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Resumen La agresión entre pares, sea un caso aislado o recurrente, se ha convertido en un problema cada vez más frecuente que socava el desarrollo psicoafectivo saludable en adolescentes y universitarios. Como en el caso de otras conductas de riesgo, la investigación sugiere que los aspectos emocionales son relevantes para su prevención. El objetivo de este trabajo fue explorar la posible relación entre la agresión entre pares, la agresión frecuente como potencial conducta de bullying, y la diferenciación del self, un constructo procedente de la perspectiva sistémica, vinculado con la autorregulación emocional y la madurez afectiva. Universitarios de entre 17 y 20 años (. = 365), completaron sendos cuestionarios autoadministrados sobre estilos de vida (Carlos et al., 2016) y diferenciación del self (Duch-Ceballos et al., 2022). En esta muestra, los análisis realizados indican que menores niveles de diferenciación del self en los varones se asocian con mayor probabilidad de agresión entre pares, tanto sufrida como ejercida. Además, uno de los componentes de la diferenciación del self, la reactividad emocional, predijo también las probabilidades de agresión (sufrida y ejercida) entre las mujeres. La diferenciación del self está recibiendo una creciente atención como variable relevante para explicar la conducta de los adolescentes y jóvenes emergentes, especialmente en lo que refiere a conductas de riesgo. Este sería el primer estudio sobre la relación entre diferenciación del self, agresión entre pares y agresión frecuente como potencial conducta de buylling. Finalmente, a partir de los resultados encontrados, se plantean futuras líneas de investigación y aplicaciones prácticas.
Abstract The socio-emotional well-being of children and adolescents is a subject of interest, both for academics and researchers, as well as for parents, teachers, and educators. Initiatives on this subject promoted from the scientific and social fields are constantly increasing, and tend to have multiple objectives, among which one is to understand the dynamics of violence and aggression (which can lead to harassment situations), in order to design more effective prevention and intervention programs. Research suggests that emotional aspects are relevant to the prevention of aggression. Within this realm, we have focused on Differentiation of self (DoS). The Differentiation of Self is the central construct of Bowen's (1978) systemic family theory, considered from the systemic perspective as one of the most comprehensive theories of human behavior. With multiple applications in various fields, DoS is a multidimensional construct, defined as the ability to balance emotional and intellectual functioning -intrapsychic dimension-, and intimacy and autonomy in personal relationships -interpersonal dimension-. Based on previous studies in which associations between bullying and socio-emotional competencies were found, the objective of this study was to find relationships between differentiation of self and peer aggression. The sample of this study was comprised of university students between 17 and 20 years old (. = 365; . = 18.3, SD = .7), who were studying the first or second year of different careers at a private university in Argentina. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires on lifestyles (Carlos et al., 2016) and the Spanish version of the Differentiation of Self Inventory-Revised (S-DSI; Rodríguez-González et al., 2015). Considering that peer aggression does not represent bullying in all cases, the association between self-differentiation and peer aggression was first analyzed and, second, this same association was analyzed, but considering frequent aggression. Peer aggression was perpetrated by 54 % of women and 63 % of men (. = .043) and suffered by 72 % of women and 61 % of men (. = .124). Frequent peer aggression was perpetrated by 15 % of women and 21 % of men (. = .001) and suffered by 41 % of women and 24 % of men (. = .146). Both measures of DoS (Emotional reactivity and Emotional cutoff) were associated with a lower prevalence of both aggression and frequent aggression. This work offers two main findings. First, given the high incidence of peer aggression, the results of this study confirm the relevance of the research on peer aggression and, specifically, on frequent aggression associated with bullying. Second, present data suggests the existence of a relationship between differentiation of self and aggression. Since the idea and perceptions about aggression could be changing, new research is suggested, based around the cultural context and social changes that identify how the concept of bullying evolves should be promoted. Moreover, it would be positive to develop new research that can delve into the role played by the differentiation of self, since it is a factor that impacts the development and health of adolescents. The significant relationship between peer aggression and DoS found in this study contributes to the empirical corpus that affirms the relevance of the emotional factor in aggressive and bullying behaviors. In this sense, this study joins others that support the idea of intervening in aggression and buylling through the development of school intervention programs aimed at developing emotional competencies, involving students and also parents and educators.
