Psychometric properties of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children in a Spanish sample

The objectives of the present study were to adapt and analyze the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C; Beidel, Turner, & Morris, 1995) in a Spanish population. The SPAI-C was applied to a sample of 1588 children and adolescents with ages ranging from 10 to 17 years. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed a four-factor structure: Public performance, Assertiveness, Fear and avoidance/escape in social encounters, and Cognitive and psychophysiological interferences. Internal consistency was high (.90) and test-retest reliability was moderate (.56). Significant differences were found in the variables sex and age, although the effect size was small in both variables and their interaction. Overall, the increase of the age value was inversely proportional to that of social anxiety measured with the SPAI-C; in participants of the same age, values were higher for girls than for boys. Results suggest that the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory For Children is a valid and reliable instrument to assess social anxiety in Spanish children and adolescents.     

Writing self-efficacy changes after cognitive strategy intervention in students with learning disabilities: the mediational role of gender in calibration

This study examines the mediational role of gender in the effects of two patterns of cognitive and self-regulatory strategy interventions in the writing self-efficacy calibration of students with learning disabilities (LD). 121 5th and 6th Primary grade students with LD (43 girls and 78 boys), ranging in age from 10 to 12 years old were randomly allocated either to one of the experimental intervention groups, (n=48, 19 girls and 29 boys), and followed a intervention program based on the Self-Regulated Strategy Development Model, or they received training based on the Social Cognitive Model of Sequential Skill Acquisition (n=31, 15 girls and 26 boys), or alternatively they were allocated to the ordinary instruction group (n=32, 9 girls and 23 boys). Writing performance was assessed using two types of writing evaluation: a reader-based score concerned with structure, coherence and quality, and a text based score regarding productivity, coherence and structure. Writing self-efficacy beliefs were also assessed using a self-report scale including eight items about the students' confidence in completing a writing task and to gain specific writing skills. The results suggest that the miscalibration of writing self-efficacy in girls with LD was significantly modified to a more realistic calibration of their writing competence after experimental intervention. However, the findings do not confirm the same clear statement for boys.     

The legitimizing role of accent on discrimination against immigrants

This article analyses the influence of accent on discrimination against immigrants by examining the hypothesis that accent leads to discrimination only in more prejudiced individuals, merely because people speaking with a native accent are perceived to be better qualified than those whose accent is non‐standard. In Study 1 (N = 71), we found that only prejudiced individuals use accent to discriminate against immigrants. In Study 2 (N = 124), we replicated this effect and found that the influence of accent on discrimination is mediated by the perceived quality of the accent. Study 3 (N = 105) replicated the previous results even after controlling for the effect of stereotyping. These results are the first experimental illustration of the hypothesis that accent triggers intergroup discrimination only among prejudiced individuals because they evaluate native accents as being qualitatively better than accents of immigrants, thereby legitimizing ingroup bias.     

Complex learning: the role of knowledge, intelligence, motivation and learning strategies

This work presents the main theories and models formulated with the purpose of offering a global overview on the acquisition of knowledge and skills involved in the initial development of expert competence. Setting from this background, we developed an empirical work whose main purpose is to define those factors in a complex learning situation such as chapter-sized in a knowledge-rich domain. The results obtained in a sample of Master students reveal that the several variables intervening, such as the qualitative organization of knowledge, intellectual ability, motivation, the deliberate use of strategies, and a rich learning environment, contribute in an independent way to provide an explanation for the acquired knowledge.     

Preschool children's mathematical knowledge: The effect of teacher "math talk."

This study examined the relation between the amount of mathematical input in the speech of preschool or day-care teachers and the growth of children's conventional mathematical knowledge over the school year. Three main findings emerged. First, there were marked individual differences in children's conventional mathematical knowledge by 4 years of age that were associated with socioeconomic status. Second, there were dramatic differences in the amount of math-related talk teachers provided. Third, and most important, the amount of teachers' math-related talk was significantly related to the growth of preschoolers' conventional mathematical knowledge over the school year but was unrelated to their math knowledge at the start of the school year.     

A study of physicians' intention to quit: the role of burnout, commitment and difficult doctor-patient interactions

Research on burnout and turnover intentions offers some inconsistent findings about the effects of commitment. In addition, a factor which is insufficiently studied in the turnover field is the relationship with the recipient of physicians' work, that is, the patient. This study contributes to the research literature by examining how the moderating effect of commitment depends on difficult doctor-patient relations. A total of 480 physicians, representative of Madrid, completed the survey. According to the interaction effects and the three-way interaction analyses, the results support the argument that differences in commitment lead to differences in the way physicians perceive job, interpersonal, and chronic stress. These results add a new approach to the general assumption that commitment has a unilateral negative effect, and difficult patients have a positive effect on turnover intentions, suggesting an integrated perspective, rather than a diametrical one, that allows us comprehend the complexity of physicians' turnover intentions.     

Hardy personality and psychological capital: the positive personal variables and the processes of exhaustion and vigor

The research examined the effects of personal variables, psychological capital and Hardy Personality (HP), using exhaustion and vigor as criterion variables, reviewing two studies, one of 427 nurses (Spain) and another of 253 teachers (Perú). The results showed significant direct and moderating effects of personal variables on exhaustion and vigor, with a greater effect on vigor. The commitment variable (HP) is the only one that had significant effects on both samples. The discussion emphasizes the importance of positive personal variables to explain exhaustion and vigor, particularly the latter.     

Day-to-day living with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Towards a family-based approach to the illness impacts

Objective: This study explores the perspectives of both patients and family members regarding the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in their family life.

Design: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted with patients and their family members in the chronic phase of COPD. Individual interviews were performed to explore participants’ perspectives and submitted to thematic analysis.

Results: Six major themes emerged from patients’ perspective: (1) impact of COPD symptoms on personal and family daily life; (2) (over)protective family support; (3) difficulties in couple communication; (4) sense of identity loss; (5) fear of COPD progression; and (6) coping resources. Five main themes emerged from the family members’ perspective: (1) restrictions in family’s social life; (2) emotional distress related to COPD exacerbations; (3) tension in couple relationship; (4) financial strain of COPD; and (5) coping resources.

Conclusions: The overall findings illustrate the complex interaction between the experience of living with COPD and communication patterns, emotional states, social support and social roles within the family. The results highlight the need to develop family-based interventions to facilitate a functional adjustment to COPD. However, these interventions in COPD remain undeveloped and empirical evidence is needed.