Psychometric network analysis of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) in Paraguayan general population

BACKGROUND

Depression and anxiety are two of the most prevalent and disabling mental disorders worldwide, both in the general population and in outpatient clinical settings.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) based on network analysis metrics.

METHODS

A total of 911 Paraguayans (23.71% women and 76.29% men; mean age 31.25 years, SD = 10.63), selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling, participated in the study. Network analysis was used to evaluate the internal structure, reliability, and measurement invariance between men and women.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the PHQ-4 is a unidimensional measure through Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA). Reliability, through structural consistency, identified that 100% of the time, only a single dimension was obtained, and all items remained stable, as they were always replicated within the empirical dimension. The unidimensional structure has shown evidence of configural invariance; therefore, the network structure functioned equally among the different sex groups.

CONCLUSION

The PHQ-4 presented optimal preliminary evidence of validity based on its internal structure, reliability, and invariance between sexes. Therefore, it may be useful as an accurate and brief measure of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the Paraguayan context.

Theory of Planned Behavior and alcohol use in adolescents in Ecuador. Structural linear regression analysis

The general aim is to identify the explanatory potential of Alcohol use intentions in drinking behaviors in a sample of adolescents in Ecuador. The method consists of a descriptive, explanatory and cross-sectional study using SEM techniques. The participants were 384 adolescents (57% male and 43% female), aged among 14 and 18 years (M= 16.51; SD= 2.64), who are students attending between the 1st and 3rd year of high school in a public educational institution in Ambato, Ecuador. Like principal results, the presence of Alcohol use intention is moderate; the practice of alcohol use is low and mostly does not represent a risk, although 3.9% of the participants could report significant problems with consumption. Intentionality and drinking covary positively with low and moderate intensity. Drinking intentionality explained 15.3% the variance of drinking. We conclude that the Alcohol use intentions are a predictor of adolescent drinking behaviors.

Pandemic Grief and Suicidal Ideation in Latin American Countries: A Network Analysis

This study aimed to characterize the network structure of pandemic grief symptoms and suicidal ideation in 2174 people from eight Latin American countries. Pandemic grief and suicidal ideation were measured using the Pandemic Grief Scale and a single item, respectively. Network analysis provides an in-depth characterization of symptom-symptom interactions within mental disorders. The results indicated that, "desire to die," "apathy" and "absence of sense of life" are the most central symptoms in a pandemic grief symptom network; therefore, these symptoms could be focal elements for preventive and treatment efforts. Suicidal ideation, the wish to die, and the absence of meaning in life had the strongest relationship. In general, the network structure did not differ among the participating countries. It identifies specific symptoms within the network that may increase the likelihood of their co-occurrence and is useful at the therapeutic level.

The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale: Cross-national measurement invariance and convergent validity evidence

Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) is a widely used measure that captures somatic symptoms of coronavirus-related anxiety. In a large-scale collaboration spanning 60 countries (Ntotal = 21,513), we examined the CAS's measurement invariance and assessed the convergent validity of CAS scores in relation to the fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S) and the satisfaction with life (SWLS-3) scales. We utilized both conventional exact invariance tests and alignment procedures, with results revealing that the single-factor model fit the data well in almost all countries. Partial scalar invariance was supported in a subset of 56 countries. To ensure the robustness of results, given the unbalanced samples, we employed resampling techniques both with and without replacement and found the results were more stable in larger samples. The alignment procedure demonstrated a high degree of measurement invariance with 9% of the parameters exhibiting noninvariance. We also conducted simulations of alignment using the parameters estimated in the current model. Findings demonstrated reliability of the means but indicated challenges in estimating the latent variances. Strong positive correlations between CAS and FCV-19S estimated with all three different approaches were found in most countries. Correlations of CAS and SWLS-3 were weak and negative but significantly differed from zero in several countries. Overall, the study provided support for the measurement invariance of the CAS and offered evidence of its convergent validity while also highlighting issues with variance estimation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

COVID-19 Bereavement in Ten Latin American Countries: Measurement Invariance of the Pandemic Grief Scale and Its Relation to Suicidal Ideation

The present study aimed to evaluate the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the Pandemic Grief Scale (PGS) in ten Latin American countries. A total of 2,321 people who had lost a family member or other loved one due to COVID-19 participated, with a mean age of 34.22 years old (SD = 11.99). In addition to the PGS, a single item of suicidal ideation was applied. The unidimensional model of the PGS had adequate fit in most countries and good reliability estimates. There was evidence of measurement invariance by country and gender. Also, a one-point increase in the PGS was associated with an almost twofold increase in the odds of suicidal ideation. Scores greater than or equal to 4 on the PGS are proposed as a cut off to identify individuals with suicidal ideation. Strong evidence of the cross-cultural validity of the PGS is provided.

Relationship Between Fear of COVID-19, Conspiracy Beliefs About Vaccines and Intention to Vaccinate Against COVID-19: A Cross-National Indirect Effect Model in 13 Latin American Countries

The present study explored the predictive capacity of fear of COVID-19 on the intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and the influence in this relationship of conspiracy beliefs as a possible mediating psychological variable, in 13 Latin American countries. A total of 5779 people recruited through non-probabilistic convenience sampling participated. To collect information, we used the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Vaccine conspiracy beliefs Scale-COVID-19 and a single item of intention to vaccinate. A full a priori Structural Equation Model was used; whereas, cross-country invariance was performed from increasingly restricted structural models. The results indicated that, fear of COVID-19 positively predicts intention to vaccinate and the presence of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines. The latter negatively predicted intention to vaccinate against COVID-19. Besides, conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines had an indirect effect on the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 in the 13 countries assessed. Finally, the cross-national similarities of the mediational model among the 13 participating countries are strongly supported. The study is the first to test a cross-national mediational model across variables in a large number of Latin American countries. However, further studies with other countries in other regions of the world are needed.

Cross-cultural invariance of the Spanish version of the COVID-19 Assessment Scorecard to measure the perception of government actions against COVID-19 in Latin America

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed to evaluate the measurement invariance of a general measure of the perception of governmental responses to COVID-|19 (COVID-SCORE-10) in the general population of 13 Latin American countries.

