Limitações e inconsistências das definições sintéticas para psicologia / Limitations and inconsistencies of synthetic definitions for psychology

O objetivo deste memorandumé a proposição de uma definição conceitual para a psicologia capaz de integrar desdobramentos de objetos, diferenças entre métodos, e variedades de aplicações. O argumento baseia-se no fato óbvio de que existe apenas um psiquismo, mesmo que se reconheça diferentes modos de descrevê-lo, estudá-lo, preveni-lo e tratá-lo. Desde modo, a psicologia pode ser definida como um vasto campo de manifestações impressivas e expressivas as quais podem ser sintetizadas em articulações de suas propriedades afetivas, cognitivas e conativas, podendo tais manifestações serem observáveis (perspectiva de terceira pessoa) ou não (perspectiva de primeira pessoa). Os termos do enunciado serão definidos e discutidos após análise lógica e histórica de definições apresentadas por filósofos e psicólogos, do final do século XIX ao início do século XXI. A proposição assenta-se na esclarecedora diferenciação entre pluralidade de objetos (hierarquia ontológica ou desdobramentos de objetos) e pluralismo de concepções (diversidade epistemológica).

The purpose of this memorandum is to propose a conceptual definition for psychology capable of integrating unfolding objects, methodological differences and application diversity. The argument is based on the obvious fact that there is only one psyche, even if one recognizes different ways of describing, studying, preventing and treating it. Thus, psychology can be defined as a vast field of impressive andexpressive manifestations which can be synthesized in articulations of their affective, cognitive and conative properties, and such manifestations can be observable (third-person perspective) or not (first-person perspective). The enunciation terms will be discussed after logical and historical analysis on definitions presented by philosophers and psychologists, from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 21th century. The proposition is based on the clarifying differentiation between plurality of objects (ontological hierarchy or unfolding of objects) and pluralism of conceptions (epistemological diversity).

Association of Psychosocial Symptoms, Blood Pressure, and Menopausal Status in African-American Women.

African-American women have disproportionate rates of hypertension that can be further complicated as they transition through menopause. Stress, coupled with depression and hypertension in perimenopausal African-American women has not been fully explored. This study examines the associations of stress, depression, and social support on systolic blood pressure (SBP) among a sample of 184 perimenopausal African-American women. We used descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and logistic regression to analyze data stratified by menopausal status (perimenopausal or menopausal) and SBP status (<130 mmHg vs. >130 mmHg). Women classified as menopausal reported higher levels of stress and depressive symptoms, and lower levels of social support. Age, body mass index (BMI), health insurance, and perceived health status were significant predictors of SBP in menopausal women. Stress, depression, and social support did not play a role in SBP. It is necessary that future research focus on reducing cardiovascular risk include addressing menopausal health.

Historical-Cultural Neuropsychology: a systemic and integral approach of psychological functions and their cerebral bases / Neuropsicologia Histórico-Cultural: uma concepção sistémica e integral acerca dos fenômenos psicológicos e suas bases cerebrais / Neuropsicología Histórico-Cultural: una concepción sistémica e integral acerca de fenómenos psicológicos y sus bases cerebrales

This article analyzes the theoretical foundations of neuropsychology based on the ideas of L.S. Vygotsky and A. R. Luria, with an emphasis on the principle of systemic organization of psychological processes, their ontogenetic development and systemic representation in the central nervous system. The article describes the need for a comprehensive study of neuropsychology, considering its relationship with more global psychological concepts developed by representatives of the historical-cultural concept of mental functions and the theory of activity. This paper considers the need to include neuropsychology in the context of historical-cultural studies and the theory of activity. Finally, it is argued that one of the essential features of historical-cultural neuropsychology is the concept of systemic, dynamic and hierarchical representation of cultural psychological processes.

