Academic Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Relationship with Demographic Factors and Alcohol Consumption in College Students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes in the education sector worldwide, and school curricula have had to adapt to a non-face-to-face modality. However, international studies have concluded that this modality has affected the academic performance of students. The present study aimed to compare the academic performance of a sample of college students from before the start of quarantine with their current performance, and to test whether various demographic factors influenced these changes in conjunction with alcohol consumption. With a non-experimental, comparative and longitudinal design, we applied an ad hoc questionnaire, in conjunction with the AUDIT questionnaire, in a sample of college students (n = 341), and we also obtained data of academic average and failed subjects. The demographic factors that influenced academic performance were sex (p < 0.01), age (p < 0.01) and alcohol consumption (p = 0.001). Most students showed an improvement in their academic average during the quarantine period. Women without failed subjects and low-risk alcohol consumption obtained a better average in this period. In conclusion sex, age and alcohol consumption level were factors associated with academic performance during the quarantine period due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and women had a higher academic average than men did.

Ideales estéticos, imagen corporal, actitudes y conductas alimentarias en hombres con diferente orientación sexual / Aesthetic ideals, body image, eating attitudes and behaviors in men with different sexual orientation

Resumen Aun cuando existe amplia información disponible sobre imagen corporal y trastornos alimentarios, se sabe poco sobre estos tópicos en minorías sexuales, y especialmente en Latinoamérica. Por tanto, el propósito de este estudio fue comparar la satisfacción corporal, la interiorización de ideales estéticos (delgadez y musculatura), así como las actitudes y las conductas alimentarias entre varones con diferente orientación sexual. Participaron 217 varones (94 heterosexuales, 30 bisexuales y 93 gais), de 14 a 41 años de edad (M = 22.0, DE = 4.59). Los hombres bisexuales y gais reportaron mayor malestar con la imagen corporal, interiorización del ideal de delgadez y motivación por adelgazar, en comparación con los varones heterosexuales. Los bisexuales informaron mayor preocupación por la comida que los heterosexuales y los gais, pero estos últimos presentaron mayor restricción alimentaria. Los resultados apoyan la hipótesis de que en la insatisfacción corporal de los hombres de minorías sexuales predomina el deseo de adelgazar, resultado de una mayor interiorización del ideal corporal de delgadez. Por el contrario, los resultados relativos a la muscularidad no registraron una tendencia clara en función de la orientación sexual, de lo que destaca la necesidad de profundizar en su análisis, priorizando el empleo de instrumentos de evaluación más específicos sobre la motivación de incrementar musculatura.

Abstract Although there is a lot of information available about body image and eating disorders, little is known about the issue in sexual minority groups, especially in our culture and context. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the body satisfaction, the internalization of aesthetic ideals (thin and muscular), the attitudes and eating behaviors in a sample of Mexican men with different sexual orientation. A total of 217 men (94 heterosexuals, 30 bisexuals and 93 gays), with an age range from 14 to 41 (M = 22.0, SD = 4.59) participated in the study. Bisexual men and gay men, compared to heterosexual men, reported greater body image discomfort, influence of thin shape and more motivation to lose weight. Bisexual men reported more concern about food than heterosexual men and gay men, but gay men had greater food restriction. These results support the hypothesis that body dissatisfaction in men of sexual minority groups is not oriented towards the development of the musculature, since they have internalized a thinner ideal body. On the contrary, the results related to muscularity did not register a clear tendency based on sexual orientation, which highlights the need to deepen its analysis, prioritizing the use of more specific evaluation instruments on the motivation to increase muscle.

Health-related quality-of-life model in adolescents with different body composition.

The purpose of the present study was to develop and evaluate a causal model of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescents with different body composition. The participants were 209 adolescents (107 women and 102 men) ranging from 10 to 15 years of age. A model based on that proposed by Wilson and Cleary (JAMA 273(1):59-65, 1995) was elaborated. The body composition of the participants was analyzed. They were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires composed of the following factors: biological status (BS; included body mass index and weight), symptomatic psychological status (SPS; included the variables of drive for thinness and food concerns), functional status (FS; composed of physical activity, food consumption estimation, and socioeconomic status), and HRQoL, which included the dimensions of psychological well-being, autonomy and relationship with parents, social support and peers, and the academic environment. Structural equation modeling produced a model, which obtained an adequate fit for the prediction of HRQoL (χ2(38) = 51.88, p = .07; NNFI = 0.97, CFI = 0.98, GFI = 0.95, and RMSEA = 0.04). The main outcome demonstrated the indirect effect of BS (0.44) and SPS (- 0.45) as well as a direct effect of FS (0.21) on HRQoL. In addition, a second path was observed, BS has an indirect effect on FS (0.34) and FS on HRQoL (0.21). These results provide empirical support for the evaluated model.Level of evidence: Level V, Descriptive study.