METHODS

A total of 5780 individuals from 13 Latin American and Caribbean countries selected by non-probabilistic snowball sampling participated. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed and the alignment method was used to evaluate invariance. Additionally, a graded response model was used for the assessment of item characteristics.

RESULTS

The results indicate that there is approximate measurement invariance of the COVID-SCORE-10 among the participating countries. Furthermore, IRT results suggest that the COVID-SCORE-10 measures with good psychometric ability a broad spectrum of the construct assessed, especially around average levels. Comparison of COVID-SCORE-10 scores indicated that participants from Cuba, Uruguay and El Salvador had the most positive perceptions of government actions to address the pandemic. Thus, the underlying construct of perception of government actions was equivalent in all countries.

CONCLUSION

The results show the importance of initially establishing the fundamental measurement properties and MI before inferring the cross-cultural universality of the construct to be measured.

Assessment of Obsessive Thoughts About COVID-19 in 7 Latin American Countries: Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Obsession With COVID-19 Scale

The present study aimed to evaluate the measurement invariance of the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) among seven Latin American countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Although the OCS has been used in several countries and languages, there is a need for approaches that better integrate the cross-cultural equivalence of the scale. A total of 3185 people participated in the study. The results indicated the presence of a unidimensional structure and good reliability indices for the OCS in each country. The alignment method indicated that the OCS is an invariant measure of COVID-19 obsession among the populations of seven Latin American countries. The findings based on IRT analysis indicated that all OCS items had adequate discrimination and difficulty parameters. The findings contribute to the understanding of the internal structure of the scale in different countries at the same time, something that has been pending evaluation.

Is the meaning of subjective well-being similar in Latin American countries? A cross-cultural measurement invariance study of the WHO-5 well-being index during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

There is an urgent need to assess changes in well-being on a multinational scale during the COVID-19 pandemic, thus culturally valid scales must be available.

METHODS

With this in mind, this study examined the invariance of the WHO well-being index (WHO-5) among a sample of 5183 people from 12 Latin Americans countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay).

RESULTS

The results of the present study indicate that the WHO-5 is strictly invariant across samples from different Latin American countries. Furthermore, the results of the IRT analysis indicate that all items of the WHO-5 were highly discriminative and that the difficulty required to respond to each of the five items is ascending. Additionally, the results indicated the presence of moderate and small size differences in subjective well-being among most countries.

CONCLUSION

The WHO-5 is useful for assessing subjective well-being in 12 Latin American countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, since the differences between scores can be attributed to differences in well-being and not in other characteristics of the scale.

Sesgos de género en madres y padres en la elección de juguetes

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo explorar la presencia de sesgos de género en las madres y padres en la elección de juguetes. Participaron en este estudio descriptivo, exploratorio y comparativo, 396 madres y padres de la población general de la ciudad de Quito, 76,5% mujeres y 23,5% hombres, quienes completaron una encuesta y llenaron la Escala de ideología de Género. Los resultados muestran que los adultos compran los juguetes de acuerdo con las atribuciones tradicionales de género; esto inicia en la niñez temprana y se acentúa en la niñez intermedia. Así mismo, se encontró una relación entre la ideología de género de las madres y padres y la compra de juguetes por género, sobre todo en los femeninos. Se concluye que la elección de juguetes está atravesada por la ideología de género. 

Psychometric Properties of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale in a Sample of Adolescents from Ecuador

The Kessler psychological distress scale is a useful tool for identifying possible psychological problems and has been widely used in research and health services. Unfortunately, its application in various populations has not always been psychometrically supported. For this reason, the present study investigated the psychometric properties of its Spanish version in adolescents, verifying its factorial structure, measurement invariance by gender, internal consistency and the discrimination and difficulty parameters of its items according to the Item Response Theory (IRT). A sample of 5132 Ecuadorian adolescents was evaluated. The sample is equally distributed between male and female participants (50%) and basic and higher education (51% the former). All participants were between 11 and 20 years old. The results show that a 9-item version with correlated intercepts presents the best fit. In addition, it is invariant by gender at a strict level and has adequate internal consistency. IRT analyses indicated that all the items, except for item eight, present adequate discrimination and difficulty. Based on these results, we conclude that the 9-item version of the Psychological Distress Scale is the most appropriate for this population.

Psychometric Properties of the Acoso Sexual en las Instituciones de Educación Superior Scale (ASIES) in an Ecuadorian Sample

Sexual harassment has become increasingly common in Ecuador's higher education centers. However, due to the lack of instruments that evaluate sexual harassment, the magnitude of this phenomenon in Ecuador is unknown. This research aims to analyze the construct validity and internal consistency reliability of a sexual harassment measurement scale in higher education institutions (ASIES). The instrument analyzes 21 behaviors related to sexual harassment. The sample consisted of 4628 people. A descriptive analysis of the items, item-total correlation analysis, and both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis are performed to test the internal structure of the scale. It was found that the 4-factor model and a second-order factor presented a better fit (CFI = .99, TLI = .99, SRMR = .075, and RMSEA = .018). The results confirm the four dimensions proposed.

Análisis psicométrico de la nueva escala de procrastinación activa en estudiantes universitarios peruanos

El objetivo fue realizar un análisis psicométrico de la Nueva Escala de Procrastinación Activa (NEPA). La investigación instrumental contó con la participación de 472 estudiantes (66.1% mujeres; Medad = 20.138) de tres carreras profesionales de una universidad privada de Lima. Los resultados muestran que la estructura de cuatro dimensiones (preferencia por la presión, decisión intencional, habilidad para cumplir los plazos, y satisfacción con los resultados) presenta evidencia favorable (adecuados índices de ajuste, ítems con cargas factoriales moderadas y simplicidad factorial). Asimismo, la asociación bivariada entre las dimensiones del constructo y medidas de procrastinación pasiva, burnout académico, ansiedad y depresión fue significativa (r > .20), aunque una regresión jerárquica llevada a cabo posteriormente indicó que solo aporta varianza significativa al burnout académico (ΔR2 > .10). Por último, todos los coeficientes de confiabilidad fueron aceptables (> .70). Se concluye que la NEPA cuenta con evidencia psicométrica favorable en estudiantes universitarios peruanos.

