Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Introducción. La investigación tiene dos objetivos: (1) establecer diferencias entre variables internas (autoconcepto y prosocialidad) y externas (frecuencia de actividad física) que rodean al adolescente en el contexto escolar, según condiciones sociales (sexo, tipo de práctica de actividad física y edad. (2) Proponer relaciones de causalidad y predictibilidad entre las diferentes dimensiones del autoconcepto y conducta prosocial hacia la práctica de actividad física en una muestra de adolescentes.Método. Se trata de un estudio de carácter descriptivo y de asociación lineal, cuya muestra está formada por 409 participantes de ESO y Bachillerato. Se ha utilizado un cuestionario sociodemográfico, el Cuestionario de Autoconcepto (AF-5), la Escala de prosocialidad en adolescentes y adultos, y la Escala de Dificultades de Socialización de Cantoblanco (SOC).Resultados. El principal ámbito donde se fomentan las relaciones sociales en la adolescencia es en el de los amigos (42.3%), seguido de la escuela (34%), señalando el deporte como el entorno menos propicio para fomentar sus relaciones sociales (42.1%). La práctica de actividad física, se relaciona positivamente con las dimensiones de autoconcepto, excepto con el emocional, contemplando una relevante influencia de la condición de estar federado, para tal relación negativa. Además, se confirma la relación entre autoconcepto y conducta prosocial para una respuesta adaptada psicosocialmente, de cara al aumento de la frecuencia de práctica de actividad física en la adolescencia.Discusión y Conclusiones. La práctica de actividad física provoca que los adolescentes tengan una mejor percepción de sus propias condiciones personales, aumentando así su confianza para establecer relaciones sociales con compañeros y docentes, en el desarrollo de actitudes de búsqueda de experiencias sociales positivas. Todo ello contribuyendo al aumento de la frecuencia de la práctica deportiva, mediada por el entendimiento y comprensión de su bienestar ante las conductas prosociales.

Introduction. This study focuses on the development and validation of the Mentoring Processes Assessment Questionnaire –MPAQ- designed to assess mentoring processes in peermentoring programs aimed at first-year university students.Method. Participants in the study were 354 first-year students from a broad set of degrees at the University of Valencia in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 access cohorts. The factorial structure of the MPAQ was analyzed using both Exploratory and Confirmatory Factorial Analyses. A multi-group analysis was performed on the MPAQ to examine the factorial invariance and test the equivalence/non-equivalence of its structure across the participants’ sex and age. The reliability of the factorial solution was also tested. Lastly, concurrent validity was assessed by examining the MPAQ relationships with (a) students’ satisfaction with the program and the processes of mentoring and, (b) different psychosocial variables related to the permanence in the studies evaluated through the College Persistence Questionnaire.Results. The one-dimensional structure of MPAQ was confirmed, as well as its factorial invariance across sex and age. The reliability obtained was also adequate. Regarding concurrent validity, significant and positive relationships with students’ satisfaction with the program and the processes of mentoring, academic and social integration, institutional commitment and satisfaction with support services were found.Discussion or Conclusion. Results highlight the MPAQ as a valid and reliable instrument for assessing peer-mentoring processes in programs for first-year university students and its potential usefulness in predicting retention after the first year of university, given its significant relationship with the psychosocial and emotional dimensions directly related to this phenomenon.

Introduction. Intimate partner violence is a form of violence that takes place at all ages and strata of society. At early ages, such as in adolescence, we may find certain behaviors and beliefs that justify violence and may represent the seeds of future violence. Beliefs held by this population sector as to what behaviors might be abusive are very important in detecting lines of action and/or prevention. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether Spanish adolescents consider abuse behaviors as such, and to what degree of severity. Both male and female perceptions were considered, and they evaluated abuse not only from male to female, but also female to male.Method. The study population were students of compulsory and post-compulsory secondary education between the ages of 14 and 22 years. The total sample included 874 participants (430 girls and 444 boys). The questionnaire was made up of 15 behaviors that participants were to identify as representing abuse or not: 14 of these had been included as indicators of gender-based violence in former studies on this topic.Results. The results showed that Spanish adolescents identified abuse behaviors as such (whether from male to female or female to male), with certain exceptions. Generally speaking, girls were more aware of abuse behaviors. Of the 14 behaviors described, there was unanimity between both sexes in considering 8 of these to be abusive behaviors, whether male to female or female to male. However, items that refer to emotional abuse tended to be scored as less serious than those referring to physical abuse. Finally, significant age differences were obtained, where persons in the older age group had a higher perception of behaviors being abusive.Discussion and conclusions. The core results of the study were that both boys and girls recognize abuse behaviors as such, but that girls tend to consider them as more serious. A tendency can be observed that certain behaviors are scored with a higher rating when it is the girl who is rating them. Regarding the fact that recognition of violence is more manifest in the older group, different nonexclusive hypotheses can be formulated.

