Exploración preliminar sobre las variables psicológicas implicadas en la adicción a redes sociales on-line / A preliminary exploration on psychological variables related to online social network addiction

El presente estudio examinó el papel de la ansiedad, la evitación experiencial y el sentido vital en el uso abusivo de redes sociales. Los participantes (N = 235: 172 mujeres, 62 hombres, 1 no-binario) completaron una breve encuesta dirigida a medir la evitación experiencial, la ansiedad y el sentido vital. Se llevaron a cabo análisis de regresión lineal y correlaciones controlando la influencia de la edad tanto para hombres como para mujeres. Los análisis de correlación parcial mostraron que, una vez controlada la edad de los participantes, tanto la evitación experiencial como la ansiedad y el sentido vital estuvieron relacionados con el uso abusivo de redes sociales en mujeres; sin embargo, para los varones, sólo la ansiedad se relacionó con un mayor uso de redes sociales. Para las mujeres la ecuación de regresión lineal que mejor predijo el uso abusivo de redes sociales incluyó un bajo sentido vital y una elevada evitación experiencial, mientras que para los varones sólo la ansiedad predijo el mayor uso de redes sociales. Los resultados obtenidos se discuten en relación con la investigación existente sobre el uso de las redes sociales, destacando el sentido vital como un posible factor protector y la importancia de una perspectiva de género para estudiar las redes sociales en línea. (AU)

This study examined the roles of anxiety, experiential avoidance and meaning in life in the abusive use of social networks. Participants in the study (N = 235: 172 women, 62 men, 1 non-binary) volunteered to complete a brief online survey measuring experiential avoidance, anxiety and meaning in life. Correlational and linear regression analyses were performed controlling for age in both the total sample and the subsamples of men and women. The partial correlation analyses showed that, once age was controlled for experiential avoidance, anxiety and meaning in life were related to the abusive use of social networks in women, while for men, only anxiety was significant. For women the linear regression equation which best predicted abusive use of social networks included little meaning in life and high experiential avoidance. For men, only anxiety was a possible predictive factor of abusive use of social networks. These results are discussed with regard to existing research on abusive use of social networks, noting the possible protective effect of meaning in life and calling greater attention to gender differences in behaviors related to online social networks. (AU)

Reappraising personal values in cancer: Meaning-in-life adaptation, meaningfulness, and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: This study explores the reappraisal of personal values among people with cancer post-diagnosis and its connections to meaningfulness, encompassing personal meaning and sense of meaning, and various dimensions of quality of life. METHODS: A total of 144 patients with diverse cancer types and a control group comprising 158 healthy adults with similar demographic characteristics completed the Valued Living Questionnaire-Perceived Change, the Personal Meaning Profile-Brief, the Portrait Values Questionnaire, and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being. RESULTS: Cancer patients displayed a substantial values reappraisal compared to healthy adults. They reported an increased significance of social areas and self-transcendental values, including close relationships (family, partner, and friends), spirituality, citizenship, and universalism, as well as an increased importance of self-care and self in general. Conversely, cancer patients assigned less importance to work and self-enhancement values such as stimulation, power, and achievement. Cluster analysis revealed that patients who reappraised their values exhibited higher meaningfulness and better indicators of quality of life, including spiritual and physical well-being, compared to patients who did not modify their value system. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the importance of assessing and promoting meaning-in-life adaptability among people with cancer, with potential applications in meaning-centered therapies and interventions aimed at enhancing psychological flexibility.

A Scoping Review of the Influence of Mindfulness on Men's Sexual Activity.

Mindfulness practice and mindfulness-based interventions are widely known, especially for women's sexuality. However, it is currently unknown how this practice affects the experience of male sexuality, possibly due to the existence of pharmacological treatments that are usually the first choice of treatment for men. The objectives of this study are to explore the influence of mindfulness on different components of men's sexuality from a scoping review of relevant scientific articles existing in the literature. A literature search from 2010 to 2022 was carried out in the electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Dialnet, SciELO Citation Index, and Redalyc. Out of the 238 studies, 12 that met the defined selection criteria were selected. The analysis of these studies seems to indicate that the practice of mindfulness favours different variables of male sexuality, such as satisfaction and sexual functioning or genital self-image. Mindfulness-based interventions represent a valuable and promising contribution. No adverse effects were detected from the review of scientific articles considered in this work. Nevertheless, more randomized studies with active control groups are necessary to establish the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions in sex therapy for men.

