The aim of this study was to adapt and validate a Spanish version of the Maryland Assessment of Recovery Scale (MARS-12). It was carried out in strict accordance with internationally recognized guidelines for test adaptation. A preliminary Spanish version of the MARS-12 was first produced through a standardized translation/back-translation process, ensuring semantic, linguistic, and contextual equivalence with respect to the original scale. Its psychometric properties were then examined in a sample of 325 people with serious mental illness recruited from six different provinces in the Basque Country (northern Spain) and Catalonia (north-eastern Spain). They were users of a total of 20 community rehabilitation and psychiatry services. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional structure, consistent with the original scale. Scores on the MARS-12 were positively correlated (.83) with scores on the Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery, supporting convergent validity, while validity evidence based on relationships with other variables was provided by positive correlations between MARS-12 scores and scores on the Dispositional Hope Scale (.82) and on the three dimensions of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (range .30 to .41). Reliability of MARS-12 scores was high (McDonald's ω = .97), as was temporal stability across a one-week interval (.89). The Spanish version of the MARS-12 is a valid and reliable scale that may be used by mental health professionals to assess recovery among Spanish people with serious mental illness.
Cross-Cultural Comparison , European People , Psychometrics , Humans , Reproducibility of Results , Surveys and Questionnaires
BACKGROUND: Anxiety and depression are the most common current mental health problems. Due to their comorbidity, there is a need for instruments that measure them simultaneously. Moreover, given that their prevalence varies by gender and age, it is important to examine the factorial invariance of such instruments. The present study aimed to analyze the dimensionality and factorial invariance of the Basque version of the Educational-Clinical Questionnaire: Anxiety and Depression (CECAD) as a function of gender and age, and to gather additional evidence of its validity. METHOD: The sample comprised 2131 participants (54.2% female) between 7 and 24 years old ( M = 13.2; SD = 3.52). RESULTS: The CECAD was found to have a two-dimensional structure invariant to gender and age, with higher latent means for girls in both dimensions, and for those aged 14 and over in depression, but with small effect sizes. Both reliability and convergent validity values were good. CONCLUSIONS: The Basque version of the CECAD has good evidence of validity and reliability for assessing anxiety and depression in Basque-speaking children and adolescents.
Anxiety , Depression , Adolescent , Child , Female , Humans , Young Adult , Adult , Male , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/epidemiology , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results , Spain , Anxiety/diagnosis , Anxiety/epidemiology
Background: Anxiety and depression are the most common current mental health problems. Due to their comorbidity, there is a need for instruments that measure them simultaneously. Moreover, given that their prevalence varies by gender and age, it is important to examine the factorial invariance of such instruments. The present study aimed to analyze the dimensionality and factorial invariance of the Basque version of the Educational-Clinical Questionnaire: Anxiety and Depression (CECAD) as a function of gender and age, and to gather additional evidence of its validity. Method: The sample comprised 2131 participants (54.2% female) between 7 and 24 years old (M = 13.2; SD = 3.52). Results: The CECAD was found to have a two-dimensional structure invariant to gender and age, with higher latent means for girls in both dimensions, and for those aged 14 and over in depression, but with small effect sizes. Both reliability and convergent validity values were good. Conclusions: The Basque version of the CECAD has good evidence of validity and reliability for assessing anxiety and depression in Basque-speaking children and adolescents.(AU)
Antecedentes: En la actualidad, la ansiedad y la depresión son los problemas de salud mental más comunes. Debido a su comorbilidad, resulta necesario disponer de instrumentos que los midan simultáneamente. Además, dado que su prevalencia varía en función del género y la edad, es importante examinar la invarianza factorial de tales instrumentos. El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar la dimensionalidad y la invarianza factorial de la versión en euskera del Cuestionario Educativo-Clínico: Ansiedad y Depresión (CECAD) en función del género y la edad, y recabar evidencias adicionales de validez. Método: La muestra estuvo compuesta por 2131 participantes (54.2% mujeres) con edades comprendidas entre los 7 y 24 años (M = 13.2; DT = 3.52). Resultados: El CECAD mostró una estructura de dos dimensiones invariantes al género y la edad, con medias latentes más altas para las chicas en ambas dimensiones, y para mayores de 14 años en depresión, pero con tamaños del efecto pequeños. Tanto las estimaciones de los índices de fiabilidad como las evidencias de validez convergente fueron buenas. Conclusiones: La versión en euskera del CECAD posee adecuadas evidencias de validez y fiabilidad para evaluar la ansiedad y la depresión en niños y adolescentes vascoparlantes.(AU)
