Angel Blanch

Social support (family and supervisor), work–family conflict, and burnout: Sex differences:

We examined how work-family conflict (WFC) mediated the relationship between social support (supervisor and family) and burnout, and how sex moderated this relationship (N = 343 Spanish workers). The results sustained hypotheses in accordance with a biosocial model of sex differences. There were full mediation effects of work interference with family (WIF) in the association of work support with burnout for men, and of family support with burnout for women. This suggests that sex moderated these mediation processes. The findings are discussed in terms of a shift in the differential assignment of family roles to men and women, despite the fact that women might be the main contributors to domestic work and related tasks.

Association of androgen receptor gene, CAG and GGN repeat length polymorphism and impulsive-disinhibited personality traits in inmates: the role of short-long haplotype.

Objective This study analyses the association between impulsive-disinhibited personality traits and the androgen receptor CAG and GGN repeat polymorphisms in both inmates and control samples. Methods We used two samples: 153 inmates (mean age= 33.31 years; standard deviation: 8.6; range: 20–63) and 108 controls (mean age= 26.71 years; standard deviation: 9.68; range: 17–53). A disinhibited personality construct was measured using the following personality scales: Sensation Seeking, Aggression-Hostility, Psychoticism, Sensitivity to Reward, Novelty Seeking and Impulsivity. A factor analysis of the six scales provided a normalized z index that was taken as a measure of impulsive-disinhibited personality. Results Our data show that inmates carrying CAG short and GGN long haplotype group (short–long haplotype) obtained higher scores on all personality scales. Differences were found for the Impulsive Sensation-Seeking scale (age-adjusted multivariate analysis, P<0.016) and z index (P<0.036). When comparing extreme groups in the impulsive-disinhibited personality index (taking the 75th percentile as a cut-off), carriers of the short–long haplotype were more prevalent in the extreme high group (30 vs. 10%: unadjusted odds ratio=3.8; 95% confidence interval=1.5–9.8; age-adjusted odds ratio=4.4; 95% confidence interval=1.6–12; P<0.004). Conclusion Our findings suggest that the androgen receptor CAG and GGN polymorphisms might influence impulsive-disinhibited personality traits.

Socialized Personality, Scholastic Aptitudes, Study Habits, and Academic Achievement: Exploring the Link

Summary: This study analyzed the relationships among Cattellian personality factors, scholastic aptitudes, study habits, and academic achievement. A total of 887 volunteer students from primary education (453 males and 434 females), enrolled in 29 public schools, participated in this research. It was found that the scholastic aptitudes were the most predictive variables of achievement, while the personality traits had a low direct contribution to academic achievement, although the students with higher scores on socialized personality traits showed better study habits than those students with lower scores on personality socialization traits. The relationship between personality and academic achievement seems to be mediated by study habits. Moreover, females obtained higher academic achievement scores than males. These differences could be explained by the fact that females showed a more socialized personality pattern and better study habits.

The Children Depression Inventory as Predictor of Social and Scholastic Competence

Summary: This work analyzes the relationship between the different CDI factors, nonsocialized personality traits as measured by the Psychoticism and Antisocial Behavior EPQ scales, academic achievement, and general intelligence. Participants in this study were 678 8th-grade Basic General Education students (secondary), of whom 315 were boys and 363 girls, with an average mean age of 13 years. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the CDI performed yielded four orthogonal factors. The third factor (CDI-III; Incompetence/Maladjustment) was integrated by items related to social and academic maladjusted behavior. The CDI was negatively correlated with academic achievement, although this correlation disappeared when performing partial correlations controlling for CDI-III. A regression analysis further corroborated that CDI-III was the only CDI factor related to low academic achievement. The results also show that the CDI-III and Introversion for boys, and the CDI-III and Neuroticism for girls, were the most predictive variables of low academic achievement. In the last few years, many researchers have focused their attention on the study of the relationship between depressive symptoms in adolescents and variables related to the socialization process and social adaptation. Most of these studies report that depressive mood is associated with low academic achievement and social incompetence (Blechman, Tinsley, Carella, & McEnroe, 1985; Connolly, Geller, Marton, & Kutcher, 1992; Hilsman & Garber, 1995; Kaslow, Rehm, & Siegel, 1984). The Children Depression Inventory (CDI; Kovacs, 1983, 1985, 1992) has typically been used in the epidemiological study of child depression in relation with social and scholastic incompetence. Some relevant works on the relationships between children depression, mostly assessed by the CDI, academic achievement, and children socialization-related variables, are reviewed.

Impulsive-disinhibited personality and serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms: Association study in an inmate’s sample

The association between different impulsive-disinhibited personality traits with 5-HTTLPR and 5-HTTVNTR genetic polymorphisms was examined in an imprisoned male sample. Higher scores of the impulsive-disinhibited personality traits tended to be associated with carrying one or two copies of the 5-HTTPLR S allele (S/S homozygous and S/L heterozygous), and carrying two copies of the 5-HTTVNTR 12 allele (12/12 homozygous). Genotype, allele, haplotype and extended genotype distribution between low and high impulsive-disinhibited groups confirmed this association. Allele S and genotypes S/S+S/L at the 5-HTTLPR locus and allele 12 and genotype 12/12 at the 5-HTTVNTR locus were overrepresented in the high scoring group. Accordingly, allele S and allele 12 conferred a trend for risk to be in the high scoring group with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.8 (p < 0.035) and 1.7 (p < 0.014), respectively. In addition, extended genotype distribution shows that those S allele carriers (S/S homozygote and S/L heterozygote) that were also 12/12 homozygote, were overrepresented in the high scoring group (OR = 3.2; p < 0.004). The main risk of being in the high scoring group was assigned to those carrying two copies of the S-12 haplotype (OR = 5.7; p < 0.0007). We discuss the possible relationship between the two genetic serotonin polymorphisms and the personality impulsive-disinhibited traits investigated.

