Background: Insecure attachment styles have been associated with greater emotional distress, suffering, and existential anguish in patients with cancer and other advanced illnesses. In palliative care, attachment acquires clinical relevance, as it influences coping with illness, help-seeking and support acceptance, family caregiving dynamics, and therapeutic relationship. Therefore, its assessment is essential for delivering comprehensive, person-centered care. Objective: To adapt and validate the Spanish version of the Experiences in Close Relationships-Modified (ECR-M16) in patients with advanced cancer at the end of life, examining its structural validity, reliability, and criterion validity. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 135 patients receiving care in the palliative care unit of Hospital-Resid & egrave;ncia Sant Camil (CSAPG), Barcelona. The scale was translated using a forward-backward procedure. Structural validity was evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis; internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega; and test-retest reliability was estimated using the intraclass correlation coefficient in a subsample reassessed after one week. Criterion validity was examined through correlations with emotional distress, existential loneliness, resilience, and family functioning. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original two-factor structure (anxiety and avoidance), showing adequate fit (chi(2)/df = 1.67; CFI = .906; RMSEA = .073). Internal consistency was adequate for both anxiety (alpha and omega approximate to.75-.75) and avoidance (alpha and omega approximate to.74-.75), and temporal stability was satisfactory (ICC approximate to.73-.74). Both anxiety and avoidance were positively associated with emotional distress and loneliness; avoidance was negatively correlated with family functioning and resilience. Conclusion: The Spanish version of the ECR-M16 demonstrates adequate psychometric properties and represents a brief, valid, and reliable instrument for assessing attachment in palliative care settings.
Background. It has been shown that addictions are stigmatized and that this stigma affects a person's well-being and treatment-seeking. This study aims to analyze whether individuals exhibiting various addictive behaviors-specifically alcohol use, drug use, gambling, gaming, and compulsive buying-experience greater levels of perceived stigma than those without such issues. Additionally, the study aims to examine differences in stigma based on sex. Methods. The sample consisted of a total of 136 participants from the general population. The participants' age ranged from 18 to 63 years (M-age = 42.13; SD = 9.32), and 78.7% were female. Results. There are significant differences in discrimination and disclosure between individuals who report problematic use of illegal substances and gaming and those who do not. For women, significant differences were found in discrimination and positive aspects subscale based on problematic use of illegal substance use and gaming. Among male population, there were significant differences between men with compulsive buying in discrimination and positive aspects compared to non-problematic use. Conclusion. Identifying the populations that are most susceptible to stigma is crucial for developing effective strategies for its prevention and reducing potential detrimental consequences.
Denialism during the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on adherence to preventive measures and contributed to confusion surrounding health information. In the post-COVID-19 stage, this attitude toward the pandemic remains latent and could be reactivated as a defense mechanism in response to new public health emergencies. For this reason, it would be useful to study the psychological profile of individuals who show a greater tendency toward denialism. The present study aimed to identify differentiated psychological profiles based on denialist thinking, emotional distress (stress, anxiety, depression), and personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion). A hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted with a sample of Mexican university students, identifying three distinct profiles. The first profile, Denialist-Stable, showed significantly higher levels of denialism compared to the other two groups, with average levels of emotional distress and neuroticism. The second profile, Extraverted-Stable, exhibited lower levels of emotional distress and neuroticism, and higher levels of extraversion than the other profiles. Lastly, the third profile, Neurotic-Vulnerable, was characterized by the highest levels of emotional distress and neuroticism. The results highlight the importance of considering denialism as part of a psychological pattern linked to personality traits and affective tendencies, with implications in public health emergency contexts. Furthermore, the need to implement mental health prevention strategies tailored to specific profiles is emphasized, particularly in emotionally demanding social situations.
