International Journal of Psychological Research最新文献

Introduction: Vitamin D is a neurosteroid that modulates multiple brain functions and may be involved in the clinical presentation of psychotic disorders. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with schizophrenia and cognitive decline, particularly in executive functions.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between vitamin D levels and performance in executive functions, processing speed, accuracy, and concentration in patients with schizophrenia and other organic mental disorders.

Method: Retrospective, cross-sectional study with convenience sampling. The sample consisted of 113 adults (66 with schizophrenia and 47 with other organic mental conditions) admitted to the Institute of Neurosciences of Guayaquil, aged between 22 and 85 years.

Results: The findings indicate a significant correlation between vitamin D levels and executive function performance. Higher levels of vitamin D were associated with less decline in executive functions in patients with schizophrenia and organ damage. Processing speed was higher in patients with optimal vitamin D levels compared to those with deficiency. In patients with organ damage, low vitamin D levels were associated with lower accuracy and concentration.

Conclusions: This study suggests that adequate vitamin D levels may help preserve executive functions in people with schizophrenia and other organic mental disorders. Vitamin D supplementation is recommended in treatments to improve clinical outcomes and quality of life for these patients. Early detection and intervention are crucial to prevent further cognitive decline.

The influence of behavioral disinhibition may vary according to the way this parameter is assessed and in relation to different patterns of smoke. This study evaluated the effect of gender, levels of addiction, nicotine deprivation and smoking patterns on behavioral disinhibition in smokers and nonsmokers. A sample of 180 participants from 18 to 30 years old was recruited to complete the Parametric Go/No-Go (PGNG) and Stop Signal Task (SST). The results identified that smokers have more difficulty inhibiting a prepotent response than nonsmokers in SST, but not with PGNG. Female nonsmokers presented shorter SSRT than male nonsmokers and smokers. Moderate to high nicotine dependence influenced the poor precision on no-go trials of PGNG. Smoking treatment should not be directly influenced by gender, but understanding the effects of smoking history and nicotine deprivation is a key aspect in facilitating smoking cessation and prevention.

The main objective is to analyze the directionality and frequency of different offline and online psychological violence in young heterosexual couples, and to examine the degree of agreement of the partners in their perception and motives of their use of violence. 230 young couples completed the study. The average age was 19.27 for women (SD = 1.73; range 15-24) and 20.51 for men (SD = 2.83; range 16-28). The results showed a high prevalence of violence with the exception of direct online aggression. Frequency was low, and agreement was generally acceptable. There were significant differences between the violence reported by each member. Both partners reported a low self-perception of victims or aggressors, and a low perception of their abusive online behaviors as a form of violence. The main justifications were the same for members. These results could help explain the relationship between adherence to romantic love myths and psychological violence.

Fasting might affect attentional processes; however, its effects on quantitative electroencephalographic activity (qEEG) remain unclear. We used an n-back task to assess the effects of an 18-hour fasting period on behavior and qEEG absolute power. 26 participants performed the experimental task with two cognitive load levels during fasting and regular breakfast in different sessions. Artifact-free EEG epochs were selected for further analysis between conditions. The higher cognitive load affected accuracy, which decreased, while frontal and parietal theta power increased. We also found greater absolute theta power magnitudes for the left-frontocentral locations and a significant interaction between cognitive load and recording site, reflecting the greater increase in left-central parietal locations. Alpha increased in left-frontocentral locations. Although fasting did not consider- ably vary EEG power, there was a relevant fasting-related increase in theta power over frontal areas, probably reflecting transient changes in cognitive control mechanisms.

Objective: To report the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) in two samples of university professors from Bogotá and other regions of Colombia.

Method: In this cross sectional study, 1332 responses were collected via an online questionnaire distributed by e mail and social media between September and December 2022. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, reliability estimates, and confirmatory factor analysis.

Results: In both samples, the Spanish OLBI exhibited good fit indices and Cronbach's alpha coefficients above .80. Adequate internal consistency was achieved after removing Items 5 and 13, which correspond to the Exhaustion and Disengagement factors, respectively.

Conclusion: The Spanish version of the OLBI is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing burnout in university professors within the Colombian context.

