Artículos (Psicología Experimental)
URI permanente para esta colecciónhttps://hdl.handle.net/11441/11075
Examinar
Envíos recientes
Artículo Anatomy of Educational Innovations Based on Learning by Discovery in Higher Education(Consejo General de la Psicología de España, 2024) Ruisoto, Pablo; Contador, Israel; Quintero Sánchez, Esperanza; López García, Juan Carlos; Álvarez-Díaz, Beatriz; Cacho, Raúl; Fernández-Calvo, Bernardino; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; European Union (UE)This study examines the teaching innovations resulting from the Bologna Process, focusing on problem-based learning and gamification, both of which emphasize the importance of autonomous learning. It reviews metaanalyses and prominent articles in the field of education and educational research from the last 5 years. Using a biomedical analogy, it identifies the active principles of discovery-based learning innovations, highlighting the subordination of theoretical content to practical skills and the disruption of the teacher-student dichotomy. Adverse effects are noted, such as the devaluation of lectures, the discrediting of teacher authority, and the infantilization of students. The effectiveness of discovery-based learning in higher education is considered weak and inconsistent, and caution is advised in its implementation, together with the preservation of the university’s social function of transmitting knowledge at advanced levels.Artículo Anxiolytic and sedative effects of sodium valproate with different experimental paradigms in male and female rats(Wiley, 2024) Cintado García, María de los Ángeles; Casa Rivas, Luis Gonzalo de La; González, Gabriel; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. EspañaValproic acid or sodium valproate is a widely used drug in the treatment of epilepsy, although it also appears to have anxiolytic and sedative properties derived from its agonistic action on the GABAergic system. To analyze these potential effects of the drug, we conducted three experiments with rats using procedures designed to assess anxiety in rodents. In the first experiment, with a fear conditioning procedure, three groups of male rats were included that received either 100 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg of valproate or an equivalent volume of saline solution. In Experiment 2, recording spontaneous activity in an open field, we compared the effects of valproic acid (300 mg/kg) on male and female rats. In the third experiment, we analyzed the effect of valproic acid using a novelty-induced hypophagia test and tested again for potential differences as a function of the sex of the animals. The results showed an anxiolytic effect restricted to the 300 mg/kg dose of the drug in Experiment 1. Such an effect was restricted to the female sample in Experiment 2, but in the third experiment affected both sexes. As for the sedative effect, it was observed in all experiments irrespective of the sex of the rats. These findings hold significant implications for the treatment of anxiety disorders since valproate may offer a novel therapeutic approach for anxiety-related conditions with distinct benefits and fewer side effects. However, clinical studies are needed to validate the translation of these findings from animal models to human patients.
Artículo Cortical hypometabolism in Parkinson’s disease is linked to cholinergic basal forebrain atrophy(Springer, 2024) Labrador-Espinosa, Miguel Á.; Silva-Rodríguez, Jesús; Okkels, Niels; Muñoz-Delgado, Laura; Horsager, Jacob; Castro-Labrador, Sandra; Franco-Rosado, Pablo; Castellano-Guerrero, Ana María; Iglesias Camacho, Elena; San-Eufrasio, Manuela; Macías-García, Daniel; Jesús, Silvia; Adarmes-Gómez, Astrid; Ojeda-Lepe, Elena; Carrillo, Fátima; Martín Rodríguez, Juan Francisco; Roldán Lora, Florinda; García Solís, David; Borghammer, Per; Mir Rivera, Pablo; Grothe, Michel J.; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Medicina; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; Instituto de Salud Carlos III; European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); Junta de Andalucía; Fundación Alicia KoplowitzCortical hypometabolism on FDG-PET is a well-established neuroimaging biomarker of cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but its pathophysiologic origins are incompletely understood. Cholinergic basal forebrain (cBF) degeneration is a prominent pathological feature of PD-related cognitive impairment and may contribute to cortical hypometabolism through cholinergic denervation of cortical projection areas. Here, we investigated in-vivo associations between subregional cBF volumes on 3T-MRI, cortical hypometabolism on [18F]FDG-PET, and cognitive deficits in a cohort of 95 PD participants with varying degrees of cognitive impairment. We further assessed the spatial correspondence of the cortical pattern of cBF-associated hypometabolism with the pattern of cholinergic denervation in PD as assessed by [18F]FEOBV-PET imaging of presynaptic cholinergic terminal density in a second cohort. Lower volume of the cortically-projecting posterior cBF, but not of the anterior cBF, was significantly associated with extensive neocortical hypometabolism [p(FDR) < 0.05], which mediated the association between cBF atrophy and cognitive impairment (mediated proportion: 43%, p < 0.001). In combined models, posterior cBF atrophy explained more variance in