Psychometric evaluation of the muscle appearance satisfaction scale in a Mexican male sample.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the muscle appearance satisfaction scale (MASS) shows acceptable psychometric properties in Mexican bodybuilders. METHODS: A total of 258 Mexican male bodybuilders were recruited. Two self-report questionnaires, including the MASS and drive for muscularity scale (DMS), were administered. Six models of the latent structure of the MASS were evaluated, using confirmatory factor analysis with maximum likelihood, considering robust Satorra-Bentler correction to estimate the fit of the models to the data. RESULTS: Similar to the original MASS, the series of CFA confirmed that the Mexican version was well represented with the 17-item five-factor structure, which showed a good model fit [Satorra-Bentler Chi-square (109, n = 258) = 189.18, p < 0.0001; NNFI = 0.91; CFI = 0.93; IFI = 0.93; RMSEA = 0.05 (0.04, 0.07)]. Internal consistency was estimated with McDonald's omega, which was acceptable for the MASS (0.88), and their subscales (0.80 to 0.89), except for muscle checking scale (0.77). Test-retest reliability analysis showed stability of the MASS total as well as of the subscale scores over a 2-week period (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.75-0.91). Construct validity was demonstrated by a significant positive correlation between MASS and DMS results (r = 0.75; p = 0.0001). These results were similar to those of previous studies, which demonstrate the scale's usefulness. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the suitability of the MASS and its subscales to measure muscle dysmorphia symptoms in Mexican male bodybuilders.

Adaptación y propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Estima Corporal en mujeres y varones mexicanos / Adaptation and psychometric properties of Body Esteem Scale in Mexican women and men

Resumen: Con la finalidad de explorar la relación entre estima corporal y ajuste psicológico, es importante contar con medidas válidas y confiables. En México no se cuenta con herramientas para evaluar la estima corporal, por lo que el propósito de este estudio fue analizar las propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Estima Corporal en mujeres (n = 304) y varones (n = 250) de 11 a 33 años. El análisis factorial exploratorio (ejes principales con rotación oblicua) derivó dos factores con consistencia interna adecuada para mujeres y hombres (α = 0.86 a 0.91). La estabilidad temporal de la escala y sus factores fue aceptable para las mujeres (α= 0.66 a 0.75); en cambio, para los hombres, el factor Atractivo Físico y Sexual obtuvo un índice por debajo de lo aceptable (α= 0.55). Solo en las mujeres, la estima corporal correlacionó con la autoestima, el índice de masa corporal y la masa grasa. La Escala de Estima Corporal es una medida prometedora para evaluar la estima corporal en mujeres mexicanas; sin embargo, la validez de constructo no fue del todo confirmada para varones. Se discuten las fortalezas y limitaciones metodológicas de este estudio, y la dirección de futuras investigaciones.

Abstract: To explore the relationship between body esteem and psychological adjustment it is important to have valid and reliable measures. However, in Mexico we do not have tools to assess body esteem. The purpose of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of Body Esteem Scale in females (n = 304) and males (n = 250), the age of participants ranged from 11 to 33 years. The principal axis analysis with oblique rotation derived dos factors with adequate internal consistency for women and men (α = 0.86 to 0.91). The temporal stability of the scale and their factors was acceptable for women (α = 0.66 a 0.75); however, for men, Physical and Sexual Attractiveness factor obtained a lower index than acceptable (α = 0.55). Finally, for women, body esteem correlated with self-esteem, body mass index and fat mass. Body Esteem Scale is a promising measure to assess body esteem in Mexican women; however, construct validity were not entirely confirmed for males. Methodological strengths and limitations of this study, as well as the direction of future research are discussed.