Beatriz Lucas-Molina

Brief assessment of schizotypal traits: A multinational study

The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief (SPQ-B) was developed with the aim of examining variations in healthy trait schizotypy, as well as latent vulnerability to psychotic-spectrum disorders. No previous study has studied the cross-cultural validity of the SPQ-B in a large cross-national sample. The main goal of the present study was to analyze the reliability and the internal structure of SPQ-B scores in a multinational sample of 28,426 participants recruited from 14 countries. The mean age was 22.63years (SD=7.08; range 16-68years), 37.7% (n=10,711) were men. The omega coefficients were high, ranging from 0.86 to 0.92 for the total sample. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that SPQ-B items were grouped either in a theoretical structure of three first-order factors (Cognitive-Perceptual, Interpersonal, and Disorganized) or in a bifactor model (three first-order factors plus a general factor of schizotypal personality). In addition, the results supported configural but not strong measurement invariance of SPQ-B scores across samples. These findings provide new information about the factor structure of schizotypal personality, and support the validity and utility of the SPQ-B, a brief and easy tool for assessing self-reported schizotypal traits, in cross-national research. Theoretical and clinical implications for diagnostic systems, psychosis models, and cross-national mental health strategies are derived from these results.

Ideación suicida en una muestra representativa de adolescentes españoles

INTRODUCTION Suicide is a current public health problem and among the main causes of mortality in adolescents and young adults. The main goal of this study was to analyse suicidal ideation in a representative sample of Spanish adolescents. Specifically, the prevalence rates of suicide ideation, the psychometric properties of the Paykel Suicide Scale (PSS) scores, and the socio-emotional adjustment of adolescents at risk for suicide were analysed. MATERIAL AND METHODS The sample consisted of 1,664 participants (M=16.12 years, SD=1.36, range 14-19 years), selected by stratified sampling by clusters. The instruments used were the PSS, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Personal Wellbeing Index-School Children, and the Oviedo Infrequency Scale. RESULTS The results showed that 4.1% of the sample indicated that they had tried to commit suicide in the previous year. Statistically significant differences were found according to gender but not according to age in the PSS mean scores. The analysis of the internal structure of the PSS showed that the one-dimensional model presented excellent goodness of fit indexes. This model showed measurement invariance across gender. The reliability of the scores, estimated with ordinal alpha, was 0.93. Participants who reported suicide ideation showed poorer mental health status and lower life satisfaction compared to the non-suicide ideation group. CONCLUSIONS Suicidal ideation is present during adolescence and is associated with poor subjective well-being and increased emotional and behavioural problems. PSS seems to show adequate psychometric behaviour to assess suicidal ideation in adolescents. These findings have clear implications, both in health and education systems, to improve the promotion of emotional well-being and prevention of psychological and psychiatric problems in this sector of the population.

Adaptation of the Participant Role Scale (PRS) in a Spanish Youth Sample Measurement Invariance Across Gender and Relationship With Sociometric Status

In recent years, bullying research has transitioned from investigating the characteristics of the bully–victim dyad to examining bullying as a group-level process, in which the majority of children play some kind of role. This study used a shortened adaptation of the Participant Role Scale (PRS) to identify these roles in a representative sample of 2,050 Spanish children aged 8 to 13 years. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed three different roles, indicating that the adapted scale remains a reliable way to distinguish the Bully, Defender, and Outsider roles. In addition, measurement invariance of the adapted scale was examined to analyze possible gender differences among the roles. Peer status was assessed separately by gender through two sociometric procedures: the nominations-based method and the ratings-based method. Across genders, children in the Bully role were more often rated as rejected, whereas Defenders were more popular. Results suggest that although the PRS can reveal several different peer roles in the bullying process, a more clear distinction between bullying roles (i.e., Bully, Assistant, and Reinforcer) could better inform strategies for bullying interventions.

Bryant's Empathy Index: Structure and Measurement Invariance across Gender in a Sample of Primary School-Aged Children.

The purpose of this study was to examine the dimensional structure and measurement invariance of Bryants Index of Empathy for Children and Adolescents (IECA) (Bryant, 1982) across gender in a representative sample of primary school-aged children in Spain. The sample consisted of 2,050 children (50.80% girls), with a mean age of 9.80 years (SD = 1.24), recruited from 27 primary schools. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. The model that presented the best fit indices was Lasa, Holgado, Carrasco, and del Barrios (2008) three-factor model: Understanding Feelings, Feelings of Sadness, and Tearful Reaction. The levels of internal consistency for the subscales ranged from .76 to .83. In addition, the results partially support the measurement invariance of the IECA across gender. When the latent means of the empathy dimensions were compared across gender, statistically significant differences were found. These results coincide with those found in the literature showing the multidimensionality of the IECA. Specifically, the findings support its three-factor structure and its invariance across gender, making it a very useful instrument for exploring the expression of empathy in primary school children.

Effects of a Dialogue-Based Program to Improve Emotion Knowledge in Spanish Roma Preschoolers.