Introduction. One of the many notions that have been introduced in education in the last 50 years is that of learning styles. This idea is very popular and enjoys good acceptance. However, from a scientific perspective this notion is very controversial. In this sense, Coffield, Moseley, Hall, and Ecclestone, made the first systematic review on the subject, and showed that the psychometric instruments of learning styles do not have adequate levels of reliability and validity. However, the results of their review have not been updated since 2004. This contribution presents a systematic review of these aspects for the 2005-2010 period, with the aim of updating the information on the subject.Method. Fifty-eight documents were examined, which contained enough information about the reliability and validity of the following inventories: Kolb’s LSI, Felder’s ILS, Sternberg’s TSI, the VAK-VAKT-VARK sensory inventories, the inventories based on the model proposed by Entwistle (ASSIST, LASSI and RASI), Biggs’ SPQ, Honey and Mumford’s LSQ and Gregorc’s Style Delineator (GSD).Results. The analysis of the psychometric properties indicates that: (1) more than half of the inventories surveyed lack internal consistency and predictive validity, (2) around 31% have no test-retest reliability, (3) there is is no evidence on a at least one reliability and validity criteria for close to 31 % of them (4) Jackson’s Learning Styles Profiler (LSP) remains an inventory without evidence on all reliability and validity criteria measures.Discussion and Conclusion. Despite the popularity and acceptance of learning styles, the initial recommendation made 14 years ago by Coffield, Moseley, Hall, and Ecclestone, of not basing pedagogical interventions solely on any of the learning styles instruments is still valid.

Introduction. Interest in understanding the decline in positive attitudes to science and technology (S&T) among children and young people has led to numerous studies in recent years. Some research has focused on how personal characteristics of children and young people and other demographic and sociocultural factors influence the development of these attitudes, while other studies have centred on activities in which they participate that provide learning opportunities. In both cases, further research is required to determine how children and adolescents perceive S&T, and how this perception is associated with their expectations of working in science in the future. In this context, the aim of this study was to examine whether student’s preference for taking part in S&T-related activities in- and out-of-school was related to their attitudes towards science and scientists and their future professional aspirations.Method. We administered a survey to 1,336 students aged 10, 13 and 16 years. The frequencies and corresponding percentages were calculated with respect to the total for the sample, and according to the factors (regional location, socioeconomic status, age and gender) that were considered. The Pearson’s chi-squared test was used to seek significant differences among the two populations of each factor.Results. The results showed that the greater the students’ preference for participating in S&Trelated activities, the more value they attributed to science work to improve people’s quality of life. Future professional expectations were associated to a greater extent with a preference for taking S&T-related subjects at school than with participation in S&T-related activities outside school.Discussion and Conclusion. We discuss the need to analyse in depth the characteristics of these activities and what children and young people learn from participating in them, in order to define strategies that increase motivation and interest in learning about S&T and improving its teaching.

Introduction. One of the lines of research that has aroused great interest in recent years has been to determine the role played by certain cognitive abilities in academic performance. This article describes the relationship between executive functions (interference, flexibility and planning) and empathy and their influence on the academic performance of a group of students enrolled in an institute of Basic Vocational Training (BVT).Method. The sample was composed of 80 students between the ages of 15 and 19 years. The instruments used were: STROOP (interference), Trail Making Test (TMT) (flexibility), Tower of Hanoi (planning) and TCAE (Test of Cognitive and Affective Empathy). The academic performance variable was assessed using qualifications obtained in the Social/Language and Science/Technology areas (grades from the different subjects). Pearson correlations and multiple regressions were applied.Results. The results show no significant relation between executive functions and empathy. The level of executive functions explained 15% of the variability in academic performance, while empathy had no significant influence.Discussion and conclusions. This study demonstrates the importance of examining development of executive functions in adolescent BVT students, and determining their influence on academic performance.