cortical hypometabolism (R2 = 0.26, p < 0.001) than local atrophy in the cortical areas themselves (R2 = 0.16, p = 0.01). Topographic correspondence analysis with the [18F]FEOBV-PET pattern revealed that cortical areas showing most pronounced cBF-associated hypometabolism correspond to those showing most severe cholinergic denervation in PD (Spearman’s ρ = 0.57, p < 0.001). In conclusion, posterior cBF atrophy in PD is selectively associated with hypometabolism in denervated cortical target areas, which mediates the effect of cBF atrophy on cognitive impairment. These data provide first-time in-vivo evidence that cholinergic degeneration represents a principle pathological correlate of cortical hypometabolism underlying cognitive impairment in PD.Artículo Changes to women’s childbirth plans during the COVID-19 pandemic and posttraumatic stress symptoms: a cross-national study(Springer, 2024) Mesquita, Ana; Costa, Raquel; Dikmen-Yildiz, Pelin; Faria, Susana; Silvestrini, Gabriela; Mateus, Vera; Vousoura, Eleni; Wilson, Claire A.; Felice, Ethel; Ajaz, Erilda; Hadjigeourgiou, Eleni; Hancheva, Camellia; Contreras García, Yolanda; Domínguez Salas, Sara; Motrico Martínez, Emma; Soares, Isabel; Ayers, Susan; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST); Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. Portugal; European Commission. Fondo Social Europeo (FSO)A considerable number of women giving birth during COVID-19 pandemic reported being concerned about changes to their childbirth plans and experiences due to imposed restrictions. Research prior to the pandemic suggests that women may be more at risk of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) due to unmet expectations of their childbirth plans. Therefore, this study aimed to examine if the mismatch between women’s planned birth and actual birth experiences during COVID-19 was associated with women’s postpartum PTSS. Women in the postpartum period (up to 6 months after birth) across 11 countries reported on childbirth experiences, mental health, COVID-19-related factors, and PTSS (PTSD checklist DSM-5 version) using self-report questionnaires (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04595123). More than half (64%) of the 3532 postpartum women included in the analysis reported changes to their childbirth plans. All changes were significantly associated with PTSS scores. Participants with one and two changes to their childbirth plans had a 12% and 38% increase, respectively, in PTSS scores compared to those with no changes (Exp(β) = 1.12; 95% CI [1.06–1.19]; p < 0.001 and Exp(β) = 1.38; 95% CI [1.29–1.48]; p < 0.001). In addition, the effect of having one change in the childbirth plan on PTSS scores was stronger in primigravida than in multigravida (Exp(β) = 0.86; 95% CI [0.77–0.97]; p = 0.014). Changes to women’s childbirth plans during the COVID-19 pandemic were common and associated with women’s postpartum PTSS score. Developing health policies that protect women from the negative consequences of unexpected or unintended birth experiences is important for perinatal mental health.Artículo Differential effect of training impure tacts versus pure tacts plus intraverbal on the emergence of new verbal operants: A conceptual and methodological study(Springer, 2024) Maldonado Herves, Miguel Ángel; Lorca Marín, José Andrés; Velo Ramírez, Sheila; Alós Cívico, Francisco J.; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología ExperimentalThe aim of this research was to test the effect of training impure tact versus pure tact and intraverbals on the emergence of new verbal operants (impure tacts), thus establishing a conceptual and methodological differentiation on these operants. This was done by varying the training order of intraverbal or impure tact to analyze and confirm whether or not impure tact is the mere sum of pure tact plus intraverbal and therefore has different functions and consequences in learning. An experiment was conducted with 30 participants randomly assigned to three groups. In Group 1, pure tact plus intraverbal and then impure tact were trained. In Group 3 the training order of these operants was counterbalanced. Group 2 was the control group, training only pure tact plus intraverbal. After the training phases, the emergence of impure tacts was tested. The results of this research indicate that the training of impure tacts favors the emergence of new impure tacts to a greater extent than the training of pure tact plus intraverbal and that they therefore have different functions. It is also shown that variation in the order of presentation of the type of training influences the subsequent emergence of new operants (impure tacts), so that creating a previous history of learning in impure tacts favors emergence even when the intraverbal alone is subsequently trained. This has important implications at both conceptual and methodological levels as it would contribute to the development of more effective language training technologies.Artículo Effectiveness of a psychoeducational intervention on myositis patients’ quality of life and well-being: a randomized controlled trial(BMC, 2024) Armadans Tremolosa, Inmaculada; Palacín-Lois, María; Castrechini Trotta, Angela A.; Sanduvete Chaves, Susana; Chacón Moscoso, Salvador; Selva O'Callaghan, Albert; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Instituto de Salud Carlos