The effect of an out-of-school mindfulness program on adolescents' stress reduction and emotional wellbeing / Efectos de un programa extraescolar basado en la atención plena para la reducción del estrés y el desarrollo del bienestar emocional en adolescentes / Efeitos de um programa fora da escola baseado em mindfulness para redução do estresse e desenvolvimento de bem-estar emocional em adolescentes

In recent years schools and youth-serving organizations have progressively adopted programs to reduce adolescents' stress levels and improve optimism trough mindfulness interventions. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a mindfulness out-of-school program for adolescents, on perceived levels of stress, optimism and mindfulness skills. Thirty adolescents (15 girls and 15 boys), aging from 16 to 18 years old (M = 16.8) were randomly allocated to either 8-week mindfulness extracurricular program (n = 15; 8 girls and 7 boys) or a control group (n = 15; 7 girls and 8 boys). The results demonstrate that participants in the intervention group reported reductions in perceived stress and increases in levels of optimism and in five specific mindfulness skills. These findings suggest that using an out of-school mindfulness program may be an effective setting to teach adolescents to use mindfulness to manage stress and to cultivate more positive emotional and social skills. This study is therefore significant for encourage the implementation of out-of-school mindfulness program that contribute to positive youth development and for an improvement of their health and more holistic health and well-being (AU)

En los últimos años, los centros educativos e instituciones que prestan servicios a los jóvenes han adoptado progresivamente programas para reducir los niveles de estrés de los adolescentes y mejorar el optimismo mediante intervenciones de basadas en la atención plena (mindfulness). El objetivo de este estudio ha sido examinar los efectos de un programa extraescolar de mindfulness para adolescentes, sobre los niveles percibidos de estrés, optimismo y habilidades de mindfulness. Treinta adolescentes (15 niñas y 15 niños), con edades comprendidas entre los 16 y los 18 años (M = 16,8) fueron asignados aleatoriamente a un programa extracurricular de ocho semanas para el desarrollo de la atención plena (n = 15, 8 niñas y 7 niños) (N = 15, 7 niñas y 8 niños). Los resultados demuestran que los participantes en el grupo de intervención obtuvieron reducciones en el estrés percibido y aumentos en los niveles de optimismo y en cinco habilidades específcas de atención plena. Estos resultados sugieren que la aplicación de programas extraescolares basados en la atención plena (mindfulness) pueden favorecer que los adolescentes aprendan a regular el estrés y cultivar habilidades emocionales y sociales más positivas. Este estudio es, por lo tanto, significativo para favorecer la implementación de programas extraescolares basados en mindfulness que contribuyan al positivo de los jóvenes y a una mejora de su salud y bienestar más integral (AU)

Nos últimos anos, escolas e instituições que prestam serviços aos jovens adotaram progressivamente programas para reduzir os níveis de estresse e melhorar o otimismo através de intervenções baseadas na atenção plena (mindfulness). O objetivo deste estudo foi examinar os efeitos de um programa de atenção plena fora da escola para adolescentes, sobre os níveis percebidos de estresse, otimismo e habilidades de atenção plena. Trinta adolescentes (15 meninas e 15 meninos), com idade entre 16 e 18 anos (M = 16,8) foram alocados aleatoriamente para o programa extracurricular de oito semanas da atenção plena (n = 15, 8 meninas e 7 meninos). Os resultados mostraram que os participantes do grupo de intervenção obtido reduções no estresse percebido e aumento dos níveis de otimismo e cinco habilidades específicas da atenção plena. Estes resultados sugerem que a aplicação de programas de atenção plena fora da escola pode incentivar os adolescentes para regular o estresse e cultivar habilidades emocionais e sociais mais positivas. Este estudo é, portanto, significativa para encorajar a implementação de programas de atenção plena fora da escola que que contribuem para o desenvolvimento positivo da juventude e para uma melhoria da sua saúde e bem-estar (AU)

Estudio piloto sobre el estrés y la resiliencia familiar en recién nacidos prematuros / Pilot study on stress and resilience in families with premature newborns