Introduction. This paper presents an assessment of the impact of a social and emotional competencies development program, based on the SEA theoretical model (attention to and understanding emotions, emotional regulation and repair, and adaptive social expression of emotions), in adolescents and preadolescents.Method. Students’ homeroom teachers implemented the program in a public secondary school over one school year. The participants of this study were 156 young people from ages 11 to 14 years old, all of them students in the first year of the Spanish secondary education system. A quasi-experimental design, with pre/post-test measurements and a control group, was used to evaluate program effectiveness. The tests used for this assessment measured variables of participants’ social-emotional competencies, empathy and social adjustment. In addition, a follow-up assessment was carried out 3 months after the end of program implementation.Results. The study demonstrates a significant improvement in the social-emotional competencies of program participants, especially in the competencies most related to adaptive social expression of emotions. There were also significant improvements in empathy and social adjustment.Discussion and conclusions. The possibility of enhancing social-emotional competencies through the application of a direct classroom intervention program during one school year was confirmed, and the SEA program becomes a candidate to achieve this goal.

Introduction. Differences in learning mathematics between boys and girls are being controversial according to different studies. However, those divergences are not always supported by empirical studies. One of the specific sources of difficulties on this topic is the fluency calculation learning, where performance differences between boys and girls need be clarified by new research, in order to gain more differentiated insights in possibly emerging gender differ, because the social and gender consequences. The current study analysed the gender differences in fluency calculation.Method. Participants were students of second cycle of primary education (n = 138), aged from 101-133 months old (8 year and 4 months to 11 year). Participants were 50 girls and 88 boys.Results. Statistical analyses did not showed differences between boys and girls in the 3rd grade of primary education. However, in the 4th grade the differences did reveal significant differences in the fluency calculation task. These results were supported by effect size and mutivariant analysis calculation.Discussion and Conclusion. Data suggests a gender gap around aged 9 between boys and girls, that would benefit boys in fluency calculation scores. Results, limitations and future potential research of the topic are discussed.

El creciente conocimiento sobre la prevención de la infección por el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH-sida) no ha cambiado sustancialmente las actitudes frente al VIH-sida. Se diseñó el cuestionario VIH/SIDA-65 para cuantificar conocimiento y actitudes frente a la infección. Recientemente no se ha revisado el desempeño psicométrico de este instrumento. El objetivo del estudio fue analizar el desempeño de las dimensiones que cuantifican actitudes frente a VIH-sida. Se diseñó un estudio de validación en el que participaron 190 estudiantes de psicología de dos escuelas colombianas. Las edades se observaron entre 18 y 30 años, media=21,7 (DE=3,1); 72,1% mujeres y 27,9% hombres. Los estudiantes completaron los 25 ítems de las dimensiones de actitudes del VIH-SIDA-65 (actitudes positivas, actitudes negativas, actitud frente al preservativo, susceptibilidad y auto eficacia). El desempeño psicométrico se evaluó mediante análisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) y confirmatorio (AFC), análisis paralelo (ANP), y consistencia interna. El AFE, AFC y ANP mostró una deficiente dimensionalidad. La consistencia interna fueron muy bajas (Cronbach y McDonald<0,70) para actitudes negativas, actitud frente al preservativo y susceptibilidad y excesivamente alta (Cronbach y McDonald>0,95) para actitudes positivas y autoeficacia. Se concluye que en estudiantes de psicología las dimensiones de actitudes del VIH-SIDA-65 se desempeñan inadecuadamente. 

In analyzing the study of durability in dental restorations, chlorhexidine appears as a broad spectrum antibacterial agent capable of inhibiting the proteolytic activity of some enzymes that can degrade the collagen fibers of the hybrid layer and increase the adhesion capacity In a restoration. This article analyzes the general aspects of chlorhexidine solutions at two different concentrations, observing the benefits or disadvantages they present on the dentin barrel and the possibility that a restoration has better fixation on the dentin. To obtain the material, a search was made based on the literature, using as source the PubMed and Scielo databases. The search descriptors were used: "chlorhexidine", "dentine", "solutions", and related to the terms "cavity preparations", "recurrence decay". The results of the present review show that chlorhexidine substances in the dental field are of great utility and importance because they provide multiple results when applied in restoration processes and tissues adjacent to it. When applying 2% chlorhexidine, it presents Better than 0.2%.