This study presents the validation of the Substance Addiction Risk Assessment Instrument (IVRA-Sustancias), designed to assess addiction risk in adolescents and young adults from a psychosocial perspective. Two complementary studies were conducted. The first study assessed content validity using the Delphi method with 32 expert professionals. Results showed strong agreement on the relevance, adequacy, and inclusion of the instrument's criteria, supporting its content validity. The second study analyzed the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the instrument in a sample of 246 young people and 21 social educators. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the proposed structure, and evidence of convergent validity with substance use measures and concurrent validity with indicators of emotional well-being was found. Findings indicate that IVRA-Sustancias is a reliable and valid tool for identifying substance addiction risk levels by considering not only substance use but also social, emotional, and legal context factors. Its multidimensional approach enhances tailored preventive interventions for this vulnerable population. Longitudinal research is recommended to assess the instrument's temporal stability and predictive capacity.
Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) impose a high health and social burden in Peru, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. In this context, perceived social support acts as a protective factor that contributes to stress adaptation, improves treatment adherence, and promotes healthy behaviors. The objective was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS) in a sample of Peruvian adults with NCDs. Specifically, the factor structure, reliability, and convergent validity of the MOS-SSS were evaluated. 200 Peruvian adults with NCDs (66% women, 34% men) participated. The MOS-SSS and the Quality-of-Life Index (QLI) were administered. Descriptive analyses, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability analyses (Cronbach's alpha and omega), and convergent validity analyses were performed. The MOS demonstrated adequate psychometric properties, with high reliability (alpha and omega > .90), robust structural validity under a bifactor model with one general factor and four specific factors (CFI = .93, TLI = .91, SRMR = .04, RMSEA = .09 [90%IC:.07 y .10]), and evidence of essential unidimensionality (ECV = .87, omega(h) = .95). Furthermore, a positive and significant association between perceived social support and quality of life was confirmed (beta = .58). It is concluded that the MOS-SSS Questionnaire is an instrument with evidence of validity and reliability for assessing perceived social support in Peruvian patients with NCDs, facilitating its use as a screening measure, as well as in health research and interventions to strengthen support networks and improve quality of life in this population.
The aim of this study was to explore the Need for Cognitive Closure (NCC) in 61 relatives of missing persons residing in Spain and to determine the intensity with which they need to establish a definitive answer to avoid uncertainty. The construct was measured using the TR-NCC adapted to Spanish. This is a cross-sectional, exploratory, descriptive, and correlational study, in which the SPSS-25 program was used. The results revealed a mean value in the Need for Cognitive Closure and in the urgency tendency, as well as high values in the permanence tendency. A significant relationship was found with a moderate degree of association, between the predominant tendency of NCC and the participant's family relationship with the missing person. Specifically, being the mother of the missing person was associated with a predominance of the urgency tendency, being their child with a predominance of the permanence tendency, and being their partner with no predominance. It is concluded that among the relatives of long-term missing persons, there is a prevailing willingness to preserve the information and conclusions reached, without having developed a closed mindset or a constant desire to rethink. It is also suggested that, although most participants may have passed the crystallization interval of their beliefs, mothers may have a different and higher threshold for establishing cognitive closure, a hypothesis that needs to be investigated in greater depth.
Introduction: This study investigates the relationship between video game content and social behavior among Spanish adolescents aged 12 to 14. While previous research in Anglo-American and Asian contexts has linked violent video games to increased aggression and cooperative games to prosocial behavior, this study explores whether similar patterns exist in a Latin cultural context. The main aim is to assess how the type of video game and gender influence prosocial, antisocial, and asocial attitudes during early adolescence. Methods: The study involved 368 adolescents (212 boys and 156 girls) from 23 public schools in Barcelona. Participants were selected based on their exclusive use of either violent or cooperative video games on average of at least eight hours played in the last four weeks. The AECS questionnaire was used to measure prosocial, antisocial, and asocial attitudes. A cross-sectional design was employed, and data were analyzed using MANOVA and t-tests to compare groups by game type and gender. Results: Players of violent video games exhibited significantly higher antisocial and asocial attitudes, while those who played cooperative games showed higher prosocial attitudes. Gender differences were also observed: boys played more violent games and for longer durations, whereas girls preferred cooperative games. All differences were statistically significant with moderate effect sizes. Discussion: The findings support theories such as the General Aggression Model and social learning theory, indicating that video game content influences adolescent social behavior. Although causality cannot be established due to the cross-sectional design, the results suggest that cooperative games may foster prosocial development.
