Validation of the Spanish Version of Fear of COVID-19 Scale: its Association with Acute Stress and Coping its Association with Acute Stress and Coping.

The COVID-19 is a "unique" stressor, which can produce physical and psychological trauma. Coping styles can buffer this psychological impact. Consequently, this paper aims to psychometrically adapt the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) to Spanish and examines the relationships between FCV-19S, stress response, and coping strategies. The sample comprised a convenience sample of 1146 participants (12-83 years), 880 from Spain (76.8%), and 266 from Dominican Republic (23.2%). Overall, the findings support a one-factor structure for FCV-19S, consisting of 7-items, and was invariant across age, sex, occupational status, and cross-national. Therefore, indicating evidences of construct validity. Evidences of reliability were also observed (Cronbach's α = .86, McDonald's ω = .86, Guttmann's λ6 = .86, greatest lower bound = .91, composite reliability = .85, and average variance extracted = .44). Moreover, as regards criterion-related validity, the mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between FCV-19S and acute stress was positive and high, with maladaptive coping styles mediating the relationship, and with a stronger mediation for men. The findings give evidences of the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of FCV-19S among Spanish-speaker participants, which provides the chance of cross-cultural studies.

Impact of the Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning Process on Digital Competence and Mood in Teacher Training

COVID-19 has impacted the teaching and learning processes, underlying academic and emotional difficulties. The objective of the study is to analyze whether during emergency remote teaching and learning there have been significant changes in the mood and the digital competence of 89 teachers and 488 students of the Degrees of Early Childhood and Primary Education, and the Master's Degree in teacher training at Rey Juan Carlos University (Madrid), analyzed from their self-perception. Using a quantitative methodology and an ad hoc questionnaire, its internal and content validity has been measured by experts, analyzing aspects such as mood and stress before and during confinement, registering a significant increase in the average values. In both profiles, the sources of stress, anxiety, and workload have increased significantly, at the same time that some cognitive abilities have diminished. The attitude and motivation towards the online moda-lity have decreased in both cases, especially in students, although the digital competence of both has increased. The study's main conclusion is the importance of knowing the impact of academic and non-academic factors in the online teaching and learning process. Therefore, the study can be valuable to face the possible changes towards online modality in these times of uncertainty, considering the factors analyzed. In addition, it is necessary to offer the educational community pedagogical-digital training together with training in emotion management and positive coping strategies for responding to these changes.

Correction to: Validation of the Spanish Version of Fear of COVID-19 Scale: its Association with Acute Stress and Coping.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s11469-021-00615-x.].

Validation of the Spanish Version of Fear of COVID-19 Scale: its Association with Acute Stress and Coping its Association with Acute Stress and Coping

The COVID-19 is a “unique” stressor, which can produce physical and psychological trauma. Coping styles can buffer this psychological impact. Consequently, this paper aims to psychometrically adapt the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) to Spanish and examines the relationships between FCV-19S, stress response, and coping strategies. The sample comprised a convenience sample of 1146 participants (12–83 years), 880 from Spain (76.8%), and 266 from Dominican Republic (23.2%). Overall, the findings support a one-factor structure for FCV-19S, consisting of 7-items, and was invariant across age, sex, occupational status, and cross-national. Therefore, indicating evidences of construct validity. Evidences of reliability were also observed (Cronbach’s α = .86, McDonald’s ω = .86, Guttmann’s λ6 = .86, greatest lower bound = .91, composite reliability = .85, and average variance extracted = .44). Moreover, as regards criterion-related validity, the mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between FCV-19S and acute stress was positive and high, with maladaptive coping styles mediating the relationship, and with a stronger mediation for men. The findings give evidences of the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of FCV-19S among Spanish-speaker participants, which provides the chance of cross-cultural studies.

Teacher education in the face of new virtual teaching and learning opportunities from a technological, pedagogical and human perspective

COVID-19 has had an impact on the education of aspiring teachers, generating new ways of teaching and learning in which technologies have become our main resources. This article, based on empirical evidence, analyzes the importance of maintaining the pedagogical and human essence in an emergency remote teaching environment. Its main objective is to analyze the use, during the lockdown, of a series of digital resources and tools (Video classes, Blog, Digital Portfolio, virtual vole playing and online games) that, planned in a pedagogical way, foster motivation, collaboration and positive attitudes towards virtual learning. Through a mixed methodology and a pre-experimental design, data from 61 students for the Master's Degree in Teaching at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Madrid) was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively, using a questionnaire designed ad hoc and validated by experts, as well as testimonies, teaching evaluations and final grades. For this purpose, a frequency distribution analysis, a descriptive analysis and a comparison of the evolution of some variables, both before and after lockdown, were carried out. The main conclusion drawn was a resounding confirmation that it is possible to acquire knowledge, develop skills, in general;digital skills, in particular, and positive attitudes towards a virtual environment without sacrificing motivation and collaboration. The use of these tools and resources is transferable to other subjects and degree programs, with a minimum of technical and didactic knowledge and digital teaching competence. In addition, the results obtained may be useful for the designing of didactic strategies that connect the pedagogical, technological and human dimensions in the educations of tomorrow's teachers.

