Fernando Juárez

Applying the theory of chaos and a complex model of health to establish relations among financial indicators

Abstract They were applied the chaos theory and a complex model of health to determine relationships among aggregate indicators of financial statements. Cash flow, profit and loss, and assets of 70 companies in the sector of crude oil mining and natural gas in Colombia, were analyzed. Natural logs and Lorenz equation were applied to transform cash flow, profit and loss, and assets, resulting in an explained variance of 73% in the linear regression among the new complex indicators. The explained variance without transformations was 6%. However, these transformations make it more difficult to interpret the financial indicators.

Natural Gas: Moving to Chaos and Complexity in Financial Statements

The study of complex systems is an interdisciplinary field [1 p. 4]; however, sciences of complexity remain under common and general principles [2], such as micro and macro level manifold [3, p. 41], emergency and chaos [4], interactions among a large number of agents [5], environment and aggregation [6], interdependencies [7], propagation, nonlinearity, feedback loops, open systems, memory and history, adaptation and self-regulation. Existing models are: a) autopoiesis (reproduction, replication, and ontogeny of structural change), b) dynamic systems (large-scale modeling, nonlinearity and unexpected behavior), c) dissipative systems (conditions far from equilibrium and triggering events), and d) dynamics of chaos (cumulative and chaotic nature of changes, moving away from equilibrium) [2]. Thus, complexity consists of a number of theories [8] and not a unified method and insight [9]; it is an intriguing concept with no characterization agreed on, and discussions are about intuitive notions [10]. Although metaphorical language is one of the existing approaches to complexity [11] and many models could have complex properties [4], concepts need to be properly understood, translating them into a useful model of reality [12], and caution is required, when trying to model a system as complex.

Psychometric Properties of the General Self-Efficacy Scale in a Colombian Sample

The self-efficacy construct has been studied from two different viewpoints. Firstly, in a specific manner, as it was originally proposed and secondly, in a generalized way, defined as an optimistic self-belief of personal capability to cope efficiently and competently with a variety of situations. In order to measure this construct at the broadest level the General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE) was designed and adapted to Spanish in Costa Rica. This study aimed at validating the scale in a Colombian sample composed of college students. Participants were also administered the Situational Personality Questionnaire (named in Spanish as Cuestionario de Personalidad Situacional, CPS) and its factors have, theoretically speaking, a certain relationship with the studied construct. According to the results, the GSE showed a high internal consistency (Cronbachs alpha value of .83). Convergent and discriminant validity of this instrument were evaluated through the CPS and positive correlations were obtained with efficacy, confidence, self-concept and emotional stability while negative correlations were obtained with anxiety. Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, the unidimensional structure of the scale was validated.

AFECTACIONES PSICOLÓGICAS DE NIÑOS Y ADOLESCENTES EXPUESTOS AL CONFLICTO ARMADO EN UNA ZONA RURAL DE COLOMBIA

Psychological effects were determined in 284 children and adolescents exposed to armed conflict in a rural area of Colombia, selected through random sampling proportional allocation. The instruments applied were: The Child Behavior Checklist, the Youth Behavior Self-report, the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Children, the Coping Scale for Adolescents and the Resilience Scale for School Children. Findings showed that 72% of the population suffers from psychological problems, 64.4 from internalizing behavior and 47% from externalizing behavior within clinical range. It was also found that 32% had somatic problems, 56% were at risk for PTSD and 93% had moderate alcohol consumption. The most frequently used coping strategy was to leave things get fixed by themselves. There was a high need for health care. Being male constituted a risk factor for depression, aggression and social problems in children. In turn, being up to12 years old and a student of a lower grade were risk factors for somatic symptoms in adolescents. Results clearly revealed the impact on mental health of the population under study.

Propiedades psicométricas del test de adjetivos de Pitcher para la evaluación del liderazgo

The psychometric properties of Pitcher Adjective Test, to assess leadership, were obtained. Participants were 400 health workers in the cities of Bogota, Cali, Bucaramanga and Barranquilla, in Colombia. By applying a logistic model, with difficulty and discrimination parameters, they were analyzed the properties of the items. The function of information of the test resulted more informative at the intermediate level (from -1.4 to 1.6), the indicators of difficulty and discrimination, were appropriate. A marginal reliability coefficient of .94 was obtained. Multiple correspondence analysis drew a two-dimension solution of leadership and by a latent class analysis, with a partial credit model, participants were classified into three leadership styles. According to this, it is concluded that psychometric properties are appropriate, and Pitcher Adjective Test is of interest, yielding a classification that does not correspond with those commonly used.