III; European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. EspañaBackground Myositis is a rare disease associated with impaired health-related quality of life. A study evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention to improve the quality of life and well-being of myositis patients is presented. Methods All myositis patients in a health district were contacted. Thirty-four eligible patients were randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 17) or control (n = 17) group. A psychoeducational intervention of 5 100-min sessions focusing on the disease as related to daily life was conducted only in experimental patients. Several reliable tools to measure quality of life and well-being were administered twice, before and after the intervention, to both groups. Results In the experimental group, post-test scores were higher than pre-test in quality of life, well-being, and self-efficacy to manage the disease. Improvements were more evident in the experimental group than controls in 70% of the variables studied. Specifically, sedentariness decreased and satisfaction with social relationships increased in the post-test evaluation to a greater degree in the experimental group than in controls. Conclusions This randomized controlled trial on a representative sample of myositis patients in an extensive population provides evidence indicating the effectiveness of a psychoeducational intervention for improving HRQoL, well-being, and self-efficacy to manage the disease. Trial registration: NCT06300983.Artículo Effects of food deprivation on conditioned orthonasal olfactory preferences with caloric and non-caloric reinforcers(Elsevier, 2024) Traverso Arcos, Luis Miguel; Gómez Sancho, Luis Eladio; Casa Rivas, Luis Gonzalo de La; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. EspañaThree experiments were conducted to investigate Conditioned Olfactory Preferences using orthonasal inhalation, which is a less explored perceptual pathway compared to retronasal inhalation. In these experiments, odors were impregnated onto plastic disks to prevent the subjects from consuming or tasting them. The reinforcers used were a sucrose solution (Caloric groups) and a saccharin solution (Non-Caloric groups). The influence of nutritional deprivation was analyzed, with unrestricted access to food throughout the procedure in Experiment 1, food restriction during the conditioning phase in Experiment 2, and limited access to food during the test phase in Experiment 3. The results revealed conditioned preferences using both sucrose and saccharin as reinforcers. Furthermore, dietary restriction reduced the conditioned preference induced by saccharin, but not the preference induced by sucrose. These findings are discussed in light of the potential differences between orthonasal and retronasal presentation of odors during conditioning.Artículo Influence of news media use and political discussions on social self-efficacy through sense of unity: an analysis of mediation model invariance with Spanish and Portuguese adolescents(Springer, 2024) Salado Navarro, Vanesa; Gaspar, Tânia ; Moreno Maldonado, Concepción; Gaspar de Matos, Margarida; Rivera de los Santos, Francisco José; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la EducaciónDiscussing sociopolitical issues with family or friends during adolescence, as well as staying informed through media outlets, is key to developing active civic engagement for both youth and future adults. Likewise, these communicative exchanges promote a sense of belonging and social skills which foster adolescents’ wellbeing. This research aims to analyze the influence of participation in communication about political and social issues on adolescents’ social self-efficacy, both directly and as well as indirectly through sense of unity, in two Mediterranean countries (Portugal and Spain). The sample was selected through random multistage sampling by conglomerates. The 36,992 adolescents (50.6% girls and 49.4% boys) participated in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in Portugal and Spain, and the age groups were distributed as following: 39.6% 13–14-years-old; 35.8% 15–16-years-old; and 25.6% 17–18-years-old. Analyses showed positive associations between the proposed indicator of civic engagement –news media use and political discussions– and social self-efficacy, both directly as well as through sense of unity, with similar results for adolescents in Portugal and Spain. Accordingly, educational programs promoting communication about sociopolitical issues could foster adolescents’ sense of unity and social skills, contributing to their positive development, wellbeing, and civic engagement. Curricular materials on current politics and social affairs could increase classroom dialogue based on respect, healthy peer relationships, and sense of belonging, fostering effective political socialization amongst youth and the development of democratic behaviors beneficial to society.Artículo Intervention studies with group design targeting expressive phonology for children with developmental speech and language disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis(Wiley, 2024) Kunnari, Sari; Sanduvete Chaves, Susana; Chacón Moscoso, Salvador; Alves, Dina; Ozbič, Martina; Petinou, Kakia; Tolonen, Anna Kaisa; Zajdó, Krisztina; Frizelle, Pauline; Murphy, Carol Anne; Saldaña