A preliminary exploration on psychological variables related to online social network addiction. / Exploración preliminar sobre las variables psicológicas implicadas en la adicción a redes sociales on-line.

This study examined the roles of anxiety, experiential avoidance and meaning in life in the abusive use of social networks. Participants in the study (N = 235: 172 women, 62 men, 1 non-binary) volunteered to complete a brief online survey measuring experiential avoidance, anxiety and meaning in life. Correlational and linear regression analyses were performed controlling for age in both the total sample and the subsamples of men and women. The partial correlation analyses showed that, once age was controlled for experiential avoidance, anxiety and meaning in life were related to the abusive use of social networks in women, while for men, only anxiety was significant. For women the linear regression equation which best predicted abusive use of social networks included little meaning in life and high experiential avoidance. For men, only anxiety was a possible predictive factor of abusive use of social networks. These results are discussed with regard to existing research on abusive use of social networks, noting the possible protective effect of meaning in life and calling greater attention to gender differences in behaviors related to online social networks.

El presente estudio examinó el papel de la ansiedad, la evitación experiencial y el sentido vital en el uso abusivo de redes sociales. Los participantes (N = 235: 172 mujeres, 62 hombres, 1 no-binario) completaron una breve encuesta dirigida a medir la evitación experiencial, la ansiedad y el sentido vital. Se llevaron a cabo análisis de regresión lineal y correlaciones controlando la influencia de la edad tanto para hombres como para mujeres. Los análisis de correlación parcial mostraron que, una vez controlada la edad de los participantes, tanto la evitación experiencial como la ansiedad y el sentido vital estuvieron relacionados con el uso abusivo de redes sociales en mujeres; sin embargo, para los varones, sólo la ansiedad se relacionó con un mayor uso de redes sociales. Para las mujeres la ecuación de regresión lineal que mejor predijo el uso abusivo de redes sociales incluyó un bajo sentido vital y una elevada evitación experiencial, mientras que para los varones sólo la ansiedad predijo el mayor uso de redes sociales. Los resultados obtenidos se discuten en relación con la investigación existente sobre el uso de las redes sociales, destacando el sentido vital como un posible factor protector y la importancia de una perspectiva de género para estudiar las redes sociales en línea.

An international study on psychological coping during COVID-19: Towards a meaning-centered coping style.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: This study examined the role of different psychological coping mechanisms in mental and physical health during the initial phases of the COVID-19 crisis with an emphasis on meaning-centered coping. METHOD: A total of 11,227 people from 30 countries across all continents participated in the study and completed measures of psychological distress (depression, stress, and anxiety), loneliness, well-being, and physical health, together with measures of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping, and a measure called the Meaning-centered Coping Scale (MCCS) that was developed in the present study. Validation analyses of the MCCS were performed in all countries, and data were assessed by multilevel modeling (MLM). RESULTS: The MCCS showed a robust one-factor structure in 30 countries with good test-retest, concurrent and divergent validity results. MLM analyses showed mixed results regarding emotion and problem-focused coping strategies. However, the MCCS was the strongest positive predictor of physical and mental health among all coping strategies, independently of demographic characteristics and country-level variables. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the MCCS is a valid measure to assess meaning-centered coping. The results also call for policies promoting effective coping to mitigate collective suffering during the pandemic.

ANTECEDENTES/OBJETIVO: Este estudio examinó el papel de diferentes estrategias de afrontamiento psicológico en la salud mental y física durante las fases iniciales de la crisis de COVID-19. MÉTODO: 11,227 personas de 30 países representando todos los continentes participaron en el estudio y completaron medidas de malestar psicológico (depresión, estrés y ansiedad), soledad, bienestar, salud física, medidas de afrontamiento centrado en el problema y en la emoción, y una medida denominada Escala del Afrontamiento Centrado en el Sentido (MCCS) que fue desarrollada en este estudio. El análisis de validación de la MCCS se realizó en todos los países, y los datos se evaluaron mediante un modelo multinivel. RESULTADOS: La MCCS mostró una estructura unifactorial en 30 países con buenos resultados de validez test-retest, concurrente y divergente. Los análisis mostraron resultados mixtos en cuanto a las estrategias de afrontamiento centradas en la emoción y en el problema. La MCCS fue el predictor positivo más fuerte de salud física y mental, independientemente de las características demográficas y las variables a nivel de país. CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados sugieren que la MCCS es un insrumento fiable para medir afrontamiento centrado en el sentido. Estos resultados pueden servir para dirigir políticas que promuevan un afrontamiento eficaz con el fin de mitigar el sufrimiento colectivo durante la pandemia.

