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Hirsch's h index is becoming the standard measure of an individual's research accomplishments. The aggregation of individuals' measures is also the basis for global measures at institutional or national levels. To investigate whether the h index can be reliably computed through alternative sources of citation records, the Web of Science (WoS), PsycINFO and Google Scholar (GS) were used to collect citation records for known publications of four Spanish psychologists. Compared with WoS, PsycINFO included a larger percentage of publication records, whereas GS outperformed WoS and PsycINFO in this respect. Compared with WoS, PsycINFO retrieved a larger number of citations in unique areas of psychology, but it retrieved a smaller number of citations in areas that are close to statistics or the neurosciences, whereas GS retrieved the largest numbers of citations in all cases. Incorrect citations were scarce in Wos (0.3%), more prevalent in PsycINFO (1.1%), and overwhelming in GS (16.5%). All platforms retrieved unique citations, the largest set coming from GS. WoS and PsycINFO cover distinct areas of psychology unevenly, thus applying different penalties on the h index of researches working in different fields. Obtaining fair and accurate h indices required the union of citations retrieved by all three platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses job satisfaction and differences in factors affecting it among workers with an intellectual disability and mental illness (MI) depending on their work regime [special employment regime (SER) or occupational service (OS)]. To do so, answers were analysed from 874 participants on a Job Satisfaction Scale used in sheltered workshops in Spain. The results indicate that job satisfaction among workers with intellectual disability and MI in both the SER and the OS regimes is high, with the highest job satisfaction deriving from the Items of communicating problems to resolve them. The lowest levels of job satisfaction are related to the opportunity to take decisions and participate at work. In the majority of the Items analysed, no differences were found on the basis of the age groups considered nor the gender of the participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the perceived quality of working life of workers with intellectual disabilities. Specifically, this paper looks at participants' perceptions in relation to perceived job demands and resources and their impact on experienced job satisfaction. In this cross-sectional survey, 507 workers with intellectual disabilities, employed in either sheltered workshops or supported employment, completed questionnaires on the quality of working life through semi-structured interviews. Regression analyses showed that perceived low job demands and elevated social support from coworkers and supervisors predicted higher quality of working life. Common organizational psychology measures can be successfully used with this population to assess quality of working life. This study confirms the multidimensional nature of quality of working life, and the impact of job demands and available resources on perceived satisfaction with job for workers with intellectual disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND This study describes the perceived impact of H1N1 influenza and the adoption of the recommended measures to address the pandemic in schools. METHODS A cross-sectional self-reported survey was conducted in 433 schools in Barcelona addressed to the school principal or the H1N1 influenza designated person. A descriptive analysis was performed, stratifying by educational level and type of school. A logistic regression analysis also was conducted. RESULTS Around 70% of the respondents reported that there had been H1N1 influenza cases among students, being this percentage significantly higher among those schools offering primary education (74.4%) (p < .05). The main measures (single-use paper towels, availability of sanitizer solutions and 15 minutes ventilation per day of enclosed spaces) were implemented in most of the centers. However, the correct adoption of the main measures took place in around 30% of the schools, being the percentage lower in those offering only secondary education (Odds ratio [OR]: 0.518; 95% confidence interval [CI]:0.272-0.986) and those located in medium (OR: 0.438, 95% CI: 0.234-0.811) or low socioeconomic status (SES) districts (OR: 0.321, 95% CI: 0.159-0.649). CONCLUSIONS Despite the climate of social alarm, the perceived impact of H1N1 influenza in most schools was moderate. In future potential threats, the educational level and the SES of the school should be considered, especially when measures requiring purchasing any product are recommended but not provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The built environment (BE) impacts on people's disability and health, in terms of overweight, depression, alcohol abuse, poor self-rated health and presence of psychological symptoms; it is reasonable to assume that BE also impacts on participation levels. This paper presents the validation of the COURAGE Built Environment Self-Reported Questionnaire (CBE-SR), an instrument designed to evaluate BE in the context of health and disability. Subjects participating to COURAGE, a cross-sectional study conducted on 10 800 citizens of Poland, Finland and Spain, completed a protocol inclusive of the CBE-SR. Psychometric properties and factor structure were analysed, and factor scores created. Gender differences, differences between persons from different age groups and persons reporting the environment as facilitating, hindering or neutral were calculated. Eight items were deleted so that the final version of CBE-SR comprises 19 items. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.743 to 0.906, and test-retest stability was demonstrated for the majority of items. Four subscales were identified: Usability of the neighbourhood environment; Hindrance of walkable environment; Easiness of use of public buildings, places and facilities; and Risk of accidents and usability of the living place. Younger respondents reported their neighbourhood as more usable but perceived walkways as more hindering and public buildings as less easy to use; gender differences were almost inexistent. The CBE-SR is a four-scale instrument with good psychometric properties that measures the person-environment interaction. It is sensitive across age groups and is consistent with the subject's overall judgement of the degree to which the environment is facilitating or hindering. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message Poor built environments have a negative impact on the level of a person's participation. However, instruments measuring the person-environment interaction are lacking., The CBE-SR is a valid and reliable instrument that researchers can use to assess the relationships between the intrinsic health state and the objective features of the environment., Understanding this relationship would provide further insight into the need of addressing the individual's functioning either by means of interventions directed to the individual or by making changes to the individual's environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This paper aimed to analyse the predictive ability of a self-determination theory (SDT) based model describing competitive sport dropout, and variance as a function of age and gender. Variables included in the model were: psychological need satisfaction, self-determined motivation, perceived conflict between sport and study, intention to practise sport, and dropout. Methods: A prospective study was performed over a period of 19 months. Variables considered as predictors of sport dropout were measured initially, and after 19 months persistence or dropout was assessed. The sample consisted of 857 