O presente artigo dedica-se à análise dos fundamentos teóricos da neuropsicologia a partir das ideias de L.S. Vygotsky e A. R. Luria. Enfatiza-se o principio da organização sistêmica dos processos psicológicos, seu desenvolvimento ontogenético e sua representação sistêmica no sistema nervoso central. O artigo descreve a necessidade de um estudo integral da neuropsicologia, considerando sua relação com as concepções psicológicas mais globais, desenvolvidas pelos representantes da concepção histórico-cultural e da teoría da atividade. Propõe-se a consideração da necessidade de inclusão da neuropsicologia no contexto dos estudos histórico-culturais e da teoría da atividade. Por fim, argumentam e problematizam acerca de um dos aspectos essenciais da neuropsicologia histórico-cultural, a saber, a concepção da representação sistêmica, dinâmica e hierárquica dos processos psicológicos culturais.

El artículo se dedica al análisis de los fundamentos teóricos de la neuropsicología desde las ideas de L.S. Vygotsky y A.R. Luria. Se realiza énfasis en el principio de organización sistémica de los procesos psicológicos, su desarrollo ontogenético y su representación sistémica en el sistema nervioso central. O artículo describe la necesidad de un estudio integral de la neuropsicología, considerando su relación con las concepciones psicológicas más globales, desarrolladas por los representantes de la concepción histórico-cultural y la teoría de la actividad. Propone considerar la necesidad de inclusión de la neuropsicología en el contexto de los estudios histórico-culturales y la teoría de la actividad. Uno de los rasgos esenciales de la neuropsicología histórico-cultural es la concepción de la representación cerebral sistémica, dinámica y jerárquica de los procesos psicológicos culturales.

A longitudinal evaluation of psychosocial changes throughout orthognathic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Jaw correction surgery can cause significant psychosocial impacts on patients. This prospective study investigated the longitudinal changes of psychosocial characteristics of patients with dentofacial deformities after jaw correction surgery and the factors that predict the psychological resilience in Hong Kong Chinese undergoing jaw correction surgery. METHODS: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted on 92 Hong Kong Chinese patients (32 males, 60 females; mean age = 24.75 ± 5.65 years), who had jaw correction surgery as treatment for their dentofacial deformities, from 1st June 2011 to 30th June 2015. Self-completed psychological inventories including Brief Symptom Inventory, Life Orientation Test, and the Adult Trait Hope Scale were used to measure distress, optimism, and hope levels respectively. Patients completed the inventories in five time points: the surgical consent signing day (usually two to three months before the surgery) (T1); one day before operation (T2), first to second post-operative week (T3), third post-operative month (T4) and sixth post-operative month (T5). RESULTS: Latent class growth analysis revealed two outcome trajectory classes: a resilience trajectory (n = 45, 48.9%) and a chronic dysfunction trajectory (n = 14, 15.2%). Another 33 (35.9%) showed erratic trajectory patterns that would not be classified into any categories. The psychological distress levels of patients in the resilience trajectory group, on average, were below the clinical threshold of the Brief Symptom Inventory at all time points. However, the opposite result was obtained for patients in the chronic dysfunctional group. Patients exhibiting a resilience trajectory pattern, when compared to those showing a chronic dysfunction pattern, had higher optimism (t(57) = 3.69, p < .0001) and hope (t(57) = 2.46, p < .05) levels at T1. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to compare the relative power of optimism and hope levels at T1 to predict resilience or chronic dysfunctional group membership. A test of the full model against a constant only model was statistically significant (χ2(2) = 24.096, p < .01). Preoperative baseline optimism (B = -.276, p < .05) but not hope (B = -.25, ns) was a significant variable to classify the outcome trajectories for psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients were resilient to dentofacial deformities jaw correction surgery. About 15% exhibited a chronic distress pattern. An optimistic view about the surgery may enhance resilience. Pre-surgical counselling or educational sessions to facilitate a realistic positive outlook about the operation would be beneficial.

Developing an integrative level-dimensional taxonomy model for rehabilitation psychology research and practice.