Características socioeconómicas y salud en personas pobres y desplazadas

The relationship between social and economic aspects of displacement, traumatic events, health, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and co-occurrence was studied in a sample of 93 poor and displaced people. The Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS), and Goldberg’s General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) were applied. Of all the participants, 50.5% had PTSD and 74.2% had health problems. Co-occurrence was observed between PTSD symptoms and health problems, with a strong relation between anxiety (GHQ-28) and hyper-reactivation (DTS). Scores on the DTS were related to the existence of health problems; the scores on the GHQ-28, the issuing department and the type of displacement, all of these were related to PTSD. Scores on the DTS and the issuing department influenced the existence of co-occurrence.Se estudio la relacion entre aspectos socioeconomicos, desplazamiento, eventos traumaticos, salud, trastorno por estres postraumatico (TEPT) y coocurrencia, en 93 personas pobres. Se aplico la Escala de Trauma Davidson (DTS) y el Cuestionario de Salud General de Goldberg (GHQ-28); 50,5% de los participantes tuvieron TEPT y 74,2% tuvo problemas de salud. Existio coocurrencia entre el TEPT y los problemas de salud, siendo la asociacion elevada para la ansiedad (GHQ-28) y la hiperreactivacion (DTS). En la existencia de problemas de salud, influyo la puntuacion en el DTS. En la existencia de TEPT influyo la puntuacion en el GHQ-28, el departamento emisor y el tipo de desplazamiento. La puntuacion en la DTS y el departamento emisor influyeron en la existencia de coocurrencia.

Componentes de vulnerabilidad cognitiva en el trastorno de ansiedad generalizada

The components of cognitive vulnerability to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) were identified. We performed a comparative analysis between the cognitive profile of patients diagnosed with GAD (69 adults) and a control group with no diagnosis (69 adults). They were completed the MINI International Neuropsyquiatric Interview, the Young Schemes Questionnaire -YSQ-, the Core Beliefs Questionnaire for Personality Disorders -CCE-TP-, the Inventory of Automatic Thoughts -IPA-, and the Coping Strategies Questionnaire -EEC-M-. The cognitive profile of GAD comprised patterns of abandonment, mistrust/abuse, uncompromising standards and insufficient self-control/self-discipline. Associated personality disorders were dependent, paranoid, avoidant, schizotypal, borderline and antisocial. Cognitive distortions were filtering or selective abstraction (low scores), and significantly higher scores in polarized thinking, overgeneralization, interpretation of thought, catastrophic vision, fallacy of control, emotional reasoning and fallacy of change. Coping strategies were high aggressive reaction, expression of coping difficulty, denial, and low positive reappraisal.

Prevalencia de trastornos mentales y estresores psicosociales en usuarios de consulta externa en psicología de la Universidad de San Buenaventura, Medellín – Colombia

The objective of this study was to strengthen the prevalence of mental disorders and psycho-social tensors in outpatients in psychology at Saint Bonaventure University, Medellin - Colombia. In the study, 106 users took part in it (35.8% men and 64% women) with an average age of 26.8 years, who were given the neuropsychiatric international interview (Scheehan and Lecrubier, 1998) and the assessment format of the Axis IV of the DSM-IV-TR (APA, 2002). The disorders of major prevalence were risk of suicide (28.30%), past major depression (26.41%) and current major depression (20.75%), depression with melancholy (15.10%), disorders due to the use of non-alcoholic substances (15.09%) , anguish disorder (14.15%), generalized anxiety (13.20%), past hypomania (12.26%), social phobia (10.37%), and abuse and dependence of alcohol (10.37%). The related psycho-social tensors were the issues referring to the primary group (47.8%), the social ambiance (39.1%) and teaching-related problems (13%).

The influence of optimism and socioeconomic characteristics on leadership practices

The role of optimism and socioeconomic characteristics of managers on leadership practices in small enterprises, in Bogota, Colombia, was determined. Ninety managers completed the Leadership Practices Inventory and The Revised Life Orientation Test, as well as they provided information about personal and business socio-economic characteristics. Association measures between socio-economic and optimism variables with the Leadership Practices Inventory were taken. Besides, by Chi square test, Mann-Whitney`s U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, they were determined socioeconomic differences in leadership styles, and, by a structural equation model, the effect of age, gender, marital status, socioeconomic status, number of employees of the company, economic sector, and optimism on leadership practices was analyzed. Only optimism and number of employees showed to be significant.

The concept of health: an explanation of its uniqueness, multiplicity and health models

It is showed a health perspective with multiple meanings and the need to use multiple models. From the ancient concept of negative health, which continues in full force, to models of positive health, there is a long road full of theoretical approaches and models, among which are the biopsychosocial model, the salutogenic model, the positive health model from positive psychology, the holistic model, the model of personal choice, the model of health as welfare, the model of health as maturity, the model of emotional intelligence as health, and the health model of resilience as health, among others. The use of these models, in a proper manner, enhances the professional work and makes more efficient use of health resources.