Cross-national measurement invariance of the Purpose in Life Test in seven Latin American countries

The Purpose in Life Test (PIL) is a measure of purpose in life widely used in many cultures and countries; however, cross-cultural assessments are scarce. The present study aimed to evaluate the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the PIL in the general population of seven Latin American countries (Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay). A total of 4306 people participated, selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling, where Uruguay has the highest mean age (M = 41.8; SD = 16.6 years); while Ecuador has the lowest mean age (M = 24.6; SD = 7.8 years). Furthermore, in each country, there is a higher proportion of women (>60%) than men (<40%). Using Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis, the factorial structure does not show evidence of invariance among the included countries. However, based on the Multi-Group Factor Analysis Alignment, there is evidence that a three-dimensional structure of the PIL (Meaning of existence, Freedom to make meaning in daily life and Will to find meaning in the face of future challenges) is the same in the participating countries. Results based on item response theory indicate that most PIL items can significantly differentiate responses according to the level of life purpose. In addition, people with low life purpose will tend to choose the lower response alternatives on the PIL; while people with higher life purpose will choose higher response alternatives. The findings indicate that the PIL has the potential to increase knowledge about how people conceive and experience their purpose in life in different countries.

Network analysis of the relationships between conspiracy beliefs towards COVID-19 vaccine and symptoms of fear of COVID-19 in a sample of latin american countries

The present study examined how conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines specifically relate to symptoms of fear of COVID-19 in a sample of four South American countries. A total of 1785 people from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru participated, responding to a sociodemographic survey, the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19 S) and the Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale-COVID-19 (VCBS-COVID-19). Network analysis identified the most important symptoms of fear and conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines (nodes) and the associations between them (edges). In addition, the robustness of the network of these indicators of centrality and the possible differences in the structure and connectivity of the networks between the four countries were evaluated. The results suggest that the nodes with the highest centrality were items 2 and 5 of the FCV-19 S and item 2 of the VCBS-COVID-19. Likewise, item 6 is the belief that most predicts conspiracy beliefs about vaccines against COVID-19; while item 6 was the symptom that most predicts fear of COVID-19. The findings strongly support cross-cultural similarities in the networks across the four countries rather than differences. Although it was expected that a higher presence of symptoms of fear of COVID-19 may lead people to compensate for their fear by believing in conspiratorial ideas about vaccines and, consequently, rejecting the COVID-19 vaccine, the results do not clearly show this relationship. This could lead other researchers to generate evidence to explain the differences between Latin American countries and countries in other contexts in terms of vaccination rates. This evidence could be useful to develop policies favoring vaccination against COVID-19 that are more contextualized to the Latin American region, characterized by social instability and economic recession during the pandemic.

Cross-cultural measurement invariance of the purpose in life test - Short form (PIL-SF) in seven Latin American countries

The aim was to test the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the PIL-SF in a sample of people from seven Latin American countries. Additionally, the characteristics of the PIL-SF items were evaluated and to assess the relationship between purpose in life, as measured by the PIL-SF, and fear of COVID-19. A total of 4306 people from seven Latin American countries participated in the study. The results indicated that the PIL-SF is invariant in the seven participating countries and, therefore, there is evidence that the items reflect the purpose of life in the same way in all countries. This allows comparisons of purpose in life between countries that are free of bias, reflecting the true differences in how countries respond to items. From IRT, the discrimination parameters are adequate and indicate that the items cover a wide range of the purpose in life construct. The difficulty parameters are adequate and increase monotonically. This indicates that people would need a higher level of purpose in life to respond to the higher response categories. Thus, the PIL-SF items would be useful in determining people with a relatively high degree of purpose in life. Identifying people with different levels of purpose in life would allow them to be part of intervention programs, either to support those with low levels or to maintain and reinforce their purpose in life. The evidence of cross-country measurement invariance of the PIL-SF provides a measure to be used in cross-cultural studies about the meaning of life.

Factorial Validity, Reliability, Measurement Invariance and the Graded Response Model for the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale in a Sample of Ecuadorians

The aims of the research are to evaluate the factorial validity, internal consistency, measurement invariance, discrimination, and difficulty of the Covid-19 Anxiety Scale (CAS) applied to a sample of Ecuadorian adults (N = 451). The study is based on an instrumental design with Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT) technics. The results confirmed the validity of the CAS single-factor structure, with measurement invariance across gender and high internal consistency. Additionally, all CAS items displayed adequate discrimination indexes and proper ordering of the difficulty thresholds. In a conclusion, the CAS is a valid measurement scale for Ecuadorian adults.

Propiedades psicométricas del Inventario de Sexismo Ambivalente (ASI) en población adulta ecuatoriana

Objetivo. El objetivo del estudio fue realizar la validación del Inventario de Sexismo Ambivalente (ASI) en el contexto ecuatoriano, así como analizar su consistencia interna y validez convergente con el Inventario de Ambivalencia hacia Hombres (AMI). Método. Participaron en el presente estudio, cuantitativo e instrumental, hombres (44.1%) y mujeres (55.9%) de la ciudad de Quito (N = 965) entre los 20 y los 60 años. Resultados. El ASI presenta un ajuste factorial adecuado al modelo original de dos factores; existe además consistencia interna en la escala total (w = .72) y en los dos factores (sexismo hostil: w = .71; sexismo benevolente: w = .53), y una validez convergente estadísticamente significativa con el AMI (r = .652). Se concluye que el instrumento es válido para uso en el contexto ecuatoriano.

Design and Cross-Cultural Invariance of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 13 Latin American Countries

Aims

Over the past 2 years, the vaccine conspiracy beliefs construct has been used in a number of different studies. These publications have assessed the determinants and outcomes of vaccine conspiracy beliefs using, in some cases, pooled data from different countries, and compared the results across these contexts. However, studies often do not consider measurement invariance as a necessary requirement for comparative analyses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the cross-cultural MI of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 12 Latin American countries.