INTRODUCCIÓN: La prematuridad se acompaña de patología severa, estancias prolongadas en el hospital e incertidumbre acerca del futuro de los pacientes. Estas circunstancias suponen un estrés que puede afectar al funcionamiento de la familia. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido estudiar los factores de riesgo y de protección del funcionamiento familiar en prematuros comparados con neonatos sanos a término. Población y métodos: Se reclutó a prematuros que cursaron el periodo neonatal con y sin patología (n=40) a los 24 meses de edad posconcepcional y un grupo control de nacidos a término sanos (n=31) según datos de la historia clínica. El progenitor cuidador habitual respondió al Inventario de Factores de Protección Familiar y Escala de Estrés Parental. Los resultados se compararon mediante test de Student, análisis de variancia unidireccional y test de Tukey. RESULTADOS: Los padres del grupo control obtuvieron puntuaciones más elevadas que los de los prematuros en todos los parámetros estudiados. Los padres de prematuros sin patología se diferenciaron de los controles en 2 factores de resiliencia familiar: experiencias positivas y experiencias de compensación y en estrés, mientras que los padres de niños prematuros con patología percibieron significativamente menor resiliencia familiar y más estrés por la crianza de sus hijos. CONCLUSIONES: La prematuridad es un factor de riesgo para el funcionamiento familiar, ya que ocasiona un alto grado de estrés parental y dificulta el desarrollo de factores de protección como es la resiliencia

INTRODUCTION: Prematurity is associated with severe clinical conditions, long hospital stays, and uncertainty about patient outcomes. These circumstances lead to a stressful situation that may affect family functioning. The aim of this study was to study risk and protection factors affecting family functioning in preterm as compared to healthy term infants. Population and methods: Preterm infants with and without pathological conditions (n=40) were recruited at 24 months post-conception age, together with a control group of healthy term newborn infants (n=31). Parents or usual caregivers responded to the Inventory of Family Protection Factors and Parental Stress scales. The results were compared using the Student t test, unidirectional analysis of variance and the Tukey test. RESULTS: Parents of the control group attained higher scores than those of the preterm group for all the items studied; however, parents of preterm infants with pathological conditions perceived significantly less family resilience and more stress related to the upbringing of their child. CONCLUSIONS: Prematurity itself is a risk factor for family dysfunction because it causes an elevated degree of parental stress and difficulties in the development of protection factors such as resilience

[Pilot study on stress and resilience in families with premature newborns]. / Estudio piloto sobre el estrés y la resiliencia familiar en recién nacidos prematuros.

INTRODUCTION: Prematurity is associated with severe clinical conditions, long hospital stays, and uncertainty about patient outcomes. These circumstances lead to a stressful situation that may affect family functioning. The aim of this study was to study risk and protection factors affecting family functioning in preterm as compared to healthy term infants. POPULATION AND METHODS: Preterm infants with and without pathological conditions (n=40) were recruited at 24 months post-conception age, together with a control group of healthy term newborn infants (n=31). Parents or usual caregivers responded to the Inventory of Family Protection Factors and Parental Stress scales. The results were compared using the Student t test, unidirectional analysis of variance and the Tukey test. RESULTS: Parents of the control group attained higher scores than those of the preterm group for all the items studied; however, parents of preterm infants with pathological conditions perceived significantly less family resilience and more stress related to the upbringing of their child. CONCLUSIONS: Prematurity itself is a risk factor for family dysfunction because it causes an elevated degree of parental stress and difficulties in the development of protection factors such as resilience.

Analysis of the -1438 G/A polymorphism of the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor gene in bulimia nervosa patients with or without a history of anorexia nervosa.

A single nucleotide polymorphism (-1438 G/A) located 1438 base pairs upstream of the consensus start site of the 5-HT2A receptor gene has been reported. The hypothesis that this gene polymorphism may be a susceptibility factor in bulimia nervosa was explored in a female population of purgative bulimics. Bulimia nervosa patients who have suffered preceding anorexia nervosa episodes formed the so-called previous anorexia nervosa bulimic patient group. At variance with some previous reports, when the frequency distribution of genotypes and alleles was compared in patients and controls, no differences were detected regardless of whether the bulimia nervosa patients had suffered prior anorexia nervosa episodes.

Polymorphisms within the promoter and the intron 2 of the serotonin transporter gene in a population of bulimic patients.

The serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene is a firm candidate to explain eating disorders. In this association study, two different polymorphisms were analysed: a variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in intron 2 and a deletion/insertion polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in the promoter region. The hypothesis that these gene polymorphisms may be a susceptibility factor in bulimia nervosa (BN) was explored in a female population of 102 purgative bulimics. BN patients who have suffered preceding anorexia nervosa (AN) episodes formed the so-called previous AN bulimic patient group. In our sample of normal-eater controls and purging type bulimics, regardless of whether or not the BN patients had suffered prior AN episodes, no differences were found considering the frequencies of genotypes, alleles or haplotypes of both polymorphic regions of the 5-HTT gene.