Comer en familia: su relación con la comunicación familiar y la agresividad de los adolescentes / Family meals: its relationship with family communication and adolescent aggression

La sociedad postmoderna ha transformado muchas conductas familiares, entre ellas, la comunicación familiar y el hábito de comer en familia, práctica que ha disminuido en España en las últimas décadas, al tiempo que han aumentado la agresividad y las conductas violentas en adolescentes. El objetivo principal de este trabajo fue determinar la relación de la frecuencia de comidas en familia con la comunicación familiar y con la agresividad en población adolescente. Participaron 1117 adolescentes (51.1% mujeres y 48.9% varones), entre 14 y 18 años (M = 16.20; DT = 1.31), procedentes de 23 centros educativos, 10 grados universitarios y 18 centros específicos de menores de Castilla y León (España). Se utilizó el Cuestionario de Agresividad de Buss y Perry (BPAQ) y la Escala de Comunicación Familiar (FCS). Los resultados muestran que la ausencia de comidas en familia está asociada con un descenso de la comunicación familiar y un aumento de la agresividad física, la ira y la hostilidad del adolescente. Si comer en familia va acompañado de comunicación familiar, una mayor frecuencia de comidas en familia se relaciona con una disminución de las tres dimensiones mencionadas de la agresividad. Sin embargo, si se deja al margen la influencia de la comunicación familiar, comer frecuentemente en familia se relaciona con una reducción de la agresividad (física, ira y hostilidad), pero comer siempre en familia está asociado con un nuevo incremento de la agresividad física y hostilidad. Los hallazgos revelan la importancia de potenciar las comidas en familia y la comunicación familiar. (AU)

Postmodern society has modified many family behaviors, among them, family communication and the habit of eating together as a family, a practice that has decreased in Spain in the last decades while aggressiveness and violent behaviors in adolescents have increased. The main objective of the present study was to determine the relationship between the frequency of family meals with family communication and with aggression in adolescent population. 1117 adolescents (51.1% female and 48.9% male), aged between 14 and 18 years (M = 16.20; SD = 1.31), from 23 educational centers, 10 university grades, and 18 specific juvenile centers in Castilla y León (Spain) participated in the study. The Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) and the Family Communication Scale (FCS) were used. The results show that the absence of family meals is associated with a decrease in family communication and an increase in adolescent physical aggression, anger, and hostility. If family meals are accompanied by family communication, a higher frequency of family meals is associated with a decrease in the three aforementioned dimensions of aggression. However, if the influence of family communication is left out, eating frequently as a family is related to a reduction in physical aggression, anger and hostility, but always eating as a family is associated with a new increase in physical aggression and hostility. Findings reveal the importance of enhancing family meals and family communication. (AU)

Psychometric properties of the FACES IV package for Spanish adolescents.

The family plays an essential role in the life of an adolescent. Hence, an acceptable understanding and an evaluation of family functioning is fundamental for effective interventions with adolescents in the psychological, social, and educational fields. The main purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES IV), the Family Communication Scale (FCS), and the Family Satisfaction Scale (FSS), for assessing the family functioning of Spanish adolescents. The sample was comprised of 1187 adolescents between 14 -18 years old (49.96% boys and 50.04% girls; M = 16.17; SD = 1.31) from Castile and Leon (Spain), selected from 23 educational centers, 10 university degree courses, and 18 specific juvenile centers for adolescents with either family or behavioral problems. The scales of Balanced Cohesion, Balanced Flexibility and Disengaged showed good convergent validity, while Enmeshed, Rigid, and Chaotic did not. For this reason some items were removed, obtaining a shortened version of FACES IV, that demonstrated acceptable reliability, and good convergent and predictive validity. The FCS and FSS scales yielded excellent psychometric properties. The results confirmed the factorial structure of the FACES IV, its transcultural applicability, and its validity for different ages. The hypotheses of the circumplex model were confirmed, except for the dysfunctionality of two scales, Enmeshed and Rigid, that contrary to what was expected, showed positive correlations with Family Communication, Family Satisfaction, Balanced Cohesion, and Balanced Flexibility. In brief, our results present the FACES IV package as a useful instrument for the assessment of family functioning of Spanish adolescents. Future studies will be necessary to confirm the trend observed for the two aforementioned scales among adolescents.