Is "Self-Experience" Really a Transdiagnostic Concept? Preliminary Evidence in Favor of the Transdiagnostic Conception of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy.

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) offers a radically behavioral and transdiagnostic conception of the formation of the "self" and the appearance of a diversity of psychological problems. This study examined the extent to which a wide variety of psychological disorders (somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility/aggressiveness, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism) and a global index of psychopathological severity may in fact be linked to problems of the "self" according to the FAP conception. Two questionnaires, one related to self-experience according to FAP and the other to find the scores on several different psychopathology scales, were administered to 280 adult Spaniards for this purpose. The results confirmed the transdiagnostic nature of the "self"-experience. There are significant and strong correlations between all the psychopathology scales studied and self-experience. Linear regression analyses also show that, along with age and gender, in some cases, the score on self-experience predicts each and every one of the psychopathological variables studied, in addition to the Global Severity Index. These results are discussed and related to the transdiagnostic approach to psychopathology.

Mindfulness in Sexual Activity, Sexual Satisfaction and Erotic Fantasies in a Non-Clinical Sample.

The goal of this study is to better understand the relation between the practice of Mindfulness and the sexual activity, sexual satisfaction and erotic fantasies of Spanish-speaking participants. This research focuses on the comparison between people who practice Mindfulness versus naïve people, and explores the practice of Mindfulness and its relation with the following variables about sexuality: body awareness and bodily dissociation, personal sexual satisfaction, partner and relationship-related satisfaction, desire, subjective sexual arousal, genital arousal, orgasm, pain, attitudes towards sexual fantasies and types of sexual fantasies. The sample consisted of 106 selected adults, 32 men and 74 women, who completed six measures on an online survey platform: (a) Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), (b) Scale of Body Connection (SBC), (c) New Sexual Satisfaction Scale (NSSS), (d) Scale of Sexual Activity in Women (SSA-W) and Men (SSA-M), (e) Hurlbert Index of Sexual Fantasy (HISF), (f) Wilson's Sex Fantasy Questionnaire. In the MAAS, Body Awareness subscale (SBC), NSSS, SSA-W and SSA-M, HISF and intimate fantasies subscale (Wilson's questionnaire), people in the Mindfulness condition showed higher scores and these differences were statistically significant. These results may have relevant implications in the sexuality of clinical and non-clinical samples.

Ecstasy (MDMA): A rebellion coherent with the system.

Aim: This study attempts to demonstrate the relevance of the socio-cultural model of drugs in explaining the impressive development of ecstasy in the last 45 years. Method: First the study describes the use of ecstasy by groups which have left their imprint on the substance: university students, gays, yuppies and the "New Age" movement. Then the link between ecstasy and techno music led to the socially integrated "club" phenomenon, and the "rave", which began as a rupturing, nonconformist phenomenon. Findings: According to this argument, in spite of its clearly counterculture beginnings, the "rave" movement and its most characteristic drug, ecstasy, have gradually become integrated into mainstream culture, somehow reinforcing the functioning of capitalist postmodernity. Our study explains ecstasy's history in reference to the cultural contradictions of capitalism and the functions that it currently fulfils for young people. Based on this analysis, the implications of the cultural perspective are discussed as a paradigm of research in drug use, stressing notions of subculture, myths and rituals. It also proposes a harmonious articulation of academic and common knowledge as the most appropriate method for their study. Conclusion: A cultural approach to drug use could assist in unblocking a field so in need of conceptual and empirical revision.

Disordered Eating Attitudes, Anxiety, Self-Esteem and Perfectionism in Young Athletes and Non-Athletes.