OBJECTIVE: The present article concerns the development of a taxonomy model for organizing and classifying all aspects of rehabilitation psychology from an integrative level-dimensional conceptualization. This conceptualization is presented as an alternative to a primarily categorical approach to classification. It also assumes a continuity perspective for all aspects of behavior and experience. DESIGN: Development of this taxonomy model involves organizing information relevant to levels/domains of all aspects of behavior and experience, and to constructs describing their underlying components conceptually as well as dimensions which constitute the measurable basis of constructs. RESULTS: A taxonomy model with levels/domains, representative examples of constructs and dimensions is presented as a foundation for development of the present taxonomy model, with specific relevance to rehabilitation psychology. CONCLUSIONS: This integrative level-dimensional taxonomy model provides a structure for organizing all aspects of rehabilitation psychology relevant to understanding, assessing, and influencing the rehabilitation process. Suggestions for development and research are provided for the taxonomy model. (PsycINFO Database Record

A relação intrínseca entre a psicologia histórico-cultural e a epistemologia marxiana / La relación intrínseca entre la psicología histórico-cultural y la epistemología marxiana / The intrinsic relation between historical-cultural psychology and the marxian epistemology

RESUMO. Considerando as investidas ideológicas que tencionam mascarar as bases epistemológicas marxistas da psicologia histórico-cultural, o artigo em tela visa contribuir para evidenciar o modo como o materialismo histórico e dialético edificou os pressupostos essenciais desta teoria psicológica. Para tanto, estabeleceu-se a proposição de que os três pilares metodológicos que fundamentam a crítica marxiana à sociedade burguesa - quais sejam, a unidade mínima de análise, a historicização categorial e a essência contraditória do fenômeno estudado - amparam, analogamente, a análise histórica do psiquismo humano como sistema interfuncional. Deste modo, objetivou-se demonstrar que a arquitetônica epistemológica marxiana serviu de sustentáculo para a edificação de uma psicologia legitimamente marxista a qual superou os limites atomísticos da lógica formal burguesa. Concluiu-se que a especificidade metodológica da psicologia histórico-cultural apreendeu o desenvolvimento dos processos psicológicos no movimento de suas tendências antagônicas essenciais - representadas pelo núcleo contraditório que contrapõe e articula os processos funcionais elementares e superiores - alcançando a compreensão da concretude histórica que conforma a subjetividade humana.

RESUMEN. En cuanto a las investiduras ideológicas que pretenden enmascarar las bases epistemológicas marxistas de la psicología histórico-cultural, en el artículo en pantalla se pretende contribuir a evidenciar el modo en que el materialismo histórico y dialéctico ha edificado los supuestos esenciales de esta teoría psicológica. Para ello, se estableció la proposición de que los tres pilares metodológicos que fundamentan la crítica marxiana a la sociedad burguesa - que sean, la unidad mínima de análisis, la historicidad categorial y la esencia contradictoria del fenómeno estudiado - amparan, análogamente, el análisis histórico del psiquismo humano como sistema inter-funcional. De este modo, se pretendió demostrar que la arquitectónica epistemológica marxiana sirvió de sostenimiento para la edificación de una psicología legítimamente marxista la cual superó los límites atomísticos de la lógica formal burguesa. Se concluyó que la especificidad metodológica de la psicología histórico-cultural aprehendió el desarrollo de los procesos psicológicos en el movimiento de sus tendencias antagónicas esenciales - representadas por el núcleo contradictorio que contrapone y articula los procesos funcionales elementales y superiores - alcanzando la comprensión de la concreción histórica que conforma la subjetividad humana.

ABSTRACT. Considering the ideological assumptions that intend to mask the marxist epistemological foundations of historical-cultural psychology, this article aims to contribute to evidence the way in which historical and dialectical materialism has built the essential presuppositions of this psychological theory. In order to do so, the proposition was established that the three methodological pillars that underpin marxian criticism of bourgeois society - namely, the minimum unit of analysis, the categorical historicization and the contradictory essence of the studied phenomenon - support, in the same way, the historical analysis of the human psyche as a cross-functional system. In this way, it was tried to demonstrate that the marxian epistemological architectonic served as support for the construction of a legitimately marxist psychology that surpassed the atomistic limits of the formal bourgeois logic. It was concluded that the methodological specificity of historical-cultural psychology seized the development of psychological processes in the movement of their essential antagonistic tendencies - represented by the contradictory nucleus that contrasts and articulates the elementary and higher functional processes - reaching an understanding of historical concreteness which conforms to human subjectivity.

The Construction of a Subset of ICNP® for Patients with Dementia.

This study identifies concepts for development of an ICNP® catalog for nursing documentation of dementia in nursing homes. A Delphi study and a focus group was used for data collection. A total of 301 concepts were identified and an increased focus on concepts related to basic psychosocial needs was recommended.