athletes aged 11–19 (mean value 15.3; standard deviation = 1.77), 680 males and 177 females. Results: Structural equation modelling illustrated support for an “alternative” model that incorporated a direct relationship between psychological need satisfaction and intention to practise sport. Analysis of invariance showed that the model was consistent as a function of age and gender, i.e. no differences were found in regression weights. MANOVA, however, revealed some group differences with respect to the dependent variables. Specifically, in terms of engagement, although assessed at the start of the study, those athletes who persisted at 19 months demonstrated greater need satisfaction, self-determined motivation and intention to practise sport than those who dropped out. Age related differences were also identified: with increased age self-determined motivation and intention to practise sport decreased, while there were no differences in need satisfaction or perceived conflict between sport and study. There were no differences related to gender. Discussion: The results support previous studies that had used SDT to predict sport dropout, specifically those that had reported an inverse relationship between self-determined motivation and perceived conflict between activities. Further, it suggests that other variables (emotional) may play a specific role in predicting intention to continue engagement with sport. Conclusion: The major contribution of the study is in validating a motivational model predicting sport dropout which incorporates perceived conflict and the direct effect of psychological need satisfaction on the intention to practise sport. The invariance of regression weights between age and gender groups suggests that the relationships proposed in the model are universal. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

O'BRIEN T and ACKROYD S. Nursing Inquiry 2012; 19: 39-50 Understanding the recruitment and retention of overseas nurses: realist case study research in National Health Service Hospitals in the UK This paper illustrates one of the possible applications of critical realist ideas to the analysis of health services, in the use of comparative case study research design, to elucidate the causal social processes underlying events. In the research reported here, a comparative research design was used as a basis for improving our understanding of the processes involved in the assimilation of overseas nurses (OSN) into the salient long-term workforce of the National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in the UK. The work brought to light the salient experiences of overseas nurses during their initial work in the NHS hospitals, and these were used as a basis for developing an account of the general mechanisms typically underlying the recruitment and assimilation at work. The authors conclude that successful assimilation is often hindered by the presence of occupational closure mechanisms, by which home nurses effectively excluded recruits from participation and promotion; these mechanisms, which articulate with everyday racism, threaten successful assimilation for obvious reasons. If the treatment recruits receive does not lead to withdrawal, it is because they typically have very strong economic motives to continue despite unfavourable and sometimes inhumane treatment. Thus, the research offered substantial reasons why recruitment policies should be reviewed by policy-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in interest for German scientific psychology followed the rise of liberalism in late nineteenth-century Spain. This paper deals with Spanish scholars' endeavors to participate in German psychology: It outlines the intellectual and institutional background of Spanish preoccupation with German philosophy and psychology, and deals with the personal experience and testimony of two Spanish philosophers, Eloy Luis André and Juan Vicente Viqueira López, who traveled to Leipzig, Berlin, and Göttingen between 1909 and 1914 to gain firsthand experience in the nascent science of psychology in Germany at that time. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In relative performance evaluation systems, appraisers may choose to adopt stricter or laxer evaluation criteria. When laxer (vs. stricter) criteria are used, higher absolute performance evaluations become easier (vs. harder) to achieve. Thus, each appraisee's absolute performance feedback and the mean of the distribution of absolute performance feedback are shifted upward (vs. downward). Yet, relative performance remains constant. When evaluation outcomes depend solely on relative performance, can the adoption of laxer (vs. stricter) criteria-leading to higher absolute performance feedback but no change in relative performance-influence appraisees' satisfaction with performance? Despite the ubiquity of such systems in organizations, research has not addressed this question. This article points to an important gap between practitioners' beliefs and research findings. We show that while most appraisers believe that higher absolute performance feedback will automatically result in more satisfaction with performance, the opposite may also happen. Specifically, we find that appraisees with a stronger (vs. weaker) chronic or contextual need to engage in social comparison are more satisfied with lower (vs. higher) absolute performance feedback. Overall, we demonstrate why and how feedback interventions in relative performance evaluation systems may backfire, and suggest a set of practical guidelines for maximizing appraisees' satisfaction with performance in such systems. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the European Society for the History of the Human Sciences annual conference held at the University of Bari Aldi Moro in Bari, Italy on July 12-14, 2017 is presented. Topics discussed include the use of psychological tests in Spain before and after the Civil War, the use of wax models in anatomical teaching during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and surgical practices applied to women in the late 19th century.

Aim: To examine the migration of nurses from Latin America to Spain over the period from 2006 to 2016. Background: This study examines the impact of the 2008 global economic crisis on migration flows of nurses to Spain from its major source countries of Latin America. Methods: Using an exploratory case study, we present original data provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of the Government of Spain upon request on applications and success rates for credential recognition of nurses intending to immigrate to Spain, with an extended analysis of Latin American applications which account for the 70% of skilled worker migration to Spain. Results: Successful applications for credential recognition of overseas nursing qualifications plummeted from a peak of 1384 in 2007 to 55 in 2016. Migration intentionality also decreased but has undergone a slight increase in recent years. Discussion/Conclusion: We found that the economic crisis effectively closed the door to internationally educated nurses to work as nurses in Spain. Moreover, the denial of official recognition of nursing credentials appears to be unaffected by the existence of bilateral trade and mobility agreements between Spain and source countries. We conclude that the level of nursing migration to Spain is a sensitive indicator of domestic labour market conditions. Implications for health policy: Despite the lack of any transparent policy on the credential approvals, in practice the government is limiting access to the nursing labour market by overseas education nurses. We urge that attention be paid by health human resource planners on the intersection between labour market and migration trends to support a transparent and data‐informed discussion by all stakeholders on the current state of the nursing