Smartphone addiction and life satisfaction: mediating effect of negative emotions / Adicción a teléfonos inteligentes y satisfacción con la vida: efecto mediador de las emociones negativas

Background: Smartphone users have increased worldwide, due to their multifunctionality and accessibility. Objective: To determine the mediating effect of negative emotions between life satisfaction and smartphone addiction in college students. Method: A structural equation explanatory model was proposed in which each negative emotion (depression, anxiety, and stress) has a mediating role between life satisfaction and cell phone addiction. To this end, 1109 university students from Metropolitan Lima were selected and administered the DASS 21, SABAS, SWLS. Result: A partial effect of each mediating model was found, in addition to Satisfaction with life achieved a direct effect on cell phone addiction; at the same time the mediating variables achieved a significant direct effect on addictive behavior. Conclusion: Negative emotions have a mediating role in explaining smartphone addiction.

Introducción: Los usuarios de teléfonos inteligentes se han incrementado a nivel mundial, debido a su multifuncionalidad y accesibilidad. Objetivo: Determinar el efecto mediador de las emociones negativas entre la satisfacción con la vida y la adicción a los teléfonos inteligentes en universitarios. Método: Se planteó un modelo explicativo de ecuaciones estructurales en el cual cada emoción negativa (depresión, ansiedad y estrés) tienen un rol mediador entre la satisfacción con la vida y la adicción a los celulares. Con tal fin, se seleccionaron 1109 universitarios de Lima Metropolitana a los cuales se les aplicaron el DASS 21, SABAS, SWLS. Resultados: Se encontró un efecto parcial de cada modelo mediador, además la Satisfacción con la vida logró un efecto directo sobre la adicción a los teléfonos celulares; al mismo tiempo las variables mediadoras consiguieron un efecto directo significativo sobre la conducta adictiva. Conclusión: las emociones negativas tienen un rol mediador en la explicación de la adicción a los teléfonos inteligentes.

Number sense: the mediating effect between nonverbal intelligence and children's mathematical performance.

The study explored the mediating effect of number sense between nonverbal intelligence and children's mathematical performance. The sample consisted of 131 pupils in Shaoxing City of China from grades 1, 3, and 5. The students completed measures of nonverbal intelligence, number sense, basic arithmetic ability, mathematical performance, rapid automatized naming, and working memory. Results show that although all variables significantly relate with each other (all p < .01), only nonverbal intelligence, number sense, and basic arithmetic ability significantly affect children's mathematical performance (all p < .01). According to multiple-mediation model, nonverbal intelligence significantly predicts children's mathematical performance through number sense and basic arithmetic ability. These findings suggest that domain-specific mathematical skills play a prominent role in children's mathematical performance in primary school, rather than domain-general cognitive functions. Educators should pay attention to develop children's number sense in order to improve children's mathematical ability.

Soledad y ansiedad durante el confinamiento por COVID-19. El efecto mediador de la regulación emocional / Loneliness and anxiety during COVID-19 lockdown. The mediating effect of emotion regulation

Resumen El confinamiento ocasionado por la pandemia del COVID-19 ha impactado en la vida de los estudiantes universitarios en todo el mundo. Conocer sus efectos en la salud mental y el comportamiento será una prioridad en los siguientes años. En este contexto, el objetivo de la presente investigación fue analizar por primera vez las relaciones directas e indirectas entre la experiencia de soledad, las estrategias de regulación emocional desadaptativas (rumiación, evitación, supresión, catastrofización y autoculpa) y la ansiedad en una muestra de universitarios mexicanos. Con base en él, se hipotetizó que las estrategias de regulación emocional desadaptativas mediarían la relación entre la soledad y la ansiedad. Para lograr este propósito se especificó un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales. Un total de 824 estudiantes universitarios participaron en la presente investigación. Los resultados mostraron que los datos se ajustaron de manera adecuada al modelo estructural especificado. Por otra parte, también se encontró que la soledad tuvo un efecto directo que no fue estadísticamente significativo con la ansiedad. En conclusión, estos hallazgos revelan la presencia de un efecto de mediación al mostrar que la soledad estuvo relacionada indirectamente con la ansiedad por su relación con las estrategias de regulación emocional desadaptativas. Con ello, al analizar la función mediadora de las estrategias de regulación emocional desadaptativas se aportaron, por primera vez en México, nuevos elementos que permiten conocer con mayor profundidad los efectos directos e indirectos de estos tres constructos.