Humans , Female , Child , Adolescent , Young Adult , Anxiety/psychology , Depression/psychology , Psychometrics , Mental Health , Surveys and Questionnaires , Psychology , Spain
Research has shown a relationship between attachment style and psychosocial adjustment in adolescents. Whereas secure attachment is related to fewer internalizing and externalizing symptoms, the opposite is the case for the various insecure attachment styles. The aim of the two studies reported in this paper was to adapt and validate the CaMir-R (a self-report measure of attachment that has shown adequate psychometric properties) for use among Basque adolescents, and to analyse the relationship between attachment and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In Study 1, the instrument was adapted using the back translation method and applied to a sample of 203 adolescents and young adults. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretical dimensions of the scale, and its psychometric properties were found to be adequate. In Study 2 we obtained additional validity evidence by applying, in a sample of 786 adolescents and young adults, the attachment representations section of the CaMir-R alongside other measures of attachment and clinical symptoms. The results once again supported the dimensional structure of the instrument, and evidence of convergent validity was obtained based on correlations between CaMir-R scores and scores on the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA). In addition, scores on the five dimensions of attachment representations (Security, Family concerns, Parental interference, Self-sufficiency and resentment of parents and Childhood trauma) were correlated with scores on other measures of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Based on these results, we conclude that the Basque version of the CaMir-R is a valid instrument for assessing the quality of attachment representations among adolescents, and also that internalizing and externalizing problems are related to attachment style. We discuss the importance of attachment in relation to behaviour problems and clinical symptoms.
Problem Behavior , Young Adult , Humans , Adolescent , Spain , Problem Behavior/psychology , Psychometrics , Self Report , Parents
This study examines Spanish adults' social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic using mixed-methods to assess and understand frequency, context, and changes in social media use during two critical time points in Spain. We conducted semi-structured interviews in April 2020, and two waves of surveys (April 2020, April 2021) among Spanish adults. We coded and analyzed qualitative data related to social media use during the first lockdown period in Spain using Dedoose software; and ran descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to assess changes in social media use over the two survey waves related to perceived social support and loneliness. Participants ranged in age from 18-92 and were representative of the Spanish population's sociodemographics. Interview data show that WhatsApp was most commonly used, and that social media allowed for social support and engaging in healthy behaviors. Survey data show that women and individuals aged 18-34 had the greatest increases in social media use. Statistically significant associations were found between social support and loneliness with social media use. Our results show that promoting social media use as an emotional resource for social support in times of crisis or isolation can minimize loneliness and can be a beneficial tool for general worldwide crises.
COVID-19 , Social Media , Adult , COVID-19/epidemiology , Communicable Disease Control , Female , Humans , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2 , Social Support , Spain/epidemiology
BACKGROUND: Adaptive performance is of central interest for today's organizations, insofar as employees increasingly need to be able to adjust their behaviors to dynamic, changing work situations. The aims of this study were to develop a Spanish adaptation of Charbonnier-Voirin and Roussel's (2012) scale for measuring adaptive performance, and to examine whether the dimensions of adaptive performance moderate the relationship between person-organization fit (PO fit) and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). We hypothesized that the relationship between PO fit and OCBs would be stronger in individuals with a higher level of adaptive performance. METHOD: The sample comprised 678 employees (65% women) in the public sector in the Basque Country. They ranged from 21 to 63 years old (M = 44.63; SD = 7.66). RESULTS: The Spanish version of the scale has good psychometric properties. Furthermore, the Interpersonal Adaptability dimension of adaptive performance moderates the relationship between PO fit and OCBs directed both at the organization and at individuals, following the expected direction. The relationship between PO fit and OCBs directed at individuals was also moderated by the Reactivity in the Face of Emergencies dimension. CONCLUSIONS: We discuss the practical implications of these results in the field of personnel selection.
