Isabel Ramírez - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Isabel Ramírez

Research paper thumbnail of Predictive Capacity of Self-Efficacy in Drug Dependence and Substance Abuse Treatment

Journal of Psychology & Clinical Psychiatry, 2015

Addiction to opiates has increased in recent years. This resurgence in its consumption shows the ... more Addiction to opiates has increased in recent years. This resurgence in its consumption shows the need to continue to investigate the role of personality in addictive behavior. Variables such as self-efficacy are quite helpful in the treatment of drug addicts. The purpose of this study was to examine and quantify the predictive capacity of self-efficacy in treatment groups (Methadone, Cognitive-Behavioral, Alcohol) and a Control group and in the severity of the substance abuse (quantity and chronicity of use). The sample was composed of 181 participants (97 men and 84 women), who were divided into 4 groups: Methadone, Cognitive-behavioral, Alcohol and Control. Their self-efficacy was measured using the Self-efficacy scale (SE) and the Addictive Behavior Research Interview (EICA). The results showed the self-efficacy is inversely related to the Methadone, Cognitive-behavioral and Alcohol groups and directly related to the Control group. Regarding the severity of the drug use, we found that self-efficacy was inversely related to the quantity of drugs consumed and directly related to chronicity. The study proposes the need to evaluate self-efficacy along with other personality measures, as it is not enough to believe that one is capable of successfully doing something (self-efficacy), but it is also important to show it (coping).

Research paper thumbnail of The specific psychosocial modulator factors of emotional adjustment in infertile individuals compared to fertile people

Current Psychology

Certain psychological and social factors modulate emotional adjustment in infertility. The aims o... more Certain psychological and social factors modulate emotional adjustment in infertility. The aims of this study were: analyse whether there are sex and group differences (infertile vs. fertile) in emotional adjustment, and personality, dispositional optimism, coping strategies, personal and interpersonal resources; observe the modulating role of these psychosocial variables in the emotional adjustment of infertile individuals compared to fertile ones; and determine if the modulator variables associated with emotional adjustment are specific to infertile people. Method: A cross-sectional study design was used with a sample of 139 heterosexual Spanish participants (84 infertile, 55 fertile). For the data analysis we performed correlations, multiple regression analysis, MANOVAS and ANOVAS. Results: The multivariate and univariate analyses showed that the infertile group exhibited greater emotional maladjustment, more personal resources, lesser degree of confrontive coping, social support...

Research paper thumbnail of Gender Differences in Visuospatial Abilities and Complex Mathematical Problem Solving

Frontiers in Psychology, 2020

Mathematical problem-solving and spatial visualization are areas in which performance has been sh... more Mathematical problem-solving and spatial visualization are areas in which performance has been shown to vary with sex. This article describes the impact of gender on spatial relations measured in 331 secondary school students (202 males, 129 females), 145 (105 males, 40 females) of whom had been selected to participate in a mathematical talent stimulation project after passing a complex problem-solving test. In the two tests administered, the Differential Aptitude Tests-Space Relations (DAT-SR) and the Primary Mental Abilities-Space Relations (PMA-SR), performance was assessed on the grounds of both absolute scores and the ratio to the number of items answered. The students participating in the talent program earned higher scores on both tests, although no interaction was identified between mathematical abilities and gender in connection with the differences in spatial habilities observed. In PMA-SR, boys answered more items and scored higher, whereas in DAT-SR girls tended to omit more items. None of the indicators studied exhibited differences between the sexes in both tests and in some cases the differences in the absolute values of the indicators were absent when expressed as ratios.

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis de los errores en tareas geométricas de argumentación visual por estudiantes con talento matemático

Revista Latinoamericana de Investigación en Matemática Educativa, 2013

En este trabajo se analizan los errores cometidos por un grupo de veinticinco estudiantes de entr... more En este trabajo se analizan los errores cometidos por un grupo de veinticinco estudiantes de entre 13 y 16 años, que participan en un proyecto de estimulación del talento matemático, al resolver tareas geométricas durante tres sesiones de enriquecimiento curricular focalizado en técnicas de argumentación. Se identifican errores específicos de la argumentación visual (establecer falsas analogías entre plano y espacio, no discutir todos los casos posibles y razonar a partir de ejemplos concretos limitados) y derivados del uso incorrecto de los elementos de razonamiento, contenidos y procedimientos matemáticos. El estudio de correlaciones muestra que, en su mayoría, los errores son independientes, tanto entre sí como con las puntuaciones en tres test que miden su capacidad visual e intelectual. Los resultados del anova de medidas repetidas indican que a lo largo de las tres sesiones disminuye significativamente la frecuencia con la que manifiestan los errores específicos de la argument...