Eating disorders are associated with short and long-term consequences that can affect sports performance. The purposes of this study were to investigate whether female athletes, particularly gymnasts and footballers, exhibit more eating problems compared to female non-athletes, and to identify individual personality characteristics including anxiety, self-esteem, and perfectionism as possible contributors to eating disorder risk. In a sample of 120 participants, 80 adolescent female athletes were compared to a control condition of 40 non-athletes (mean age 17.2 ± 2.82). Participants responded to a questionnaire package to investigate the presence of disordered eating (SCOFF) and psychological variables in relation to disordered eating symptoms or eating disorder status. Subsequently, anthropometric measures were obtained individually by trained staff. There were statistically significant differences between conditions. One of the most important results was the score in SCOFF (Mann-Whitney = 604, p < 0.05; Cohen's d = 0.52, r = 0.25), being higher in control than in the gymnast condition. These results suggest that non-athlete female adolescents show more disturbed eating behaviours and thoughts than female adolescents from aesthetic sport modalities and, therefore, may have an enhanced risk of developing clinical eating disorders.

Influencia De Los Estilos De Afrontamiento Sobre La Satisfacción Vital De Pacientes En Tratamiento De Hemodiálisis Y Con Trasplante Renal / Influence Of Coping Styles On Vital Satisfaction Of Patients On Hemodialysis Treatment And Renal Transplantation

Resumen Objetivo : Investigar la relación entre estilos de afrontamiento y niveles de satisfacción vital de pacientes en tratamiento con hemodiálisis y de pacientes con trasplante renal. Material y métodos: Treinta y cuatro pacientes en hemodiálisis tomaron parte del estudio, además de veintiuno en trasplante renal y cincuenta que no padecían ninguna enfermedad crónica. Se les administró la Escala de Satisfacción con la Vida (SWLS) y el Cuestionario de Afrontamiento al Estrés (CAEPO). Se comprobó que existían diferencias significativas entre los grupos con las variables estudiadas y se examinó la capacidad predictiva de los estilos de afrontamiento sobre la satisfacción vital para cada uno de los grupos que tomaron parte en la investigación. Resultados: Los pacientes en hemodiálisis presentaron una satisfacción vital significativamente menor que los participantes del grupo control. No existió diferencia entre los grupos clínicos, ni entre el grupo de pacientes trasplantados, ni en el grupo control ecn lo que se refiere a la satisfacción vital. En términos generales, los estilos de afrontamiento activos evitativo. Conclusiones: La coexistencia de estilos de afrontamiento activos y evitativos, en los que un moderado nivel de negación es acompañado por actitudes predicen positivamente el nivel de satisfacción vital, pero la misma se incrementa en los pacientes con hemodiálisis si además existe algún tipo de estilo de afrontamiento optimistas, eleva el grado de satisfacción vital de los pacientes con injuria renal crónica en hemodiálisis.

Abstract Objective : To investigate the relationship between coping styles and levels of life satisfaction of patients undergoing hemodialysis and patients with renal transplantation. Methods: Thirty four patients on hemodialysis, twenty one patients with renal transplantation and fifty who did not suffer from any chronic disease took part in the study. They were administered a Life Satisfaction Scale and a Stress Coping Questionnaire. It was checked whether there were significant differences between the groups in the variables studied. Additionally, the predictive capacity of coping styles on life satisfaction for SV of each of the groups that participated in the research was examined. Results: Patients on the hemodialysis group have a significantly lower SV than the participants in the control group, there being no difference between the clinical groups or between the group of transplanted patients and the control group as regards the SV. In general terms, active EAs predict positively the level of SV; but SV increases for hemodialysis patients if there is also some type of avoidant AD. Conclusions: The coexistence of active and avoidance coping styles, in which a moderate level of denial is accompanied by optimistic attitudes, raises the degree of vital satisfaction of hemodialysis patients.

The Influence of Coping and Personality Styles on Satisfaction with Life in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

The objective of this ex post facto study was to find out how different coping and personality styles influence satisfaction with life in a group of 55 people with chronic kidney disease, 34 of whom were receiving haemodialysis and 21 had undergone a kidney transplant. The participants completed three questionnaires, the SWLS, CAEPO and MIPS. The results showed the relationship between active coping strategies and satisfaction with life in haemodialysis patients, kidney transplant recipients and the total sample. A Pleasure-Enhancing personality style was significantly related to Satisfaction with Life, both in the total sample, and in the two groups separately. There were no significant differences in Satisfaction with Life between the haemodialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients. The theoretical repercussions of these results are discussed, highlighting their applications to clinical practice, in which training in active coping is essential.