Citizenship , Organizational Culture , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Psychometrics , Social Behavior , Young Adult
Background: Adaptive performance is of central interest for todaysorganizations, insofar as employees increasingly need to be able to adjusttheir behaviors to dynamic, changing work situations. The aims of thisstudy were to develop a Spanish adaptation of Charbonnier-Voirin andRoussels (2012) scale for measuring adaptive performance, and to examinewhether the dimensions of adaptive performance moderate the relationshipbetween person-organization fit (PO fit) and organizational citizenshipbehaviors (OCBs). We hypothesized that the relationship between POfit and OCBs would be stronger in individuals with a higher level ofadaptive performance. Method: The sample comprised 678 employees(65% women) in the public sector in the Basque Country. They rangedfrom 21 to 63 years old (M = 44.63; SD = 7.66). Results: The Spanishversion of the scale has good psychometric properties. Furthermore, theInterpersonal Adaptability dimension of adaptive performance moderatesthe relationship between PO fit and OCBs directed both at the organizationand at individuals, following the expected direction. The relationshipbetween PO fit and OCBs directed at individuals was also moderated bythe Reactivity in the Face of Emergencies dimension. Conclusions: Wediscuss the practical implications of these results in the field of personnelselection
Antecedentes: el desempeño adaptativo es una variable crucial enlas organizaciones actuales dado que la flexibilidad y la capacidad deadaptación son necesarias en un entorno laboral tan dinámico y cambiantecomo el actual. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron adaptar al castellanoel instrumento de Charbonnier-Voirin y Roussel (2012), que mide eldesempeño adaptativo y examinar si las dimensiones que configuranel desempeño adaptativo moderan la relación entre el ajuste persona-organización (PO fit) y las conductas de ciudadanía organizacional(OCBs). Se pronosticó que la relación entre PO fit y OCBs sería másintensa en aquellas personas con mayor desempeño adaptativo. Método: la muestra estuvo compuesta por 678 empleados/as (65% mujeres) delsector público del País Vasco, con edades comprendidas entre 21 y 63años (M = 44.63; SD = 7.66). Resultados: los resultados muestran quela versión española de la escala posee buenas propiedades psicométricas.Además, la dimensión Adaptabilidad Interpersonal del desempeñoadaptativo modera la relación entre el PO fit y las OCBs. En la predicciónde las OCBs dirigidas a otros individuos, la Reactividad ante emergenciastambién modera la relación. Conclusiones: se discuten las implicacionesprácticas que pueden tener en el ámbito de la selección de personal losresultados derivados del estudio.
Humans , Male , Female , Young Adult , Adult , Middle Aged , Community Participation , Organizational Culture , Psychometrics , Health Behavior , Social Adjustment , Surveys and Questionnaires , Pharmacy Service, Hospital
Inflammation provides a substrate for mechanisms that underlie the association of maternal diet during pregnancy with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in childhood. However, no previous study has quantified the proinflammatory potential of maternal diet as a risk factor for ADHD. Thus, we evaluated the association of maternal dietary inflammatory index (DII®) scores during pregnancy with ADHD symptoms in 4-year-old children born in two Mediterranean regions. We analyzed data from two population-based birth cohort studies-INMA (Environment and Childhood) four subcohorts in Spain (N = 2097), and RHEA study in Crete (Greece) (N = 444). The DII score of maternal diet was calculated based on validated food frequency questionnaires completed during pregnancy (12th and/or 32nd week of gestation). ADHD symptoms were assessed by ADHD-DSM-IV in INMA cohort and by ADHDT test in RHEA cohort, with questionnaires filled-out by teachers and parents, respectively. The associations between maternal DII and ADHD symptoms were analysed using multivariable-adjusted zero-inflated negative binomial regression models in each cohort study separately. Meta-analysis was conducted to combine data across the cohorts for fitting within one model. The DII was significantly higher in RHEA (RHEA = 2.09 [1.94, 2.24]) in comparison to INMA subcohorts (Asturias = - 1.52 [- 1.67, - 1.38]; Gipuzkoa = - 1.48 [- 1.64, - 1.33]; Sabadell = - 0.95 [- 1.07, - 0.83]; Valencia = - 0.76 [- 0.90, - 0.62]). Statistically significant reduced risk of inattention symptomatology (OR = 0.86; CI 95% = 0.77-0.96), hyperactivity symptomatology (OR = 0.82; CI 95% = 0.72-0.92) and total ADHD symptomatology (OR = 0.82; CI 95% = - 0.72 to 0.93) were observed with increased maternal DII in boys. No statistically significant associations were observed in girls between maternal DII and inattention, hyperactivity and total ADHD symptomatology. We found reduced risk of ADHD symptomatology with increased DII only in boys. This relationship requires further exploration in other settings.
