudio es investigar la relación entre la discriminación percibida y el balance entre emociones positivas y negativas en personas con discapacidad física. Asimismo, se analiza el papel mediador de una variable especialmente relevante en relación con las personas con discapacidad física, el dominio del entorno (Ryff, 1989a), como factor protector de la influencia negativa de la discriminación. En el estudio participaron 52 personas con discapacidad física. Los resultados mostraron que la relación negativa entre la discriminación percibida y el balance afectivo se reduce significativamente al introducir el dominio del entorno en la ecuación. Asimismo, se encontró que la edad de los participantes está positivamente relacionada, tanto con el balance afectivo, como con el dominio del entorno. Esta investigación demuestra que en la medida en que las personas con discapacidad física se sienten con la habilidad personal de elegir o crear entornos favorables, los efectos negativos del estigma disminuyen.
There is a large body of research showing that perceived discrimination has a negative effect on physical and mental health of persons belonging to different stigmatized groups. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between perceived discrimination and affective balance in people with physical disabilities. In addition, the mediating role of a special relevant variable -the environmental mastery (Ryff, 1989a) - is analyzed in relation to people with physical disabilities as a protective factor against negative discrimination. Participants in the study were 52 people with physical disabilities. Results showed that the negative relationship between perceived discrimination and affective balance is significantly reduced by introducing environmental mastery into the equation. It was also found that the age of the participants shows a positive association both with affective balance and environmental mastery. This research shows that to the extent that people with physical disabilities feel able to choose or create favorable environments, the negative effects of stigma are reduced.
Numerosas pesquisas põem em evidência que a discriminação percebida tem um efeito negativo grande na saúde física e mental das pessoas pertencentes a diversos grupos estigmatizados. O objetivo do presente estudo é pesquisar a relação entre a discriminação percebida e o balanço entre emoções positivas e negativas em pessoas com deficiência física. Da mesma forma, analisa-se o papel mediador de uma variável especialmente relevante em relação com as pessoas com deficiência física, o domínio do ambiente (Ryff, 1989a), como fator protetor da influência negativa da discriminação. No estudo participaram 52 pessoas com deficiência física. Os resultados mostraram que a relação negativa entre a discriminação percebida e o balanço afetivo se reduz significativamente ao introduzir o domínio do ambiente na equação. Da mesma forma, encontrou-se que a idade dos participantes está positivamente relacionada, tanto com o balanço afetivo, como com o domínio do ambiente. Esta pesquisa demonstra que na medida em que as pessoas com deficiência física sentem-se com a habilidade pessoal de escolher ou criar ambientes favoráveis, os efeitos negativos do estigma diminuem.