Psychometric properties of the FACES IV package for Spanish adolescents

The family plays an essential role in the life of an adolescent. Hence, an acceptable understanding and an evaluation of family functioning is fundamental for effective interventions with adolescents in the psychological, social, and educational fields. The main purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES IV), the Family Communication Scale (FCS), and the Family Satisfaction Scale (FSS), for assessing the family functioning of Spanish adolescents. The sample was comprised of 1187 adolescents between 14 ?18 years old (49.96% boys and 50.04% girls; M = 16.17; SD = 1.31) from Castile and Leon (Spain), selected from 23 educational centers, 10 university degree courses, and 18 specific juvenile centers for adolescents with either family or behavioral problems. The scales of Balanced Cohesion, Balanced Flexibility and Disengaged showed good convergent validity, while Enmeshed, Rigid, and Chaotic did not. For this reason some items were removed, obtaining a shortened version of FACES IV, that demonstrated acceptable reliability, and good convergent and predictive validity. The FCS and FSS scales yielded excellent psychometric properties. The results confirmed the factorial structure of the FACES IV, its transcultural applicability, and its validity for different ages. The hypotheses of the circumplex model were confirmed, except for the dysfunctionality of two scales, Enmeshed and Rigid, that contrary to what was expected, showed positive correlations with Family Communication, Family Satisfaction, Balanced Cohesion, and Balanced Flexibility. In brief, our results present the FACES IV package as a useful instrument for the assessment of family functioning of Spanish adolescents. Future studies will be necessary to confirm the trend observed for the two aforementioned scales among adolescents. (AU)

La estructura familiar y los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria / Family structure and eating behavior disorders

Introducción. El estilo de vida moderno que se caracteriza por el culto al individualismo, el descrédito de la autoridad y la existencia de múltiples realidades, ha modificado la estructura de las familias. Esta estructura social impregna a las familias y la forma de enfermar de sus miembros, de forma que los TCA se convierten en una forma de enfermar típicamente posmoderna. Metodología. El objetivo es conocer la estructura sistémica y la vulnerabilidad de las familias, comparando 108 familias con TCA, con 108 sin patología. Se utilizó un cuestionarioadministrado mediante entrevista por personal entrenado. Resultados. Las familias TCA tienen una estructura distinta de las del grupo de control. Tienen más antecedentes psiquiátricos y escasas habilidades de afrontamiento. Sus jerarquías están poco definidas y el liderazgo es difuso, con normas imprevisibles y rígidas, existiendo más coaliciones intergeneracionales y menos alianzas. La relación entre los padres es distante o de enfrentamiento, y hacia sus hijos tienen actitudes complacientes y egoístas, con vínculos ambivalentes y poco afectuosos, que en el caso de las madres se manifiesta con ansiedad de separación y dependencia diádica. Las expectativas que tienen para su prole son o bien exigentes y poco realistas o bien despreocupadas, y menor control de su conducta, además de una peor organización de las comidas familiares. Conclusiones. Las diferencias estructurales que aparecen entre los dos grupos de familias parecen tener importancia en la aparición y mantenimiento de los TCAs, aunque posiblemente no sean su única causa. Los resultados indican estrategias para la intervención clínica en TCAs

Introduction. The modern way of life, characterized by the cult of individualism, discredited authority, and a proliferation of points of view about reality, has modified family structure. This social structure imbues families and the way that its members become ill, in such a way that eating behavior disorders (EDs) have become a typically postmodern way of becoming ill. Methodology. The aim is to understand the systemic structure and vulnerability of families by comparing 108 families with members who have ED to 108 families without pathology. A questionnaire administered by an interview with trained personnel was used. Results. Families with ED have a different structure from the families in the control group. They have more psychiatric history and poor coping skills. The family hierarchy is not clearly defined and the leadership is diffuse, with strict and unpredictable rules, more intergenerational coalitions, and fewer alliances. The relationship between the parents is distant or confrontational, and their attitudes towards their children are complacent and selfish, with ambivalent and unaffectionate bonds. In the case of mothers, this is manifested by separation anxiety and dyadic dependence. Their expectations concerning their offspring are either very demanding and unrealistic, or indifferent, and there is less control of their behavior, in addition to poor organization of the family meals. Conclusions. The structural differences between the two groups of families seem to be important for the occurrence and maintenance of EDs, although they may not be the only cause. The results suggest strategies for clinical intervention in EDs

Family structure and eating behavior disorders.

INTRODUCTION: The modern way of life, characterized by the cult of individualism, discredited authority, and a proliferation of points of view about reality, has modified family structure. This social structure imbues families and the way that its members become ill, in such a way that eating behavior disorders (EDs) have become a typically postmodern way of becoming ill. METHODOLOGY: The aim is to understand the systemic structure and vulnerability of families by comparing 108 families with members who have ED to 108 families without pathology. A questionnaire administered by an interview with trained personnel was used. RESULTS: Families with ED have a different structure from the families in the control group. They have more psychiatric history and poor coping skills. The family hierarchy is not clearly defined and the leadership is diffuse, with strict and unpredictable rules, more intergenerational coalitions, and fewer alliances. The relationship between the parents is distant or confrontational, and their attitudes towards their children are complacent and selfish, with ambivalent and unaffectionate bonds. In the case of mothers, this is manifested by separation anxiety and dyadic dependence. Their expectations concerning their offspring are either very demanding and unrealistic, or indifferent, and there is less control of their behavior, in addition to poor organization of the family meals. CONCLUSIONS: The structural differences between the two groups of families seem to be important for the occurrence and maintenance of EDs, although they may not be the only cause. The results suggest strategies for clinical intervention in EDs.