This study examined whether age, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), health-related quality of life (HR-QOL), affect, and perceived emotional intelligence (PEI) predicted the level of life satisfaction in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The study included 131 adults with T2D aged 21 to 85 years (mean= 55.76, SD= 12.03). Psychological constructs were measured through the following questionnaires: SWLS (life satisfaction), TMMS-24 (PEI), PANAS (affect), and DQOL (HRQOL). HbA1c levels were obtained from medical records. The results showed that the participants presented high levels of life satisfaction. Higher life satisfaction was associated with older age, greater emotional clarity and repair, positive affect (PA), HRQOL, greater satisfaction with treatment, impact of treatment, and general well-being. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that age (beta= .16, p<.05), PA (beta= .35, p<.001), satisfaction with treatment (beta=-.26, p<.01), and general well-being (beta=-.16, p<.05) were significant predictors of patient's life satisfaction. The model explained 42% of the variance in life satisfaction. PA was the most significant predictor, highlighting the need for therapeutic approaches that address both the physical and emotional aspects of diabetes management. Finally, the influence of PEI-particularly emotional repair-on life satisfaction through PA is emphasized. Practical implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.
The aim of this study was to examine the levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among health care professionals who sought professional help for psychological problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. These psychopathological constructs were measured using the PHQ-2, the GAD-2, and the suicide item from the PHQ-9, respectively, in a sample of 238 health care professionals who contacted a nationwide psychological helpline. Findings show that 52.5% had clinical levels of depression, 71% had clinical levels of anxiety, and 7.1% reported suicidal ideation, with no differences across health care roles (nurses, physicians, other roles). These figures, for depression and anxiety, are two to three times higher than those found in the general population of health care professionals during the pandemic but are similar for suicidal ideation. The results also indicate a higher prevalence of clinical levels of depression and anxiety among professionals who were currently receiving or had received professional help for psychological problems (67.2% and 84.6%, respectively). These findings confirm global concerns about the psychological impact of the pandemic on health care professionals and underscore the importance of integrating mental health into future health crisis response planning.
The aim of this research was to analyse the relationships between cyber-violence, cyber-victimisation and the two variables under study: emotional dependence and self-esteem. For this purpose, a convenience sample of 985 students was selected. The participants completed the "Partner Violence in Social Networks in Adolescents Scale", the "Emotional Dependence in Youth and Adolescent Dating" questionnaire and the "Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale". Differences were found between victims of cyber-violence and those who had not been victims in all dimensions of emotional dependence, with higher values of dependence in victims and the same occurred in the case of aggressors. In relation to self-esteem, both victims of cyber-violence and perpetrators scored lower on self-esteem. These results indicate that emotional dependence and low self-esteem may be relevant factors in understanding the perpetrated and suffered cyber-violence, and should be taken into account for prevention and intervention.
Introduction: Anxiety about the future can have various effects on individuals' lives; these concerns can pose a significant risk to the wellness of emerging adults, especially those who are in the process of identity exploration. This study aims to investigate the moderating role of gender and the mediating roles of the hope agency and hope pathways sub-dimensions of hope in the link between future anxiety and wellness. Method: The sample consisted of 334 university students (62.6% female and 37.4% male) aged between 18 and 28 years (M = 21.07; SD = 1.96). Data from the participants were collected using a personal information form, the Future Anxiety Scale in University Students, the Wellness Scale for Emerging Adults, and the Dispositional Hope Scale. The PROCESS macro was used to analyse the moderating role of gender and the mediating roles of hope agency and hope pathways in the relationship between future anxiety and wellness in emerging adults. Results: Hope agency, one of the sub-dimensions of hope, has a mediating role in the relationship between future anxiety and wellness (B = -.11, 95% CI = -.16 to-.06). Gender also plays a moderating role between future anxiety and wellness (beta = -.12, 95% CI = -.20 to-.03). Conclusion: In the relationship between future anxiety and wellness in emerging adults, hope agency plays a mediating role, and gender plays a moderating role.