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BACKGROUND: Couple relationship distress is common and associated with poor physical, psychological, and relational outcomes for both partners. Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples (EFT) is a short-term structured approach based on attachment theory that integrates a humanistic, experiential approach to restructuring emotional experience and a systemic structural approach to restructuring interactions. This model has been shown to be an effective treatment for couple distress. The supporting research, however, has only been conducted with English-speaking couples. Despite Spanish being the second-most spoken language and meaningful cultural differences between English- and Spanish-speaking countries, the efficacy of EFT has not been examined in this cultural context. This study will examine the efficacy of EFT in this particular context and advance the understanding of potential mechanisms of change. METHODS: We will use a multicenter randomized wait-list controlled design to examine the efficacy of EFT in a Spanish-speaking sample of moderately distressed couples. One hundred forty individuals in 70 couples in Argentina, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, and Spain will be randomly assigned to receive 19-21 sessions of EFT or be placed on a waitlist. Outcomes on a range of relational and individual mental health variables will be assessed prior to random assignment, throughout treatment, and at the conclusion of treatment. Primary outcomes will include dyadic adjustment, couple satisfaction, and attachment. Secondary variables, such as loneliness, parenting, affective communication, and sexual satisfaction, will be included as potential mediators of the treatment effect. Couples in the treatment group will also be assessed at 3-, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month follow-ups. Process variables such as the therapeutic alliance will also be assessed routinely in couples assigned to the treatment group. Couples in the waitlist will receive a psycho-educational program based on EFT after completing the study. DISCUSSION: This study will be the first RCT of Emotionally Focused Therapy in a Spanish-speaking context. The results of the study will inform researchers interested in whether treatments developed and tested in the USA and Canada can be effective in differing cultural contexts. It may also point researchers and clinicians to areas where cultural adaptation is needed to improve efficacy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04277325. Registered on February 20, 2020.
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Terapia de Casal , Terapia Focada em Emoções , Humanos , Terapia de Casal/métodos , Idioma , México , Espanha , Argentina , Costa Rica , Guatemala , Ensaios Clínicos Controlados Aleatórios como Assunto , Estudos Multicêntricos como AssuntoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Several instruments have been developed to assess adolescent dating violence but only few have been validated in Spanish-speaking settings. Some instruments are too long and may not be feasible to include them in a multipurpose questionnaire. We developed an instrument to be used in the YourLife project, an international project about young people lifestyles. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of this instrument in three Spanish-speaking countries (Chile, Ecuador, and Spain). METHOD: We included 1049 participants, aged 13-18 years. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Associations between dating violence and variables expected to covariate with it (substance use, school peer aggression, justification of dating violence, and relationship power imbalance), were tested. RESULTS: Two different constructs (psychological and physical/sexual) for suffered and perpetrated violence were identified and confirmed in the three countries. The dating violence subscales had Cronbach's alpha scores higher than 0.85. The strongest associations between dating violence and variables related to it were found within the relationship power imbalance items, suggesting that these items may be useful to detect adolescent dating violence when a specific questionnaire cannot be implemented. CONCLUSION: This instrument seems to be adequate to assess suffered and perpetrated adolescent dating violence within a multipurpose questionnaire among schooled adolescents.
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Comportamento do Adolescente , Violência por Parceiro Íntimo , Adolescente , Chile , Equador , Humanos , Psicometria , EspanhaRESUMO
This study aimed to determine the associations between parental monitoring and affection and three adolescent lifestyle aspects: constructive leisure, non-constructive leisure and substance use. A cross-sectional study was conducted in four countries (Chile, Mexico, Spain and Peru). Adolescents aged 12-15 self-completed a multi-purpose questionnaire. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to analyse the association between the parental monitoring and affection variables and the outcomes in terms of the children's lifestyles. The results indicate that parental monitoring is conducive to more constructive leisure and less non-constructive leisure and seems to be conducive to the prevention of substance use. Furthermore, parental affection is conducive to constructive leisure and the prevention of substance use. The discussion focuses on the fact that the family can be a protective resource associated with positive adolescent development.
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Atividades de Lazer , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Substâncias/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Criança , Chile , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , México , Peru , EspanhaRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Structured and unstructured leisure are known protective and risk factors, respectively, for alcohol consumption during adolescence. However, little is known about the interaction between the two leisure types and alcohol consumption. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was performed among high-school students in El Salvador and Peru. Schooled adolescents, aged 13-18 (N = 5640), completed a self-administered questionnaire about risk behaviors, including their leisure activities and whether they had consumed alcoholic beverages. They were classified into tertiles of the amount of time of both structured and unstructured activities. A non-conditional multivariate logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the association of both types of leisure with alcohol consumption. We also used a likelihood ratio test to assess the potential interaction of structured and unstructured leisure time in alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Alcohol consumption was much more frequent among adolescents in the highest tertile of unstructured leisure time compared to the lowest one (Adjusted OR: 5.52; 95% CI: 4.49-6.78), and less frequent among those from the highest tertile of structured leisure time compared to the lowest one (Adjusted OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.55-0.80). We did not find an interaction effect between structured and unstructured leisure time with regard to initiation of alcohol consumption. DISCUSSION: The study suggests that structured leisure is not enough to compensate for the possible harmful effect of unstructured leisure. Parents, educators and policy makers might be advised to discourage unstructured leisure among adolescents, and not simply to encourage structured leisure.