Methods

Confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory analysis and alignment method were applied to test measurement invariance in a large number of groups.

Results

The COVID-VCBS showed robust psychometric properties and measurement invariance for both factor loadings and crosstabs. Also, a higher level of acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about vaccines is necessary to respond to higher response categories. Similarly, greater acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines was related to a lower intention to be vaccinated.

Conclusion

The results allow for improved understanding of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines in the countries assessed; furthermore, they provide researchers and practitioners with an invariant measure that they can use in cross-cultural studies in Latin America. However, further studies are needed to test invariance in other countries, with the goal of developing a truly international measure of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines.

What Is the Support for Conspiracy Beliefs About COVID-19 Vaccines in Latin America? A Prospective Exploratory Study in 13 Countries

Conspiracy theories about COVID-19 began to emerge immediately after the first news about the disease and threaten to prolong the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by limiting people's willingness of receiving a life-saving vaccine. In this context, this study aimed to explore the variation of conspiracy beliefs regarding COVID-19 and the vaccine against it in 5779 people living in 13 Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) according to sociodemographic variables such as gender, age, educational level and source of information about COVID-19. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic between September 15 and October 25, 2021. The Spanish-language COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (ECCV-COVID) and a sociodemographic survey were used. The results indicate that, in most countries, women, people with a lower educational level and those who receive information about the vaccine and COVID-19 from family/friends are more supportive of conspiracy ideas regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. In the case of age, the results vary by country. The analysis of the responses to each of the questions of the ECCV-COVID reveals that, in general, the countries evaluated are mostly in some degree of disagreement or indecision regarding conspiratorial beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines. The findings could help open further study which could support prevention and treatment efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Psychometric analysis of the Escala de Cansancio Emocional in Ecuadorian college students during the COVID-19 outbreak

Academic emotional exhaustion is the first stage of academic burnout syndrome, and it is necessary to evaluate it and intervene early since the consequences are significant for people. The objective of this research is to perform a psychometric analysis of the Emotional Exhaustion Scale (Escala de Cansancio Emocional, ECE) to evaluate its internal structure, measurement invariance, and internal consistency reliability, in a sample of Ecuadorian college students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Four hundred and fifty-three college students from Ecuador participated (76.21 % women) between the ages of 17 and 35 (M = 22.76 years). Results show that the one-dimensional structure has statistical support, is invariant concerning sex, and shows adequate internal consistency reliability. It is concluded that the ECE has adequate psychometric properties that allow its use in Ecuadorian college students.

New Psychometric Evidence of a Bifactor Structure of the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) in Ecuadorian College Students

Background

Emotion Regulation comprises a set of strategies (cognitive, emotional, and physiological) that allow individuals faced with internal or external stimuli to manage their emotional response, to adapt to the environment, and to achieve goals. The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) is used to assess Emotion Regulation. It has been translated into several languages (including Spanish) and has been adapted around the world, but its psychometric properties have not been tested in Ecuador.

Objective

To confirm the bifactor structure of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and its reliability in a sample of Ecuadorian college students.

Design

A quantitative and instrumental study using Confirmatory Factor Analysis with Robust Maximum Likelihood estimation. The sample consisted of 400 participants (62.5% women), aged 18 to 25 (M = 21.1; SD = 1.95) from two universities in Ecuador and seven different undergraduate courses.

Results

The bifactor model of the test is confirmed with an adequate adjustment ꭓ2 = 35.99; p > .001; ꭓ2/df = 1.43; CFI = .98; TLI = .96; SRMR = .034; and RMSE A = .033 CI_95%: [.033-.052]; ω_H = .70; ω_Hs1 = .23; ω_Hs2 = .35. Reliability is high with ω = .86 CI_95%: [.81-.88].

Conclusion

The bifactor model of the ERQ is an adequate and reliable test to assess Emotion Regulation among Ecuadorian college students.

Prevalence and Predictors of Intention to be Vaccinated Against COVID-19 in Thirteen Latin American and Caribbean Countries

The presence of a significant number of people who do not intend to be vaccinated could negatively impact efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study sought to determine the prevalence of intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and associated sociodemographic and psychosocial factors in thirteen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). A total of 5510 people from 13 LAC countries participated. Frequencies, percentages, bivariate analyses using chi-square tests, and Poisson regression analysis with robust variance were used. The countries with the highest prevalence of intention to be vaccinated were Brazil (96.94%), Cuba (89.59%), Chile (84.59%), and Mexico (78.33%). On the other hand, the countries with the lowest prevalence were El Salvador (54.01%), Paraguay (55.87%), and Uruguay (56.40%). Prevalence is also reported according to some sociodemographic and health variables. It was found that country, male sex, hours exposed to information about COVID-19, university education, living in an urban area, belief in the animal origin of the virus, perceived likelihood of contracting COVID-19, perceived severity of COVID-19, and concern about infecting others significantly predicted intention to be vaccinated in the 13 LAC countries. While most countries had a high prevalence of intention to be vaccinated, there are still subgroups that have levels of intention that may be insufficient to predict the presence of community immunity. In this sense, knowing the estimates of vaccination intention rates, as well as the associated sociodemographic and psychological factors, can be used to plan actions and interventions that will inform about the safety and benefits of vaccines, as well as strengthen trust in health authorities.

Cross-cultural validation of the new version of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale in twelve Latin American countries

The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) was recently developed to assess dysfunctional anxiety related to COVID-19. Although different studies reported that the CAS is psychometrically sound, it is unclear whether it is invariant across countries. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the measurement invariance of the CAS in twelve Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay). A total of 5196 people participated, with a mean age of 34.06 (SD = 26.54). Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the measurement invariance of the CAS across countries and gender. Additionally, the graded response model (GRM) was used to provide a global representation of the representativeness of the scale with respect to the COVID-19 dysfunctional anxiety construct. The unidimensional structure of the five-item CAS was not confirmed in all countries. Therefore, it was suggested that a four-item model of the CAS (CAS-4) provides a better fit across the twelve countries and reliable scores. Multigroup CFA showed that the CAS-4 exhibits scalar invariance across all twelve countries and all genders. In addition, the CAS-4 items are more informative at average and high levels of COVID-19 dysfunctional anxiety than at lower levels. According to the results, the CAS-4 is an instrument with strong cross-cultural validity and is suitable for cross-cultural comparisons of COVID-19 dysfunctional anxiety symptoms in the general population of the twelve Latin American countries evaluated.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-02563-0.