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis de las capacidades de visualización espacial e intelectual en los alumnos con talento matemático

Revista Mexicana De Psicologia, 2013

There is not a consensus built among researchers about the role played by visualization abilities... more There is not a consensus built among researchers about the role played by visualization abilities in the characterization of mathematical talent. This paper analyzes the visual abilities of a group of mathematically gifted students from the results obtained in the Raven intelligence test and the spatial components of PMA and DAT-5 tests. The experimental group comprised 25 second-grade students as part of a project for stimulation of mathematical talent (ESTALMAT), and the control group comprised 33 fourth-grade ESO students. Analysis of the results shows that mathematically gifted students achieve significantly higher scores than control students in the three tests, and that PMA spatial scale results in a better discrimination of visualization capabilities than DAT-5 spatial scale for these students.

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis de las capacidades visuales e intelectuales en los alumnos con talento matemático

Revista Mexicana de Psicología

There is not a consensus built among researchers about the role played by visualization abilities... more There is not a consensus built among researchers about the role played by visualization abilities in the characterization of mathematical talent. This paper analyzes the visual abilities of a group of mathematically gifted students from the results obtained in the Raven intelligence test and the spatial components of PMA and DAT-5 tests. The experimental group comprised 25 second-grade students as part of a project for stimulation of mathematical talent (ESTALMAT), and the control group comprised 33 fourth-grade ESO students. Analysis of the results shows that mathematically gifted students achieve significantly higher scores than control students in the three tests, and that PMA spatial scale results in a better discrimination of visualization capabilities than DAT-5 spatial scale for these students.

Research paper thumbnail of El Apoyo Familiar y Sus Implicaciones en Las Habilidades De Afrontamiento en Las Drogodependencias

Resumen En este estudio se analizan las estrategias de afrontamiento de los drogodependientes con... more Resumen En este estudio se analizan las estrategias de afrontamiento de los drogodependientes con diferente grado de apoyo de sus progenitores. Para ello, se cuenta con un total de 186 sujetos consumidores de alcohol, hachís, cocaína, anfetaminas, heroína, metadona, alucinógenos, medicamentos y no consumidores. Los grupos fueron divididos en función del consumo versus no consumo y en función del grado de apoyo de los progenitores (padre y madre, solo padre y madre y no apoyo). Se realizaron medidas relacionadas con el afrontamiento, con la severidad del consumo de alcohol y drogas y con aspectos sociodemográficos de los sujetos. Los resultados muestran que existen diferencias en las estrategias de afrontamiento entre los sujetos que consumen alcohol y drogas y los sujetos que no consumen. También se encuentra que las estrategias de afrontamiento que utilizan los sujetos dependen del grado de implicación o apoyo de sus progenitores. PALABRAS CLAVE: Afrontamiento, familia, consumo de ...

Research paper thumbnail of A New Look at Cardiac Defense: Attention or Emotion?

The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 2003

The study of cardiac defense has a long tradition in psychological research both within the cogni... more The study of cardiac defense has a long tradition in psychological research both within the cognitive approach—linked to Pavlov, Sokolov, and Graham's work on sensory reflexes—and within the motivational one—linked to the work of Cannon and subsequent researchers on the concepts of activation and stress. These two approaches have been difficult to reconcile in the past. We summarize a series of studies on cardiac defense from a different perspective, which allows integration of the traditional approaches. This new perspective emphasizes a sequential process interpretation of the cardiac defense response. Results of descriptive and parametric studies, as well as those of studies examining the physiological and psychological mechanisms underlying the response, show a complex response pattern with both accelerative and decelerative components, with both sympathetic and parasympathetic influences, and with both attentional and emotional significance. The implications of this new loo...

