Predictors of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults: the role of socio-demographic variables and COVID-19 anxiety.

The objective of this study was to evaluate factors related to the mental health of Peruvian older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study had a cross-sectional and observational design. A total of 274 older adults in Lima, Peru (Mage = 67.86) filled out a sociodemographic survey, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, Mental Health Inventory-5, Patient Health Questionnaire-2 item, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was estimated to test an a priori model that relates the sociodemographic variables, COVID-19 Anxiety, psychological well-being, anxiety and depression. The model fit indices indicated a good fit to the data. The socio-demographic variables explained 23.8% of the variance of the COVID-19 Anxiety (R2 = .238). Socio-demographic variables explained 50.5% of psychological well-being variance, 52% of anxiety and 46.9% of depression. Also, sex, work; being diagnosed with COVID-19; family member with COVID-19 diagnosis; and time of exposure to COVID-19 information had statistically significant effects psychological well-being, anxiety and depression. In conclusion, some sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 anxiety affect the psychological well-being, anxiety and depression. The findings may allow for a better understanding of the mental health of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and guide government responses to detect, anticipate and minimize its impact on the mental health of this population.

Clinical Hypnosis For Pain Reduction In Breast Cancer Mastectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Surgical procedures for breast cancer treatment are commonly followed by pain. Clinical hypnosis has been shown to be effective in reducing pain during and after surgery, but most of the studies have used analogical scales, which only measure pain intensity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of clinical hypnosis on pain intensity and its interference in daily activities in patients before and after mastectomy. The patients were evaluated using the Brief Pain Inventory. Forty patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group and evaluated 5 times: 1) baseline, 2) after clinical hypnosis session, 3) before surgery, 4) 1 day after surgery, and 5) 1 week after the surgery (follow-up). The results showed that after surgery the hypnosis group had a statistically significant reduction in pain intensity, less interference of pain with daily activities, sleep and life enjoyment compared with a control group. Clinical hypnosis may be recommended as a complementary treatment procedure for postmastectomy pain reduction and improving the quality of life of these patients.

Measurement Invariance of the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) in Peruvian and Spanish Older Adults.

Although the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) has been validated in some European and American countries, there are no studies that evaluate its factorial invariance among different nations. In this sense, the objective of the study is to evaluate the factorial invariance of the BRCS in samples of older adults in Peru and Spain, using multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis. 236 older adults from Peru participated (Mean age = 72.8, SD = 6.90) and 133 older adults from Spain (Mean age = 71, SD = 7). In the Peruvian sample 78.4% were women and 21.6% men; while in the Spanish sample the majority were women (69.9%). The BRCS was scalar invariant but not strictly invariant between Spain and Peru. Our results found invariance of the structure, factor loadings and intercepts in both countries. These results support the use of BRCS in studies that compare the resilience between samples of older adults in both countries, and encourage applied research for the development of resilience in older adults in Spain and Peru.

Clinical Hypnosis and Music In Breast Biopsy:A Randomized Clinical Trial.

A randomized clinical study was conducted to evaluate the effects on anxiety, depression, stress and optimism levels of an audio-recorded clinical hypnosis intervention and a music session and compare them with a control group in women scheduled for breast biopsy. We analyzed the data of 170 patients with an average age of 47 years, who were randomly assigned to each of the groups. The psychosocial variables were measured in three moments: baseline, which corresponds to the period before the intervention with hypnosis, music or waiting in the room before biopsy; a second measurement after the interventions and a third measurement after the breast biopsy procedure was finished. The results showed a statistically significant reduction in the stress (p < .001, η2p = .06); pain, (p < .01, η2p = .04); anxiety, (p < .001, ƞ2p = .07) and depression, (p < .001, ƞ2p = .05) in hypnosis and music groups compared with the control group. Before biopsy, hypnosis decrease significantly pain and depression levels compared with music, but after biopsy there were no differences between both groups. It is recommended to use audio-recorded hypnosis and music interventions to reduce physical and emotional discomfort during the biopsy procedure and to improve the quality of life of patients with suspected breast cancer.

Family and socio-demographic risk factors for psychopathy among prison inmates

A field study was conducted with prison inmates to explore to what extent family and socio-demographic characteristics represent risk factors for psychopathy and delinquent behavior. A psychopathy scale derived from Hare’s Revised Psychopathy Checklist and an instrument containing questions related to family and socio-demographic characteristics were administered to 178 prison inmates. The psychopathy scale’s reliability (alpha = .92) and construct validity were established. A confirmatory factor analysis provided support for a model showing a negative association between psychopathy and age at which the person stopped living with his family of origin, age of first incarceration, severity of delinquent acts, length of prison sentence, and length of time spent in prison. (X2/df = 1.40, FD = 1.34, PNI = 0.38, RMSEA =.04, IFI = .94, CFI = .94 and TLI = .93). Furthermore, the model sustained a positive association of psychopathy with income and frequency of incarceration. Level of education and age were eliminated from the model given that no significant associations were found among these variables and psychopathy. The validation of this model enables to interpret research findings in relation with attachment theory(AU)

Se realizó un estudio de campo con un grupo de prisioneros para investigar en qué medida las características familiares, sociales y demográficas de éstos representan factores de riesgo para la psicopatía y la delincuencia. Se administró a 178 internos en prisión una escala para medir la psicopatía derivada de la PCL-R de Hare junto con un instrumento creado ad hoc con preguntas relacionadas con sus características familiares, sociales y demográficas. Esta escala de psicopatía se mostró fiable (alpha = .92) y válida, validez de constructo. Un análisis factorial confirmatorio prestó a poyo a un modelo que sustenta una asociación negativa entre la psicopatía y la edad de abandonó del hogar de su familia de origen, la edad del primer internamiento en prisión, la gravedad del delito, la longitud de la sentencia y la cantidad de tiempo que estuvo internado en prisión (X2/gl = 1.40, FD = 1.34, PNCP = 0.38, RMSEA =.04, IFI = .94, CFI = .94 y TLI = .93). Por su parte, el modelo evidenció una asociación positiva entre la psicopatía, los ingresos económicos y la frecuencia de encarcelación. El nivel educativo y la edad fueron eliminados del modelo dado que no se encontraron asociaciones significativas entre estas variables. La validación de este modelo permite interpretar los hallazgos en relación con la teoría del apego(AU)

El refuerzo y el estímulo discriminativo en la teoría del comportamiento. Un análisis crítico histórico-conceptual / Reinforcement and discriminative stimulus in a theory of behavior. A historical-conceptual critical analysis

Se examina el concepto del refuerzo a través de un recorrido dentro del análisis y la modificación del comportamiento, encontrandose al principio un fuerte énfasis operacional, presumiblemente por la influencia de B.F. Skinner y, también una tendencia a abandonar tal restricción. Se asume que precisamente dicha restricción propició la construcción de términos, tales como el del condicionamiento, para denotar procesos incluibles legítimamente en el refuerzo. Además, se analiza críticamente la naturaleza mecanicista del constructo estímulo discriminativo, sugiriendose una extensión lógica de su dominio teórico para comprender situaciones mas complejas de interacción humana, con implicaciones de valor heurístico, aun en el complejo comportamiento verbal. Por último, tomando en consideración aportes en la precisión del significado de contingencia y en la línea de hallar similitudes y continuidades de comportamiento y de procedimiento entre las asi llamadas clases de acción operante y respondiente, se propone un concepto de refuerzo que las abarque a ambas bajo situaciones inclusive de no contingencia.