Category Learning in Schoolchildren. Its Relation to Age, Academic Marks and Resolution Patterns.

The aim of this research was to study the learning process using an objective and computerized task. The performance of 466 schoolchildren aged between 6 and 11 in a category learning task, the Category Learning Test (CLT), was examined. The results showed evidence of category learning throughout the trials for the whole sample, F(7, 469) = 29.979, p <.001. In addition, categorization performance improved with age, H(2) = 48.475, p <.001. However, there were old children that struggled with the task and young children that performed very well. The ability to learn the categories was related to the children's behavior when trying to solve the task: the response speed (r = -.217, p <.01) and the organization index (r = .247, p <.01). Nevertheless, performance in the task and academic marks were not related. We discuss the impact of these findings on the promotion and improvement of learning in schools: an intervention to promote slowness and organization might help some children to learn.

Test-retest reliability and convergent validity of attention measures.

Recently, numerous pretest-posttest study designs have evaluated attention impairments and effectiveness of attention training. However, some of the attention tasks used in these studies show a lack of temporal stability analysis that reduces confidence in attention training outcomes. We aim to analyze the temporal stability within three attention tasks using different measures of attention (speed measures, accuracy measures, and global attention indexes) and the convergent validity between the measures. A total of 178 university students completed three attention tasks with a time interval of one week. Speed measures of attention showed higher test-retest reliability and higher convergence than accuracy measures. Accuracy measures showed nonnormal distributions and small range of variability to provide sufficient discrimination. Speed measures showed high practice effects. These results are consistent with previous studies of temporal stability and convergent validity of attention tasks. However, further studies of commonly used attention tasks are necessary in healthy and clinical samples. Additionally, attention training studies should include a control group to subtract the practice effect of speed measures.

Estudio Epidemiológico sobre cefaleas en población universitaria española / Epidemiological study of headache in Spanish university population

Resumen Las cefaleas representan un problema socio-sanitario de grandes dimensiones dada su elevada prevalencia a nivel mundial y las importantes implicaciones que tiene en la calidad de vida. El estrés es un factor esencial en el desarrollo y mantenimiento de las cefaleas, problema que se presenta con frecuencia en estudiantes universitarios. En este estudio se analizan la prevalencia, frecuencia, duración, intensidad, diagnóstico, medicación y distribución de las cefaleas así como otras características epidemiológicas relacionadas con la incapacidad percibida y las estrategias de afrontamiento. Una muestra de 458 participantes compuesta por 306 estudiantes de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) y 152 personas ajenas a dicha universidad, completaron la Encuesta epidemiológica de cefaleas online, creada ad hoc para este estudio. Se encontró un elevado porcentaje de personas que presentan cefaleas frecuentemente (entre 5 y 20 veces al mes) y no están diagnosticadas (63,2%). Se comparan los resultados con datos obtenidos en otras poblaciones y se discute su impacto e implicaciones. Se resalta la necesidad de implementar programas de prevención y tratamiento psicológicos y multidisciplinares.

Abstract Headaches represent a major socio-sanitary problem due to its high global prevalence and the important implications that they have on quality of life. Stress is an essential factor in the development and maintenance of headaches, a problem frequently encountered in university students. This study analyzes the prevalence, frequency, duration, intensity, diagnosis, medication and distribution of headaches as well as other epidemiological characteristics related to perceived disability and coping strategies. A sample of 458 participants formed by 306 students from the Autonoma University of Madrid (UAM) and 152 people not related to that university completed the "Online Headaches Epidemiological Inquest" created ad hoc for this study. We found a high percentage of people who presented headaches frequently (between 5 and 20 times per month) and were not diagnosed (63.2%). The results are compared with data obtained from other populations and their impact and implications are discussed. The need to implement psychological and multidisciplinary prevention and treatment programs is highlighted.

Category learning in schoolchildren. Its relation to age, academic marks and resolution patterns

The aim of this research was to study the learning process using an objective and computerized task. The performance of 466 schoolchildren aged between 6 and 11 in a category learning task, the Category Learning Test (CLT), was examined. The results showed evidence of category learning throughout the trials for the whole sample, F(7, 469) = 29.979, p <.001. In addition, categorization performance improved with age, H(2) = 48.475, p <.001. However, there were old children that struggled with the task and young children that performed very well. The ability to learn the categories was related to the children's behavior when trying to solve the task: the response speed (r = -.217, p <.01) and the organization index (r = .247, p <.01). Nevertheless, performance in the task and academic marks were not related. We discuss the impact of these findings on the promotion and improvement of learning in schools: an intervention to promote slowness and organization might help some children to learn

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