Diminished emotional expression in schizophrenia: an interdisciplinary approach based on behavioral interventions / Expresión emocional disminuida en la esquizofrenia: un abordaje interdisciplinar basado en intervenciones conductuales

Background: Negative symptoms represent the main cause of disability in schizophrenia, having recently been grouped into two general dimensions: avolition and diminished emotional expression, which includes affective flattening and alogia. The aim of this study was to explore the response of these two symptoms to a set of behavioral interventions based on contingency management, performed in an interdisciplinary context. Method: Behaviors of interest were monitored and evaluations before and after the treatment were performed on 9 schizophrenic inpatients with persistent negative symptoms. The program included 12 group double sessions aimed at developing facial expression and verbal communication, and a nursing care plan to generalize and strengthen these behaviors synergistically. Results: there were appreciable differences in facial expression, which were less clear for alogia. The clinical evaluation using PANSS-N did not find notable differences at group level, but the nursing assessment using NOC indicators did. Conclusions: although difficult to modify, negative symptoms are not insensitive to the influence of behavioral interventions. Specific psychological interventions that address negative symptoms as a priority focus of attention and care need to be promoted and developed, particularly when considering the crucial role of context in their progression (AU)

Antecedentes: los síntomas negativos representan la principal causa de discapacidad en la esquizofrenia, habiendo sido agrupados recientemente en dos dimensiones: avolición y expresión emocional disminuida, que incluye el aplanamiento afectivo y la alogia. El objetivo del estudio fue explorar la respuesta de estos dos síntomas a un conjunto de intervenciones conductuales basadas en el manejo de contingencias en un contexto interdisciplinario. Método: se monitorizaron conductas de interés y realizaron medidas pre y post a 9 participantes con esquizofrenia negativa persistente ingresados en dispositivos de rehabilitación. El programa incluyó 12 sesiones grupales dobles dirigidas a trabajar la expresión facial y la comunicación verbal, y un plan de cuidados para fortalecer y generalizar estas conductas. Resultados: se obtuvieron diferencias relevantes en la expresión facial, que fueron menos claras para la alogia. La evaluación clínica mediante la PANSS-N no obtuvo diferencias notables a nivel de grupo, pero sí la valoración mediante indicadores NOC. Conclusiones: aunque difíciles de modificar, los síntomas negativos no son insensibles a la influencia de intervenciones conductuales. Resulta necesario potenciar intervenciones psicológicas específicas que aborden estos síntomas como un foco prioritario de atención y cuidado, considerando el papel crucial del contexto en su evolución (AU)

The mediating role of metacognitive variables in the relationship between Thought-Action Fusion and obsessive-compulsive symptomatology / El papel mediador de las variables metacognitivas en la relación entre la fusión pensamiento-acción y la sintomatología obsesivo-compulsiva

Diverse studies support the central role of Thought-Action Fusion (TAF) and other metacognitive variables in the understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptomatology. However,amore detailed study of the involvement of the sevariables is needed. This article seeks to assess the possible mediating role of the factors of the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ) in the relationship between TAF and OCD symptoms both in clinical and non-clinical samples.A cross-sectional design was used in which120 participants, divided into three groups (two clinical and one non-clinical), completed the questionnaires assessing the constructsof interest. The mediational findings generally supported the proposed mediation model. Specifically, the mediational analyses focused on negative beliefs and the need to control (metacognitive factors of the MCQ) showed that MCQ Negative beliefs mediated the effects of TAF-Total and TAF factors (except for the TAF-Moral) on OCD symptomatology in the OCD group. The MCQ Need to control was non-significantasa mediator of the relationships between TAF and OCD. However, it was observed that this mediation approached significance, with considerable effect sizes. In the clinical-control group, the analyses showed that MCQ Negative beliefs mediated the effects of TAF-Like lihood-One self on OCD symptoms. In the remaining group, neither MCQ Negative beliefs nor MCQ Need to control were found to be significant mediators. It is generally concluded that certain beliefs, such as TAF, can evolve toward more complex metacognitive beliefs, which ultimate ly lead to the development of OCD symptoms.