Sage, David; Laasonen, Marja; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación; European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST); Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT). Chile; Junta de Andalucía; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. PortugalAbstract Background Phonological difficulties are prevalent in children with speech and/or language disorders and may hamper their later language outcomes and academic achievements. These children often form a significant proportion of speech and language therapists’ caseloads. There is a shortage of information on evidence-based interventions for improving phonological skills in children and adolescents with speech and language disorder. Aims The aim of this systematic literature review and meta-analysis was to systematically examine the effects of different intervention approaches on speech production accuracy and phonological representation skills in children with speech and language disorders. Methods A preregistered systematic review (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews ID: CRD42017076075) adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was completed. Seven electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS and Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts) were searched for studies related to oral language interventions with children with developmental speech and/or language disorder (mean age ranging from 3–18 years) published between January 2006 and August 2022. The included articles reported intervention studies with a group design in which speech production accuracy was the outcome measure. Studies were appraised using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and individual effect sizes were calculated using standardised means differences when enough data was available. A meta-analysis was conducted obtaining the average standardised mean difference d. Heterogeneity, influence of possible moderator variables and publication bias were explored. Results The 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria presented low-medium risk of bias. Nine effect sizes were obtained from seven of these studies that presented a pre-post-test with a control group design. Medium-high average effect sizes were found in phonological accuracy. Heterogeneity was found between individual effect sizes. Significant moderator variables and publication bias were not detected. Conclusions The results of this meta-analysis indicate positive effects on speech production accuracy. Based on this review, further improvements in the quality of reporting for intervention research are required in developing the evidence base for practice. What this paper adds What is already known on the subject An increasing number of interventions is available for children and adolescents with developmental speech and/or language disorders. Previous reviews suggest relatively low levels of evidence of interventions having phonology as an outcome measure. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge This review and meta-analysis summarise the intervention evidence from a substantial body of group design studies, indicating positive results from a range of interventions with phonological outcomes. It highlights the need to systematically implement and replicate different intervention procedures to understand factors that will maximise positive outcomes and to grow the evidence base for best practice. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this study? Tentative evidence is emerging for the effectiveness of various approaches in enhancing speech production accuracy skills of children and adolescents with developmental speech and/or language disorder.Artículo Linear and non-linear analyses of EEG in a group of ASD children during resting state condition(Springer, 2023) Angulo Ruiz, Brenda Yalitza; Ruiz Martínez, Francisco Javier; Rodríguez Martínez, Elena Isabel; Ionescu, Anca; Saldaña Sage, David; Gómez González, Carlos María; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la EducaciónThis study analyses the spontaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) brain activity of 14 children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) compared to 18 children with normal development, aged 5–11 years. (i) Power Spectral Density (PSD), (ii) variability across trials (coefficient of variation: CV), and (iii) complexity (multiscale entropy: MSE) of the brain signal analysis were computed on the resting state EEG. PSD (0.5–45 Hz) and CV were averaged over different frequency bands (low-delta, delta, theta, alpha, low-beta, high-beta and gamma). MSE were calculated with a coarse-grained procedure on 67 time scales and divided into fine, medium and coarse scales. In addition, significant neurophysiological variables were correlated with behavioral performance data (Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (KBIT) and Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ)). Results show increased PSD fast frequency bands (high-beta and gamma), higher variability (CV) and lower complexity (MSE) in children with ASD when compared to typically developed children. These results suggest a more variable, less complex and, probably, less adaptive neural networks with less capacity to generate optimal responses in ASD children.Artículo Methodological procedure based on quantitizing/liquefying: a case study to assess work climate