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing depression, anxiety and couple psychological well-being in pregnancy: a preliminary study

Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 2014

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate symptoms of depression and anxiety and psychologi... more Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate symptoms of depression and anxiety and psychological well-being in men and women in their third trimester of pregnancy, and to compare them with two control groups of men and nonpregnant women, both with children and without children. Background: Perinatal research has largely focused on maternal depression, anxiety and the state of the marital relationship, but few studies exist including partners and comparisons with control groups of men and women both with and without children. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey. The total sample was 156 participants. Approximately equal numbers of participants in each group were recruited through a local community health centre in Zaragoza (Spain) and completed questionnaires in the presence of a psychologist. Anxiety, depression and the couple's self-ratings of their well-being were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Psychological Well-being in the couple Scale, respectively. Results: The results show higher levels of depression symptoms in the 'pregnancy group'; specifically, pregnant women reported higher levels of depression than their male partners. Also, the 'pregnancy group' (men and women) show lower scores on psychological well-being in the couple compared with the control groups. No significant differences in anxiety-state between the groups and sex were obtained. Conclusion: These findings are important for both researchers and clinicians in practice, in order to improve the identification of women with antenatal depressive symptoms and offer more psychological support for women and their partners during and after pregnancy.

Research paper thumbnail of The dynamics of cardiac defense: From attention to action

Psychophysiology, 2010

The attentional and motivational significance of cardiac defense is examined in two studies. In S... more The attentional and motivational significance of cardiac defense is examined in two studies. In Study 1, cardiac defense was evoked by an intense acoustic stimulus in the context of either a visual search or a memory search task using letters as stimuli. Results showed a potentiation of the long latency acceleration of cardiac defense in the visual search task. In Study 2, participants performed the same visual search task using pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures as stimuli. Results showed a further potentiation of the long latency acceleration of cardiac defense when the visual search task was performed with unpleasant, compared to pleasant or neutral pictures. These results indicate that cardiac defense has both attentional and motivational contributions, where the attentional significance is related to increased sensory processing, whereas the motivational significance is associated with preparation for active defense.

Research paper thumbnail of Differentiation between protective reflexes: Cardiac defense and startle

Psychophysiology, 2005

Rise time and duration are two parametric characteristics of the eliciting stimulus frequently us... more Rise time and duration are two parametric characteristics of the eliciting stimulus frequently used to differentiate among psychophysiological reflexes. The present research varied the duration (study 1) and rise time (study 2) of an intense acoustic stimulus to dissociate cardiac defense and cardiac startle using the eyeblink response as the external criterion of startle. In each study, 100 participants were presented with five white noise stimuli of 105 dB under one of five duration (50, 100, 250, 500, and 1000 ms) or rise time (0, 24, 48, 96, and 240 ms) conditions. Cardiac defense was affected by stimulus duration, present only in the 500-and 1000-ms conditions, but not by stimulus rise time, present in all rise time conditions. Rise time affected blink startle, but did not selectively alter the short latency accelerative component of the heart rate response, thus questioning whether it reflects startle.

Research paper thumbnail of Viewing Loved Faces Inhibits Defense Reactions: A Health-Promotion Mechanism?

PLoS ONE, 2012

We have known for decades that social support is associated with positive health outcomes. And ye... more We have known for decades that social support is associated with positive health outcomes. And yet, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood. The link between social support and positive health outcomes is likely to depend on the neurophysiological regulatory mechanisms underlying reward and defensive reactions. The present study examines the hypothesis that emotional social support (love) provides safety cues that activate the appetitive reward system and simultaneously inhibit defense reactions. Using the startle probe paradigm, 54 undergraduate students (24 men) viewed black and white photographs of loved (romantic partner, father, mother, and best friend), neutral (unknown), and unpleasant (mutilated) faces. Eye-blink startle, zygomatic major activity, heart rate, and skin conductance responses to the faces, together with subjective ratings of valence, arousal, and dominance, were obtained. Viewing loved faces induced a marked inhibition of the eye-blink startle response accompanied by a pattern of zygomatic, heart rate, skin conductance, and subjective changes indicative of an intense positive emotional response. Effects were similar for men and women, but the startle inhibition and the zygomatic response were larger in female participants. A comparison between the faces of the romantic partner and the parent who shares the partner's gender further suggests that this effect is not attributable to familiarity or arousal. We conclude that this inhibitory capacity may contribute to the health benefits associated with social support.