Diversos estudios han señalado el papel de la fusión pensamiento-acción (TAF) y otras creencias metacognitivas en la comprensión de la sintomatología obsesivo-compulsiva. No obstante, es preciso un estudio más pormenorizado que esclarezca la contribución de estas variables. El objetivo del presente estudio es evaluar el posible papel mediador de los factores del Cuestionario de Metacogniciones (MCQ)en la relación entre la TAF y la sintomatología obsesivo-compulsiva, tanto en muestras clínicas como no clínicas. Con un diseño transversal, 120 participantes divididos entres grupos (dos clínicos y uno no clínico) respondieron a los cuestionarios que evaluaban los constructos de interés. Los resultados apoyaron de manera general el modelo mediacional propuesto. Concretamente, los análisis se centraron en la necesidad de control y las creencias negativas (factores metacognitivos del MCQ) y mostraron los siguientes resultados. En el grupo de sintomatología obsesivo-compulsiva, las creencias negativas mediaron los efectos deTAF-totaly los factores de TAF en la sintomatología obsesivo-compulsiva, a excepción de TAF-moral. El factor necesidad de control no llegó a ser un mediador significativo; no obstante, esta mediación estaba próxima a la significatividad y se contemplaron tamaños del efecto considerables. Respecto al grupo de control clínico, los análisis mostraron que las creencias negativas mediaban los efectos de TAF-probabilidad-uno mismo en la sintomatología obsesivo-compulsiva. En el grupo restante, ni las creencias negativas ni la necesidad de control resultaron ser mediadores significativos. Se concluye, de manera general, que creencias como la TAF pueden evolucionar hacia creencias metacognitivas más complejas que conllevan, en último término, el desarrollo de la sintomatología obsesivo-compulsiva.

Person-based contextual therapy applid to a complex case of schizophrenia / Aplicación de la terapia contextual basada en la persona a un caso complejo de esquizofrenia

BACKGROUND: Psychological therapies are becoming more and more important in schizophrenia, and not as mere adjuncts to medication. The psychotherapy of schizophrenia is taking on a new lease of life in the wake of person-based phenomenological and psychological developments. METHOD: The case in question was a complex one, with variegated symptomatology that had persisted over many years. Approaching the case from the perspective of person-based cognitive therapy allowed us to understand the psychotic symptoms in the biographical context and to apply a therapy focused on the patient's recovery of her sense of self and of life. RESULTS: At the end of the therapy and throughout the 12-month follow-up, the psychotic experiences had practically disappeared, or ceased to be disturbing, and the patient had become re-integrated in social life. CONCLUSIONS: Psychotic symptoms take on meaning in the biographical context. Adopting this perspective can aid the psychopathological explanation of the disorder and provide significant therapeutic help, more focused on recovery. Psychological therapy has shown itself to be viable in complex cases treated within the public-sector healthcare context

ANTECEDENTES: las terapias psicológicas están siendo cada vez más importantes en la esquizofrenia, y no como meras adjuntas a la medicación. La psicoterapia de la esquizofrenia está cobrando nueva vida a la luz de desarrollos fenomenológicos y psicológicos centrados en la persona. MÉTODO: se presenta un caso complejo, de abigarrada sintomatología y larga duración, sin que hasta ahora la medicación produjera cambios clínicos significativos. La formulación del caso de acuerdo con la terapia cognitiva basada en la persona permitió entender los síntomas psicóticos en el contexto biográfico y llevar a cabo una terapia centrada en la recuperación del sentido del yo y de la vida. RESULTADOS: al final de la terapia y en el seguimiento de un año las experiencias psicóticas habían desaparecido prácticamente o dejado de ser perturbadoras y la paciente se había reintegrado en la vida social. CONCLUSIONES: los síntomas psicóticos cobran sentido en el contexto biográfico. Esto puede servir a la explicación psicopatológica y a una ayuda terapéutica significativa, más centrada en la recuperación que en el mero sostenimiento, que fácilmente termina en "abandono" asistencial y existencial. La terapia psicológica muestra ser viable en casos complejos atendidos en dispositivos públicos