Neuropsychological Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) and Behavioral Approach System (BAS) Assessment: A Shortened Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire Version (SPSRQ-20)

This research was designed to investigate the items and factor structure of the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ) proposed by Torrubia, Avila, Moltó, and Caseras (2001), as a measure of the behavioral inhibition system and behavioral activation system in Grays reinforcement sensitivity theory. Recent studies that analyzed this instrument by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis suggest the need for structural refinement. The Spanish version of the SPSRQ was analyzed by exploratory and confirmatory procedures in calibration (n = 2,102) and validation (n = 746) independent samples. In addition, convergent and discriminant validity was evaluated with the Zuckerman–Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (Zuckerman, Kuhlman, Teta, Joireman, & Kraft, 1993), the Impulsiveness, Venturesomeness and Empathy Inventory (S. B. G. Eysenck, Pearson, Easting, & Allsopp, 1985) the Neuroticism, Extraversion and Openness Five Factor Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992), and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scales (Barratt, 1985). Results showed the robustness of a 20-item structure of the SPSRQ, with satisfactory fit adjustment, validity, and reliability. The findings are discussed in terms of the better functioning and sound psychometric properties of the SPSRQ 20-item version for Grays personality theory.

Dimensionality of the Maslach Burnout Inventory in School Teachers

Abstract. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is an instrument which has been used worldwide to assess occupational stress in human service professions. While the MBI has been used in school settings, an inventory specifically oriented to measure burnout in teachers was developed (MBI-Form Ed; Schwab, in Maslach & Jackson, 1986). A Catalan version of the MBI-Form Ed was administered to 631 elementary school teachers. Several models, including those posited by some studies using the English language MBI-Form Ed, were analyzed in order to test their cross-cultural validity. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to fit all models by maximum likelihood (ML) and asymptotically distribution-free (ADF) estimation methods to test the hypothesis that incorrect use of the ML estimation method could be the reason for model misfit in previous studies. Results show that there are no differences due to the estimation method and support the three-factor structure. Furthermore, a shortened three-factor model of 1...

Affective modulation of the startle reflex and the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of personality: The role of sensitivity to reward.

This study evaluated differences in the amplitude of startle reflex and Sensitivity to Reward (SR) and Sensitivity to Punishment (SP) personality variables of the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST). We hypothesized that subjects with higher scores in SR would obtain a higher startle reflex when exposed to pleasant pictures than lower scores, while higher scores in SP would obtain a higher startle reflex when exposed to unpleasant pictures than subjects with lower scores in this dimension. The sample consisted of 112 healthy female undergraduate psychology students. Personality was assessed using the short version of the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ). Laboratory anxiety was controlled by the State Anxiety Inventory. The startle blink reflex was recorded electromyographically (EMG) from the right orbicularis oculi muscle as a response to the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) pleasant, neutral and unpleasant pictures. Subjects higher in SR obtained a significant higher startle reflex response in pleasant pictures than lower scorers (48.48 vs 46.28, p<0.012). Subjects with higher scores in SP showed a light tendency of higher startle responses in unpleasant pictures in a non-parametric local regression graphical analysis (LOESS). The findings shed light on the relationships among the impulsive-disinhibited personality, including sensitivity to reward and emotions evoked through pictures of emotional content.

Structural Analysis of the Facets and Domains of the Zuckerman–Kuhlman–Aluja Personality Questionnaire (ZKA–PQ) and the NEO PI–R

Aluja, Kuhlman, and Zuckerman (2010) developed an instrument for American and Spanish populations (Zuckerman–Kuhlman–Aluja Personality Questionnaire [ZKA–PQ]) that includes 4 facets for each 5 basic traits of Zuckermans psychobiological personality model. This new instrument is intended to improve the previous measure based on the same personality model, the Zuckerman–Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ), by including the narrower traits (facets) defining the factors. This article explores the convergent and discriminant validity of the new instrument relative to the NEO PI–R in a sample from the Spanish general population. A series of exploratory factor analyses comparing both instruments was conducted. Results showed good convergent and discriminant validity between both instruments, although the ZKA–PQ had a slightly better structure than the NEO PI–R. The results support the validity of the ZKA–PQ factor domains and the facets composing them. The new instrument might be useful in both applied and research settings.

Interactions among impulsiveness, testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin and androgen receptor gene CAG repeat length.

Impulsive personality phenotype has been extensively related with genetic and hormonal factors. This study has two objectives: a) to analyse the interactions between testosterone levels and CAG repeat length polymorphism as a modulator of androgen receptor (AR) sensitivity with regard to impulsiveness traits, and b) to evaluate the contribution of other biological variables as Luteinising Hormone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (LF, FSH, SHBG) and albumin in the relationship between testosterone levels and AR CAG length polymorphism with impulsiveness. A sample of 105 healthy males (mean age 26.71±9.68 SEM) was analysed resulting in three groups of subjects according to CAG repeat lengths. Impulsiveness was measured through the Barratts Impulsiveness Personality Scale, including three components: Motor Impulsiveness, Cognitive Impulsiveness and Non-Planning Impulsiveness. A series of ANOVAS and linear regression models predicting impulsiveness scales were conducted. Age, hormones, CAG repeat length and hormone×CAG repeat interactions were included in the regression models as independent variables. Results show that subjects with short or medium CAG repeat length tended to show higher impulsiveness phenotypes compared to long CAG repeat. The interaction between Free Testosterone and CAG, and between SHBG and CAG accounted for differences on impulsiveness (R: .47, R(2): .22 and R: .43; R(2): .18, respectively).This pattern was especially observed for the short CAG repeat group and Motor Impulsiveness.