Research paper thumbnail of Improvement in working memory is not related to increased intelligence scores

Intelligence, 2010

The acknowledged high relationship between working memory and intelligence suggests common underl... more The acknowledged high relationship between working memory and intelligence suggests common underlying cognitive mechanisms and, perhaps, shared biological substrates. If this is the case, improvement in working memory by repeated exposure to challenging span tasks might be reflected in increased intelligence scores. Here we report a study in which 288 university undergraduates completed the odd numbered items of four intelligence tests on time 1 and the even numbered items of the same tests one month later (time 2). In between, 173 participants completed three sessions, separated by exactly one week, comprising verbal, numerical, and spatial short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WMC) tasks imposing high processing demands (STM-WMC group). 115 participants also completed three sessions, separated by exactly one week, but comprising verbal, numerical, and spatial simple speed tasks (processing speed, PS, and attention, ATT) with very low processing demands (PS-ATT group). The main finding reveals increased scores from the pre-test to the post-test intelligence session (more than half a standard deviation on average). However, there was no differential improvement on intelligence between the STM-WMC and PS-ATT groups.

Research paper thumbnail of Psychological predictor variables of emotional maladjustment in infertility: Analysis of the moderating role of gender

Clínica y Salud, 2015

The objective of this study is to find out if the variables state-anxiety, trait-anxiety, positiv... more The objective of this study is to find out if the variables state-anxiety, trait-anxiety, positive-affect, negative-affect, alexithymia, and adaptive (personal and interpersonal) resources can predict emotional maladjustment in infertile people, taking into account the potentially moderating role of gender. A sample of 101 participants with an infertility diagnosis (51 males and 50 females) completed a battery of psychological tests (DERA, Emotional Maladjustment and Adaptive Resources in Infertility questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI], PANAS, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and TAS-20, [Toronto Alexithymia Scale]). The moderating, partial, and interactive effects of the variables were analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis. The resulting model explained 71.1% of total variance, resulting in gender as an important moderating variable and trait anxiety, state anxiety, negative affect, and low interpersonal resources as strong predictors of emotional maladjustment in infertile people. These results provide guidance in selecting the most appropriate psychological support and treatment for the emotional adjustment of infertile women and men.

Research paper thumbnail of Influencia del apoyo familiar en la autoeficacia de los drogodependientes

Adicciones, 2005

En este estudio se investiga si el apoyo de los progenitores afecta a la autoeficacia de los drog... more En este estudio se investiga si el apoyo de los progenitores afecta a la autoeficacia de los drogodependientes. Para ello se utilizó una muestra de 186 sujetos de Méjico que se dividieron en dos grupos (experimental y control). A su vez, ambos grupos se dividieron en 2 subgrupos en función del apoyo de sus progenitores. Se midió la autoeficacia con la escala de Sherer et al., (1982) y el consumo de drogas con la entrevista de investigación acerca del comportamiento adictivo. Se realizó un Análisis Multivariado de la Varianza (MANOVA) para un diseño bifactorial entre grupos utilizando como variables independientes el consumo (consumo versus no consumo) y el apoyo de los progenitores (implicación versus no implicación) y como variable dependiente la autoeficacia. Los resultados indicaron que los sujetos drogodependientes presentaban puntuaciones más bajas en autoeficacia que los sujetos controles. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en el apoyo de los progenitores aunque podemos observar que el nivel de autoeficacia de los grupos (experimental y control) es menor cuando los progenitores se implican. Nuestros resultados ponen de manifiesto que la autoeficacia podría ser una variable protectora para el consumo de drogas y sugieren la necesidad de seguir investigando las actitudes, actuaciones y recursos familiares que inciden en el consumo de drogas.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing depression, anxiety and couple psychological well-being in pregnancy: a preliminary study

Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 2014

The aim of the study was to evaluate depressive and anxious symptoms and psychological well-being... more The aim of the study was to evaluate depressive and anxious symptoms and psychological well-being in men and women in their third trimester of pregnancy (group study), and to compare with two control groups of men and non-pregnant women, both with children and without children. Background: Perinatal research has largely focused on maternal depression, anxiety and marital relationship, but few studies exist including partners and comparisons with control groups of men and women both with and without children. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey. The total sample was 156 participants. Approximately equal numbers of participants in each group were recruited through a local community health center in Zaragoza (Spain) and completed questionnaires in presence of a psychologist. Anxiety, depression and marital relationship were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Psychological well-being in the couple scale, respectively. Results: The results show higher levels of depression symptoms in the pregnancy group, being pregnant women who get significantly higher scores than men. Also, the pregnancy group (men and women) show lower scores on psychological well-being in the couple compared with the control groups. No significant differences in anxiety/state between the groups and the sex were obtained. Conclusion: These findings are important for both researchers and clinicians in practice, in order to improve the identification of women with antenatal depressive symptoms mood, and offer more psychological support for women and partners during and after pregnancy.

