RESUMO
Studies of divorce's effects on children have been oriented toward the parents' characteristics, ignoring their extended families. In the current study we collected data from 414 participants, both divorced parents and the children's extended families in Peru (155) and Spain (259). Participants completed a questionnaire on attitudes toward the parents, and the Short Dark Tetrad questionnaire. Multivariate tests were conducted on participants' responses, showing that negative attitudes toward parents are not very strong but that attitudes toward fathers are more negative than attitudes toward mothers. Custodial parents are perceived less negatively, and parents who share custody are perceived the least negatively. Extended family members hold more negative attitudes against parents than the parents themselves. Mothers have significantly more negative attitudes toward fathers than the fathers towards mothers. Dark traits are a significant predictor of negative attitudes toward the mother but not toward the father. The perception of unhappiness in the child was predicted by negative attitudes toward the parents. Non-parents tend to evaluate both parents more negatively compared to parents' mutual perceptions. There was an effect on dark traits, negative attitudes against parents, and perception of unhappiness in the child. Peruvians scored significantly higher in all variables.
RESUMO
En la Psicoterapia Gestalt, los asuntos inconclusos son concebidos como un conjunto de experiencias del pasado que interrumpen el presente con el fin de lograr su cierre o culminación. Se buscó desarrollar la Escala de Asuntos Inconclusos y evaluar sus propiedades psicométricas. El instrumento fue administrado a 247 universitarios de Lima, de ambos sexos y de edades entre 18 a 30 años. Como evidencias de validez se reportan las de contenido, estructura interna y relación con otras variables. Los jueces opinaron que el instrumento mide asuntos inconclusos y contribuyeron a precisar los ítems. El análisis factorial confirmatorio halló excelentes valores de ajuste para un modelo unidimensional de siete ítems, el cual se relaciona de manera directa con conductas rumiativas (reproches y reflexión) e inversa con satisfacción con la vida. Asimismo, se encontró un nivel adecuado de confiablidad por consistencia interna. Se discute el valor teórico de los hallazgos, se reconocen las limitaciones y se recomienda el uso del instrumento en investigaciones y en la práctica profesional.
In Gestalt Psychotherapy, unfinished business is conceived as a set of past experiences that interrupt the present in order to achieve closure or completion. We sought to develop the Unfinished Business Scale and to evaluate its psychometric properties. The instrument was administered to 247 university students in Lima, of both sexes and ages between 18 to 30 years old. As evidence of validity, the content, internal structure and relationship with other variables are reported. The judges were of the opinion that the instrument measures unfinished situations and they contributed to specify the items. The confirmatory factor analysis found excellent adjustment values for a one-dimensional model of seven items, which is directly related to ruminative behaviors (reproaches and reflection) and inverse with life satisfaction. Likewise, an acceptable level of reliability was found for internal consistency. The theoretical value of the findings is discussed; limitations are recognized and the use of the test in research and professional practice is recommended.