in an emergency department(Frontiers Media SA, 2023) Chacón Moscoso, Salvador; Anguera, M. Teresa; Sanduvete Chaves, Susana; Lozano Lozano, José Antonio; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. EspañaIntroduction: In the assessment of health organizations, results-based indicators are mainly used, with no consideration of internal work dynamics. This type of assessment forfeits much of the rich, useful information needed to make decisions on improving the organization. In order to address this, a rigorous procedure based on mixed methods is laid out here on gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data associated with the implementation process. Methods: A 55-year-old doctor was selected at random from among the staff who volunteered to be interviewed at the emergency department at a public hospital located in southern Spain for an interview. Qualitative data obtained from the in-depth interview (indirect observation) were progressively systematized (liquefied and quantitized) based on a theoretical framework until a code matrix was obtained, without losing or distorting any information. Afterwards, data quality was controlled using Cohen’s kappa (κ) coefficient. A quantitative polar coordinate analysis was then carried out using the free software HOISAN (v. 1.6.3.3) to obtain robust results, vectorizing the relationships between codes and specifying whenever such relationships were statistically significant (and if they resulted in behavior activation or inhibition). Finally, a supplementary quantitative and qualitative assessment was carried out. Results and discussion: The proposed method was applied to the needs assessment of teams in order to evaluate that work climate in the hospital’s emergency department Health Services of a hospital. Data quality control yielded an adequate result (κ = 0.82). Significant activation and inhibition of behaviors occurred, both prospectively and retrospectively. For instance, We seek to understand the needs of our clients and We readily adapt to new circumstances showed a significant activation (vector length = 3.43, p < 0.01) both prospectively (Zsum = 0.48) and retrospectively (Zsum = 3.4). An adequate method to obtain detailed information about group dynamics in a work environment is presented, based on an in-depth interview. Practical applications for implementations to improve the functioning of organizations are presented.Artículo Modelo de mejora para la percepción y toma de las decisiones tácticas en el baloncesto(JURUFRA, 2024) Díaz Rodríguez, Carlos; Pérez Córdoba, Eugenio Antonio; Cantón Chirivella, Enrique; Expósito Boix, Violeta; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología ExperimentalCon frecuencia los entrenadores refieren lentitud y baja eficacia en las soluciones tácticas en los jugadores adolescentes. El reto de fomentar la creatividad en jugadores de baloncesto ha sido constante, y mantiene el mismo denominador en común entre todos los jóvenes del mundo, sin distinción entre diferentes nacionalidades. El presente estudio intenta aporta sobre el campo de la toma de decisiones tácticas, proponiendo un experimento educativo y formativo, el cual contribuye al desarrollo del pensamiento táctico en jóvenes deportistas de baloncesto. El objetivo era demostrar que un entrenamiento táctico perceptual (ETP) es capaz de favorecer en la mejora de la percepción táctica significativa, en las soluciones tácticas y el rendimiento en situación real de juego. Las conclusiones que se sacaron de dicho estudio fue que es posible afirmar que después del ETP los jugadores de baloncesto mejoraron significativamente su percepción táctica significativa (PTS), ya que fueron más precisos y rápidos al seleccionar las señales significativas y desestimar lo innecesario y también que el ETP capacita al jugador de baloncesto para desarrollar percepciones y soluciones tácticas mejores y, lo más importante, a poner en juego su imaginación creativa para encontrar respuestas en las que el contrario no pueda anticiparse a su toma de decisiones.Artículo Neuropsychological Assessment of the Relationship of Working Memory with K-BIT Matrices and Vocabulary in Normal Development and ADHD Children and Adolescents(MDPI, 2023) Rodríguez Martínez, Elena Isabel; Muñoz Pradas, Raquel; Arjona Valladares, Antonio; Angulo Ruiz, Brenda Yalitza; Muñoz Burbano, Vanesa; Gómez González, Carlos María; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España; Junta de AndalucíaBackground: The present report tries to understand the possible relationship between working memory (WM) and intelligence measurements, using the direct scores of the Working Memory Test Battery for Children (WMTBC) and Kaufman’s Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT), in normal development (ND) and diagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children and adolescents. Results: Partial correlations, discounting the effect of age, showed a significant correlation in ND subjects between the central executive (CE) component of WM and the WM visuospatial sketchpad (VSS) component and the WM phonological loop (PL); also, significant correlations were obtained for the WM VSS with the K-BIT Matrices scores, the WM PL with the K-BIT Vocabulary, and the K-BIT Matrices scores with the K-BIT Vocabulary. For ADHD subjects, there were significant correlations between WM VSS and WM CE, and WM VSS and K-BIT