Mapping health behaviors: Constructing and validating a common-sense taxonomy of health behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: Health behaviors (HBs) are major determinants of health, illness, and mortality. Theoretical efforts aimed at understanding their nature and the processes involved in their initiation and maintenance have largely ignored differences among them. Therefore, the objective of this research was to establish a reliable and valid common-sense taxonomy of HBs. METHODS: The first study created a comprehensive list of 66 HBs based on the views of laypeople (N = 70), health professionals (N = 30), and a literature review. In the second study, a sample of laypeople (N = 268) selected the most important HBs. In the third study, a similarity card-sorting technique was administered to a representative sample (N = 450) in an effort to uncover the structure of HBs. The fourth study replicated the structure (N = 627) and assessed its stability and generalizability. RESULTS: A complete list of 66 HBs was developed, of which 45 were judged as most important. Classifications of HBs identified two main categories: psychosocial, including psychological, social, and work issues; and physical, composed of risk avoidance, nutritional habits, and prevention. The hierarchical classification further separated each category into distinguishable clusters and subclusters. The results were replicated, and additional analyses revealed a high level of stability of the taxonomy across different demographic sub-groups. CONCLUSIONS: The taxonomy can provide a framework for research and a map for program developers looking for meaningful links between specific groups of HBs and particular behavior change techniques. This should optimize the cost-effectiveness of promotion and intervention programs, and thus increase health and decrease health-care burden.

Perfil psicológico de los jugadores profesionales de balonmano y diferencias entre puestos específicos / Psychological profile of professional handball players and differences between specific positions

En este estudio se pretende determinar las características psicológicas para el rendimiento deportivo de los jugadores de balonmano de alto nivel y establecer si existen diferencias entre el perfil psicológico de estos jugadores en función del puesto táctico ocupado. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 80 jugadores profesionales de balonmano, con una edad media de 24.83 (±5.21) años. Respecto al puesto de juego, el 30% jugaban de extremo, el 25% de lateral, el 16.3% de central, el 18.7% de pivote y el 10% de portero. Para la evaluación del perfil psicológico se utilizaron las escalas del Cuestionario de Características Psicológicas relacionadas con el Rendimiento Deportivo (CPRD) de Gimeno y Buceta (2010). Los resultados indican que el puesto específico de portero es el que mayor puntuación tiene en todas las características psicológicas evaluadas, es decir, tiene un perfil psicológico para el rendimiento deportivo mejor que el resto de los jugadores, y que los que juegan de extremo obtienen las peores puntuaciones en este perfil. Las diferencias en el perfil psicológico de los jugadores profesionales de balonmano en función del puesto táctico pueden ser de gran ayuda a entrenadores y técnicos para adecuar su gestión de los recursos humanos, tanto en entrenamientos y competiciones, como fuera de estas, en el ámbito social ajeno al deporte.

This study aims to determine the psychological characteristics for athletic performance in high-level handball players, and whether there are differences between the psychological profiles of these players in terms of their tactical position. The sample was composed of 80 professional handball players, with a mean age of 24.83 (±5.21) years. As regards their position, 30% played in the back positions, 25% wings, 16.3% centre, 18.7% pivot, and 10% were goalkeepers. Assessment of the psychological profile used the scales in the Psychological Characteristics Associated to Sports Performance Questionnaire (Cuestionario de Características Psicológicas relacionadas con el Rendimiento Deportivo [CPRD]) by Gimeno & Buceta (2010). The results indicate that the specific position of goalkeepers obtained the highest scores in all the psychological characteristics assessed, i.e. it has a better psychological profile for athletic performance than the other player positions, and that those who play in the back positions get the worst scores on this profile. Differences in the psychological profile of professional handball players, depending on the tactical position, may be helpful to coaches and managers in order to enhance their human resource management, both in training and competition, as well as in their non-sport social environment.

Searching for the structure of early American psychology: Networking Psychological Review, 1894-1908.

