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

The present study aimed to review the literature on compulsive buying (CB) in the field of social psychology (SP), using a scoping review methodology. In total, 3426 articles were identified, of which 24 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The results demonstrated that: (1) the most studied population is young university adults; (2) there is no consensus regarding the gender most likely to buy compulsively; (3) the most used scales to assess CC are the Compulsive Buying Scale and the Richmond Compulsive Buying Scale; (4) divergences were identified in the naming of the scales; (5) research to explain CC was divided into constructs from different areas (e.g., money management, influence of advertising, self-esteem, depression, anxiety) and constructs from social psychology; (6) within the SP framework, the most used variable is materialistic values; (7) most research adopted a quantitative and cross-sectional approach. We concluded that the results presented can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of current studies on CB in the field of SP. The findings are expected to assist and encourage the development of new research in the area.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) must be systematized and intensive, with guidance for parents. This study aimed to describe and evaluate the effects of a parenting program, based on ABA, on the verbal development of children with ASD. Using an experimental design, the sample included 12 mothers, five fathers, and their children with ASD, aged one to four years, divided into an experimental group (EG) and control group (CG). The children’s verbal repertoire was assessed using the VB-MAPP before and after the parents participated in the 12-week program. The results showed that, after the intervention with parents, the EG exhibited a significantly greater increase in verbal behaviors (31 %) compared to the CG (6 %) in intragroup comparisons. No differences were observed between the groups in the post-test. The interventions with parents positively influenced the verbal repertoire of children with ASD, indicating the need for studies with larger samples.

 This research investigates the relationship between personality factors and metacognition in a sample of undergraduate students from Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, and Uruguay. Recognizing the interdisciplinary nature of cognitive science, the study emphasizes the importance of metacognitive abilities—considered executive functions—on academic performance. The sample consisted of 692 students, aged 20 to 30, from various undergraduate programs. Participants completed the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and the Adjective Checklist for Evaluating Personality (AEP). The analysis used multiple regression to examine the relationship between the five major personality factors and eight metacognitive variables across the five countries. Results indicated significant associations between personality traits and metacognitive components, with conscientiousness and openness to new experiences consistently predicting metacognitive regulation and knowledge. These findings align with previous studies suggesting that personality traits influence metacognitive abilities. The study contributes to the understanding of how individual differences in personality can affect learning processes, highlighting the potential for targeted interventions to enhance metacognitive skills.

Character strengths are positive traits that are manifested in behaviors, thoughts and actions that can serve as a protective factor. Understanding the latent structure of the character strengths and its relation to other positive inner sources like optimism and subjective wellbeing have important theoretical and practical implications. We aimed to test the latent profiles of the character strengths and its interaction with optimism and subjective wellbeing. A cross-sectional study using convenience sampling was conducted with 433 Brazilian participants ranging from 18 to 79 years old. Latent profile analyses were used to test models ranging from 2 to 5 classes. Latent profile analyses favored a 4-class solution, with those having higher scores on strengths also exhibiting elevated levels of subjective well-being and optimism. It was found that the strength of spirituality generated higher levels of optimism, which did not interfere with other variables such as life satisfaction and affect. Our findings are partially in consonance with studies that were held in other countries. However, when comparing the results of our study to other studies it is important to remind that the instruments that measure character strengths used in the research were not the same.

Parental mediation is essential for guiding the appropriate use of devices, aiming to minimize potential negative impacts such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. This systematic review investigated the influence of different parental mediation styles on the use of digital media by children and adolescents. A new method for searching and classifying articles was used, employing the ASReview software, which utilizes a machine learning model to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of article selection. The review followed all procedures required by PROSPERO. Initially, 28,964 articles were identified, and based on ASReview, 359 articles were read, of which 27 were included in the study. The quality of the manuscripts was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies. The main findings indicated that parental mediation is a significant protective factor against excessive internet use, gaming dependence, and cyberbullying. Active and restrictive mediation strategies proved effective in moderating the relationship between digital media use and mental health outcomes, highlighting the critical role of parents in guiding their children's digital consumption.