labour market in Spain and its future needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research question: The increase of physical exercise in fitness centres has turned these facilities in important active lifestyle promoters. However, only between 30% and 60% of subscribers still linked to the sports centre after a year. The aim of this study is to design a model to predict the drop out in fitness centres. Research methods: Monthly data corresponding to the actual behaviour of 14,522 members of three sport centres in Spain were recorded over the course of one year. In order to calculate the likelihood of drop out, logistic regressions were used to create predictive models for each centre. Results and findings: It was possible to predict abandonment of users of sport centres from their historical behaviour, although the predictive models obtained for each centre were not completely coincident. The effectiveness of the models was around 70%. Implications: The analysis of users' behaviour in a fitness centre can allow to avoid the drop out and therefore the abandonment of physical activity. Segmenting the customers based on the likelihood of drop out may be useful for improving the effectiveness of the strategies of loyalty and for optimizing the organization of human and material resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Support from professionals plays an important role in helping people with intellectual disabilities to live an independent life. This research aims to analyse the role played by support professionals based on the perceptions of the professionals and self‐advocates with intellectual disabilities. The research was conducted in Catalonia (Spain). Method: A total of 33 interviews were conducted with front‐line managers and 10 focus groups with 72 self‐advocates. These were recorded and transcribed, and then analysed using thematic content analysis. Results: Self‐advocates particularly value professionals' interpersonal skills and emotional support. Front‐line managers and self‐advocates highlight training actions aimed at enhancing autonomy in the home and propose fostering natural supports and increasing the involvement of people with disabilities. Conclusions: Making progress in the rights of people with intellectual disabilities to an independent life requires requires transforming the support model, promoting decision making among people with intellectual disabilities, and strengthening interpersonal skills linked to emotional support in the training of professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Depression among older adults has serious implications, especially because suicide rates are higher in this group than in younger adults. Research has identified biological and social risk factors. However, studies addressing cultural and psychosocial factors associated with specific ethnic groups, such as Spanish Romani, are lacking. The objective of the present study was to establish the differential prevalence of depression among Romany and non‐Romany people older than 55 years of age. It also aimed to explore how cultural, sociodemographic, and psychosocial factors predispose individuals to depression. Methods: A total of 181 people were interviewed. The sample consisted of 95 self‐adscribed Romany individuals and 86 non‐Romany individuals over the age of 55; the latter group served as the control group. We performed bifactorial univariate anova, epidemiological analysis using Epi Info software, and analysis of correlations between Geriatric Depression Scale scores and the different factors analyzed. Results: Significant differences in Geriatric Depression Scale score related to ethnicity and sex were found. Probable depression or depression in Romany men was four times higher than in non‐Romany men. In Romany women, the risk was more than twice as high as in non‐Romany women. Among the factors analyzed, income level, activity at home, and perception of being valued by family members showed significant differences between the groups. Conclusions: In short, we can state that Romany people develop symptoms of depression to a greater extent than non‐Romany people, and although Romany women have a higher risk of depression, the differential effect of ethnicity is greater among Romany men. Income level, activity at home, and perception of being valued by family members are unambiguously related to ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The article describes a study carried out with a representative sample of homeless people in Madrid (Spain; N = 188). This study aims to corroborate the relationship identified in the literature between stressful life events and suicidal behaviour in a group in a situation of social exclusion, to assess the differences in the number and characteristics of stressful life events experienced by homeless people who are attempters and non‐attempters, and to identify which combination of stressful life events enables discrimination for suicide attempts among homeless people. The results show that 30% of homeless people in Madrid had attempted suicide, and 57.9% of them had done so for the first time when they were homeless. The interviewees are shown to have experienced a large amount of stressful life events, with substantially more stressors experienced by the homeless people who tried to commit suicide, during both their childhood and adolescence and throughout their life. Finally, we found that the combination of 7 stressful life events provided the best possible discrimination between homeless attempters and non‐attempters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: People affected by Crohn's disease must adapt their lives to their new chronic condition, and therefore, understanding such experience can be helpful in planning effective interventions for the affected ones. The aim of this study was to gain an insight into such experience and how they adapted in different areas of their lives, particularly in a family‐centred culture such as the Spanish one. Method: A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted through in‐depth interviews to 19 people diagnosed of Crohn's disease in the province of Alicante (Spain). Once the interviews were transcribed, data were analysed using Colaizzi's seven‐step method. Results: Five emergent themes were identified: self‐protection against the unknown cause; self‐training; learning to live with Crohn's disease; perceived losses associated to Crohn's disease; and relationship with others. The results portrayed a chronically ill patient who is unconscious about the chronicity and consequently must develop strategies to keep living a similar life like the one lived before. Conclusions: This study revealed that people affected by Crohn's disease struggle with the fact of being a chronic patient with uncertainty about the illness and need to learn living with a chronic condition that limits their daily lives. Furthermore, the lack of Crohn's disease a professional in charge of these people's Cares such as the specific nursing role existing in other countries support in the Spanish Health System determines the loneliness those diagnosed experience to cope with the new situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims To compare impulsivity, measured using self-report and cognitive tasks in people who ceased smoking without treatment (self-changers) with each of the following groups: (i) smoking non-treatment-seekers, (ii) people in smoking cessation treatment and currently abstinent and (iii) people in smoking cessation treatment but non-abstinent. Design Cross-sectional, observational study. Setting The smoking cessation unit of a public general hospital, Hospital de Santa Maria, in Lleida, Spain. All participants were from the hospital's catchment area. Participants One hundred and twenty participants, classified in four groups: (1) self-changers ( n = 30, 21 females, mean age = 41.50 years), (2) non-treatment-seekers ( n = 30, 17 females, mean age = 35.27 years), (3) people in smoking cessation treatment and currently abstinent ( n = 30, 17 females, mean age = 48.93 years) and (4) people in smoking cessation treatment but non-abstinent ( n = 30, 21 females, mean age = 33.70 years). Measurements The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, including measures of non-planning, attentional and motor impulsivity, and two behavioural tasks measuring cognitive inhibition (Stroop test) and choice impulsivity (delay-discounting task). Confounders included sex, age, education, employment, smoking severity, depression and trait and state anxiety. Findings Although not on the other three measures, we found significant group differences on trait non-planning impulsivity and Stroop performance. Self-changers, compared with non-treatment-seekers, had lower non-planning impulsivity ( P = 0.018, Cohen's d = 0.62) and better Stroop performance ( P = 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.66). Self-changers also had better Stroop performance than participants in treatment and currently abstinent ( P = 0.002, Cohen's d = 0.85). Conclusions People who have stopped smoking without treatment appear to have lower non-planning impulsivity and more effective cognitive inhibition compared with smoking non-treatment-seekers, and better cognitive inhibition than people who cease smoking with treatment aid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Problems with pragmatic aspects of language are well attested in individuals on the autism spectrum. It remains unclear, however, whether figurative language skills improve with language status and whether problems in figurative language are no longer present in highly verbal individuals with autism. Aims To investigate whether highly verbal individuals with autism perform similarly as age-, intelligence- and verbal comprehension-matched controls on the processing of one of the most common types of figurative language, metaphors. The goal was to establish whether the participants with autism are primed similarly to controls by figurative expressions (metaphors) presented in different conditions. Methods & Procedures The experiment was designed as a cross-modal lexical-decision task where metaphors served as primes for target words related to their figurative or literal meaning. Outcomes & Results Our findings show that both ASD and control participants made very few errors in the experimental task. However, the participants with ASD presented with problems in performance on the task, reflected in significantly slower reaction times compared with the typically developing peer groups. The similar response speed observed between the younger typical control children and the adult ASD participants suggests that the mechanisms underlying metaphor processing (e.g., selection of metaphorical versus literal interpretation) are still developing in high-functioning autism, very much like in typical children. Conclusions & Implications These results may suggest that metaphor processing requires more than adequate language competences. The findings are also suggestive of a delay in developing sensitivity to figurative language, rather than sheer inability. This suggests that a timely training programme can be implemented to improve figurative language abilities in ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Background Initiating dialysis can produce psychological benefits. These positive changes, most frequently referred to as posttraumatic growth (PTG), have not previously been explored in these patients. Objective To identify patterns in the temporal course of PTG in patients during their first 12 months of dialysis, and to relate to perceived stress. Design A prospective, longitudinal, observational study. Setting and Methods The sample included 98 patients, aged from 18 to 70 years, who commenced dialysis in the nine nephrology units of the Basque Country, Spain. Three assessments were carried out at 1, 6 and 12 months, using a PTG questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale. ANOVAs with post-hoc analysis were performed to identify significant differences between the groups. Results Four groups were established based on the observed changes in PTG over time: high, increasing, decreasing and low PTG. Maintaining high PTG and decreasing PTG levels was associated with moderate levels of perceived stress. Conclusion Four different patterns of PTG have been identified, contributing to our understanding of the dynamics of the process of growth and enabling us to identify patients who may be more vulnerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Gambling disorder is characterized by poor regulation of negative emotions and impulsive behaviours. This study aimed to (1) compare gambling disorder patients (GDPs) and healthy controls (HCs) in self-report and brain activation measures of emotion regulation; and (2) establish its relationship with negative emotion-driven impulsivity. Design Two cross-sectional case-control studies including GDPs and HCs. Setting and Participants GDPs and HCs were recruited from specialized gambling clinics in Andalusia (Spain), where they were following out-patient treatment, and from the community, respectively. Study 1 included 41 GDPs and 45 HCs [All males; Mage = 35.22, 33.22; standard deviation (SD) = 11.16, 8.18; respectively]. Study 2 included 17 GDPs and 21 HCs (16/20 males; Mage = 32.94, 31.00; SD = 7.77, 4.60; respectively). Measurements In study 1, we compared both groups on suppression and re-appraisal emotion regulation strategies [Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)]. In study 2, we compared GDPs with HCs on brain activation associated with down-regulation of negative emotions in a cognitive re-appraisal task, measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In both studies, we correlated the measures of emotion regulation with mood-related impulsivity indicated by negative urgency (UPPS-P impulsive behaviour scale). Findings GDPs relative to HCs showed higher levels of emotional suppression [ F = 4.525; P = 0.036; means difference MHCs-MGDPs = −2.433, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −4.706, −0.159] and higher activation of the premotor cortex and middle frontal gyrus during negative emotion regulation in the fMRI task [ P ≤ 0.005, cluster size (CS) > 50 voxels]. Negative urgency correlated positively with emotional suppression ( r = 0.399, 95% CI = 0.104, 0.629, one-tailed P = 0.005) and middle frontal gyrus activation during negative emotion regulation ( P ≤ 0.005, CS > 50) in GDPs. Conclusions Gambling disorder is associated with greater use of emotional suppression and stronger pre-motor cortex and middle frontal gyrus activation for regulating negative emotions, compared with healthy controls. Emotional suppression use and middle frontal gyrus activation during negative emotion regulation are linked with negative emotion-driven impulsivity in this disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The control of bacterial dental plaque through daily oral hygiene is essential to prevent oral diseases such as caries or periodontal disease, especially in at-risk populations, including the elderly with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. The aim of this study was to determine the association between different levels of cognitive impairment and dementia in an elderly population and their capacity to maintain adequate oral hygiene. A case-control study (elderly with versus without mild cognitive impairment or dementia) was performed in Granada, Spain. Outcome variables were tooth/prosthesis-brushing frequency/day, bacterial plaque index, and gingival bleeding index. Statistical models were adjusted by age, sex, educational level, and tobacco and alcohol habits. The study