This study investigated the intellectual structure of early American psychology by generating 3 networks that collectively included every substantive article published in Psychological Review during the 15-year period from the journal's start in 1894 until 1908. The networks were laid out so that articles with strongly correlated vocabularies were positioned close to each other spatially. Then, we identified distinct research communities by locating and interpreting article clusters within the networks. We found that, from the first 5-year time block to the second, psychological specialties rapidly differentiated themselves from each other. Between the second and third 5-year time blocks, however, the number of specialties shrunk. We discuss the degree to which this shift may have been attributable either to a change in the journal's editorship in 1904, or to a broader crisis of confidence, beginning that same year, in the use of "consciousness" as the discipline's defining concept.

Use of the UPOINT phenotype system in treating Chinese patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a prospective study.

The urinary, psychosocial, organ-specific, infection, neurological/systemic and tenderness (UPOINT) phenotype system has been validated to be an effective phenotype system in classifying patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) in western populations. To validate the utility of the UPOINT system and evaluate the effect of multimodal therapy based on the UPOINT system in Chinese patients with CP/CPPS, we performed this study. Chinese patients with CP/CPPS were prospectively offered multimodal therapy using the UPOINT system and re-examined after 6 months. A minimum 6-point drop in National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptoms Index (NIH-CPSI) was set to be the primary endpoint. Finally, 140 patients were enrolled in the study. The percentage of patients with each domain was 59.3%, 45.0%, 49.3%, 22.1%, 37.9%, and 56.4% for the UPOINT, respectively. The number of positive domains significantly correlated with symptom severity, which is measured by total NIH-CPSI scores (r = 0.796, P< 0.001). Symptom duration was associated with a greater number of positive domains (r = 0.589, P< 0.001). With 6 months follow-up at least, 75.0% (105/140) had at least a 6-point improvement in NIH-CPSI after taking the therapy. All NIH-CPSI scores were significantly improved from original ones: pain 10.14 ± 4.26 to 6.60 ± 3.39, urinary 6.29 ± 2.42 to 3.63 ± 1.52, quality of life 6.56 ± 2.44 to 4.06 ± 1.98, and total 22.99 ± 7.28 to 14.29 ± 5.70 (all P< 0.0001). Our study indicates that the UPOINT system is clinically feasible in classifying Chinese patients with CP/CPPS and directing therapy.

Psychological assessment instruments: a coverage analysis using SNOMED CT, LOINC and QS terminology.

Psychometric instruments, inventories, surveys, and questionnaires are widely accepted tools in the field of behavioral health. They are used extensively in primary and clinical research, patient care, quality measurement, and payor oversight. To accurately capture and communicate instrument-related activities and results in electronic systems, existing healthcare standards must be capable of representing the full range of psychometric instruments used in research and clinical care. Several terminologies and controlled vocabularies contain representations of psychological instruments. While a handful of studies have assessed the representational adequacy of terminologies in this domain, no study to date has assessed content coverage. The current study was designed to fill this gap. Using a sample of 63 commonly used instruments, we found no concept in any of the three terminologies evaluated for more than half of all instruments. Of the three terminologies studied, SNOMED CT (Standard Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms) had the greatest breadth, but least granular coverage of all systems. While SNOMED CT contained concepts for over one third (36%) of the instrument classes in this sample, only 11% of the actual instruments were represented in SNOMED CT. LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers, Names, and Codes), on the other hand, was able to represent instruments with the greatest level of granularity of the three terminologies. However, LOINC had the poorest coverage, covering fewer than 8% of the instruments in our sample. Given that instruments selected for this study were selected on the basis of their status as gold standard measures for conditions most likely to present in clinical settings, we believe these results overestimate the actual coverage provided by these terminologies. The results of this study demonstrate significant gaps in existing healthcare terminologies vis-à-vis psychological instruments and instrument-related procedures. Based on these findings, we recommend that systematic efforts be made to enhance standard healthcare terminologies to provide better coverage of this domain.