Matrices. We tested the robustness of these correlations by selecting a small number of subjects through permutations; a robust correlation between WM CE and WM PL in ND, and between WM VSS and WM CE and WM VSS and K-BIT Matrices scores was obtained. These results were also supported by mediation analysis. Conclusions: There is a relationship during development between WM as measured with WMTBC and general intelligence as measured with K-BIT in ND and ADHD subjects. The dysexecutive character of ADHD has been shown, given that by controlling for intelligence, the differences in WM performance between ND and ADHD disappear, except for WM CE. The results suggest that in ADHD subjects, the WM VSS component presents a more pivotal role during cognitive processing compared to ND subjects.Artículo Real-world safety and effectiveness of cenobamate in patients with focal onset seizures: outcomes from an expanded access program(Wiley, 2023) Villanueva, Vicente; Santos Carrasco, Daniel; Cabezudo García, Pablo; Gómez Ibáñez, Asier; Garcés, Mercedes; Serrano Castro, Pedro; Castro Vilanova, María D.; Sayas, Débora; López González, Francisco J.; Rodríguez Osorio, Xiana; Torres Gaona, Gustavo; Saiz Díaz, Rosa A.; Hampel, Kevin G.; Martínez Ferri, Meritxell; Aguilar Amat, María J.; Mercedes Álvarez, Blanca; García Morales, Vanessa; Villar Igea, Ana del; Massot Tarrús, Andreu; Rodríguez Uranga, Juan J.; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Sociedad Española de Epilepsia; Angelini Pharma; Research Institute La FeObjective This study investigated early, real-world outcomes with cenobamate (CNB) in a large series of patients with highly drug-resistant epilepsy within a Spanish Expanded Access Program (EAP). Method This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational study in 14 hospitals. Inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years, focal seizures, and EAP authorization. Data were sourced from patient clinical records. Primary effectiveness endpoints included reductions (100%, ≥90%, ≥75%, and ≥50%) or worsening in seizure frequency at 3-, 6-, and 12-month visits and at the last visit. Safety endpoints included rates of adverse events (AEs) and AEs leading to discontinuation. Results The study included 170 patients. At baseline, median epilepsy duration was 26 years and median number of seizures/month was 11.3. The median number of prior antiseizure medications (ASMs) and concomitant ASMs were 12 and 3, respectively. Mean CNB dosages/day were 176 mg, 200 mg, and 250 mg at 3, 6, and 12 months. Retention rates were 98.2%, 94.5%, and 87% at 3, 6, and 12 months. At last available visit, the rate of seizure freedom was 13.3%; ≥90%, ≥75%, and ≥50% responder rates were 27.9%, 45.5%, and 63%, respectively. There was a significant reduction in the number of seizures per month (mean: 44.6%; median: 66.7%) between baseline and the last visit (P < 0.001). Responses were maintained regardless of the number of prior or concomitant ASMs. The number of concomitant ASMs was reduced in 44.7% of patients. The cumulative percentage of patients with AEs and AEs leading to discontinuation were 68.2% and 3.5% at 3 months, 74.1% and 4.1% at 6 months, and 74.1% and 4.1% at 12 months. The most frequent AEs were somnolence and dizziness. Significance In this highly refractory population, CNB showed a high response regardless of prior and concomitant ASMs. AEs were frequent but mostly mild-to-moderate, and few led to discontinuation. Key Points In a highly refractory population with focal seizures in a real-world setting, cenobamate outcomes were consistent with regulatory studies. A total of 63% of patients achieved a ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency and 13.3% of patients were seizure free at their last visit. A total of 44.7% of patients reduced their concomitant ASMs, particularly sodium channel blockers. Concomitant use of clobazam may have an additional efficacy benefit in some patients. The main adverse events with cenobamate were CNS-related.Artículo The Healthy Workplaces Ecosystems and Professionals' Stress Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic(MDPI, 2023) Gaspar, Tânia; Salado Navarro, Vanesa; Machado, Maria do Céu; Guedes, Fábio Botelho; Correia, Manuela Faia; Gaspar de Matos, Margarida; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. PortugalThe main objective of this paper is to understand and characterize the healthy work environment of organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was carried out in 2021 including organizations from different sectors at the national level and involved 460 participants, 50.3% of which were female. The workers’ ages ranged between 18 and 67 years, with a mean of 44 years and a standard deviation of 11.36. The Healthy Workplaces Ecosystems Tool was used. Data was collected online from professionals in the organizations who agreed to participate in the study. Our results show that organizational culture has a strong relationship with the other components of a healthy work environment. Values, policies, and practices related to leadership engagement and professional involvement are related to the psychosocial work environment, the physical work environment, the social responsibility, heath, and stress management resources. The results confirm that an organizational culture that values the well-being and health of the organization’s professionals