Abstract The lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of undergraduate students around the world. Knowing its effects on mental health and behavior will be a priority for years to come. Due to the multiple negative effects that confinement by the COVID-19 pandemic has brought, this study aims to provide new scientific evidence that will allow a better understanding of the effects of the experience of loneliness caused by this pandemic. Based on the procedural model of emotion regulation created by Gross, the objective of this research was to analyze the direct and indirect relations between the experience of loneliness, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (rumination, avoidance, suppression, catastrophizing, and self-blame) and anxiety in a sample of Mexican undergraduate students. Based on this goal, it was hypothesized that maladaptive emotion regulation strategies would mediate the relation between loneliness and anxiety. To achieve this purpose, a total of 824 undergraduate students participated in the present research. In addition to providing their sociodemographic data, they answered the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, the Cognitive-Behavioral Avoidance Scale, the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. In order to carry out the mediating analysis, a structural equation model was created which included three latent variables (loneliness, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and anxiety). This model was tested using the Lavaan software. The indirect effects were analyzed using the bootstrapping method. The results showed that maladaptive emotional regulation strategies had a mediating role which was positive and significant in the relation between loneliness and anxiety. Regarding the measurement model, confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the measurement model comprising the three latent variables. Results showed that the measurement model fit the observed data appropriately. Furthermore, with the purpose of examining the validity of the measurement model, the average variance extracted and square root of the average variance extracted were calculated. Findings indicated that the average variance extracted for each construct was higher than all the squared correlations involving that construct. This confirmed the discriminant validity of all variables of study. Regarding the structural model, results showed acceptable data fit. The model explained 48 % of the variance in anxiety. The structural equation analysis revealed that loneliness was related positively with maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. Similarly, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies were associated positively with anxiety. Likewise, it was possible to confirm the main hypothesis of this study which stated that maladaptive emotion regulation strategies would mediate the influence of loneliness on anxiety among Mexican university students. Finally, it was confirmed that loneliness had a nonsignificant direct effect on anxiety. Regarding the contribution of each of the five maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, rumination had a significant function in the mediating process showing that loneliness had an impact on anxiety via the continuous thoughts that participants had about their own emotions. In turn, because of the strategy of catastrophizing, participants intensified their thoughts and emotions waiting for the worse scenario which in turn increased their levels of anxiety. Likewise, the strategies of avoidance and suppression had also a significant contribution on the mediating role of maladaptive strategies. Finally, the strategy of self-blame was a significant contribution to the mediating function. Therefore, with the purpose of controlling emotions associated with loneliness, it was possible that participants could blame themselves as a mechanism to regulate their emotions. In conclusion, these findings reveal the presence of a mediating effect by showing that loneliness was indirectly related to anxiety via its relation with maladaptive emotion regulation strategies.

High altitude Relieves transmission risks of COVID-19 through meteorological and environmental factors: Evidence from China.

Existing studies reported higher altitudes reduce the COVID-19 infection rate in the United States, Colombia, and Peru. However, the underlying reasons for this phenomenon remain unclear. In this study, regression analysis and mediating effect model were used in a combination to explore the altitudes relation with the pattern of transmission under their correlation factors. The preliminary linear regression analysis indicated a negative correlation between altitudes and COVID-19 infection in China. In contrast to environmental factors from low-altitude regions (<1500 m), high-altitude regions (>1500 m) exhibited lower PM2.5, average temperature (AT), and mobility, accompanied by high SO2 and absolute humidity (AH). Non-linear regression analysis further revealed that COVID-19 confirmed cases had a positive correlation with mobility, AH, and AT, whereas negatively correlated with SO2, CO, and DTR. Subsequent mediating effect model with altitude-correlated factors, such as mobility, AT, AH, DTR and SO2, suffice to discriminate the COVID-19 infection rate between low- and high-altitude regions. The mentioned evidence advance our understanding of the altitude-mediated COVID-19 transmission mechanism.

