Cultura urbana y acompañamiento psico-socioeducativo en Medellín: de pandilleros a líderes comunitarios / Urban culture and psycho-socio-educational accompaniment in Medellín: from gang members to community leaders / Cultura urbana e acompanhamento psico-sócio-educativo em Medellín: de membros

Resumen (analítico) Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar las trayectorias de vida de jóvenes desplazados en una comuna de Medellín. A través del acompañamiento psico-socioeducativo, especialmente brindado desde la infancia, y mediante la cultura urbana, los jóvenes evolucionan desde «el muchacho pandillero¼ hasta convertirse en referentes comunitarios. El trabajo de campo se realizó empleando la metodología cualitativa mediante la técnica biográfico-narrativa, recogiendo información a través de cinco entrevistas en profundidad, líneas de tiempo y observación al participante. Las conclusiones muestran a un grupo de jóvenes perdidos en contexto de barrio, cuyo cambio comienza con el acompañamiento psico-socioeducativo que les permite movilizar sus potencialidades a través del baile y tomar el control de su vida, logrando que sus individualidades trasciendan y posibilitando su influencia en la comunidad.

Abstract (analytical) The aim of this article is to analyse the life trajectories of displaced young people in a community in Medellin. Through psycho-socio-educational accompaniment, the stories go from "being a kid in a gang" to becoming community reference points, especially in the area of childhood safety, through participating in and generating urban culture. Fieldwork was carried out using a qualitative methodology through the biographical-narrative technique, collecting information through five in-depth interviews, timelines and participant observation. The conclusions identify a group of young people who were "lost" in the context of their neighborhood and whose changes began with psycho-socio-educational accompaniment. This allowed them to discover their potential through dance and take control of their lives, resulting in them transcending the individual sphere and trying to influence their community.

Resumo (analítico) O objetivo deste artigo é analisar as trajetórias de vida dos jovens deslocados numa comunidade em Medellín. Através do acompanhamento psico-sócio-educativo, as histórias evoluem de "o miúdo da gangue" para referências comunitárias, especialmente na segurança infantil, através da cultura urbana. O trabalho de campo foi realizado utilizando metodologia qualitativa através da técnica biográfico-narrativa, recolhendo informação através de cinco entrevistas aprofundadas, cronogramas e observação dos participantes. As conclusões mostram um grupo de jovens perdidos num contexto de vizinhança, cuja mudança começa com o acompanhamento psico-sócio-educativo, que lhes permite mobilizar o seu potencial através da dança e assumir o controlo das suas vidas para transcender o indivíduo e tentar influenciar a comunidade.

Substance use and psychological distress is related with accommodation status among homeless immigrants.

Immigrant homelessness constitutes a cruel expression of social exclusion. We analyzed the relation of sociodemographic characteristics with stressful life events, substance use and psychological distress, giving a special importance to the influence of the time spent on the streets and the accommodation status of 107 homeless immigrants. To this end, both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were combined. Discussion groups with care resources practitioners and service users, were followed by in depth interviews combined with psychometric questionnaires. Results show clear interrelations between stressful life events, alcohol and drug use, psychological distress, and the duration of (current) homelessness. This information, and especially the contextualization which took place within the analytical framework of this project, may provide practitioners and policymakers with information that can help overcome barriers preventing homeless immigrants' full citizenship and social participation. (PsycINFO Database Record

Uso y abuso del alcohol y otras drogas en una muestra de personas migrantes sin hogar en Bilbao / Use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs in a sample of homeless migrants in Bilbao

Son pocos los estudios en España en torno al abuso de sustancias de las personas sin hogar, y menos aquellos que tienen por objeto un sector específico como las personas inmigrantes. El objetivo del artículo es analizar el consumo de sustancias, así como conocer la influencia que tienen en la cronificación de la situación sin hogar. Se realizaron 107 entrevistas en profundidad complementadas con cuestionarios psicométricos sobre abuso de sustancias, estrés aculturativo, impacto vital de la experiencia de dormir en la calle y sufrimiento psicológico. Los resultados muestran que el abuso de sustancias es minoritario entre las personas sin hogar entrevistadas. El 59,8% (n=64) de la muestra no consume nada de alcohol en la actualidad y el 67,3% (n=72) no consume ninguna droga. Sin embargo, casi la mitad de la muestra ha abusado del alcohol a lo largo de su vida y el 65,0% (n=32) cree que ello ha tenido influencia en su actual situación sin hogar. Las personas que siguen consumiendo alcohol en la actualidad muestran mayores puntuaciones en sufrimiento psicológico y malestar emocional así como mayores cambios en la identidad personal producto de la experiencia de dormir en la calle. Además, el abuso de alcohol es una de las variables que más influye en la cronificación de la estancia en la calle que, a su vez, es un factor de riesgo para comenzar a beber o aumentar consumos previos

There are not many studies in Spain on substance abuse by the homeless, and even fewer considering such a specific sector of the population as immigrants. The aim of the paper is to analyse substance abuse and find out the influence that this has on the chronifying the situation of the homeless. 107 in-depth interviews were carried out supplemented with psychometric questionnaires about substance abuse, acculturative stress, impact on life of the experience of homelessness and psychological distress. The results show that substance abuse is not massive among the homeless people interviewed. 59.8% (n=64) of the sample did not consume any alcohol and 67.3% (n=72) did not consume any drugs. Almost half of the sample had however abused alcohol throughout their lives and 65% (n=32) believe it has influenced their current homeless situation. Those who currently abuse alcohol show average higher scores on psychological distress and emotional distress as well as greater changes in personal identity as a result of sleeping rough. Alcohol abuse is furthermore one of the most influential variables in the chronicity of the homeless, in turn a risk factor in starting to drink or increasing previous consumption

Incommunicado detention and torture in Spain, Part II: Enhanced credibility assessment based on the Istanbul Protocol.