has a positive relationship with the psychosocial environment, the physical environment, and the relationship with the community and has more resources for professionals’ health. It was also found that an organizational culture mediated by the psychosocial environment is associated with more effective stress management. Management can use this model and this tool for systemic assessment of healthy workplace ecosystems within organizations, thus contributing to continuous monitoring improvements, helping to face the challenges proposed by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, namely the SDG3, Good Health and Wellbeing and Decent Work; SDG5, Gender Equality; and SDG 10, Sustainable cities and communities.Artículo Unavoidability and Functionality of Nervous System and Behavioral Randomness(MDPI, 2024) Gómez González, Carlos María; Rodríguez Martínez, Elena Isabel; Altahona Medina, María A.; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España; Junta de AndalucíaThe basic functioning of the central nervous system is based on the opening and closing of ionic channels in the membranes of neurons. The behavior of ionic channels is considered to be a random process with an exponential probability distribution function. The central limit theorem implies that the mean of the sum of random variables generates a distribution in which the new variable tends to be normally distributed. The theorem implicitly implies that randomness can be embedded in a certain probability distribution but does not disappear. The present report will explore the possible implications for the functioning of nervous system and behavior of the constituent neural randomness. The possible functionality of “noise” to increase the exploratory space of nervous and behavioral systems will be considered.Artículo Unconditioned and conditioned anxiolytic effects of Sodium Valproate on flavor neophobia and fear conditioning(Public Library Science, 2023) Cintado García, María de los Ángeles; González, Gabriel; Cárcel Valle, Lucía; Casa Rivas, Luis Gonzalo de La; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. EspañaIn three experiments with rats, we analyzed the potential anxiolytic effects of sodium valproate, an anticonvulsant drug that has shown additional pharmacodynamic effects in animal models, including anxiolytic action. Since previous results have revealed that injecting valproate before allowing animals to consume a novel flavor solution resulted in an attenuation of neophobia, we predicted a similar effect when the novel flavor is presented on a drug-free trial in the presence of a context previously associated with the drug. In line with this hypothesis, in our first experiment we observed a reduction in neophobia to a novel flavor for those animals tested in the presence of the context associated with Sodium Valproate. However, a control group that received the drug before being allowed access to the novel flavor showed a significant reduction in consumption. Experiment 2 revealed that the unconditioned effects of the drug include a deleterious effect on the animals’ locomotor activity that probably interferes with drinking behavior. Finally, in a third experiment, we directly tested the potential anxiolytic properties of sodium valproate by injecting the drug before implementing a fear conditioning procedure. These findings are explained in terms of the unconditioned anxiolytic action of the drug and the formation of an association between the context and the effects of the drug that evokes a conditioned response reminiscent of such anxiolytic effect.Artículo Unmet needs in mental healthcare for women with clinically significant symptoms of perinatal depression and/or anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic(Wiley, 2024) Costa, Raquel; Mesquita, Ana; Motrico Martínez, Emma; Domínguez Salas, Sara; Dikmen Yildiz, Pelin; Saldivia, Sandra; Vousoura, Eleni; Osorio, Ana; Wilson, Claire A.; Bina, Rena; Levy, Drorit; Christoforou, Andri; González, María Fernanda; Hancheva, Camelia; Felice, Ethel; Pinto, Tiago Miguel; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; National Institute for Health and Care Research; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. Portugal; CAPES/Proex; European Commission. Fondo Social Europeo (FSO); European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST); ProChild CoLAB; Regional Operational Programme of the North 2020; Mission Interface Program from the Resilience and Recuperation Plan; Centro de Investigação em Psicologia (CIPsi); Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)Objective/Background Unmet needs in perinatal mental healthcare are an important public health issue particularly in the context of a stressful life event such as the COVID-19 pandemic but data on the extent of this problem are needed. Aim The aim of this study is to determine the (1) proportion of women with clinically significant symptoms of perinatal depression, anxiety or comorbid symptoms of depression and anxiety, receiving mental healthcare overall and by country and (2) factors associated with receiving mental healthcare. Method Women in the perinatal period (pregnancy or up to 6 months postpartum) participating in the Riseup-PPD-COVID-19 cross-sectional study, reported on sociodemographic, social support health-related factors, and COVID-19 related factors, and on symptoms of depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS]) and anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder [GAD-7]) using self-report questionnaires. Clinically significant symptoms were defined as EPDS ≥ 13 for depression and GAD-7 ≥ 10 for anxiety. Mental healthcare was defined as self-reported current mental health treatment. Results Of the 11 809 participants from 12 countries included in the analysis, 4 379 (37.1%) reported clinically significant symptoms of depression (n = 1 228; 10.4%; EPDS ≥ 13 and GAD-7 ⟨ 10), anxiety (n = 848; 7.2%; GAD-7 ≥ 10 and EPDS ⟨ 13) or comorbid symptoms of depression and anxiety (n = 2 303; 19.5%; EPDS ≥ 13 and GAD-7 ≥ 10). Most women with clinically significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, or comorbid symptoms of depression and anxiety were not receiving mental healthcare (89.0%). Variation in the proportion of women with clinically significant symptoms of depression and/or anxiety reporting mental healthcare was high (4.7% in Turkey to 21.6% in Brazil). Women in the postpartum (vs. pregnancy) were less likely (OR 0.72; 95% CI 0.59-0.88), whereas women with previous mental health problems (vs. no previous mental health problems) (OR 5.56; 95% CI 4.41-7.01), were more likely to receive mental healthcare. Conclusion There are high unmet needs in mental healthcare for women with clinically significant symptoms of perinatal depression and/or anxiety across countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and covering the whole range of mental health problems in the perinatal period are warranted to understand the gaps in perinatal mental healthcare.Artículo Virtual reality evaluation of the spatial learning strategies in gamers(Springer, 2024) Lobato Camacho, Francisco José; López García, Juan Carlos; Vargas Romero, Juan Pedro; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). EspañaPsychological memory tests have traditionally relied on paper-based methods. However, the emergence of virtual reality tools, including adaptations of animal lab tests, has opened up new possibilities for evaluating and enhancing attention and memory processes. The impact of virtual environments on spatial memory remains a topic of ongoing debate. To contribute to this discussion, we conducted a comprehensive study with two primary objectives. Firstly, we aimed to develop a virtual reality tool that could effectively assess search strategies in gamers within virtual environments. To achieve this, we designed a virtual water maze inspired by those used in animal research. Secondly, we conducted a cross-sectional study involving participants to analyze how spatial memory strategies evolve in a virtual environment with increasing gaming experience. The results revealed that participants with more gaming experience exhibited faster and more precise learning in the virtual water maze, along with improved search strategies. Additionally, our study allowed for the evaluation of our software and enabled us to track changes in the efficacy of learning strategies. Overall, this study emphasizes the potential of virtual environments for both evaluation and cognitive stimulation purposes.Artículo Problematic Online Behaviours among University Students and Associations with Psychological Distress Symptoms and Emotional Role Limitations: A Network Analysis Approach(Springer, 2024) Sánchez Fernández, Magdalena; Borda Mas, María de las Mercedes; Rivera de los Santos, Francisco José; Griffiths, Mark D.; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológicos; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Psicología Experimental; Universidad de SevillaVery little research has simultaneously explored the interactions between generalized problematic internet use (GPIU), problematic social media use (PSMU), problematic online gaming (POG), psychological distress, and emotional well-being among university students. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine (i) the associations between GPIU, PSMU, and POG symptoms, (ii) whether symptoms of these three problematic online behaviours form distinct entities, and (iii) whether there are associations between problematic online behaviours, psychological distress symptoms, and emotional role limitations using network analysis. A total of 807 Spanish university students participated (57.7% female; Mage = 21.22 years [SD = 3.68]). Two network models were computed. Network 1 showed a complex interaction of nodes, with particularly strong connections between analogous symptoms of GPIU and PSMU. Symptoms organised into distinct dimensions, featuring a unique dimension for POG symptoms, one that includes preoccupation and a conflict symptom of GPIU, and two other dimensions with symptoms of GPIU and PSMU. Network 2 showed significant connections between GPIU and depression, GPIU and emotional role limitations, PSMU and anxiety, PSMU and emotional role limitations, POG and depression, and POG and anxiety. The findings support the conceptualization of GPIU as a nonspecific disorder, the independence of PSMU and POG as distinct constructs, and aligning with perspectives that separate POG from the GPIU spectrum. The study reinforces the model of compensatory internet use and emphasizes the impact of problematic online behaviours on emotional well-being. The findings have practical implications for the assessment and intervention of problematic online behaviours.