included 240 cases and 324 controls. The final model, adjusted by age, sex, educational level, and tobacco and alcohol consumption, showed a significant association between degree of cognitive impairment and daily oral hygiene, accumulation of bacterial plaque, and gingival bleeding. In summary, deficient daily oral hygiene, evidenced by greater bacterial dental plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation, is independently associated with cognitive impairment, even at its earliest stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Interpersonal emotion regulation ( ER) plays a significant role in how individuals meet others' emotional needs and shape social interactions, as it is key to initiating and maintaining high-quality social relationships. Given that individuals with borderline personality disorder ( BPD) or Asperger's syndrome ( AS) exhibit problems in social interactions, the aim of this study was to examine their use of different interpersonal ER strategies compared to normative control participants. Methods Thirty individuals with AS, 30 with BPD, and 60 age-, gender-, and education-matched control participants completed a battery of measures to assess interpersonal ER, which assessed to what extent participants tended to engage in interpersonal affect improvement and worsening and to what extent they used different strategies. Before completing those measures, all groups were screened for disorders of Axis I and Axis II with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM- IV Axis I and Axis II Disorders. Results Compared to controls, individuals with AS and with BPD engaged less in affect improvement. No differences were found for affect worsening. Individuals with AS reported to use less adaptive (attention deployment, cognitive change) and more maladaptive (expressive suppression) interpersonal ER strategies, compared to individuals with BPD and control participants who did not differ from each other. Conclusions The obtained results suggest the need to develop tailored ER interventions for each of the clinical groups studied. Furthermore, they highlight the need to study further potential differences in intrapersonal and interpersonal ER in clinical populations. Practitioner points Individuals with Asperger's syndrome ( AS) and borderline personality disorder ( BPD) engaged significantly less than healthy controls in interpersonal affect improvement., Individuals with BPD did not differ from healthy controls in the use of interpersonal strategies., Individuals with AS reported to use more maladaptive and less adaptive strategies than BPD individuals and healthy controls., Understanding differences in interpersonal emotion regulation in individuals with AS and with BPD and normative controls might help practitioners develop better interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social question & answer forums offer great learning opportunities, but students need to evaluate the credibility of answers to avoid being misled by untrustworthy sources. This critical evaluation may be beyond the capabilities of students from primary and secondary school. We conducted 2 studies to assess how students from primary, secondary, and undergraduate education perceive and use 2 relevant credibility cues in forums: author's identity and evidence used to support his answer. Students didn't use these cues when they evaluated forums with a single answer (Experiment 1), but they recommended more often answers from self-reported experts than from users with a pseudonym when multiple sources were discussed in the forum (Experiment 2). This pattern of results suggested that multiple viewpoints increase students' attention to source features in forum messages. Experiment 2 also revealed that primary school students preferred personal experience as evidence in the messages, whereas undergraduate students preferred the inclusion of documentary sources. Thus, while children mimic the adult preference for expert sources in web forums, they treat source information in a rather superficial manner. To conclude, we outline possible mechanisms to understand how credibility assessment evolves across educational levels, and discuss potential implications for the educational curriculum in information literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Given the limitations of treatments for dementia, the characterisation of the early stages of dementia is crucial for the development of preventive programmes and interventions. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and examine its medical and lifestyle correlates in a nationally representative sample of the Spanish population.Methods: A total of 3625 participants (≥50 years of age) were interviewed in a cross-sectional study. MCI was defined as the presence of cognitive concerns, the objective evidence of impairment in one or more cognitive domains, the preservation of independence in functional abilities and no dementia. Participants were also asked to provide sociodemographic, health status and lifestyle information. Logistic regression analyses were performed using the overall sample and by age groups.Results: The overall prevalence of MCI was 9.6%, with higher rates in older people and women. In the overall model, after adjustment for potential confounders, depression [odds ratio (OR) = 1.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.21, 2.66], diabetes (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.05, 1.95), sleep disturbances (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.09, 2.55) and low level of physical activity (OR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.26, 2.31) were associated with significantly higher odds for MCI. When stratified by age groups, depression (OR = 2.41; 95% CI = 1.35, 4.31), stroke (OR = 3.77; 95% CI = 1.44, 9.83) and obesity (OR = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.20, 3.53) were significantly associated with MCI in middle-aged participants (50-64 years), whereas low level of physical activity (OR = 1.85; 95% CI = 1.32, 2.59) and sleep disturbances (OR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.05, 3.05) were associated with MCI in individuals aged 65+ years.Conclusions: Significant associations between MCI and psychological, cardiovascular and lifestyle factors were found. Targeting modifiable risk factors might reduce the risk for MCI and subsequent dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Economic crises affect both the organizational side and the brand side of the franchise. Using self-organizing time maps, this study examines how franchise brand behavior influences decisions by potential franchisees in Spain. The findings confirm that franchising offers an alternative to the business turnaround strategy, which firms apply when faced with adverse changes in the environment such as those caused by the economic crisis in Spain. Results show that all franchise brands within the same sector behaved similarly, except for brands in the catering sector, which displayed varying responses to the economic changes. The authors discuss the implications of these results for future franchisees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is a lack of large epidemiological studies researching the major factors of the oral well-being in schoolchildren. Aims To quantify the impact of the different clinical conditions related to caries and periodontal and dento-facial anomalies on the quality of life captured by the Child- OIDP. Design A standardized epidemiological study was conducted on 2041 Spanish schoolchildren, aged 6-12 years, to assess caries and periodontal and dento-facial disease. Data on oral health-related quality of life were collected using the Child- OIDP. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the modulating factors in the perceived oral well-being. Results The prevalence of impact in this sample was 45.7%, mostly for eating (24.3%) but also for smiling (16.2%); however, 72.5% of the subjects had at least one type of normative needs, mainly for periodontal treatment (52.3%), followed by caries (32.3%) and orthodontic treatments (20.6%). The main predictors of the impact on quality of life were perceived dental treatment needs, caries, and periodontal diseases. Also, some demographic (age and gender) and behavioural factors (consumption of sweets) modulated the impact on several domains. Moreover, subjects who rated their general health as good or very good reported a significantly better oral well-being than their counterparts. Conclusions Pain and aesthetic-related domains (i.e., problems when eating or smiling) are the major components of the oral health-related quality of life perceived by Spanish schoolchildren. Perceived treatment needs as well as dental and periodontal status were the strongest predictors of oral well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature suggests that families may accommodate patients' symptoms in attempts to alleviate family conflict and stress. These accommodating and enabling behaviours may have a negative impact on carers and those they care for. There are no self-report questionnaires validated in Spanish to measure accommodation among relatives of patients with an eating disorder. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Accommodation and Enabling Scale for Eating Disorders (AESED-S) among relatives of eating disorder patients. A cross-sectional study of 90 relatives was carried out to explore the factor structure, reliability and validity of the AESED-S. The internal consistency of the Spanish version of the AESED subscales was good, ranging from .89 to .81. The correlation of the five subscales with conceptually related measures (negative caregiving experience and distress) supports the convergent validity of this instrument in this sample. Results indicated that the Spanish version of the AESED provides a reliable and valid tool for assessing family accommodation in the context of having a relative with an eating disorder. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study of 80 dual-earner couples, we examined the relationship between conflicts at work and at home on a daily basis. Using a strain-based approach as well as literature on spillover-crossover and displaced aggression, we hypothesized that daily level of family-work conflict ( FWC) would increase daily interpersonal conflicts with colleagues at work, which in turn would increase conflicts with the partner at home. Furthermore, we examined the moderating role of a personality trait (i.e., neuroticism) on the relationship between interpersonal conflicts at work and at home. Finally, we analysed the crossover of interpersonal conflicts at home between the members of the couple. Participants filled in a diary booklet during five consecutive working days ( N = 160 participants and N = 800 occasions). Results showed that FWC predicted interpersonal conflicts at work, which in turn predicted conflicts with the partner at home. Further, neuroticism accentuated the relationship between interpersonal conflicts at work and at home. There was also a crossover of interpersonal conflicts at home. Our findings suggest 'a negative spiral of daily conflicts' which may affect both employees and their partner. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. Practitioner points Family-work conflict ( FWC) increases interpersonal conflicts at work on a daily basis., The strain derived from conflicts with colleagues is transferred to the home domain (spillover) and affects also the employee's partner (crossover)., Organizations may help employees manage their workload and work commitments to reduce FWC, which is a trigger of interpersonal conflicts with colleagues in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The relationship between language and theory of mind (ToM) development in participants with specific language impairment (SLI) it is far from clear due to there were differences in study design and methodologies of previous studies. Aims This research consisted of an in-depth investigation of ToM delay in children with SLI during the typical period of acquisition, and it studied whether linguistic or information-processing variables were the best predictors of this process. It also took into account whether there were differences in ToM competence due to the degree of pragmatic impairment within the SLI group. Methods & Procedures Thirty-one children with SLI (3;5-7;5 years old) and two control groups (age matched and language matched) were assessed with False Belief (FB) tasks, a wide battery of language measures and additional information-processing measures. Outcomes & Results The members of the SLI group were less competent than their age-matched peers at solving FB tasks, but they performed similarly to the language-matched group. Regression analysis showed that overall linguistic skills of children with SLI were the best predictor of ToM performance, and especially grammar abilities. No differences between SLI subgroups were found according to their pragmatic level. Conclusions & Implications A delay in ToM development in children with SLI around the critical period of acquisition is confirmed more comprehensively, and it is shown to be more strongly related to their general linguistic level than to their age and other information-processing faculties. This finding stresses the importance of early educational and clinical programmes aimed at reducing deleterious effects in later development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large majority of studies on job insecurity have focused upon the individual level. Recent research has also paid some attention to job insecurity at the level of the organisation, referred to as job insecurity climate. This research has shown negative relationships between job insecurity climate and employees' individual job attitudes. Nevertheless, in these studies no attention has been paid to organisational climate strength, in spite of the recommendations formulated in the literature on this topic. In response, this study aims to account for climate strength in the relationship between job insecurity and job attitudes. We hypothesise that climate strength is related to job satisfaction, organisational commitment, work involvement, and organisational trust. Moreover, we hypothesise that the relationship between job insecurity climate and these outcomes may be stronger when there is a strong agreement among employees concerning their job insecurity perceptions compared to when there is a weak agreement (strong versus weak climate strength). Results based on a Spanish sample of 428 employees from 20 organisations largely supported our hypotheses except in the case of work involvement: climate strength was negatively related to job attitudes, and the relationship between job insecurity climate and individual job attitudes was moderated by climate strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relation between parents' stress and satisfaction during children's hospitalization, seeking possible differences between immigrant and autochthonous population and also as a function of gender in a sample of parents of hospitalized children in Andalusia, Spain. A total of 1347 parents participated in this study. Of the sample, 50% were immigrants and the other 50% were autochthonous. The assessment instruments were the Hospitalization Stress Scale and the Satisfaction with Hospitalization Scale. The results show that stress was associated with the manifestations of the child's illness, the alteration of family life or of parental roles during the process and some aspects of the clinical staff's work. General satisfaction in immigrant parents was higher than in the autochthonous population and the levels of satisfaction were higher in men than in women. Small changes and initiatives in relation to care could substantially improve the satisfaction of patients and their relatives during the process of hospitalization. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental behaviors have been analyzed from different theoretical models. The theory of planned behavior emphasizes the attitudinal aspects associated with behavior, while the value-belief-norm model regarding the environment focuses on the importance of moral components when setting environmental behaviors in motion. The objective of this study was to analyze both models, comparing both their degree of fit and their predictive power regarding recycling behavior. To do so, we used a sample made up of 154 Spanish housewives. The results indicated that despite the fact that the theory of planned behavior is a general model for predicting and explaining behavior, it has a greater degree of fit and greater capacity to predict recycling behavior than the value-belief-norm model regarding the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The problem of mobbing has attracted a great deal of attention over the past few years. This concern has increased the study of the phenomena, which has resulted in many scientific publications. Mobbing has been characterized as an emerging risk at work. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of some psychosocial factors at work - role clarity, interpersonal conflicts and social support - on mobbing and its consequences - that is, inclination towards absenteeism and psychosomatic disorders. Materials and methods The sample included 422 employees working with people with intellectual disabilities. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. Results The Hypothesized model showed an adequate fit to data, and all hypothesized relationships were significant. Conclusions The results of this study provide support for the mediator role of mobbing in the relationship between high role ambiguity, low social support and high interpersonal conflicts and psychosomatic disorders and inclination towards absenteeism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The purpose of this work was to study the relationship of metacognition, absorption, and depersonalization in hallucinating patients. Design. A within-subjects correlational design was employed. Methods. We formed four groups from a clinical population (schizophrenic patients with hallucinations, schizophrenic patients with no hallucinations but with delusions, schizophrenic patients recovered from positive symptoms, and patients with a non-psychotic psychiatric disorder) and a non-clinical control group. All participants were given the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ-30, ), the Tellegen Absorption Scale (TAS, ) and the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS, ). Results. Schizophrenic subjects with hallucinations scored significantly higher on the depersonalization scale than any other group, and significantly higher on the absorption scale than any group except for the clinical patient controls. Schizophrenic patients with hallucinations also had significantly more dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs than subjects with no psychiatric pathology. It was further found that the metacognition variable correlated positively with the absorption and depersonalization variables, and that these variables in turn correlated positively with each other. Finally, it should be stressed that the variables that best predict hallucination severity are depersonalization and the MCQ-30 subscale `Need to control thoughts'. Conclusions. We discuss the role of metacognitive and dissociative variables in understanding hallucinations and suggest some approaches to their treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess the relationship between childhood sexual and physical abuse, and key attitudinal and behavioural aspects of eating disorders (ED). Method Participants included 708 female undergraduates in a Spanish public university, aged from 18 to 30. Abuse was measured by the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire, and ED by the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Results 14.3% of the sample had suffered childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and 3.8% childhood physical abuse (CPA). With respect to ED attitudinal features, we observed an increased Weight Concern score among CSA survivors. No association was found between this kind of abuse and disordered eating behaviours, after adjusting for depression, anxiety, self-esteem, body mass index, age and socioeconomic status. An inverse relationship was found between CPA and ED attitudes measured by EDE-Q (Restraint, Weight Concern, Shape Concern and the Overall Score), whereas no association was found with the behavioural aspects of eating disturbances. Discussion After controlling for different risk factors, CSA appears to be related to an increased Weight Concern, whilst other ED attitudinal features and behaviours do not seem to be related to childhood abuse. The inverse relationship found is discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study tested the role of right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), terrorist threat, and sociopolitical 'climate' as predictors of support for governmental anti-terrorism policies and actions. Two dimensions of analysis were defined: the presence versus absence of al-Qaeda attacks, and adherence to surveillance versus anti-surveillance mainstream politics. In order to study the influence of these two contextual dimensions on the expression of attitudes, we selected four European countries that fall into these two dimensions - Poland, Belgium, Spain, and the UK. Results from our study provide support for the contention that attitudes towards restrictions of civil rights are related to RWA independently of the cultural context. Moreover, in the UK sample, we found that the threat of terrorism increases acceptance of limitations of civil liberties, but only among people who hold authoritarian beliefs. However, in Spain, the other country that experienced terrorist attacks, this moderation effect was not found which is interpreted in terms of differences in the sociopolitical climate in both countries. As predicted, we did not find such moderation effect in countries in which threat is relatively low (Poland and Belgium). The results are discussed with reference to the conceptual framework based on the importance of fear experiences, security-focused policies, as well as the specific cultural context in the study of reaction to terrorist threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep has been considered crucial for recovery, but little is known about the specific associations between the work-family interface and sleep quality. Based on COR theory, the goal of this study is to examine the moderating role of sleep quality on the relationship between work-home interaction (i.e. negative work-home interaction, negative home-work interaction, positive work-home interaction, and positive home-work interaction) and psychological strain. A total of 273 ambulance workers from Spain participated in the study. Multiple regression analyses revealed that sleep quality moderated the relationship between negative and positive home-work interaction and psychological strain. Findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following initial adversity, internationally adopted children arrive with significant growth and developmental delays. Post-placement recovery has been widely documented, but little has been known about its extent and timing several years after placement and in children with diverse pre-adoptive experiences. A total of 289 children adopted from six countries into Spanish families were studied. Growth and psychological development