Romas are one of the largest minority groups in Spain and Europe, but no specific data on childrens socioemotional learning are available. Our goal was to determine the level of socioemotional knowledge of a group of 4- and 5-year-old Roma children and to implement an intervention program at school. Forty-three Roma children participated (experimental: N = 21; control: N = 22). We implemented the intervention program Thinking emotions (M. Giménez-Dasí, M. Fernández-Sánchez, & M.-F. Daniel, 2013a). This program is based on Philosophy for Children (M. Lipman, A. M. Sharp, & F. S. Oscanyan, 1980) and aims to promote emotion knowledge, regulation strategies, and social competencies through peer-to-peer dialogue. Pre- and posttest measures were taken. Results showed low levels of initial knowledge and a clear pattern of improvement after the intervention.

Competencias que configuran el perfil del docente de primaria: análisis de la opinión del alumnado de Grado en Educación Primaria

The purpose of this study was to examine the opinion of pre-service Elementary School Teachers from the University of La Rioja (n = 105) on the teacher competency profile, in order to compare it with the results from previous studies, and to outline proposals for the training of future teachers. To this end, a Likert response self-report questionnaire consisting of different attributes was designed and administered to the students. Two different scales were found: One, related to the ‘teacher being’ competencies, composed by the ‘knowing how to do something’ and the affective-emotional skills; and a second one, concerned the ‘teacher having’ competencies, that referred to the instrumental skills, as well as to the teachers’ spirit of learning and personality. A greater agreement with those skills related to the knowledge and management of different teaching practices was found among the students. This result highlights the importance given by students to those skills that, although not been initially held, can be acquired and improved through a training process.

Personality and Emotional Intelligence in Older Adults: A Predictive Model Based on Structural Equations Modeling

Abstract Recent research on emotions in aging points to emotional intelligence (EI) as a factor that plays an important role in this process, and different conceptualizations of EI show that this construct is closely linked to personality in the general population. The main purpose of this study was to find out whether findings obtained in the general population indicating a predictive relationship between personality and EI are also confirmed during the aging process. A sample of 233 healthy older subjects between 60 and 90 years old was used. Participants answered two self-report scales on EI and personality, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used to test the predictive role of personality in EI. Personality was found to be a predictor of EI in older people, and the weight of the prediction was significant in all the dimensions of the big five personality factors, except the dimension of neuroticism, which is known to vary greatly during the aging process. These results indicate that personality influences EI differently in the older adult population, compared to the general population. This is a relevant finding that should be examined further in order to better understand the influence of personality on positive emotional development in this population.

What Makes a Defender? A Multilevel Study of Individual Correlates and Classroom Norms in Explaining Defending Behaviors

Abstract This study examines the interplay between individual characteristics (social status, provictim attitudes, and family messages about conflict resolution) and classroom descriptive and injunctive norms (peer victimization behaviors and bullying-related beliefs, respectively) in explaining defending behavior. For this purpose, we used a representative sample of 2,050 Spanish primary school children (50.80% girls) from grades 3–6 (M = 9.80 years; SD = 1.24), nested within 103 classrooms in 27 schools. Multilevel modeling analyses showed that both individual and class characteristics helped to explain defending behavior. In addition, random slopes revealed that children with a high social status were more likely to support victims in classrooms where bullying was less accepted. These results expand previous findings in this field, demonstrating the need for a multilevel and interactive approach to the study of defending behavior.

Bullying, defending, and outsider behaviors: The moderating role of social status and gender in their relationship with empathy

The aim of the present study was to examine whether the effect of empathy on the role children play in bullying situations, as either bullies, defenders or outsiders, was moderated by childrens social status within their classroom, and whether this moderation was gender dependent. For this purpose, we used a representative sample of 2,050 Spanish primary school children (50.80% girls) from grades 3-6 (Mage = 9.80 years; SD = 1.24), recruited from 27 primary schools. Results showed that the effect of empathy on bullying behavior was moderated by the sociometric rating only in girls. Both empathy and social rating had an effect on defending behavior. However, neither the childrens sociometric rating nor their gender moderated the relationship between empathy and defending and outsider behaviors. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for interventions designed to prevent bullying in school settings.

The potential role of subjective wellbeing and gender in the relationship between bullying or cyberbullying and suicidal ideation

Bullying and cyberbullying are common problems all over the world. One of their consequences can be suicidal ideation. A better understanding of the mechanisms that link them to suicidal ideation is needed in order to develop effective prevention and intervention initiatives. Subjective wellbeing is a potential mechanism that has not been studied within this framework. The present study examined whether subjective wellbeing could serve as a mediator or moderator of the relationship between bullying or cyberbullying and suicidal ideation, and whether these relationships were moderated by gender. Participants were 1664 students aged 14-19 (M = 16.12; SD = 1.36), 53% female, from 34 secondary schools in Spain. Self-reported questionnaires were used to assess bullying, cyberbullying via the Internet, cyberbullying via the mobile phone, suicidal ideation, and subjective wellbeing. Results showed that the effects of all types of bullying on suicidal ideation were mediated by subjective wellbeing, and that these mediations were gender dependent for bullying and cyberbullying-mobile phone. However, neither subjective wellbeing nor gender moderated the relationship between bullying or cyberbullying and suicidal ideation. Findings support the development of prevention strategies to reduce bullying, cyberbullying and suicidal ideation in adolescents by taking subjective wellbeing and gender into account.