Psicologia transpessoal e a espiritualidade: [revisão] / Psicología transpersonal y espiritualidad: [revisión] / Transpersonal psychology and spirituality: [review]

O presente artigo destaca como episódio importante na história da psicologia o fato de já ter ela nascido justamente com o intuito de refletir o homem e seus anseios, seu comportamento, quem ele é e de onde ele vem. E para que isso pudesse ter um teor mais amplo, para que pudesse servir como base de acesso a um número maior de pessoas, nesse percurso da psicologia desde a Grécia, a Idade Média, ela, no final do século XIX, se separa da filosofia. A Psicologia é a ciência dos fenômenos psíquicos e do comportamento. Entende-se por comportamento uma estrutura vivencial interna que se manifesta na conduta. A teoria psicológica tem caráter interdisciplinar por sua íntima conexão com as ciências biológicas e sociais e por recorrer, cada vez mais, a metodologias estatísticas, matemáticas e informáticas. Não existe, contudo, uma só teoria psicológica, mas sim uma multiplicidade de enfoques, correntes, escolas, paradigmas e metodologias concorrentes, muitas das quais apresentam profundas divergências entre si.

Transpersonal Psychology has been considered the fourth force in psychology, after behaviorism, psychoanalysis and the humanist trend. It studies the states of consciousness and its application in health and education, and it understands humans as bio-psycho-social-spiritual beings. It integrates in practice many consecrated exercises used in Western and Eastern psychology. In the health field it has advanced due to research in the areas of neuroscience, meditation, extended states of conscience and the understanding of phenomenological states of enteogenous substances. In Brazil, Psychologist Vera Saldanha developed the Transpersonal integrative approach aiming at integrating harmonically neuropsychic functions such as reason, emotion, intuition and sensation in order to promote human evolution in clinical experience.

A la Psicología Traspersonal se considera la cuarta fuerza en la psicología, después del behaviorismo, de la psicanálise y la corriente humanista. Ella estudia los estados de conciencia y su aplicación en la salud y educación, y abarca el ser humano como un ser bio-psico-socio-espiritual. Integra en su práctica numerosos ejercicios consagrados de la psicología occidental y oriental. En la salud, tiene obtenido progresos en función de investigaciones en el área de la neurociencia, meditación, estados ampliados de conciencia y comprensión de los estados fenomenológicos de las substancias enteógenas. En Brasil, la psicóloga Vera Saldanha ha desarrollado el abordaje integrativo traspersonal como para integrar funciones neuropsíquicas como la razón, emoción, intuición y sensación de forma harmoniosa, ofrecendo en la experiencia clínica la evolución del ser humano.

Competencias profesionales del psicólogo del Deporte / No disponible

A menudo nos preguntamos qué dewbe saber hacer un psicólogo para aplicar sus concocimientos en un área específica de intervención, éstas son las denominadas competencias profesionales. Para adquirir dichas competencias, se hace necesaria una adecuada formación en psicología y, en la época que vivimos, se hace imprescindible que dichos conocimientos sean equivalentes en todos los profesionales de Europa, dada la posibilidad del intercambio de profesionales dentro de nuestras fronteras europeas. En este trabajo analizaremos cuáles son y cómo deben adquirirse dichas competencias, analizándolas específicamente en el ámbito de aplicación de la Psicología del Deporte(AU)

Often we ask ourselves what dewbe a psychologist is able to do to apply his concocimientos in a specific area of intervention, these are the professional competitions called. To acquire the above mentioned competitions, a suitable formation becomes necessary in psychology and, in the epoch through that we live, it becomes indispensable that the above mentioned knowledge is equivalent in all the professionals of Europa, given the possibility of the professionals' exchange inside our European borders. In this work we will analyze which are and how the above mentioned competitions must be acquired, analyzing them specifically in the area of application of the Psychology of the Sport (AU)

Examining the acceptance of and resistance to evolutionary psychology.

The field of psychology remains a divided one. Several different sub-disciplines (e.g., developmental, cognitive, behaviorism, social, etc.) form what could be a unified scientific area. However, there is no widely accepted theory of unification. Charles Darwin once theorized that evolutionary theory would change the foundation of psychology; but over the years, evolutionary psychology has been met with hostile resistance from some of the prominent psychologists within the other sub-disciplines. Yet in recent years, all of the divided sub-disciplines of psychology have been slowly implementing evolutionary principles into their literature and research. This slow integration of evolutionary psychology into the other sub-disciplines indicates the possibility of a unified psychology with evolution as its foundation. This paper briefly reviews the literature within each major sub-discipline of psychology to show their implementation of evolutionary psychological theories, indicating the possibility of evolutionary psychology becoming the unifying paradigm upon which the entire field of psychology can be based. A call for action to continue this process is also discussed.