were considered on arrival and after an average of over 3 years. Growth and developmental initial delays affected a substantial percentage of the children. Post-adoption recovery seemed quicker and more complete in weight and height than in head circumference and psychological development. Initial and later values were correlated, but growth-development relation on arrival subsequently lost significance. Most of the catch-up happened in the first three post-adoption years. Adoption offers an impressive opportunity for recovery after previous adversity, although continuity between past and present persists. The improvement is more marked in some areas than in others and more substantial in the first post-adoption years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article assesses the decision to adopt organic farming practices. We use Duration Analysis (DA) to determine why farmers adopt organic farming practices and what influences the timing of adoption. We extend previous studies by including farmers’ objectives, risk preferences, and agricultural policies as covariates in the DA model. The Analytical Hierarchy Process is used as a multicriteria decision-making methodology to measure farmers’ objectives. The empirical analysis uses farm-level data from a sample of vineyard farms in the Spanish region of Catalonia. Farmers’ objectives are found to influence the conversion decision. Moreover, farmers who are not risk averse are more likely to adopt organic farming. Results point to the policy changes that have been most relevant in motivating adoption of organic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale was used to assess the cognitive responses to a cancer diagnosis. The aim of this study was to replicate the factorial structure of the Spanish version of the scale and ascertain the correlations between dimensions of the MAC and socio-demographic characteristics or medical variables. Material and Methods: The sample included 693 cancer outpatients. In order to validate the MAC questionnaire was applied a principal component analysis. The dimensions of the questionnaire were compared and correlated with socio-demographic characteristics (age and gender), medical variables (cancer site, time since diagnosis) and distress. Results: After the MAC factorial analysis, 28 items were included in five factors: Hopeless, Anxiety, Resignation/Fatalism, Illness Acceptance and Self-Safety Behaviour. In relation to the variables, the women cope with cancer with more Illness Acceptance and Resignation subscales than men. More mature ages were related with Hopeless, Resignation and Self-Safety Behaviour, also correlated negatively with Anxiety. The cancer site showed significant differences on the Hopeless and a tendency on Resignation subscale. Time since diagnosis did not correlate significantly with any subscales in the Spanish version of the MAC. Distress was reflected in the Anxiety and Hopeless subscales, and moreover it was related negatively with Self-Safety Behaviour. Conclusions: The MAC scale was a valid and acceptable tool for Spanish cancer patients, however, these findings provide a factorial structure different from the original MAC scale. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study analyses the role of tourist experience, especially tourist satisfaction, in subsequent migration from the UK to the municipality of Calviá, Mallorca, Spain. An overview and commentary is provided of theory relating to both tourist satisfaction and migration. Through a series of elite interviews, in-depth micro-studies and a questionnaire, which provides a small quantitative component, it is established that the motivation given by tourist satisfaction can be recognised as a key catalyst for migration. Classic migration motivations cannot be entirely discounted, and the migration decisions are multi-stage through time. But tourist satisfaction—and particularly the two satisfaction components of performance and emotion—is especially relevant in the micro-perspective of migration decision-making. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contextual conditions affect behavior in 2 ways: (a) They confront people with opportunities and obstacles that affect their motivation to take action; or (b) they instantaneously shape performance, regardless of a person's motivation and even without subjective acknowledgment of the conditions. Traditionally in psychology, the immediate behavioral consequences of a context are disregarded. Based on our theory of goal-directed behavior, we are able to disentangle the instant and the motivational behavioral consequences of contexts. In an example study, 40% of the variation in performance among 660 Swiss and Spanish pupils was explained by motivational differences. Instantaneous constraints and facilitations imposed on people's acts, in turn, revealed a set of Switzerland- and Spain-specific limitations and affordances (hit rate = 97.5%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interesting study from the UK explores the meaning men attach to their experiences of having LUTS and to understand the meaning of the word bother in this context. Their findings are very helpful to clinicians, and perhaps to people constructing clinical trials in the future. A second report assesses the bothersomeness and impact on quality of life of urinary incontinence in women in France, Germany, Spain and the UK. The author concluded from their study that when determining the most appropriate management strategy doctors should consider the experience of being incontinent as being unique to each individual. OBJECTIVE To explore the meaning that men attach to their experiences of having lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and to understand ‘bother’ in the context of those meanings. PATIENTS AND METHODS Sixteen men with symptoms suggestive of LUTS and/or an enlarged prostate were recruited from the outpatient urology clinic of a London teaching hospital. They were assessed before or shortly after their first appointment, during which demographic information, including age, occupation, marital status and ethnicity, was obtained and an individualized repertory grid was completed. Each man also completed the International Prostate Symptom Score, which included an item measuring overall bother, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. RESULTS Most participants held very negative views about what it meant to have prostate problems and viewed them as being associated with old age. Nevertheless, they also had reasonably high levels of self-esteem. However, there was evidence that these had been higher before they had prostate problems, and that self-esteem might decline over time. Bother was related to symptom scores and to anxiety. Also, a perception that other people, particularly their partner, saw them in a more negative light because of their symptoms was associated with higher levels of bother. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that men attempt to preserve a sense of a relatively youthful and intact ‘self’ in the face of advancing years and a progressive disease that was viewed as being associated with old age. Overall, these men had a reasonably secure self-image and they deployed a range of cognitive strategies to maintain this. Bother appears to be a combination of symptom severity, psychological distress, negative evaluations of the condition and beliefs about the reactions of others. Reducing anxiety and challenging negative stereotypes and expectations that others would view them negatively if their problems were known might reduce bother. Attending to these factors could enable watchful waiting to be optimized by reducing bother. Trials to evaluate interventions drawing on these principles would be valuable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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