Rasgos diferenciales del temperamento y el carácter en un grupo de alcoholicos vs poblacion general / No disponible

Los autores de este estudio analizan los rasgos o características de personalidad entre dos grupos: pacientes alcohólicos según criterios DSM-IVR y población normal. Se aplica el Inventario de Temperamento y Carácter (T.C.I. de Cloninger) en ambas muestras y se analiza los resultados. El objetivo es identificar diferencias significativas entre los rasgos de personalidad de los dos grupos. Los resultados muestran los varones alcohólicos, respecto a las mujeres alcohólicas, son más cooperativos y autodirectivos, mientras que ellas puntúan más alto en Evitación del Riesgo y en Dependencia de la Recompensa. En relación con los varones control el varón alcohólico puntúa más alto en Búsqueda de Novedades, en Evitación del Riesgo y en Autotrascendencia; y es menos autodirectivo y cooperativo. Observamos que la mujer alcohólica es menos cooperativa y autodirectiva que la mujer control, en cambio tiende a evitar el riesgo y a ser más autotrascendente

In this study, the authors analyse the features or characteristics of personality between two groups: alcoholic patients diagnosed according the DSM-IVR and normal population. In both samples, the Temperament and Character Inventory (Cloninger’s TCI) is used and the results are analyzed. The objective is to identify relevant differences in personality features between the two groups. The results show that male alcoholics, in comparison with female alcoholics, are more cooperative and self-directional and female alcoholics have a higher score in Risk Avoiding and in Dependence on Reward. Compared with the male control, male alcoholics have a higher score regarding Novelty Seeking and Risk Avoiding and in Selftranscendence; and are less self-directed and cooperative. We observe that female alcoholic are less cooperative and self-directed than female control, however they have a greater tendency to avoid risk and to be more self-transcendental

Temperamento y carácter en adictos a cocaína y a opiáceos / Temperament and caracter in cocaine and opiate addicts

Se estudian, a partir de la aplicación del Inventario de Temperamento y Carácter (TCI) de Cloninger, las dimensiones de personalidad de una muestra de pacientes dependientes a sustancias (DSM-IV) en tratamiento de rehabilitación. Se comparan los resultados con los obtenidos por un grupo control extraído de la población general. Los resultados indican que existen diferencias significativas entre los rasgos de personalidad que presentan, tanto el subgrupo de dependientes a opiáceos como el de dependientes a cocaína, una vez comparados con la población general. Comparado con el grupo de control, el grupo de heroinómanos obtiene, puntuaciones más bajas en las escalas de Dependencia de la Recompensa (RD), Autodirección (S) y Cooperación (C). Así como divergencias significativas en tres de las cuatro subescalas de Evitación del Riesgo (IHA1; IHA2; IHA3) y en una de las correspondientes a Búsqueda de Novedades (INS3).El grupo de cocainómanos presenta mayor Búsqueda de Novedades (NS), menor Dependencia de la Recompensa, menor Autodirección (S) y menor Cooperación (C). También presentan significación los resultados de una de las subescalas de Evitación del Riesgo (IHA2).Comparados entre sí el grupo de cocaínomanos y el de heroinómanos se encuentra que difieren significativamente en dos de las subescalas del Temperamento: una perteneciente a la escala de Búsqueda de Novedades (NS4) y otra a la de Evitación de Riesgo (HA3) (AU)

The study was established to investigate the personality dimensions of a sample of substance dependents (DSM-IV) undergoing rehabilitation treatment using the Cloninger’s Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Comparison of the results with those of a control group extracted from the general population confirmed that there were significant differences between the personality features in both the opiate and cocaine subgroups, compared with those from the general population. Comparing the control group with the heroin dependents, the results showed lower scores on the scales for reward dependence (RD), self-directedness (SD) and Cooperation (C), than the control group. Significant divergences were also found on three of the four harm avoidance scales (↑ HA1; ↓HA2; ↑HA3) and on one of the novelty seeking scales (↑NS3). In the case of the group of cocaine dependents, there was a higher level of novelty seeking but lower levels of reward dependency (RD), self-directedness (SD) and cooperation. The results of one of the harm avoidance subscales (↓HA2) were also significant. Finally, comparing the cocaine dependents and the heroin dependents, it was found that they differed significantly on two of the temperament subscales, one forming part of novelty seeking (NS4) and the other part of harm avoidance (HA3) (AU)