José Manuel Andreu

Multivariate Model of Antisocial Behavior and Substance Use in Spanish Adolescents

This study was designed to examine the causal paths that predict antisocial behavior and the consumption of legal and illegal substances (drugs) in adolescents. The sample comprised 1,629 adolescents, 786 males and 843 females, between 14 and 18 years old. All participants provided reports of family, school, personality, and peer-group factors related to substance consumption and antisocial behavior in adolescence. A biopsychosocial multivariate model was used to predict both legal and illegal substance use, and an adequate match was obtained for both. However, much more variance was accounted for in legal compared to illegal substance use. The major predictors of alcohol and marijuana use were personality factors (aggression and impulsivity) and scholarly factors (adaptation to school and good grades) whereas the major predictor of illegal drug use was negative peer relations (violence and non-conformity). Identification of associated risk factors serves as a basis for appropriate prevention programs to reduce antisocial behaviors and substance use in adolescents.

Psychometric evaluation of the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI) in female survivors of sexual assault

ABSTRACT The authors of this study evaluated the factor structure, internal consistency, and concurrent and discriminant validity of the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI; Foa et al. 1999) in a sample of 107 female survivors of sexual assault with a mean age of 29.1 years (SD = 7.7). All participants were recruited between July 2010 and December 2014 from a care center for sexual assault victims in Madrid, Spain. Results supported the three-factor structure of the PTCI: (1) negative cognition about self, (2) negative cognition about the world, and (3) self-blame. The negative cognitions about self and the world subscales showed adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.92 and 0.82, respectively), as well as good concurrent and discriminant validity. Nevertheless, the subscale measuring self-blame showed poor internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.75) and discriminant validity. The PTCI presents sound psychometric characteristics and has the potential to contribute to women’s sexual posttrauma assessment.

Identifying psychometrically different types of non-direct aggression in a Spanish population

A psychometric measure of non-direct aggression was developed for use in teenagers and adults. The scale composed of 23 items was administered to a sample of 812 participants in Madrid (Spain). Exploratory factor analysis of the items yielded two factors, named indirect aggression and negative criticism. Reliability analysis indicated satisfactory Cronbach alpha coefficients.