Antonio J. Rojas

Psychiatric comorbidity and severity of dependence on substance users: how it impacts on their health-related quality of life?

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of psychiatric comorbidity and severity of dependence on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods: One hundred and ninety-eight substance use disorder (SUD) patients were recruited from an outpatient center that provides treatment for SUD. The International Personality Disorder Examination Screening Questionnaire (IPDE-SQ), Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Substance Dependence Severity Scale (SDSS) and Health-Related Quality of Life for Drug Abusers test (HRQoLDA test) were administered. Results: Patients with psychiatric comorbidity evaluated their HRQoL more negatively than patients without psychiatric comorbidity. An analysis of the relationship between severity of dependence and HRQoL scores indicated significant correlations among alcohol-, cocaine-, heroin- and cannabis-dependent patients. According to multivariate analyses, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, severity of dependence on alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, paranoid, borderline and avoidant personality disorders (PDs) were observed to have a major impact on HRQoL. Conclusions: SUD (severity of dependence on alcohol, cannabis and cocaine) and other mental disorders (anxiety disorders; mood disorders; paranoid, borderline and avoidant PDs) are involved in the deterioration of the SUD patients’ HRQoL. This study demonstrates the need for integrated treatment for SUD patients. Treating only a part of the problem (whether SUD or other mental disorders are present) is insufficient for improving quality of life.

Acculturation Preference Profiles of Spaniards and Romanian Immigrants: The Role of Prejudice and Public and Private Acculturation Areas

ABSTRACT The main goal of this study was to identify acculturation preference profiles using cluster analysis in public and private areas of culture in the host and immigrant populations, and to find out the relationship between these profiles and prejudice levels. Four hundred and ninety-nine Spaniards and 500 Romanians participated in a survey. The sampling of Spaniards was multistage random and the sampling of Romanians was by quota. The results confirm our predictions. Romanians who are less prejudiced against Spaniards prefer assimilation in public areas and integration in private areas. Romanians who are more prejudiced against Spaniards prefer integration in public areas and separation in private areas. Spaniards who are less prejudiced against Romanians prefer integration in both public and private areas. Spaniards who are more prejudiced against Romanians prefer assimilation in both areas.

Reliability and Validity of the Spanish Version of the Substance Dependence Severity Scale

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the reliability and provide evidence for the validity of the Spanish version of the Substance Dependence Severity Scale (SDSS). Methods: A total of 211 substance abusers recruited at a public center that provides treatment for substance-related disorders in an outpatient setting were assessed. Reliability was estimated by Cronbachs α and test-retest. Validity evidence was studied by analyzing the relationships with the European Addiction Severity Index (EuropASI) and Health-Related Quality of Life for Drug Abusers (HRQoLDA). Results: Adequate reliability coefficients were found for the dependence scales of all addressed substances (α = 0.737 to 0.877; test-retest r = 0.796-0.952). Low internal consistency was found for the abuse scales (α = 0.329-0.694), and adequate test-retest coefficients on alcohol, cocaine and heroin (test-retest r = 0.708-0.902). The reliability of the cannabis abuse scales was inadequate. The SDSS scores showed significant relationships with the EuropASI and HRQoLDA dimensions. Conclusions: The psychometric analyses validate the use of the severity of dependence scales. The SDSS abuse scales must be used taking the limitations detected into consideration.

Adaptación al español de la Substance Dependence Severity Scale: resultados preliminares

The Substance Dependence Severity Scale -SDSS- is one of the few scales that assesses substance dependence and abuse according DSM criteria in dimensional terms. Several studies have provided evidence of psychometric validity and reliability in its English version, but there is no Spanish version available. The aim of this work was to describe the adaptation process of the English version of the SDSS into Spanish, and provide preliminary results on its reliability and validity evidence. Participants were 146 patients (79.6% male), consumers of alcohol, cocaine, heroin and cannabis admitted to treatment in the Drug Abuse Centre Services of Huelva. Besides the SDSS, the EUROPASI and the Health Related Quality of Life for Drug Abusers test -HRQOLDA- were also administered. The Substance Dependence Severity Scale -SDSS- has shown adequate psychometric properties in terms of the rates of discrimination and internal consistency (α=0.881 for alcohol; α=0.814 for cocaine; α=0.531 for cannabis; α=0.785 for heroin). However, the scale assessing abuse showed poorer results. Concerning the validity evidence, the evidence based on internal structure showed a unidimensional structure. Furthermore, the evidence based from the relationships with other variables empirically support the theoretical relationships postulated. Preliminary results support the use of the Substance Dependence Severity Scale. The severity scale, which evaluates abuse criteria, needs further empirical evidence to assess its utility. Therefore, its current version is not recommended for use.