Research paper thumbnail of Predictive Capacity of Self-Efficacy in Drug Dependence and Substance Abuse Treatment

Journal of Psychology & Clinical Psychiatry, 2015

Addiction to opiates has increased in recent years. This resurgence in its consumption shows the ... more Addiction to opiates has increased in recent years. This resurgence in its consumption shows the need to continue to investigate the role of personality in addictive behavior. Variables such as self-efficacy are quite helpful in the treatment of drug addicts. The purpose of this study was to examine and quantify the predictive capacity of self-efficacy in treatment groups (Methadone, Cognitive-Behavioral, Alcohol) and a Control group and in the severity of the substance abuse (quantity and chronicity of use). The sample was composed of 181 participants (97 men and 84 women), who were divided into 4 groups: Methadone, Cognitive-behavioral, Alcohol and Control. Their self-efficacy was measured using the Self-efficacy scale (SE) and the Addictive Behavior Research Interview (EICA). The results showed the self-efficacy is inversely related to the Methadone, Cognitive-behavioral and Alcohol groups and directly related to the Control group. Regarding the severity of the drug use, we found that self-efficacy was inversely related to the quantity of drugs consumed and directly related to chronicity. The study proposes the need to evaluate self-efficacy along with other personality measures, as it is not enough to believe that one is capable of successfully doing something (self-efficacy), but it is also important to show it (coping).

Research paper thumbnail of The specific psychosocial modulator factors of emotional adjustment in infertile individuals compared to fertile people

Current Psychology

Certain psychological and social factors modulate emotional adjustment in infertility. The aims o... more Certain psychological and social factors modulate emotional adjustment in infertility. The aims of this study were: analyse whether there are sex and group differences (infertile vs. fertile) in emotional adjustment, and personality, dispositional optimism, coping strategies, personal and interpersonal resources; observe the modulating role of these psychosocial variables in the emotional adjustment of infertile individuals compared to fertile ones; and determine if the modulator variables associated with emotional adjustment are specific to infertile people. Method: A cross-sectional study design was used with a sample of 139 heterosexual Spanish participants (84 infertile, 55 fertile). For the data analysis we performed correlations, multiple regression analysis, MANOVAS and ANOVAS. Results: The multivariate and univariate analyses showed that the infertile group exhibited greater emotional maladjustment, more personal resources, lesser degree of confrontive coping, social support...

Research paper thumbnail of Gender Differences in Visuospatial Abilities and Complex Mathematical Problem Solving

Frontiers in Psychology, 2020

Mathematical problem-solving and spatial visualization are areas in which performance has been sh... more Mathematical problem-solving and spatial visualization are areas in which performance has been shown to vary with sex. This article describes the impact of gender on spatial relations measured in 331 secondary school students (202 males, 129 females), 145 (105 males, 40 females) of whom had been selected to participate in a mathematical talent stimulation project after passing a complex problem-solving test. In the two tests administered, the Differential Aptitude Tests-Space Relations (DAT-SR) and the Primary Mental Abilities-Space Relations (PMA-SR), performance was assessed on the grounds of both absolute scores and the ratio to the number of items answered. The students participating in the talent program earned higher scores on both tests, although no interaction was identified between mathematical abilities and gender in connection with the differences in spatial habilities observed. In PMA-SR, boys answered more items and scored higher, whereas in DAT-SR girls tended to omit more items. None of the indicators studied exhibited differences between the sexes in both tests and in some cases the differences in the absolute values of the indicators were absent when expressed as ratios.

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis de los errores en tareas geométricas de argumentación visual por estudiantes con talento matemático

Revista Latinoamericana de Investigación en Matemática Educativa, 2013

En este trabajo se analizan los errores cometidos por un grupo de veinticinco estudiantes de entr... more En este trabajo se analizan los errores cometidos por un grupo de veinticinco estudiantes de entre 13 y 16 años, que participan en un proyecto de estimulación del talento matemático, al resolver tareas geométricas durante tres sesiones de enriquecimiento curricular focalizado en técnicas de argumentación. Se identifican errores específicos de la argumentación visual (establecer falsas analogías entre plano y espacio, no discutir todos los casos posibles y razonar a partir de ejemplos concretos limitados) y derivados del uso incorrecto de los elementos de razonamiento, contenidos y procedimientos matemáticos. El estudio de correlaciones muestra que, en su mayoría, los errores son independientes, tanto entre sí como con las puntuaciones en tres test que miden su capacidad visual e intelectual. Los resultados del anova de medidas repetidas indican que a lo largo de las tres sesiones disminuye significativamente la frecuencia con la que manifiestan los errores específicos de la argument...

