Propiedades psicométricas de la “Escala de percepción del riesgo para el uso de la tecnología” en niños y adolescentes / Psychometric properties of the “Risk perception scale for the use of technology” in children and adolescents

Los objetivos de esta investigación son: 1) crear un instrumento válido y fiable que permita evaluar la percepción del riesgo que tienen del uso de la tecnología (móvil, Internet y videojuegos) niños y adolescentes; y 2) analizar la frecuencia con la que se dan algunas conductas de riesgo en función de la percepción, el uso de la tecnología y la edad. 807 niños y adolescentes de la provincia de Córdoba (España) respondieron una batería ad hoc que recoge información sobre datos sociodemográficos; uso problemático del móvil, internet y videojuegos; y percepción de riesgo con la “Escala de percepción del riesgo del uso de la tecnología para niños y adolescentes” (EPRUT). Los resultados indican que a partir del análisis factorial, la EPRUT cuenta con tres dimensiones que hacen referencia al móvil, Internet y videojuegos. Se han observado diferencias en función de la edad y la percepción de riesgo. Evaluar la percepción del riesgo favorecerá la detección y el desarrollo de programas de prevención de uso de la tecnología en niños y adolescentes.(AU)

The aim of this work is 1) to create a valid, reliable instrument with which toevaluate the risk perception of children and adolescents regarding their use oftechnology (cell phones, Internet, and video games); and 2) to analyze thefrequency with which some risk behaviors occur in relation to perception,technology use and age. 807 children and adolescents from the province ofCordoba (Spain) answered an ad hoc questionnaire with several instruments:sociodemographic data; problematic use of cell phones, Internet, and video games;and risk perception with the Scale on Risk Perception of Technology Use forchildren and adolescents (SRPTU). The results obtained from the factor analysisreveal that the RPSTU has three dimensions, related to cell phones, Internet, andvideo games, respectively. Differences were observed in the relationship betweenage and risk perception, with older people having the highest risk perception.Assessing risk perception will favor the detection and development of preventionprograms for the use of technology in children and adolescents.(AU)

Internalizing Problems in Childhood and Adolescence: The Role of the Family.

Objective: Several studies have highlighted that internalizing problems have not received all the attention it deserves because they are not visible in children's observable behavior. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between differences in parenting practices and internalizing problems in children and adolescents. Methods: Our study sample consisted of 554 children (288 boys and 266 girls) between 3 and 13 years of age who participated in the study. Their respective parents provided the information about them. The instruments used have been the Behavioral Assessment System for Children and Adolescents and parenting style, defined according to the Parental Parenting Questionnaire. The Parenting Questionnaire considers 7 factors: social and emotional support received by a mother or father, satisfaction with parenting, involvement, communication, limit setting, autonomy, and role orientation. Results: The results showed that children with high scores in internalizing problems tended to have parents with low levels of support, limit setting, and autonomy, along with low levels of maternal satisfaction with parenting. A regression analysis was also conducted, producing a model capable of predicting 14% of the variance in internalizing problems. The model was based on the following parenting variables: maternal support, autonomy and satisfaction with parenting, and paternal limit setting and role orientation. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the information obtained is very useful for the design of parenting programs related to certain aspects of current educational practice. Furthermore, parents' responses to the instruments used revealed patterns of behavior that can be modified in both parents and children.

Paternal and Maternal Variables Related to Depression in Childhood.

Several studies have highlighted the relationship between parenting styles and depression in children. The aim of this study is to ascertain whether there are differences in the parenting practices received by two groups of children who obtain low-risk and high-risk scores respectively in relation to depression and determine which parenting variables are linked with the presence or absence of this kind of internalizing problem. From a sample of 550 subjects, obtained by probabilistic cluster sampling, we selected 140 children between 3 and 12 years of age who met a set of specific criteria as having high risk scores (70 children) for depression according to the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) or having low scores in this variable (70 children). Then, the Parent-Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI) was applied to both parents. We carried out a binomial logistic regression analysis which resulted in a prediction model for 89.3% of the sample, based on the following parenting variables: limit setting and involvement from the mothers, and parental support, autonomy, satisfaction with parenting, and communication from the fathers. Finally, the usefulness of our results to plan intervention strategies within families of children with depression is discussed.