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/diagnosis , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/epidemiology , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/etiology , Child, Preschool , Cohort Studies , Diet , Female , Humans , Male , Mothers , Pregnancy , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/epidemiology , Prospective Studies
The aim of the study was to carry out a pilot implementation and evaluation of the OverCome-AAI program, a pioneering program for the prevention of suicidal behavior through animal-assisted interventions for young people with high risk factors for suicidal behavior. The study sample consisted of 30 adolescents (11 boys and 19 girls) aged between 14 and 17 years (Mean age = 15.50, SD = 1.60) from the Basque Country (Northern Spain). After the intervention, subjects presented reductions in suicidal ideation, suicide plans, and non-suicidal self-harm, as well as a greater predisposition to seek help. A reduction in the intensity of mental pain was also found, although no differences were observed in indicators of hopelessness and depression. The preliminary results obtained in this pilot study suggest that the OverCome-AAI program may be effective in reducing suicidal behavior and non-suicidal self-harm in young people in residential care who present high risk factors for suicide.
Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) are an important aspect of job performance as they enhance the effectiveness of organizations. Research has shown that personality is a moderate predictor of job performance. This study, involving a sample of 678 public sector employees in the Basque Country (northern Spain), pursued two aims: First, to develop and validate a Basque-language version of the Overall Personality Assessment Scale (OPERAS), a scale designed to assess the Big Five personality factors in a wide range of settings; and second, to examine whether person-organization fit (PO fit) and adaptive performance improve the capacity of personality to predict OCBs. The results indicated that the adapted scale was a suitable instrument for assessing personality in the Basque-speaking population. Furthermore, PO fit and adaptive performance improved the capacity of personality to predict OCBs. Based on these results, we propose a new predictive model that may enhance the efficiency of personnel selection processes.
This study presents follow-up results regarding a treatment adherence programme (TAP) for prisoners, the initial effectiveness of which we previously evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. Here we used an experimental design with two randomized groups and assessment at four time points: baseline (pre-intervention), at 3 months (post-intervention), and at 6 and 9 months after baseline. Participants were 151 prisoners with mental health problems (Mage = 41.85, SD = 10.31) who were randomly assigned to either the TAP or treatment as usual (TAU). Prisoners who completed the TAP showed a greater improvement in treatment adherence at 3 and 9 months, compared with those who received TAU. There were no significant differences between the groups in subjective well-being under medication. The availability of an easy-to-apply, universal programme that is able to promote treatment adherence in the prison context could make a positive contribution to the general health of inmates.
Mental Health , Prisoners , Adult , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Prisons
The objectives of this study were to analyze the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown in the Spanish population and to identify what population profiles were most affected. The study used a sequential exploratory design. In the qualitative phase, 40 participants were recruited based on theoretically relevant criteria and the saturation of the information provided by the interviews. In the quantitative phase, a large representative sample was applied. The universe considered was the adult population of Spain. A total of 6789 surveys were conducted. Both the analysis of the narratives of the interviews and the responses to the panel survey showed relevant changes in attitudes and mood swings compared to the period prior to lockdown. These changes include dysphoric moods (i.e., experiences of distress such as sadness/depression, anxiety, rage, feeling of unreality, worry, etc.) and also some euphoric moods (i.e., feelings of well-being, happiness, etc.). A higher number of women were affected than men and a greater increase was observed in younger people. The findings of the study may serve as a basis for detecting needs and providing psychological support, as the symptoms detected as the most common are key for the processes of screening at-risk individuals.
Coronavirus Infections/psychology , Pneumonia, Viral/psychology , Quarantine/psychology , Adult , Affect , Betacoronavirus , COVID-19 , Female , Humans , Male , Pandemics , Psychological Distress , SARS-CoV-2 , Spain/epidemiology
The collective construct of Team Emotional Intelligence (TEI) has been widely used and discussed. However, although several studies have examined the relationship between individual emotional intelligence and transformational leadership, few reports have explored the TEI of leadership teams. The aim of this study was to develop a scale to measure TEI, developing and validating the T-TMMS in a sample of 1,746 participants grouped into 152 leadership teams. The research design of the study was cross-sectional, and, in order to observe reliability as well as the construct, convergent, and predictive validity of the scale, we conducted an internal consistency analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, as well as a correlation and hierarchical linear regression analysis. The T-TMMS showed a three-factor structure (Attention, Clarity, and Repair), with adequate internal consistency, temporal stability, and convergent validity. We also examined the relationship between TEI and organizational performance. The limitations and implications of this new scale for organizational contexts are discussed.