Análisis de la producción de los profesores funcionarios de Psicología en España en artículos de revistas de la Web of Science / Analysis of the production of psychology professors in Spain in journal articles of the Web of Science

El presente trabajo es un estudio descriptivo mediante análisis de documentos que tiene como objetivo realizar el análisis de los profesores funcionarios de psicología en España más productivos en artículos de revistas de la Web of Science. La muestra la conformaron los cien profesores más productivos de cada una de las seis áreas académicas de la Psicología española. Se analizaron un total de 85.492 registros, de los cuales 8.770 corresponden a los 610 profesores analizados. Los resultados más relevantes son que 6 de los 10 profesores más productivos pertenecen al área de Psicobiología y solo cuatro pertenecen a áreas distintas. En cuanto a la proporción media de artículos por profesor de las seis áreas de la psicología, se encontró que el rango oscila entre 25 y 6. La revista Psicothema mantiene la mayor frecuencia de registros encontrados entre los profesores de la muestra, ya que son 1.461 que suponen un 17% del total. Finalmente, se discuten los resultados y se reflexiona sobre sus implicaciones en la evaluación de los profesores (AU)

The present work is a descriptive study by means of document analysis that aims to make the analysis of the more productive professors of psychology in Spain trough indexed Web of Science journal articles. The sample was conformed of the first one hundred more productive professors of each one of the six academic areas of Spanish Psychology. A total of 85492 records were analyzed of which 8770 correspond to the 610 analyzed professors. The main results are that from the more productive professors ranking, six belong to the Psychobiology area and only 4 belong to different areas. With respect to the average proportion of articles by Professor of the six areas of psychology, it was found that that range of the proportion oscillates between 25 and 6. The journal Psicothema maintains the most frequency of records among the professors of the sample since they are 1461 which represents a 17% of the total. Finally, we discuss the results and mentioned the implications in the professor’s evaluation (AU)

Use of multilevel logistic regression to identify the causes of differential item functioning / Utilización de la regresión logística multinivel para identificar las causas del funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems

Given that a key function of tests is to serve as evaluation instruments and for decision making in the fields of psychology and education, the possibility that some of their items may show differential behaviour is a major concern for psychometricians. In recent decades, important progress has been made as regards the efficacy of techniques designed to detect this differential item functioning (DIF). However, the findings are scant when it comes to explaining its causes. The present study addresses this problem from the perspective of multilevel analysis. Starting from a case study in the area of transcultural comparisons, multilevel logistic regression is used: 1) to identify the item characteristics associated with the presence of DIF; 2) to estimate the proportion of variation in the DIF coefficients that is explained by these characteristics; and 3) to evaluate alternative explanations of the DIF by comparing the explanatory power or fit of different sequential models. The comparison of these models confirmed one of the two alternatives (familiarity with the stimulus) and rejected the other (the topic area) as being a cause of differential functioning with respect to the compared groups (AU)

Dada la relevancia de los tests como instrumentos de evaluación y de toma de decisiones en los campos de la psicología y de la educación, la posibilidad de que algunos de sus ítems presenten un comportamiento diferencial constituye una preocupación central de los psicómetras. En las últimas décadas se han producido importantes avances con respecto a las técnicas diseñadas para detectar el funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems (DIF). Sin embargo, los hallazgos son escasos en lo que respecta a identificar las causas que lo explican. El presente trabajo aborda este problema desde la perspectiva del análisis multinivel. Partiendo del estudio de un caso del ámbito de las comparaciones transculturales, se utiliza la regresión logística multinivel para: 1) identificar las características de los ítems asociadas a la presencia de DIF; 2) estimar la proporción de la variación en los coeficientes de DIF explicada por tales características; y 3) evaluar explicaciones alternativas para el DIF comparando la capacidad explicativa o el ajuste de diferentes modelos. La comparación entre tales modelos permitió confirmar una de las dos alternativas (la familiaridad con el estímulo) y descartar la otra (el tema de estudio) como causa del funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems en los grupos comparados (AU)