COVID-19 and use of social media in medical education

Introduction: Social media (SM), as technological platforms, allow people and institutions to interact, share content and form communities. Objective: To recognize how teachers of the Faculty of Medicine of the UPB perceive the use of SM under the circumstances imposed by the COVID 19 pandemic. Methods: A qualitative research with an ethnomethodology approach was used;A questionnaire with open questions was applied to 24 teaching participants with more than 3 years of work at the faculty and who, prior to the social isolation imposed by COVID19, made use of SM. The analysis was done by comparing the data. Results: The pandemic favored the generalization of the use of specialized SM in academic communities, the continuity of teaching activities, time savings on travel, increased counseling for students and immediate and permanent access to educational content. In turn, this contingency showed the loss of non-verbal communication and, with regard to medical education, the impossibility of replacing the clinical practice and the interaction between Medical teacher – student-patient. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it the appropriation by teachers of specialized SM and with this give continuity to the teaching activities;The support of these networks to the educational process was evidenced without considering them as substitutes for face-to-face presence. © 2021 Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Adolescence and emerging adulthood facing COVID-19 in Spain and the Dominican Republic

COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact worldwide. The aim of this study is to analyze the psychological impact during confinement on adolescents and emerging adults. The convenience sample is composed by (n = 399) residents of Spain and the Dominican Republic (DR). The age range is 12 to 29 years old (M = 22.57;SD = 3.67). The assessment was conducted online, with the following instruments: an ad hoc survey to measure socio-demographic variables, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, The Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experience and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The results show differences by age, sex and residence. Adults reported more fear of COVID-19 (p < .05) and acute stress than adolescents (p < .01), more fear and stress in women than men (p < .01) and more fear to the disease in residents of the DR than in Spain (p < .01). Linear regression analysis showed that fear of COVID-19 was a good predictor of acute stress. In conclusion, it is suggested to expand the study in these populations in situations of stress, specifically the one derived from COVID-19, that allow the prevention of acute stress and training in adaptive coping strategies in the face of crisis situations. Copyright © 2020 RPCNA.

Adolescence and emerging adulthood in the face of COVID-19 in Spain and the Dominican Republic

Adolescence and emerging adulthood facing COVID-19 in Spain and the Dominican Republic. COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact worldwide. The aim of this study is to analyze the psychological impact during confinement on adolescents and emerging adults. The convenience sample is composed by (n = 399) residents of Spain and the Dominican Republic (DR). The age range is 12 to 29 years old (M = 22.57;SD = 3.67). The assessment was conducted online, with the following instruments: an ad hoc survey to measure socio-demographic variables, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, The Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experience and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The results show differences by age, sex and residence. Adults reported more fear of COVID-19 (p < .05) and acute stress than adolescents (p < .01). more fear and stress in women than men (p < .01) and more fear to the disease in residents of the DR than in Spain (p < .01). Linear regression analysis showed that fear of COVID-19 was a good predictor of acute stress. In conclusion, it is suggested to expand the study in these populations in situations of stress, specifically the one derived from COVID-19, that allow the prevention of acute stress and training in adaptive coping strategies in the face of crisis situations.

Validation of the Spanish version of Fear of COVID-19 Scale: Its association with acute stress and coping (preprint)

Background The COVID-19 is a “unique” stressor, which can produce physical and psychological trauma. Coping styles can buffer this psychological impact. Consequently, this paper aims to psychometrically adapt the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) to Spanish and examines the relationships between FCV-19S, stress response and coping strategies.Methods The sample comprised a convenience sample of 1146 participants (12-83 years), 880 from Spain (76.8%) and 266 from Dominican Republic (23.2%).Results Overall, the findings support a one-factor structure for FCV-19S, consisting of  7-items, and was invariant across age, sex, occupational status and cross-national. Therefore, indicating evidences of construct validity. Evidences of reliability were also observed (Cronbach’s α = .86, McDonald’s ω = .86, Guttmann’s λ6 = .86, Greatest lower bound = .91, composite reliability = .85, and Average Variance Extracted = .44). Moreover, as regards criterion-related validity, the mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between FCV-19S and acute stress was positive and high, with maladaptive coping styles mediating the relationship, and with a stronger mediation for men.Conclusion The findings give evidences of the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of FCV-19S among Spanish-speaker participants, which provides the chance of cross-cultural studies.