BACKGROUND: The Istanbul Protocol (IP) is the key instrument in the documentation of allegations of torture. However, few scientific studies have evaluated its effectiveness as a tool to assess credibility of allegations of ill-treatment or torture. OBJECTIVE: Present data on the credibility of allegations of torture in a sample of 45 Basque people held in short-term incommunicado detention between 1980 and 2012, using a modified version of the Standard Evaluation Form for Credibility Assessment (SEC), a new tool to assess credibility based on the IP. METHOD: Each case was evaluated by two psychiatrists, a psychologist and a physician through a layered system of simultaneous, independent assessments, blind audits and peer-review processes. Clinical interviews following the IP were contrasted with psychometric tests and external documentary evidence by independent experts. All available data were structured using the SEC and cases were accordingly classified as having Maximum consistency, Highly Consistent, Consistent or Inconsistent. FINDINGS: According to the SEC, 53% of allegations of torture were considered to have Maximum Consistency, 31% Highly consistent, 15% Consistent and 0% Inconsistent. The items that most contributed to the overall credibility assessment came from the psychological evaluation, including the description of alleged torture, emotional reactions, objective functional changes, changes in identity and worldviews and clinical diagnosis. There was little contribution from previous medical reports. INTERPRETATION: When applied competently, the IP is an essential tool in the documentation of torture. Our study shows: (a) evidence that allegations of ill-treatment and torture in the Basque Country are consistent and credible, being ascertained beyond reasonable doubt and aside from any political debate; (b) the wider use of the IP as a tool to assess credibility of allegations of ill-treatment and torture; and, (c) the usefulness of the SEC as a tool. The SEC can help as a tool for documenting torture in contexts where there are political differences and figures are distorted as a result of polarized political debates, and where legal documentation is needed for judicial purposes. Forensic science can help by providing an objective assessment of the credibility of allegations.

Incommunicado detention and torture in Spain, Part III: 'Five days is enough': the concept of torturing environments.

BACKGROUND: Torture is changing in western societies, evolving from pain-producing torture to more subtle mixed psychological methods that are harder to detect. Despite this, there is not an adequate understanding of the complexities of contemporary psychological techniques used in coercive interrogation and torture. METHODS: The interrogation and torture techniques used on 45 detainees held in short-term incommunicado detention in Spain during the period 1980-2012 were analyzed. The list of torture categories set out in the Istanbul Protocol (IP) were assessed quantitatively. Software-aided qualitative analysis of the testimonies was conducted, using both inferential and deductive approaches to deduce a classification of torture techniques from the point of view of the survivor. FINDINGS: The most frequent methods according to the IP categories used against detainees were isolation and manipulation of environment (100%), humiliation (93%), psychological techniques to break down the individual (91%), threats (89%) and forced positions and physical exercises until extenuation (80%). Additionally, with a frequency of between 51 and 70%, mild but constant blows, being forced to witness the torture of others, hooding (mainly dry asphyxia) and unacceptable undue conditions of detention were also frequent. Sexual torture was also widespread with sexual violence (42%), forced nudity (38%) and rape (7%). Qualitative analysis showed that most detainees were submitted to coercive interrogation using a wide array of deceptive techniques. This is often a central part of the torturing process, frequently used in conjunction with many other methods. It was found that giving false or misleading information or making false accusations was most frequently used, followed by maximization of responsibility or facts and giving false information regarding relatives or friends. Different patterns of harsh interrogation, ill-treatment and torture are described that appear to have been tailored to the profile of Basque detainees. INTERPRETATION: The study shows the need to improve the conceptualization of psychological torture suggested by the IP. Key to this view is the idea that we must not concern ourselves with 'torture methods' but with Torturing Environments. The concept of Torturing Environments is defined and proposed as a focus for future study.

Sufrimiento psicológico y malestar emocional en las personas migrantes sin hogar / Psychological and emocional distress in immigrant homeless

La mayoría de la investigación en torno a la exclusión social se ha centrado en psicopatología y poco se han estudiado otras variables. El artículo muestra las relaciones entre el sufrimiento psicológico y malestar emocional con variables sociodemográficas, estrés aculturativo, apoyo social, abusos de sustancias, sucesos vitales estresantes y cambios en la identidad en una muestra de 107 personas migrantes sin hogar. Para ello se han realizado entrevistas en profundidad y autoinformes analizando las relaciones entre las variables mediante diversas técnicas de análisis de datos. Los resultados muestran la importancia de los recursos materiales en el bienestar psicológico, así como la alta influencia de los sucesos vitales estresantes sufridos por la persona, el apoyo social recibido y otras variables vinculadas con la experiencia de exclusión social como la deshumanización, la falta de control sobre la propia vida y los cambios identitarios. Todo ello nos debe llevar a reflexionar sobre la manera que desde la psicología y psiquiatrías nos acercamos al estudio de los problemas sociales, dando un excesivo énfasis al diagnóstico psicopatológico en perjuicio de otras variables importantes como las citadas (AU)

Most research on social exclusion has focused on psychopathology and some other variables had been little studied. The article explores the relationship between psychological and emotional distress with sociodemographic variables, acculturative stress, social support, substance abuse , stressful life events and changes of identity in a sample of 107 homeless migrants. This has been made interviews and self-reports exploring the relationships between variables using various techniques of data analysis. The results show the importance of material resources in psychological wellbeing, and the high influence of stressful life events experienced by the person, the social support, and other variables related to the experience of social exclusion such as dehumanization, lack of control over their own lives and changes in the identity. All of which leads us to reflect on how psychology and psychiatry approaches the study of social problems, giving too much emphasis to psychopathologi (AU)