In a social environment that requires young people to adapt to increasingly demanding situations, emotional education and creativity training may be key for both personal development and academic performance. Given that there are currently no known interventions that develop emotional and creative skills simultaneously in a youth population, the main objective of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate the Emotional Divergent-Convergent Thinking Program (EDICOP). The study design was quasi-experimental with a non-equivalent control group and pretest-posttest measures. The participants included 196 students between 16 and 24 years of age belonging to two centers of higher education. Our results showed that the EDICOP contributed to the improvement of the participants' divergent-proactive style, positive affectivity, emotional predisposition, and attention, as well as to their preference for cognition. Overall, the EDICOP is, therefore, both relevant and useful, and further research on the mood-creativity link is merited to generate new contexts in higher education for the promotion of both the emotional and creativity dispositions and self-awareness, by combining three basic psychological processes (emotion, cognition, and motivation).
A growing body of recent research has identified associations between various parenting practices and styles and internalizing problems among adolescents. However, the reported findings are inconsistent and the studies in question have been conducted from different theoretical backgrounds. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the literature on the association of parental socialization styles with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. To this end, we conducted a systematic search of the PsycInfo, Scopus, Pubmed, and Web of Science databases, covering literature published from 2010 to 2019. The search was restricted to peer-reviewed studies in English or Spanish. The results show that parental warmth, behavioural control, and autonomy granting are inversely related to internalizing symptoms in adolescents. Conversely, psychological control and harsh control by parents are positively associated with adolescent anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Although the associated effect sizes are only small or moderate, the results suggest that these variables should be taken into account when designing programmes aimed at promoting parenting styles conducive to the wellbeing of adolescents.
Anxiety/etiology , Defense Mechanisms , Depression/etiology , Parenting , Suicidal Ideation , Adolescent , Behavior Control/psychology , Humans , Parent-Child Relations , Psychology, Adolescent , Socialization
Having emerged as an important concept in the organizational field, entrepreneurial orientation has also become a key idea in the context of education. Indeed, entrepreneurial education is now one of the common objectives for education and training systems in the European Union. Despite its importance, however, there is a scarcity of valid and reliable measures for assessing entrepreneurial orientation in students. The present study aimed to address this by developing and examining the psychometric properties of the Entrepreneurial Orientation Scale (EOS). A second objective is to study the relationships between entrepreneurial orientation and gender, self-efficacy, and personal initiative. The sample comprised 411 vocational training students (50.36% male, 49.64% female). The final version of the instrument comprised 32 items assessing six dimensions: innovativeness, risk-taking, proactiveness, competitiveness, achievement orientation, and learning orientation. The EOS showed good psychometric properties and its dimensions demonstrated concurrent relationships with self-efficacy and personal initiative. The EOS may be used to measure entrepreneurial orientation in the educational context and to evaluate interventions designed to promote an entrepreneurial spirit in schools, colleges, and universities.
The occurrence of stressful life events is a risk factor for psychopathology in adolescence. Depression is a problem of notable clinical importance that has a negative psychosocial impact on adolescents and which has considerable social, educational, and economic costs. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between stressful life events and depressive symptomatology in adolescence, taking into account the effect that attachment representations may have on this relation. Participants were 1653 adolescents (951 girls) aged between 13 and 18 years. The sample was selected by means of a random sampling procedure based on the availability of schools to participate. Data were collected at two time points: attachment and stressful life events were assessed first, and symptoms of depression were evaluated eight to nine months later. Two time points were used in order to better analyze the mediating role of attachment security. Stressful life events were recorded using the Inventory of Stressful Life Events, attachment was evaluated by the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (mother, father, and peer versions), and depressive symptomatology was assessed through the Children's Depression Scale. In all cases, the Basque version of these scales was used. The results indicated that attachment to parents was a mediating variable in the relationship between stressful life events and depressive symptomatology. Contrary to what we expected, the results indicate that stressful life events did not have a negative effect on peer attachment, and neither did the latter variable act as a mediator of the relationship between stressful life events and depressive symptoms. It can be concluded that attachment-based interventions may be especially useful for reducing depression symptoms among adolescents. The findings also suggest a role for interventions that target parent-child attachment relationships.