Motivational self-regulation allows students to sustain and/or improve their motivation to achieve their goals. This self-regulation variant is related to variables such as academic performance, classroom climate, and academic procrastination, among others. The Motivational Self-Regulation Strategies Questionnaire (MRSQ) operationalized the construct. The questionnaire was adapted in Córdoba (Argentina), dividing the dimensions of goal regulation according to the strategies employed ¬— whether by approximation or avoidance. The present research proposes to analyze new evidence of the validity and reliability of the MRSQ. A total of 412 university students from Buenos Aires (Argentina) participated in the study. The analysis of the internal structure of the instrument using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) verified a better fit for the 8-factor model. Further, a measurement invariance analysis between samples of students from Buenos Aires and Córdoba verified the metric equivalence of the MRSQ. The internal consistency of the dimensions was adequate (> .70). Next, the concurrent validity test yielded positive and significant correlations with learning approaches and negative correlations with academic procrastination. Statistical norms were also computed. This work provides new evidence on the psychometric properties of the MRSQ and norms that enable its use and interpretation within applied settings.

Work for women with young children can be very difficult. Therefore, the support policies offered by the organization can represent a form of support for these women so that they can balance family and work. Thus, the objective was to test the relationships between two organizational support policies (work-family support policy and family support supervisor behavior) with turnover intention, and the mediation of work engagement in these relationships. A sample of 442 Brazilian workers with children up to four years old participated in the study. Structural Equation Modeling showed a negative relationship between organizational support policies and turnover intention. Additionally, work engagement fully mediated the relationships between work-family support policies and both contemplation of leaving the current job and job search behavior, as well as between family-supportive supervisor behavior and job search behavior. A partial mediation was also found in the association between family-supportive supervisor behavior and contemplation of leaving. It was concluded that workers with young children who have organizational support feel more engaged in their work and tend not to think about leaving it, which can bring advantages to companies that adopt such policies.

In scientific literature, the meaning of life is a psychological construct associated with variables of mental health and well-being in women throughout their life cycle. The Purpose in Life Test (PIL) is one of the most widely used globally. The aims of this study are: a) to examine the factorial structure and reliability of the PIL scale, and b) to characterize the meaning of life among women residing in Montevideo, taking into account differences according to Erikson's (1985) psychosocial normative crises. This study employed a psychometric and descriptive design with a sample of 950 women aged 18 to 82 years (M = 45.99; SD = 13.34). For the first objective, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified two factors that explain 50 % of the variance with a reliability exceeding .80. For the second objective, we employed descriptive and inferential statistics, revealing that women's sense of life is at a medium level and significantly increases across different life stages. This scale is both valid and reliable for assessing women in the Uruguayan context.

Teacher feedback is an important tool for the learning process; however, the perception that students have about this phenomenon is not addressed in the educational context, especially in higher education. Thus, the aim of this study is to design and validate a psychometric scale that measures university students' perception of teacher feedback. The study sample consisted of 418 university students between 18 and 30 years of age. Content validity analysis was carried out by expert judges, as well as internal validity analysis using exploratory factor analysis. Internal consistency analyses are also reported. The results show excellent fit indices. Reliability coefficients were greater than .87 in all dimensions. The results obtained allow arguing the use of the instrument to measure teacher feedback perceived by students in higher education.

A possible relationship between theatrical improvisation practice and empathy has been suggested from some qualitative studies. The aim of this study was to analyze the statistical contribution of theatrical improvisation practice time and cognitive rigidity on empathy using the Affect-Cognition model within a statistical framework. The participants were 204 young and adult residents of Lima, of which 51 % practiced theatrical improvisation and 49 % were women. Non-probabilistic sampling and path analysis were used. The results indicate that the variables investigated can be integrated in a statistical model with a good fit, where the practice of improvisation contributes directly to Fantasy and indirectly to Perspective Taking, mediated by Rigidity. The results provide evidence in favor of the application of the Affect-Cognition model in the Latin American context and are compared with qualitative studies of improvisation and empathy. Practical implications on the role of theatrical improvisation and theoretical implications on the prediction of empathy are analyzed.