Number sense: the mediating effect between nonverbal intelligence and children's mathematical performance

The study explored the mediating effect of number sense between nonverbal intelligence and children's mathematical performance. The sample consisted of 131 pupils in Shaoxing City of China from grades 1, 3, and 5. The students completed measures of nonverbal intelligence, number sense, basic arithmetic ability, mathematical performance, rapid automatized naming, and working memory. Results show that although all variables significantly relate with each other (all p < .01), only nonverbal intelligence, number sense, and basic arithmetic ability significantly affect children's mathematical performance (all p < .01). According to multiple-mediation model, nonverbal intelligence significantly predicts children's mathematical performance through number sense and basic arithmetic ability. These findings suggest that domain-specific mathematical skills play a prominent role in children's mathematical performance in primary school, rather than domain-general cognitive functions. Educators should pay attention to develop children's number sense in order to improve children's mathematical ability. (AU)

The mediating role of emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between family of origin violence and intimate partner violence.

The effects of family of origin violence and intimate partner violence have been extensively documented; however, very few studies have examined the interaction with emotion regulation strategies. Thus, the objective of this research was to analyze whether different types of emotion regulation strategies, both adaptive and maladaptive, mediate the relationship between family of origin violence and intimate partner violence in the Mexican population. A total of 838 participants (45.9% men and 54.1% women) responded to instruments addressing family of origin violence, emotion regulation strategies, and intimate partner violence. The results revealed that both structural models were significant. For women, the model showed an adequate fit X2 (11, N = 838) = 22.75, p = .288, GFI = .95, AGFI = .91, NFI = .98, CFI = .97, RMSEA = .05. Likewise, we found similar indexes for men X2 (11, N = 838) = 28.20, p = .348, GFI = .97, AGFI = .93, NFI = .97, CFI = .95, RMSEA = .04. Specifically, the direct effects of adaptive strategies on intimate partner violence were statistically significant. Meanwhile, the direct effects of family of origin violence on maladaptive emotion regulation strategies were significant, as were the direct effects of maladaptive strategies on intimate partner violence. In turn, the indirect effects of family of-origin violence were significantly related to intimate partner violence via maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. In addition, the results clearly showed that men reported higher levels of aggression against women. Finally, regarding the selection of emotion regulation strategies, while women employed more adaptive emotion regulation, men showed a more definite tendency to use maladaptive emotion regulation.

The mediating role of emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between family of origin violence and intimate partner violence

Abstract The effects of family of origin violence and intimate partner violence have been extensively documented; however, very few studies have examined the interaction with emotion regulation strategies. Thus, the objective of this research was to analyze whether different types of emotion regulation strategies, both adaptive and maladaptive, mediate the relationship between family of origin violence and intimate partner violence in the Mexican population. A total of 838 participants (45.9% men and 54.1% women) responded to instruments addressing family of origin violence, emotion regulation strategies, and intimate partner violence. The results revealed that both structural models were significant. For women, the model showed an adequate fit X 2 (11, N = 838) = 22.75, p = .288, GFI = .95, AGFI = .91, NFI = .98, CFI = .97, RMSEA = .05. Likewise, we found similar indexes for men X2 (11, N = 838) = 28.20, p = .348, GFI = .97, AGFI = .93, NFI = .97, CFI = .95, RMSEA = .04. Specifically, the direct effects of adaptive strategies on intimate partner violence were statistically significant. Meanwhile, the direct effects of family of origin violence on maladaptive emotion regulation strategies were significant, as were the direct effects of maladaptive strategies on intimate partner violence. In turn, the indirect effects of family of-origin violence were significantly related to intimate partner violence via maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. In addition, the results clearly showed that men reported higher levels of aggression against women. Finally, regarding the selection of emotion regulation strategies, while women employed more adaptive emotion regulation, men showed a more definite tendency to use maladaptive emotion regulation.