Creencias en teorías conspirativas sobre vacunas COVID-19 en la Comunidad Andina de Naciones

Los estudios sobre aceptación y rechazo hacia las vacunas, así como la creencia en teorías conspirativas, y la falta de confianza en los gobiernos y la ciencia, han sido importantes para analizar el proceso de vacunación contra el COVID-19 a nivel mundial, pero han sido bastante limitados, hasta el momento, para el caso de América Latina. En este sentido, el objetivo de este trabajo consiste en describir el grado de aceptación o no a ciertas creencias de conspiración sobre las vacunas contra la COVID-19 en una muestra de países miembros de la Comunidad Andina de Naciones (CAN): Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador y Perú. Se diseñó un estudio transversal descriptivo en el que participaron 1835 personas de Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador y Perú. Para la evaluación de estas creencias se utilizó la Escala de Creencias de Conspiración de Vacunas COVID-19 (ECCV-COVID, Caycho-Rodríguez et al., 2022a). Los resultados indican que, el Perú presenta el mayor puntaje promedio de creencias de conspiración sobre las vacunas contra la COVID-19. Además, en los 4 países el menor grado de aceptación es con la creencia sobre “Vacunar a los niños contra la COVID-19 es perjudicial y este hecho está ocultado”. En Colombia, Ecuador y Perú el mayor grado de aceptación está referida a la creencia conspirativa referida a que “La información sobre la seguridad de las vacunas contra la COVID-19 a menudo se inventan”. Finalmente, en Bolivia, el mayor grado de aceptación es con la creencia de que “Las empresas farmacéuticas ocultan los peligros de las vacunas contra la COVID-19”. Los resultados presentados en este estudio son los primeros que se conoce de forma genérica en población latinoamericana, y particularmente, en la población Andina.

Cross-Cultural Validation of a New Version in Spanish of Four Items of the Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Scale (PCIBS) in Twelve Latin American Countries

The invariance of the Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Scale (PCIBS) was evaluated in 12 Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay). A total of 5183 people from the aforementioned countries participated, selected using the snowball sampling method. Measurement invariance was assessed by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) and Multi-Group Factor Analysis Alignment (CFA-MIAL). In addition, item characteristics were assessed based on Item Response Theory. The results indicate that the original five-item version of the PCIBS is not adequate; whereas a four-item version of the PCIBS (PCIBS-4) showed a good fit in all countries. Thus, using the MG-CFA method, the PCIBS-4 achieved metric invariance, while the CFA-MIAL method indicated that the PCIBS-4 shows metric and scalar invariance. Likewise, the four items present increasing difficulties and high values in the discrimination parameters. The comparison of means of the PCIBS-4 reported irrelevant differences between countries; however, Mexico and Peru presented the highest frequency of preventive behaviors related to COVID-19. It is concluded that the PCIBS-4 is a unidimensional self-report measure which is reliable and invariant across the twelve participating Latin American countries. It is expected that the findings will be of interest to social and health scientists, as well as those professionals directly involved in public health decision making.

Cognitive emotion regulation strategies and psychological distress during lockdown due to COVID-19

Several governments have implemented strict measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, such as lockdown measures. However, these measures have brought negative consequences at an individual level by exacerbating the psychological distress caused by the pandemic. We evaluated the role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERS) on the levels of anxiety and depression during the lockdown in a sample of 663 Spanish-speaking adults, while controlling for variables related to social support, hobbies, seeking information related to COVID-19, perceived risk of infection, time of assessment, number of deaths and contagions during the assessment and age. Using multiple regression analyses with a stepwise model selection procedure, 29% of the variance in anxiety and 38% of the variance of depression were found to be predicted by specific CERS. The impact of CERS on anxiety and depression was moderated by the sex of participants and the time of assessment, indicating that CERS did not have the same protective or harmful effects in all participants and situations. Based on our results, recommendations are provided for improving coping with stressful events where lockdown measures are taken.

Socio-Demographic Variables, Fear of COVID-19, Anxiety, and Depression: Prevalence, Relationships and Explanatory Model in the General Population of Seven Latin American Countries

The COVID-19 pandemic has gravely impacted Latin America. A model was tested that evaluated the contribution of socio-demographic factors and fear of COVID-19 on anxiety and depression in samples of residents in seven Latin American countries (Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Colombia, and El Salvador). A total of 4,881 individuals, selected by convenience sampling, participated in the study. Moderate and severe levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety were identified, as well as a moderate average level of fear of COVID-19. In addition, it was observed that about a quarter of the participants presented symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and a major depressive episode. Fear of COVID-19 significantly and positively predicted anxiety and depressive symptoms, whereas the effects of socio-demographic variables are generally low [χ2(287) = 5936.96, p < 0.001; RMSEA = 0.064 [0.062, 0.065]; CFI = 0.947; and SRMR = 0.050]. This suggests the need for the implementation of preventive actions in the general population of these countries, with the aim of reducing the prevalence of depressive, anxious and fearful symptoms related to COVID-19.