Depression/psychology , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Life Change Events , Object Attachment , Parent-Child Relations , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Adaptation, Psychological/physiology , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Peer Group , Risk Factors , Spain
OBJECTIVE: This study explored the effect of cultural and gender differences in ADHD among Spanish, African American, Hispanic American, and European American young adults. METHOD: Structural equivalence between the four groups was examined by Tucker's phi coefficient. A MANCOVA was carried out with cultural groups and gender as factors and age as covariate. RESULTS: Structural equivalence was observed across all groups, and no differential item functioning was found. No significant effect was found for gender, although, with the exception of the Hispanic group, males scored higher than females. Furthermore, small, though significant, cultural differences were found. The lowest levels of ADHD were observed in the European American group and the highest in the Hispanic American group. ADHD symptoms, notably inattention, showed some decline with age. CONCLUSION: Findings extend existing data and suggest a relationship between culture and the development of ADHD, which might be mediated by parenting style.
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/ethnology , Culture , Sex Characteristics , Black or African American/ethnology , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/psychology , Cross-Cultural Comparison , Female , Hispanic or Latino/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Male , Sex Factors , Spain/epidemiology , Spain/ethnology , United States/epidemiology , White People/ethnology , Young Adult
Self-concept is widely conceptualized as multidimensional (Shavelson et al., 1976). The Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire (AF5, García and Musitu, 2009) assesses five specific dimensions (i.e., academic, social, emotional, family, and physical). It is a psychometrically sound questionnaire, developed, and normed in Spain, which is widely used with Spanish-speaking samples. The validation of the AF5 in Brazil would expand its potential, and would facilitate cross-cultural research. To validate the Brazilian version of the AF5, the present study apply confirmatory factor analysis and multi-sample invariance analysis across sex (women vs. men), age (11-18 years old), and language (Brazilian [Portuguese] vs. Spanish). The sample consisted of 4,534 students (54.6%, women, 53.7%, Spanish) ranging in age from 11 to 18 years old (M = 14.61, SD = 2.09). The findings of the present study confirmed that the five-dimensional AF5 factorial structure provided the better fit to the data compared to alternative one-dimensional and orthogonal five-dimensional structures. The 30 items loaded appropriately on the five dimensions. Multi-group analysis for invariance between sex, age, and language groups showed equal loading in the five factors, equal covariation between the five dimensions, and equal error variances of items. Additionally, in order to obtain an external validity index, the five AF5 factors were related to both acceptance/involvement and strictness/imposition parenting dimensions. These results provide an adequate basis for meaningful comparative studies on a highly relevant construct, multidimensional self-concept, between male and female adolescents of different ages, and Brazilian (Portuguese) and Spanish-speaking samples. These results validate the instrument and confirm its suitability in cross-cultural research.
Food problems in children and adolescents often have a detrimental effect on the emotional and psychological wellbeing of their parents. However, the impact of such problems on the psychological wellbeing of children and adolescents themselves has been less widely studied. The purpose of this study was to determine whether children and adolescents with food neophobia differed in trait anxiety and dimensions of self-concept from their neophilic and their average peers. A community sample of 831 participants (368 males and 463 females) between the ages of 8 and 16 were classified into six groups based on scores obtained on the Spanish Child Food Neophobia Scale (i.e., neophobic, average, and neophilic) and their age (i.e., children vs. adolescents). Compared with their neophilic peers, children with food neophobia showed higher levels of trait anxiety and a poorer social, physical, and academic self-concept. Among adolescents similar results were observed for trait anxiety and physical self-concept, but instead of social and academic self-concept it was family self-concept which distinguished between neophobic and neophilic participants. These results suggest that food neophobia is associated with trait anxiety and with some dimensions of self-concept. This highlights the need to ascertain the threshold between 'normal' and 'problematic' eating behaviors, since the fact that a behavior is to some extent usual does not imply that it is harmless.
Adolescent Behavior , Anxiety/psychology , Child Behavior , Feeding Behavior , Feeding and Eating Disorders/psychology , Phobic Disorders/psychology , Self Concept , Adolescent , Age Factors , Anxiety/diagnosis , Case-Control Studies , Child , Cross-Sectional Studies , Feeding and Eating Disorders/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Male , Phobic Disorders/diagnosis