Person-based contextual therapy applied to a complex case of schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Psychological therapies are becoming more and more important in schizophrenia, and not as mere adjuncts to medication. The psychotherapy of schizophrenia is taking on a new lease of life in the wake of person-based phenomenological and psychological developments. METHOD: The case in question was a complex one, with variegated symptomatology that had persisted over many years. Approaching the case from the perspective of person-based cognitive therapy allowed us to understand the psychotic symptoms in the biographical context and to apply a therapy focused on the patient's recovery of her sense of self and of life. RESULTS: At the end of the therapy and throughout the 12-month follow-up, the psychotic experiences had practically disappeared, or ceased to be disturbing, and the patient had become re-integrated in social life. CONCLUSIONS: Psychotic symptoms take on meaning in the biographical context. Adopting this perspective can aid the psychopathological explanation of the disorder and provide significant therapeutic help, more focused on recovery. Psychological therapy has shown itself to be viable in complex cases treated within the public-sector healthcare context.

Psychological therapies for auditory hallucinations (voices): current status and key directions for future research.

This report from the International Consortium on Hallucinations Research considers the current status and future directions in research on psychological therapies targeting auditory hallucinations (hearing voices). Therapy approaches have evolved from behavioral and coping-focused interventions, through formulation-driven interventions using methods from cognitive therapy, to a number of contemporary developments. Recent developments include the application of acceptance- and mindfulness-based approaches, and consolidation of methods for working with connections between voices and views of self, others, relationships and personal history. In this article, we discuss the development of therapies for voices and review the empirical findings. This review shows that psychological therapies are broadly effective for people with positive symptoms, but that more research is required to understand the specific application of therapies to voices. Six key research directions are identified: (1) moving beyond the focus on overall efficacy to understand specific therapeutic processes targeting voices, (2) better targeting psychological processes associated with voices such as trauma, cognitive mechanisms, and personal recovery, (3) more focused measurement of the intended outcomes of therapy, (4) understanding individual differences among voice hearers, (5) extending beyond a focus on voices and schizophrenia into other populations and sensory modalities, and (6) shaping interventions for service implementation.

High and low schizotypal female subjects do not differ in spatial memory abilities in a virtual reality task.

INTRODUCTION: Schizotypy is a psychological construct related to schizophrenia. The exact relationship between both entities is not clear. In recent years, schizophrenia has been associated with hippocampal abnormalities and spatial memory problems. The aim of this study was to determine possible links between high schizotypy (HS) and low schizotypy (LS) and spatial abilities, using virtual reality tasks. We hypothesised that the HS group would exhibit a lower performance in spatial memory tasks than the LS group. METHODS: Two groups of female students were formed according to their score on the ESQUIZO-Q-A questionnaire. HS and LS subjects were tested on two different tasks: the Boxes Room task, a spatial memory task sensitive to hippocampal alterations and a spatial recognition task. RESULTS: Data showed that both groups mastered both tasks. Groups differed in personality features but not in spatial performance. These results provide valuable information about the schizotypy-schizophrenia connections. CONCLUSION: Schizotypal subjects are not impaired on spatial cognition and, accordingly, the schizotypy-schizophrenia relationship is not straightforward.

Relationship between drug use and psychopathological variables of risk in university students / Relaciones entre el consumo de drogas y variables de riesgo psicopatológicas en jóvenes universitarios

Background: Research has been studying the relationships between drug use and the risk of suffering psychopathological disorders. This study analyzed the relationships existing between this use and certain psychotic disorder risk variables: hallucination, schizotypy and cognitive fusion. Method: Several screening questionnaires on drug use (CAGE), a questionnaire on «cognitive fusion» (TAFS), another on hallucination proneness (LSHS-R) and another on schizotypy (O-LIFE-R) were given to a sample of 308 students at the University of Almería with a mean age of 19.51 years (SD= 2.11). Results: The results found show how cognitive fusion is positively related to use of cannabis and cocaine, the scores on the schizotypy scale correlated positively with use of alcohol and cannabis, and the scores on a hallucination proneness correlated positively to use of cannabis. Regression equations were found that predicted the use of these substances from the variables of vulnerability to suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Conclusions: The results show an association between drug use and the risk variables studied (AU)