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis de las capacidades de visualización espacial e intelectual en los alumnos con talento matemático

Revista Mexicana De Psicologia, 2013

There is not a consensus built among researchers about the role played by visualization abilities... more There is not a consensus built among researchers about the role played by visualization abilities in the characterization of mathematical talent. This paper analyzes the visual abilities of a group of mathematically gifted students from the results obtained in the Raven intelligence test and the spatial components of PMA and DAT-5 tests. The experimental group comprised 25 second-grade students as part of a project for stimulation of mathematical talent (ESTALMAT), and the control group comprised 33 fourth-grade ESO students. Analysis of the results shows that mathematically gifted students achieve significantly higher scores than control students in the three tests, and that PMA spatial scale results in a better discrimination of visualization capabilities than DAT-5 spatial scale for these students.

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis de las capacidades visuales e intelectuales en los alumnos con talento matemático

Revista Mexicana de Psicología

There is not a consensus built among researchers about the role played by visualization abilities... more There is not a consensus built among researchers about the role played by visualization abilities in the characterization of mathematical talent. This paper analyzes the visual abilities of a group of mathematically gifted students from the results obtained in the Raven intelligence test and the spatial components of PMA and DAT-5 tests. The experimental group comprised 25 second-grade students as part of a project for stimulation of mathematical talent (ESTALMAT), and the control group comprised 33 fourth-grade ESO students. Analysis of the results shows that mathematically gifted students achieve significantly higher scores than control students in the three tests, and that PMA spatial scale results in a better discrimination of visualization capabilities than DAT-5 spatial scale for these students.

Research paper thumbnail of El Apoyo Familiar y Sus Implicaciones en Las Habilidades De Afrontamiento en Las Drogodependencias

Resumen En este estudio se analizan las estrategias de afrontamiento de los drogodependientes con... more Resumen En este estudio se analizan las estrategias de afrontamiento de los drogodependientes con diferente grado de apoyo de sus progenitores. Para ello, se cuenta con un total de 186 sujetos consumidores de alcohol, hachís, cocaína, anfetaminas, heroína, metadona, alucinógenos, medicamentos y no consumidores. Los grupos fueron divididos en función del consumo versus no consumo y en función del grado de apoyo de los progenitores (padre y madre, solo padre y madre y no apoyo). Se realizaron medidas relacionadas con el afrontamiento, con la severidad del consumo de alcohol y drogas y con aspectos sociodemográficos de los sujetos. Los resultados muestran que existen diferencias en las estrategias de afrontamiento entre los sujetos que consumen alcohol y drogas y los sujetos que no consumen. También se encuentra que las estrategias de afrontamiento que utilizan los sujetos dependen del grado de implicación o apoyo de sus progenitores. PALABRAS CLAVE: Afrontamiento, familia, consumo de ...

Research paper thumbnail of A New Look at Cardiac Defense: Attention or Emotion?

The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 2003

The study of cardiac defense has a long tradition in psychological research both within the cogni... more The study of cardiac defense has a long tradition in psychological research both within the cognitive approach—linked to Pavlov, Sokolov, and Graham's work on sensory reflexes—and within the motivational one—linked to the work of Cannon and subsequent researchers on the concepts of activation and stress. These two approaches have been difficult to reconcile in the past. We summarize a series of studies on cardiac defense from a different perspective, which allows integration of the traditional approaches. This new perspective emphasizes a sequential process interpretation of the cardiac defense response. Results of descriptive and parametric studies, as well as those of studies examining the physiological and psychological mechanisms underlying the response, show a complex response pattern with both accelerative and decelerative components, with both sympathetic and parasympathetic influences, and with both attentional and emotional significance. The implications of this new loo...

