Manuel Sanchez-Garcia

Gender differences in condom use prediction with Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behaviour: the role of self-efficacy and control.

Abstract There is much evidence that demonstrates that programs and interventions based on the theoretical models of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) have been effective in the prevention of the sexual transmission of HIV. The objective of this work is to compare the effectiveness of both models in the prediction of condom use, distinguishing two components inside the variable Perceived Behavioural Control of the TPB model: self-efficacy and control. The perspective of gender differences is also added. The study was carried out in a sample of 601 Portuguese and Spanish university students. The results show that the females have a higher average in all the TPB variables than males, except in the frequency of condom use: females request the use of condoms less frequently than males. On the other hand, for both females and males the TPB model predicts better condom-use intention than the TRA. However there are no differences between the two models in relation to the prediction of condom-use behaviour. For prediction of intention, the most outstanding variable among females is attitude, while among males they are subjective norm and self-efficacy. Finally, we analyze the implications of these data from a theoretical and practical point of view.

Gender differences in HIV-related sexual behavior among college students from Spain and Portugal.

Under the perspective of the Theory of Planned Behavior, the objective of this study was to know the gender differences in the variables involved in the use of effective preventive measures in sexual relations against HIV in a sample of university students from Spain and Portugal. Furthermore, it is examined whether these factors produce different predictions concerning the adoption of safe sexual behaviour for young man and women in each country. The sample consisted of 683 university students, 319 Portuguese (64% female and 36% male) from the University of Algarve and 364 Spanish students (51% female and 49% male) from the University of Huelva. Data were obtained by means of a questionnaire. The data revealed that there are gender differences which apply in both countries, highlighting that the young women have more positive attitudes, greater perceived behavioural control and intention of condom use than young men. However, they protect themselves less that their male counterparts: the percentage of females who say using condoms as a contraceptive method is less than the percentage of males, and especially with their steady partners. The results are discussed in relation to gender role norms, to have a steady partner or not, gender relations, the associated meaning to sexual relations for men and women and their implications for the design of sexual educational programmes for them.

Psychometric Properties and Adaptation of the ASRS in a Spanish Sample of Patients With Substance Use Disorders: Application of Two IRT Rasch Models

The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS; Kessler et al., 2005) is one of the most extensively used scales to detect attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults. The aim of this work is to analyze the psychometric properties of the 18 ASRS items in people with substance use disorders (SUDs). Furthermore, we aimed to (a) confirm or, if necessary, modify the dichotomization criteria of the items proposed by the authors, and (b) identify the most informative items for a screening version or, when applicable, confirm the use of the 6 items that comprise the initially proposed short version. The ASRS was completed for 170 patients with SUD at the Provincial Unit for Drug Dependence of Huelva, Spain, aged 16 to 78 years. Two Rasch models—the dichotomous Rasch model and the Rating Scale Model (RSM) for polytomous items—were used in the psychometric analysis. The ASRS items fitted the RSM adequately, but the locations of the items along the underlying construct led us to propose new criteria of dichotomization. After analyzing the information function of dichotomized items, we identified 6 items that should integrate a new screening scale. Our dichotomization proposal is different from the original one and takes into account the different weights of the items. The selected screening version showed better metric properties than the other analyzed versions. Future research should test our proposal by using external criteria and to obtain evidences for other populations, cultures, or patient profiles.

Maternal Distancing Strategies toward Twin Sons, One with Mild Hearing Loss: A Case Study.

The authors apply descriptive and sequential analyses to a mothers distancing strategies toward her 3-year-old twin sons in puzzle assembly and book reading tasks. One boy had normal hearing and the other a mild hearing loss (threshold: 30 dB). The results show that the mother used more distancing behaviors with the son with a hearing loss, and thus gave greater encouragement to this sons cognitive development. These results differ from those of previous studies of deaf or hard of hearing children, whose participants generally had severe or profound hearing loss. In those studies, parents of deaf children used more low-level distancing than parents of normally hearing children. The results of the present study are discussed in terms of their implications for the parenting of twins and of children with mild hearing loss.

Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale: Comprehensive Psychometric Study in a Spanish SUD Sample.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to provide reliability and validity evidence of the Adult Self-Report Scale (ASRS) scores on different versions and scoring procedures in a Spanish substance use disorder (SUD) sample. Method: The sample was made up of 170 outpatients diagnosed with SUD. The ASRS, the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), and the Substance Dependence Severity Scale were administered. Results: The results of the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed adequate fit to the structure proposed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) in the 18-item version. On the screening scale, best fit was found for a model with two correlated factors (inattention and hyperactivity). The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed that the ADHD items converge and are differentiated from symptoms of withdrawal. The regression analyses showed that severity of dependence is explained by the ASRS scores. Conclusion: Both versions of the ASRS showed adequate psychometric properties. The polytomous or dichotomous score is relevant in patient classification.

Child/Adolescent’s ADHD and Parenting Stress: The Mediating Role of Family Impact and Conduct Problems

Objective: The demands of parenting are usually associated with some stress, and elevated levels of stress may affect the parent–child relationships and parenting practices. This is especially the case of families where children have special needs conditions or disorders, like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Method: This study examined parenting stress among mothers of children and adolescents with ADHD. The sample comprised 126 mothers of girls (36; 29%) and boys (90; 71%) aged 6–17 years old. Results: Mothers reported their own stress levels as well as the children and adolescents’ variables (severity of their ADHD symptoms, conduct, and emotional problems) and family–contextual variables (negative impact on family’s social life, impact on couple relationship, and perceived social support). Hierarchical multiple regression showed that (a) negative impact on social life and conduct problems were the strongest predictors of mother’s stress. Bootstrap mediation analyses revealed that (b) the association between child and adolescent’s ADHD and parenting stress was mediated by children’s conduct problems and by negative impact on family’s social life, and not by children’s emotional problems nor by mother’s perceived social support. The mediation analysis also suggested (c) a pathway from child/adolescent’s ADHD through children’s conduct problems and then through their negative impact on family’s social life to mother’s parenting stress. Conclusion: These results suggest that both child/adolescent’s and family factors should be considered in the designing of interventions for reducing parenting stress in families of children and adolescents with ADHD.