Estructura factorial del Cuestionario Bienestar Psicológico de Ryff en una muestra de universitarios ecuatorianos

El estudio explora la estructura factorial del Cuestionario de Bienestar Psicológico de Ryff (PWBS) en universitarios del Ecuador. Se consideró la validez por medio de estructura a través del análisis factorial y la fiabilidad con índices de consistencia interna como el alfa de Cronbach, y de su estabilidad temporal con correlaciones test-retest. Participaron 441 universitarios (73% mujeres y 27% hombres) entre 17 a 39 años (M = 20,9; DS = 2,36) de dos universidades de Ambato, Ecuador. Los resultados confirman el modelo de seis factores tradicionalmente planteados, correlacionados en una versión de 28 ítems (retiro del ítem 13) con indicadores de ajuste de: ꭓ2 = 971,1; p < ,001; gl = 335; ꭓ2/gl = 2,9; CFI = ,93; TLI = ,92; SRMR = ,08; RMSEA = ,066 [,061 - ,071]. La fiabilidad de los factores resulta aceptable, entre ω = ,58 en crecimiento personal y ω = ,79 para autoaceptación y propósito en la vida. Además, la fiabilidad temporal, en intervalos de dos semanas, también es aceptable, r = ,92; p < ,001; y t = 2,14; p < ,05. Se concluye que el modelo de ajuste de seis factores de la Escala de Ryff se adapta a la población universitaria del Ecuador, en línea con estudios anteriores en poblaciones similares.

Is it possible to find a bifactor structure in the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S)? Psychometric evidence in an Ecuadorian sample

The aim of the study was to evaluate the construct validity based on the internal structure, the relationship with other variables, and the internal consistency among items of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in a sample of 743 Ecuadorians. The findings confirm the presence of a bifactor structure, which includes a general factor and two specific factors: one emotional and the other physiological. The general factor, and the specific factors presented adequate levels of internal consistency. Finally, the FCV-19S showed a highly significant relationship with GAD-7 at the latent level. The scale has adequate psychometric properties for its application.

Validez factorial con estimación robusta de la Escala de Autoeficacia Percibida Específica de Situaciones Académicas (Eapesa) en universitarios ecuatorianos

Objetivo: Confirmar la estructura unifactorial de la Escala de Autoeficacia Percibida Específica de Situaciones Académicas (Eapesa), su fiabilidad y validez en relación con otras variables en universitarios ecuatorianos. Metodología: Estudio instrumental factorial de fiabilidad y validez de convergencia de la Eapesa. Participantes: 466 universitarios del Ecuador, 35,2 % hombres y 64,8 % mujeres, con edades entre 17 a 39 años (M= 21.27; DE= 2.9). Resultados: Se confirma el modelo unifactorial de la Eapesa con 7 ítems que presenta un adecuado ajuste: χ2= 40.01; p< .05; gl= 14; χ2/gl= 2.9; CFI= .966; TLI= .950; SRMR= .034; RMSEA= .063 IC95% [.050 - .076] por encima de las versiones de 10 y 9 ítems. Una fiabilidad alta de ω= .92 [.90 - .94] y convergencia moderada de r= .685; p< .01. Conclusiones: La Eapesa de 7 ítems es la versión de mejor rendimiento psicométrico para su aplicabilidad en universitarios del Ecuador.

Cross-cultural measurement invariance of the fear of COVID-19 scale in seven Latin American countries

The objective was to evaluate the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in 7 Latin American countries (Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay). The participants were 2944 people, selected through non-probability sampling for convenience, where the majority were women. Data collection occurred between 12 June and 14 September 2020. The results indicated that the model with two related factors presents a better fit to the data and has partial scalar invariance among the 7 countries. Differences in emotional and physiological reactions were observed between the countries.

Coronavirus Anxiety Scale: New psychometric evidence for the Spanish version based on CFA and IRT models in a Peruvian sample

The aim of the study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), using Item Response Theory (IRT) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The participants were 790 Peruvians, selected through a convenience sampling, where the majority were women. The CFA models indicated that the one-dimensional structure better represents the data, is reliable and invariant between men and women. Likewise, IRT findings indicate that CAS is more informative for high levels of COVID-19 anxiety. The CAS in Spanish has adequate psychometric properties to be used as a short measure of COVID-19 anxiety.

Factor Validity of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) Using Robust Estimations in Ecuadorian Adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Confirm the three correlated factors model of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) using robust estimations and evaluate its internal consistency with a sample of Ecuadorian adolescents.

METHOD

Descriptive and instrumental analysis that includes confirmatory factor analysis with robust estimation and the calculation of its internal consistency.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1113 adolescents in which 56.1% are men and 43.9% are women), and they were between 11 and 19 years old ($\overline{X} $= 14.9 years; s = 1.67). Students from eight educational centres in Cotopaxi (54.1%) and Tungurahua (45.9%) in Ecuador were also included.

RESULTS

The three correlated factors model from the AUDIT is confirmed with χ2 = 95.67; P < 0.001; df = 32; χ2/df = 2.98; comparative adjustment index = 0.93; Tucker-Lewis index = 0.90; standardized root mean square residual = 0.046; root mean square error of approximation = 0.042; 95% confidence interval [0.033-0.052].

CONCLUSIONS

The three correlated factors model from the AUDIT using robust estimations has an adequate fit and is also reliable in a sample of Ecuadorian adolescents.

Satisfacción laboral, salud mental y burnout. Análisis de mediación parcial en una muestra de conductores del Ecuador

Objetivo: Determinar el rol mediador que presenta la Salud Mental en la relación entre la Satisfacción Laboral y el Burnout en transportistas de carga extrapesada del cantón Salcedo, Ecuador. Metodología: La investigación fue explicativa, de mediación por medio de ecuaciones estructurales y de corte transversal por medio del uso del Maslach Burnout Inventory, el Cuestionario de Salud General de Goldberg y la Escala de Satisfacción Laboral S20/23. Muestra: Participaron 152 conductores de carga extrapesada de 11 compañías de transporte. La edad media fue de 44.5 años (DE = 10.9). Resultados: El nivel de Satisfacción Laboral fue moderada y se encontró presencia de Burnout, así como de síntomas psicológicos entre los choferes evaluados. La Satisfacción Laboral y la Salud Mental se relacionaron con el Burnout y estos predijeron en un 41.7% los cambios en la varianza. Además, la Salud Mental ejerce una función de mediación parcial entre la Satisfacción y el Burnout (c = -.43; p < .001 [c’= -.276; p > .01]). Conclusión: La Salud Mental permite explicar parcialmente el mecanismo que subyace en la relación entre Satisfacción Laboral y Burnout.