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing depression, anxiety and couple psychological well-being in pregnancy: a preliminary study

Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 2014

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate symptoms of depression and anxiety and psychologi... more Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate symptoms of depression and anxiety and psychological well-being in men and women in their third trimester of pregnancy, and to compare them with two control groups of men and nonpregnant women, both with children and without children. Background: Perinatal research has largely focused on maternal depression, anxiety and the state of the marital relationship, but few studies exist including partners and comparisons with control groups of men and women both with and without children. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey. The total sample was 156 participants. Approximately equal numbers of participants in each group were recruited through a local community health centre in Zaragoza (Spain) and completed questionnaires in the presence of a psychologist. Anxiety, depression and the couple's self-ratings of their well-being were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Psychological Well-being in the couple Scale, respectively. Results: The results show higher levels of depression symptoms in the 'pregnancy group'; specifically, pregnant women reported higher levels of depression than their male partners. Also, the 'pregnancy group' (men and women) show lower scores on psychological well-being in the couple compared with the control groups. No significant differences in anxiety-state between the groups and sex were obtained. Conclusion: These findings are important for both researchers and clinicians in practice, in order to improve the identification of women with antenatal depressive symptoms and offer more psychological support for women and their partners during and after pregnancy.

Research paper thumbnail of The dynamics of cardiac defense: From attention to action

Psychophysiology, 2010

The attentional and motivational significance of cardiac defense is examined in two studies. In S... more The attentional and motivational significance of cardiac defense is examined in two studies. In Study 1, cardiac defense was evoked by an intense acoustic stimulus in the context of either a visual search or a memory search task using letters as stimuli. Results showed a potentiation of the long latency acceleration of cardiac defense in the visual search task. In Study 2, participants performed the same visual search task using pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures as stimuli. Results showed a further potentiation of the long latency acceleration of cardiac defense when the visual search task was performed with unpleasant, compared to pleasant or neutral pictures. These results indicate that cardiac defense has both attentional and motivational contributions, where the attentional significance is related to increased sensory processing, whereas the motivational significance is associated with preparation for active defense.

Research paper thumbnail of Differentiation between protective reflexes: Cardiac defense and startle

Psychophysiology, 2005

Rise time and duration are two parametric characteristics of the eliciting stimulus frequently us... more Rise time and duration are two parametric characteristics of the eliciting stimulus frequently used to differentiate among psychophysiological reflexes. The present research varied the duration (study 1) and rise time (study 2) of an intense acoustic stimulus to dissociate cardiac defense and cardiac startle using the eyeblink response as the external criterion of startle. In each study, 100 participants were presented with five white noise stimuli of 105 dB under one of five duration (50, 100, 250, 500, and 1000 ms) or rise time (0, 24, 48, 96, and 240 ms) conditions. Cardiac defense was affected by stimulus duration, present only in the 500-and 1000-ms conditions, but not by stimulus rise time, present in all rise time conditions. Rise time affected blink startle, but did not selectively alter the short latency accelerative component of the heart rate response, thus questioning whether it reflects startle.

Research paper thumbnail of Viewing Loved Faces Inhibits Defense Reactions: A Health-Promotion Mechanism?

PLoS ONE, 2012

We have known for decades that social support is associated with positive health outcomes. And ye... more We have known for decades that social support is associated with positive health outcomes. And yet, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood. The link between social support and positive health outcomes is likely to depend on the neurophysiological regulatory mechanisms underlying reward and defensive reactions. The present study examines the hypothesis that emotional social support (love) provides safety cues that activate the appetitive reward system and simultaneously inhibit defense reactions. Using the startle probe paradigm, 54 undergraduate students (24 men) viewed black and white photographs of loved (romantic partner, father, mother, and best friend), neutral (unknown), and unpleasant (mutilated) faces. Eye-blink startle, zygomatic major activity, heart rate, and skin conductance responses to the faces, together with subjective ratings of valence, arousal, and dominance, were obtained. Viewing loved faces induced a marked inhibition of the eye-blink startle response accompanied by a pattern of zygomatic, heart rate, skin conductance, and subjective changes indicative of an intense positive emotional response. Effects were similar for men and women, but the startle inhibition and the zygomatic response were larger in female participants. A comparison between the faces of the romantic partner and the parent who shares the partner's gender further suggests that this effect is not attributable to familiarity or arousal. We conclude that this inhibitory capacity may contribute to the health benefits associated with social support.