Introduction: The main objective of this study was to analyze the role of the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, andopenness to experience) in the capacity to love. The capacity to love involves the ability to engage in, invest in, and sustain a committed romantic relationship, arising from complex developmental processes beginning in childhood and evolving throughout life. Although it may appear as a dispositional attribute, limited evidence exists regarding its association with personality traits.

Method: A total of 839 participants aged 18 to 74 were included. Data were gathered using a Sociodemographic Questionnaire, the Big Five Inventory (BFI), and the Capacity to Love Inventory (CTL-I). These instruments were adapted for digital formats and disseminated online.

Results: A positive association was found between the personality traits and the CTL dimensions. Four traits -agreeableness, openness to experience, extraversion, and emotional stability- showed a modest contribution to predicting the CTL, with agreeableness emerging as the strongest predictor and most correlated trait. Statistically significant differences also appeared in all the sociodemographic variables examined.

Conclusions: These findings indicate a relationship between personality and the capacity to love, thereby enhancing our understanding of personal functioning systems and certain individual difficulties. The results underscore practical implications for tailoring personalized interventions in relationship counseling, emotional regulation, and the development of social skills and empathy, ultimately promoting individual mental health and healthier relationships.

The behavioral strategies for emotional regulation in adolescents are associated with mental health issues such as depression, making it important to have tools that allow for their assessment. This study uses an instrumental design and aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Behavioral Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (BERQ) in Peruvian adolescents. The sample was selected using a non-probabilistic convenience sampling method and consisted of 392 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years (M = 15.75; SD = .85), with 52.5% being male. Through exploratory structural equation modeling, it was found that the original five-factor structure was replicated (CFI = .988; RMSEA = .045, 90% CI .031, .058; WRMR = .429), and each factor achieved acceptable reliability values through Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients. Additionally, it was found that only withdrawal (β = -.49), active coping (β = -.21), and ignoring the problem (β = .24) are statistically significant predictors of depression. It is concluded that the instrument can be used in research and as support for professionals in the evaluation of the construct.

Introduction: . During adolescence, conduct disorders emerge, associated with frontal alterations and executive function (EF) deficits, influencing delinquent trajectories. The study aimed to compare EF in delinquent (N = 125) and non-delinquent (N = 153) adolescents.

Method: We administered the WCST, TMT-2, PM, Go/NoGo, ToL, and Wechsler backward digit span tests, and conducted both parametric and non-parametric MANOVA/MANCOVA.

Results: Delinquents exhibited more non-perseverative (WCST), type 2 (ToL), and total (PM) errors, as well as more NoGo errors and lifting movements (TMT-2). Non-delinquents showed more stops/pauses (TMT-2), longer GO reaction times, and higher memory scores (ID-W). Differences were significant (p < .001) with small-to-moderate effect sizes. These differences persisted after controlling for IQ, and age did not influence the results.

Conclusions: Delinquents demonstrated poorer inhibitory control, reduced interference control, and lower working memory, potentially linked to early delinquent trajectories. These findings support interventions focused on improving EF in vulnerable populations.

Today, alcohol drinking frequently accompanies socialising as a routine activity in various groups of society. 84.0% of individuals aged 18 and above in the United States have drunk alcohol at some point in their life (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & US, 2023). Similarly, 81.7% of Norwegians in the age group 16 to 79 have drunk alcohol in 2021 (Bye, 2018). Driving after the consumption of alcohol is a worldwide problem, causing a large number of deaths and injuries a year. This work proposes the first steps towards developing an electroencephalography (EEG)-based alcohol detector conceived with the idea to prevent people from driving under the influence of alcohol. This includes the design of an experimental protocol for EEG data collection, during which participants performed the Flanker task, and their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was measured. The resulting data set consists of two sessions per participant, both while they are affected and not-affected by alcohol. Statistical analysis of the Flanker task indicated that participants were affected by alcohol and, therefore, their EEG signals were expected to be affected as well. The collected EEG signals were used as input for intra-subject and inter-subject models, both based on the EEGNet architecture. The intra-subject model obtained a mean classification accuracy of 90.7% and the inter-subject model a mean classification accuracy of 62.9%. The result suggest that alcohol can be detected with high accuracy when developing individual models and above the change accuracy when using a general model. Therefore, the work presented here could be used as the first steps towards the development of an EEG-based alcohol detector for drivers.