Consumo de pornografía y su impacto en actitudes y conductas en estudiantes universitarios ecuatorianos

Las nuevas tecnologías de la información y comunicación han permitido el acceso sin ningún filtro a contenidos sobre sexualidad en la red, sobre todo a pornografía, la que se constituye en una fuente de información y cuyo consumo acarrea consecuencias tanto en lo individual como en lo relacional. En este marco, el objetivo del presente estudio es recabar información en la población de 18 a 25 años sobre pornografía en general, exposición, uso actual y sus posibles consecuencias en las actitudes y conductas sexuales. El estudio se realizó en dos fases: en la primera, de índole cualitativa, se realizaron 54 entrevistas grupales semiestructuradas con 122 mujeres y 120 hombres; en la segunda, cuantitativa, 590 jóvenes llenaron una encuesta en línea (56.4% mujeres; 43.6% hombres). Los resultados de las entrevistas ligan la pornografía a temas de facilidad de Acceso, Incitación a niños y adolescentes a un despertar temprano de la curiosidad sexual y Afectación, sobre todo a nivel de sexualidad. Los resultados de la encuesta muestran que el 78% de los jóvenes ha estado expuesto a pornografía por lo menos una vez en su vida, que por lo general fue en la adolescencia temprana, y que existe un consumo actual en 44.58% de la muestra. Además, los resultados arrojan un impacto del ver pornografía en las actitudes hacia la pornografía, las relaciones sexuales y el placer. Las consecuencias se presentan también en las conductas sexuales que tienen los usuarios de pornografía con su pareja durante una relación sexual, ya que reportan haber realizado algunas conductas violentas sin autorización de la misma de manera significativamente superior a las personas que no ven pornografía. Se concluye que la pornografía tiene consecuencias negativas en la sexualidad, y sobre la importancia de la educación sexual para contrarrestar la información negativa que vehicula la pornografía.

Percepciones sobre amor, compromiso, fidelidad y pareja en jóvenes universitarios de Quito

El objetivo de la investigación fue explorar las percepciones del amor, compromiso, fidelidad y pareja en estudiantes universitarios. En este estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, 590 jóvenes (56,4% mujeres y 43,6% hombres), respondieron a una encuesta de 77 ítems. Los resultados indican que en este grupo existe una versión “mixta” del amor, que combina el rechazo de la versión tradicional del amor con nociones del amor deseo, racional, romántico y posmoderno. Las nociones de compromiso, fidelidad y constituyentes de la pareja permanecen intactas, excepto en lo concerniente a la perdurabilidad del vínculo. Se encontraron diferencias por género: las posturas femeninas tienden a ser más marcadas que las masculinas, evidenciando un posicionamiento más fuerte de las mujeres en los temas analizados.

Optimismo disposicional, ansiedad, depresión y estrés en una muestra del Ecuador. Análisis inter-género y de predicción

Objetivo. Determinar las diferencias inter-género del optimismo disposicional, la depresión, laansiedad, el estrés y el rol predictor sobre estos rasgos patológicos en una muestra de universitarios del Ecuador. Método. Investigación descriptiva, comparativa, predictora y de corte transversal con las pruebas de Orientación Vital y la Escala de Depresión, Ansiedad y Estrés con 288 participantes de una universidad pública de Ambato, Ecuador (63.9% son mujeres y 31% hombres). Con edades entre 17 a 39 años (M = 21.6 años; DT = 2.5). Resultados. Hay diferencias (p < .05) de género en ansiedad y estrés (con mayor presencia en mujeres que en hombres. También, hay correlaciones entre el optimismo disposicional y los rasgos patológicos. Finalmente, el optimismo disposicional explica en la depresión (15.2%), la ansiedad (9.7%) y el estrés (5.5%) los cambios de la varianza. Se concluye que el optimismo disposicional es un predictor de la depresión, la ansiedad y el estrés en estudiantes universitarios.

Ansiedad competitiva y autoeficacia en tenistas de alto rendimiento antes y después de una competencia

La investigación evalua la ansiedad competitiva y autoeficacia antes y después de las competencias deportivas y establece una comparación entre grupos relacionados. Es un estudio comparativo de desarrollo histórico y se realizó sobre una muestra 60 tenistas ecuatorianos de ranking nacional junior y abierto; seleccionados a través muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia. Se empleó el Cuestionario de Autoevaluación de Illinois (CSAI-2), en la versión actualizada de Cox, Martens y Russell (2003), que evalúa Ansiedad Cognitiva, Ansiedad Somática, y Autoconfianza; la Escala de Autoeficacia General (EAG) de Baessler y Schwarzer (1973), adaptada por Cid, Orellana y Barriga (2010), que valora pensamientos y sentimientos personales frente a una competencia; la Escala de Autoeficacia Motriz (EAM) adaptada al deporte para evaluar pensamientos, sentimientos y actuaciones frente al estrés de las competencias deportivas (Sanjuán, Pérez, & Bermúdez, 2000); y el Inventario Psicológico de Ejecución Deportiva (IPED) de Hernández (2006), adaptado por Hernández-Mendo, Morales-Sánchez y Peñalver (2014), que identifica fortalezas y debilidades en atletas durante la práctica deportiva. Los participantes alcanzaron mayores valores en la segunda evaluación del CSAI-2; patrón que se repite en el EAG; el EAM; y en el IPED, excepto en la dimensión Autoconfianza. El constructo Autoconfianza podría estudiarse de manera aislada, a fin de explicar su invariabilidad.

Patrones de consumo de alcohol en adolescentes ecuatorianos: ¿Estilo mediterráneo o anglosajón?