Research paper thumbnail of Improvement in working memory is not related to increased intelligence scores

Intelligence, 2010

The acknowledged high relationship between working memory and intelligence suggests common underl... more The acknowledged high relationship between working memory and intelligence suggests common underlying cognitive mechanisms and, perhaps, shared biological substrates. If this is the case, improvement in working memory by repeated exposure to challenging span tasks might be reflected in increased intelligence scores. Here we report a study in which 288 university undergraduates completed the odd numbered items of four intelligence tests on time 1 and the even numbered items of the same tests one month later (time 2). In between, 173 participants completed three sessions, separated by exactly one week, comprising verbal, numerical, and spatial short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WMC) tasks imposing high processing demands (STM-WMC group). 115 participants also completed three sessions, separated by exactly one week, but comprising verbal, numerical, and spatial simple speed tasks (processing speed, PS, and attention, ATT) with very low processing demands (PS-ATT group). The main finding reveals increased scores from the pre-test to the post-test intelligence session (more than half a standard deviation on average). However, there was no differential improvement on intelligence between the STM-WMC and PS-ATT groups.

Research paper thumbnail of Psychological predictor variables of emotional maladjustment in infertility: Analysis of the moderating role of gender

Clínica y Salud, 2015

The objective of this study is to find out if the variables state-anxiety, trait-anxiety, positiv... more The objective of this study is to find out if the variables state-anxiety, trait-anxiety, positive-affect, negative-affect, alexithymia, and adaptive (personal and interpersonal) resources can predict emotional maladjustment in infertile people, taking into account the potentially moderating role of gender. A sample of 101 participants with an infertility diagnosis (51 males and 50 females) completed a battery of psychological tests (DERA, Emotional Maladjustment and Adaptive Resources in Infertility questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI], PANAS, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and TAS-20, [Toronto Alexithymia Scale]). The moderating, partial, and interactive effects of the variables were analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis. The resulting model explained 71.1% of total variance, resulting in gender as an important moderating variable and trait anxiety, state anxiety, negative affect, and low interpersonal resources as strong predictors of emotional maladjustment in infertile people. These results provide guidance in selecting the most appropriate psychological support and treatment for the emotional adjustment of infertile women and men.

Research paper thumbnail of Influencia del apoyo familiar en la autoeficacia de los drogodependientes

Adicciones, 2005

En este estudio se investiga si el apoyo de los progenitores afecta a la autoeficacia de los drog... more En este estudio se investiga si el apoyo de los progenitores afecta a la autoeficacia de los drogodependientes. Para ello se utilizó una muestra de 186 sujetos de Méjico que se dividieron en dos grupos (experimental y control). A su vez, ambos grupos se dividieron en 2 subgrupos en función del apoyo de sus progenitores. Se midió la autoeficacia con la escala de Sherer et al., (1982) y el consumo de drogas con la entrevista de investigación acerca del comportamiento adictivo. Se realizó un Análisis Multivariado de la Varianza (MANOVA) para un diseño bifactorial entre grupos utilizando como variables independientes el consumo (consumo versus no consumo) y el apoyo de los progenitores (implicación versus no implicación) y como variable dependiente la autoeficacia. Los resultados indicaron que los sujetos drogodependientes presentaban puntuaciones más bajas en autoeficacia que los sujetos controles. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en el apoyo de los progenitores aunque podemos observar que el nivel de autoeficacia de los grupos (experimental y control) es menor cuando los progenitores se implican. Nuestros resultados ponen de manifiesto que la autoeficacia podría ser una variable protectora para el consumo de drogas y sugieren la necesidad de seguir investigando las actitudes, actuaciones y recursos familiares que inciden en el consumo de drogas.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing depression, anxiety and couple psychological well-being in pregnancy: a preliminary study

Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 2014

The aim of the study was to evaluate depressive and anxious symptoms and psychological well-being... more The aim of the study was to evaluate depressive and anxious symptoms and psychological well-being in men and women in their third trimester of pregnancy (group study), and to compare with two control groups of men and non-pregnant women, both with children and without children. Background: Perinatal research has largely focused on maternal depression, anxiety and marital relationship, but few studies exist including partners and comparisons with control groups of men and women both with and without children. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey. The total sample was 156 participants. Approximately equal numbers of participants in each group were recruited through a local community health center in Zaragoza (Spain) and completed questionnaires in presence of a psychologist. Anxiety, depression and marital relationship were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Psychological well-being in the couple scale, respectively. Results: The results show higher levels of depression symptoms in the pregnancy group, being pregnant women who get significantly higher scores than men. Also, the pregnancy group (men and women) show lower scores on psychological well-being in the couple compared with the control groups. No significant differences in anxiety/state between the groups and the sex were obtained. Conclusion: These findings are important for both researchers and clinicians in practice, in order to improve the identification of women with antenatal depressive symptoms mood, and offer more psychological support for women and partners during and after pregnancy.