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Comportamento do Adolescente/psicologia , Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas/epidemiologia , Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas/psicologia , Atividades de Lazer/psicologia , Inquéritos e Questionários , Adolescente , Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas/tendências , Estudos Transversais , El Salvador/epidemiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pais/psicologia , Peru/epidemiologia , Fatores de Risco , Assunção de Riscos , Estudantes/psicologiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: This study intends to evaluate whether the belief that condoms are 100% effective in protecting against HIV infection is associated with sexual risk behaviours among youth. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in representative samples of high-school students in the Philippines, El Salvador and Peru. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire. Students were asked about the risk of HIV transmission if one has sex using condoms. They were also asked to indicate whether they had ever had sexual relations and whether they used a condom in their first sexual relation. The sample was composed of 8994 students, aged 13-18. RESULTS: One out of seven adolescents believed condoms are 100% effective (safe-sex believers). Those adolescents were 82% more likely to have had sex than those without such belief, after adjusting for confounders (OR=1.82; 95% CI 1.51 to 2.21). On the contrary, no association was found between risk perception and condom use. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses produced similar results. CONCLUSIONS: This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first study conducted specifically to evaluate this phenomenon and that has used the same questionnaire and the same data collection protocol in three different developing countries from Asia, Central and South America. These results reasonably suggest that there could be an association between safe sex beliefs and sexual initiation. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand this possible association as it could influence how to better promote sexual health.
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Comportamento do Adolescente/psicologia , Preservativos/estatística & dados numéricos , Países em Desenvolvimento , Infecções por HIV/prevenção & controle , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Assunção de Riscos , Sexo Seguro/psicologia , Adolescente , Estudos Transversais , El Salvador , Feminino , Infecções por HIV/transmissão , Inquéritos Epidemiológicos , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Peru , Filipinas , Sexo Seguro/estatística & dados numéricos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Sexo sem Proteção/psicologia , Sexo sem Proteção/estatística & dados numéricosRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to verify the influence of messages Salvadorian youth receive about sexuality, affection, and leisure from family, friends, and the media on the initiation of sexual activity. METHODS: Cross-sectional study based on a representative sample of 2 615 students (from 13 to 19 years of age) in El Salvador. A random systematic sampling was used to select 30 schools. Sociodemographic aspects, lifestyles, and sources of information on sexuality and love used by the young people were collected. RESULTS: The average age of the young people studied was 15 (SD = 1.8). In all, 638 (24.4%) of the young people stated that they had had sexual relations. The following factors are associated with a greater probability of having had sexual relations: a perception that siblings (OR = 1.8, CI 95%: 1.2-2.7) or friends (OR = 1.7, CI 95%: 1.3-2.2) encourage them to have sex. Protective factors were found to be the supervision of parents (OR = 0.5, CI 95%: 0.4-0.7); messages received from friends that encourage abstinence (OR = 0.7, CI 95%: 0.6-1.0) or from siblings (OR = 0.7, CI 95%: 0.5-0.8); and favorable messages related to marriage received from parents (OR = 0.4, CI 95%: 0.3-0.6). CONCLUSIONS: Messages from family and friends are factors that seem to influence the initiation of sexual activity by young people. Sexual health promotion programs in El Salvador should take these factors into account.