Perfiles de aculturación según el Modelo Ampliado de Aculturación Relativa: autóctonos, inmigrantes rumanos y ecuatorianos

Resumen El objetivo del presente trabajo ha sido detectar, empleando el Modelo Ampliado de Aculturación Relativa (MAAR), y tomando como referencia a inmigrantes rumanos y ecuatorianos y a autóctonos españoles, aquellos ámbitos socioculturales en los que pueden predecirse relaciones conflictivas o problemáticas entre inmigrantes y autóctonos—frente a los que muestran relaciones consensuadas—, con el fin de orientar la intervención. Han participado 1967 personas, de las cuales 992 son autóctonas y 975 son inmigrantes (475 de origen ecuatoriano, y 500 de origen rumano). Los resultados indican, a partir de un análisis de clúster en las diferentes muestras, que hay una preferencia generalizada por la “asimilación” en los ámbitos periféricos del MAAR (compartida por autóctonos e inmigrantes), por lo que las relaciones en ellos tienden a ser consensuadas. En los ámbitos centrales se prevén relaciones problemáticas y conflictivas, dado que la preferencia de los autóctonos por la “asimilación”, tanto de rumanos como de ecuatorianos, difiere de las preferencias de éstos en dichos ámbitos, que varían entre la “integración” y la “separación”.

Extracting the evaluations of stereotypes: Bi-factor model of the stereotype content structure

Stereotype dimensions—competence, morality and sociability—are fundamental to studying the perception of other groups. These dimensions have shown moderate/high positive correlations with each other that do not reflect the theoretical expectations. The explanation for this (e.g., halo effect) undervalues the utility of the shared variance identified. In contrast, in this work we propose that this common variance could represent the global evaluation of the perceived group. Bi-factor models are proposed to improve the internal structure and to take advantage of the information representing the shared variance among dimensions. Bi-factor models were compared with first order models and other alternative models in three large samples (300–309 participants). The relationships among the global and specific bi-factor dimensions with a global evaluation dimension (measured through a semantic differential) were estimated. The results support the use of bi-factor models rather than first order models (and other alternative models). Bi-factor models also show a greater utility to directly and more easily explore the stereotype content including its evaluative content.

Concordance between the original and short version of the Impulsive Behaviour Scale UPPS-P using an IRT model

The UPPS Impulsive Behaviour Scale (with five dimensions of impulsive behaviour) is being widely used. One of the handicaps of this instrument is its relatively long administration time. This has led to the development of a short version: SUPPS-P. There are no studies comparing the relationship between the SUPPS-P scores and the original UPPS-P scores. The objectives of this study, therefore, were to analyse the psychometric properties, concordance of person measures, and efficiency of the SUPPS-P compared to those on UPPS-P, applying an Item Response Theory Model. The UPPS-P and SUPPS-P were administered to 455 undergraduate students. Confirmatory factorial analysis replicated structures reported in previous studies: the five correlated factors structure and the model with two second-order factors (Urgency and Lack of Awareness) with Sensation Seeking dimension as a different factor. Rasch analysis show that both of the instruments presented adequate model-data fit. The results show the measurement for each dimension of UPPS-P offered more precision than SUPPS-P. The structure of items location was maintained in each dimension of SUPPS-P compared to the UPPS-P, but with better person and item separation indices of the UPPS-P dimensions. The concordance analysis reveals high correlations values between scores on both versions. From the standpoint of reducing items, it can be considered that the reduced version is more efficient. This study does not support the equivalence of items on the dimensions of Sensation Seeking and Lack of perseverance.

Use of Rasch person-item maps to validate a theoretical model for measuring Attitudes toward Sexual Behaviors

In general, the Attitudes toward Sexual Behaviors (ASB) or Sexual Attitudes measures have not been focused in the conjoint measurement of persons and items in the same construct, and have not reflected the new sexual behaviors neither the context where sexual behaviors take place. The purpose of this study was to provide evidence of the validity of a theoretical model for the measurement of ASB using the person-item map provided by a Rasch model. The theoretical model explicitly defines the ASB construct and makes a proposal where the items are intensity-ordered. It also considers the context in which sexual behaviors take place and their new ways of expression. ASB measurement was applied to two samples of 300 and 584 young people aged 18 to 30. Content of the ASB test administered includes the operative definition proposed. The results showed a good fit of the data to the model, and adequate measurement accuracy. The person-item maps showed that the items are distributed according to the theoretical model proposed in both samples. The easiest items for participants to endorse are those reflecting frequent dyadic sexual behaviors with a steady partner, and the hardest items for participants to endorse are those reflecting sexual behaviors via Information and Communication Technologies. The obtained results permit to conclude that there is favorable validity evidence for the theoretical model proposed for measuring ASB in heterosexual young people.