Antecedentes: la investigación ha venido estudiando las relaciones entre el consumo de sustancias y el riesgo de padecimiento de trastornos psicopatológicos. En este estudio se han analizado las relaciones existentes entre dicho consumo y determinadas variables de riesgo para los trastornos psicóticos: alucinaciones, esquizotipia y fusión cognitiva. Método: se administraron diversos cuestionarios de screening relativos al consumo de drogas (CAGE), un cuestionario de «fusión cognitiva» (TAFS), otro de predisposición a las alucinaciones (LSHS-R) y otro de esquizotipia (O-LIFE-R), a una muestra de 308 estudiantes universitarios de la Universidad de Almería, con una media de edad de 19,51 años (DT= 2,11). Resultados: los resultados hallados muestran cómo la fusión cognitiva se relaciona positivamente con el consumo de cannabis y cocaína; cómo las puntuaciones en la escala de esquizotipia correlacionan positivamente con el consumo de alcohol y cannabis y cómo las puntuaciones en una escala de predisposición a las alucinaciones correlaciona positivamente con el consumo de cannabis. Se establecieron ecuaciones de regresión que predecían el consumo de dichas sustancias a partir de las variables de vulnerabilidad al padecimiento de trastornos del espectro esquizofrénico. Conclusiones: los resultados muestran una asociación entre el consumo de sustancias y las variables de riesgo estudiadas (AU)

Relationship between drug use and psychopathological variables of risk in university students.

BACKGROUND: Research has been studying the relationships between drug use and the risk of suffering psychopathological disorders. This study analyzed the relationships existing between this use and certain psychotic disorder risk variables: hallucination, schizotypy and cognitive fusion. METHOD: Several screening questionnaires on drug use (CAGE), a questionnaire on "cognitive fusion" (TAFS), another on hallucination proneness (LSHS-R) and another on schizotypy (O-LIFE-R) were given to a sample of 308 students at the University of Almeria with a mean age of 19.51 years (SD= 2.11). RESULTS: The results found show how cognitive fusion is positively related to use of cannabis and cocaine, the scores on the schizotypy scale correlated positively with use of alcohol and cannabis, and the scores on a hallucination proneness correlated positively to use of cannabis. Regression equations were found that predicted the use of these substances from the variables of vulnerability to suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The results show an association between drug use and the risk variables studied.

Validity of the self-report on drug use by university students: Correspondence between self-reported use and use detected in urine / Validez del autoinforme del uso de drogas en estudiantes universitarios: correspondencia entre el autoinforme y el uso detectado en orina

The purpose of this work was to determine the validity of a self-report on recent drug use (cocaine and cannabis) in a sample of university students of both sexes and to explore the role of attitudes toward substance use as related to this report. The subjects (506) were volunteers aged 17-35 years (who received an economic incentive) recruited at the University of Almería (Spain). The results were analyzed on the basis of correspondence between the self-report of recent use and a urine test. Three logistic regression analyses between self-reported use and attitudes toward drugs were also performed. The results show that the convergent validity of the self-report of drug use and the urine test is quite satisfactory, with percentages of agreement varying from .89 to .98 and Kappa of .66 and .56 for cannabis and cocaine, respectively. Sensitivity of the self-report is 57.1% (cocaine) and 91.8% (cannabis), and specificity is 99.4% (cocaine) and 89.6% (cannabis). The differences found in correspondence between the two substances are discussed with regard to self-reported attitudes on drug use (AU)

El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido comprobar la validez del autoinforme del consumo reciente de drogas (cannabis y cocaína) en una muestra de jóvenes universitarios de ambos sexos y explorar el papel de las actitudes hacia el consumo en relación al informe de éste. Los sujetos (506) fueron voluntarios (recibiendo un incentivo económico) con edades entre 17-35 años, captados de la Universidad de Almería (España). Los resultados se analizaron a partir de las correspondencias entre el autoinforme del consumo reciente y el test de orina. También se realizaron tres análisis de regresión logística entre el consumo autoinformado y las actitudes hacia las drogas. Los resultados señalan que la validez convergente del autoinforme de consumo de drogas con el test de orina es bastante buena, con porcentajes de acuerdo que oscilan entre 0.89 y 0.98, y valores Kappa de 0.66 y 0.56 para el cannabis y cocaína, respectivamente. La sensibilidad del autoinforme es de 57.1% (cocaína) y 91.8% (cannabis), y la especificidad es de 99.4% (cocaína) y 89.6% (cannabis). Las diferencias encontradas en las correspondencias entre las dos sustancias se discuten en relación a las actitudes informadas por los sujetos en relación al consumo de drogas (AU)