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Comportamento do Adolescente , Família , Amigos , Comportamento de Busca de Informação , Comportamento Sexual , Adolescente , Atitude , Estudos Transversais , El Salvador , Feminino , Hábitos , Promoção da Saúde , Humanos , Comportamento Imitativo , Internet , Atividades de Lazer , Masculino , Casamento , Meios de Comunicação de Massa , Distância Psicológica , Abstinência Sexual/psicologia , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Ensino , Adulto JovemRESUMO
PURPOSE: Adolescents who engage in sex can be affected by a range of negative physical and psychological consequences. We intend to analyze the reasons behind first sex, regret, and the association between reasons and regret. METHODS: A questionnaire was implemented to 8,495 high schools students aged 14-18 years residing in the Philippines, El Salvador, and Peru. Sexually active participants responded whether several circumstances were reasons involved in their first sexual relationship. They also responded whether they regretted having already had sexual relationships. RESULTS: More than one-third of respondents reported at least one external pressure leading to first sex, and about one-half reported at least one reason implying getting carried away by sexual arousal. More females affirmed they regret having already had sex. Logistic regression shows that reasons for first sex associated with regret were partner insistence, "uncontrolled situations," and seeing sexual images. These reasons were associated with regret even when love was also reported as related to first sex. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent sexual experience is often motivated by pressure (such as external pressure [because most friends already had sex or because of partner insistence]) and circumstances (such as getting carried away by sexual arousal [through an "uncontrolled situation" or viewing sexual images]) that lower the control over their decisions concerning sex, rather than by mature decisions, and this may result in later regret. Adolescents should be helped by parents, educators, and policy makers to be aware of these characteristics of sexual behavior of adolescents and empowered to make assertive and informed decisions concerning their sexuality.
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Comportamento do Adolescente/psicologia , Coito/psicologia , Emoções , Adolescente , Nível de Alerta , El Salvador , Feminino , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Amor , Masculino , Análise Multivariada , Peru , FilipinasRESUMO
OBJETIVO: El objetivo de este estudio es comprobar cómo influyen en el inicio de la actividad sexual de los jóvenes salvadoreños los mensajes que reciben sobre cuestiones de sexualidad, afectividad y ocio a través de la familia, los amigos y los medios de comunicación. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal a partir de una muestra representativa de 2 615 estudiantes (de 13 a 19 años) de El Salvador. Se utilizó un muestreo sistemático aleatorio para seleccionar 30 colegios. Se recogieron aspectos sociodemográficos, estilos de vida y fuentes de información sobre sexualidad y amor utilizadas por los jóvenes. RESULTADOS: La edad media de los jóvenes fue de 15 años (DE = 1,8). En total 638 (24,4 por ciento) jóvenes afirmaron haber tenido relaciones sexuales. Los siguientes factores se asociaron con una mayor probabilidad de haber tenido relaciones sexuales: percibir que los hermanos (OR = 1,8, IC 95 por ciento: 1,2-2,7) o los amigos (OR = 1,7, IC 95 por ciento: 1,3-2,2) apoyan que se tengan relaciones sexuales. Como factores protectores se encontraron la supervisión de los padres (OR = 0,5, IC 95 por ciento: 0,4-0,7); recibir mensajes que apoyan la abstinencia por parte de amigos (OR = 0,7, IC 95 por ciento: 0,6-1,0) o hermanos (OR = 0,7, IC 95 por ciento: 0,5-0,8) y recibir mensajes favorables al matrimonio por parte de los padres (OR = 0,4, IC 95 por ciento: 0,3-0,6). CONCLUSIONES: Los mensajes de la familia y amigos son factores que parecen influir en el inicio de las relaciones sexuales de los jóvenes. Los programas de promoción de la salud sexual en El Salvador deberían tener en cuenta estos factores.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to verify the influence of messages Salvadorian youth receive about sexuality, affection, and leisure from family, friends, and the media on the initiation of sexual activity. METHODS: Cross-sectional study based on a representative sample of 2 615 students (from 13 to 19 years of age) in El Salvador. A random systematic sampling was used to select 30 schools. Sociodemographic aspects, lifestyles, and sources of information on sexuality and love used by the young people were collected. RESULTS: The average age of the young people studied was 15 (SD = 1.8). In all, 638 (24.4 percent) of the young people stated that they had had sexual relations. The following factors are associated with a greater probability of having had sexual relations: a perception that siblings (OR = 1.8, CI 95 percent: 1.2-2.7) or friends (OR = 1.7, CI 95 percent: 1.3-2.2) encourage them to have sex. Protective factors were found to be the supervision of parents (OR = 0.5, CI 95 percent: 0.4-0.7); messages received from friends that encourage abstinence (OR = 0.7, CI 95 percent: 0.6-1.0) or from siblings (OR = 0.7, CI 95 percent: 0.5-0.8); and favorable messages related to marriage received from parents (OR = 0.4, CI 95 percent: 0.3-0.6). CONCLUSIONS: Messages from family and friends are factors that seem to influence the initiation of sexual activity by young people. Sexual health promotion programs in El Salvador should take these factors into account.