Introducción: Se conoce una práctica del consumo generalizada de alcohol en adolescentes, aunque no el patrón o tipo de consumo más representativo. Objetivo: Identificar por sexo los niveles y los patrones de consumo de alcohol en una muestra de adolescentes ecuatorianos. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo, categórico y comparativo a través del uso de la prueba AUDIT. Participantes: 1260 adolescentes (55,3% hombres), de 12 a 19 años (M = 15; DE = 1,56), estudiantes de 11 centros (86% públicos), en ciclo de Educación Básica General (30.2%) y Bachillerato (69.8%) de las provincias de Cotopaxi y Tungurahua. Resultados: El consumo de alcohol se encuentra extendido en la muestra, la abstinencia es del 43% y el 49% en hombres y mujeres, el tipo de consumo no presenta riesgos significativos. El patrón de consumo de alcohol es mayoritariamente moderado; la prevalencia del estilo intenso es del 15.7 y el 22.2% en hombres y mujeres. El sexo es invariante. Conclusiones: Hay una práctica generalizada de consumo de alcohol moderado y un patrón de consumo del tipo mediterráneo

Estructura factorial y fiabilidad del Cyberbullying Questionnaire (CBQ) y su complemento (CBQ-V) en adolescentes ecuatorianos

Objetivo. Analizar la estructura factorial y la fiabilidad del Cyberbullying Questionnaire (CBQ), que mide la perpetración del cyberbullying, y además medir su complemento, la victimización (CBQ-V) en una muestra de adolescentes tungurahuenses. Método. El estudio es de carácter instrumental para constatar la construcción factorial y la consistencia interna de las pruebas en una muestra de 998 estudiantes de bachillerato de seis centros educativos de Tungurahua. Resultados. Se encontró que el CBQ explica el 58.5% de la varianza con tres factores con valores de S-B c2 = 29.5; gl = 24; p > .05; S-B c2/gl = 1.2; NNFI = .95; CFI = .96; GFI = .90 y RMSEA = .08 IC 90% [.10 – .05]. Mientras que el CBQ-V igualmente con tres factores explica el 52.6% de la varianza con S-B c2 = 29.5; gl = 24; p > .05; S-B c2/gl = 1.2; NNFI = .95; CFI = .96; GFI = .90 y RMSEA = .08 IC 90% [.10 – .05]. En cuanto a la fiabilidad, los puntajes alcanzados para el CBQ es α(ordinal) = .903 y CBQ-V es α(ordinal) = .879. Se concluye que las pruebas bajo análisis son válidas como constructo y fiables en estudiantes de bachillerato de Tungurahua.

Sesgo Cognitivo de Optimismo y Percepción de Bienestar en una Muestra de Universitarios Ecuatorianos

El propósito de esta investigación fue determinar la relación  del sesgo cognitivo de optimismo en el bienestar subjetivo y psicológico en una muestra de universitarios del Ecuador. Para ello, se implementó un estudio descriptivo, correlacional y de corte transversal, a través de la aplicación de cuestionarios de satisfacción con la vida, afectos positivos y negativos, bienestar psicológico, orientación de vida y visión del futuro, en una muestra de 400 participantes (67% mujeres y 33% hombres), con edad media de 21,3 años, estudiantes de una universidad pública (66.5%) y una cofinanciada (37.5%) de la ciudad de Ambato, Ecuador. Según los resultados, el optimismo disposicional se correlaciona con la satisfacción con la vida (r=.378), los afectos positivos (r=.357) y los negativos (r=-.413), y el bienestar psicológico (r=.616), mientras que los sesgos de optimismo ilusorio (r=.221) e ilusión de invulnerabilidad (r=-.235) lo hacen únicamente con el bienestar psicológico. Como conclusión se adelanta que existe evidencia de racionalidad limitada a través de los sesgos que estimulan el bienestar.

Cognición implícita en psicopatología: contribuciones en el abordaje de los trastornos por consumo de sustancias

Para favorecer un entendimiento de las distintas psicopatologías resulta imprescindible favorecer una integración permanente y fluida desde los avances de diversas vertientes de trabajo, en particular, en los mecanismos de interpretación. El enfoque psicopatológico predominante durante las últimas décadas atribuye en variadas patologías (e.g., trastornos del estado de ánimo, ansiógenos y por consumo de sustancias, entre otras) a procesos reflexivos que manifiestan ideas y recuerdos disfuncionales para dar paso a la conducta patológica

Análisis sobre la formación académica y el ejercicio profesional del psicólogo clínico en Ecuador

Objetivo. Analizar la formación académica y el campo laboral del psicólogo clínico en una muestra de profesionales de la zona de planificación III del Ecuador (ZP3). Método. La muestra del estudio estuvo conformada por 101 psicólogos clínicos, con una edad media de 30.6 (DE = 7.1) y una media de ejercicio profesional de 6.5 años (DE = 5.75), que ejercen su labor profesional en la ZP3 del Ecuador. Resultados. Los participantes, en su mayoría, se titularon en la Universidad Técnica de Ambato (pública) y en la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador Sede Ambato (cofinanciada). Más del 64% de los profesionales laboran en el sector público. El 40% de los participantes accedieron a sus puestos actuales por concurso de méritos. El 56.6% trabajan en el sector salud e intervención social. El salario general en promedio es de USD 1380. Conclusión. La formación del psicólogo clínico se restringe de manera significativa a la titulación de grado, dejando de lado, por diversas razones, la formación de posgrado como elemento complementario. 

El bienestar subjetivo, psicológico y social como predictores de la salud mental en ecuatorianos

Se indaga sobre la predictibilidad de la Satisfacción con la vida y el Bienestar Psicológico y Social en la Salud Mental en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios del Ecuador a través de un análisis descriptivo de predicción, comparativo por sexo y universidad. Es un estudio de corte transversal en el que participaron 982 estudiantes de tres universidades de Cuenca y Ambato, en Ecuador. Se encontró que el bienestar subjetivo, psicológico y social predicen el 55.1% de explicación de la varianza de Salud Mental. Además, existen diferencias por género en la Satisfacción con la vida (t = -1.98; p < .05) y el Bienestar Social (t = -2.34; p < .05), en este último las mujeres puntúan más que los hombres. También hay diferencias por el tipo de universidad en la Satisfacción con la vida (t = -3.11; p < .01), el Bienestar Psicológico (t = -3.21; p < .01) y la Salud Mental (t = -2.22; p < .05) con mejores puntajes en la universidad cofinanciada. Con estos elementos, se concluye que los distintos indicadores del bienestar individual predicen considerablemente la salud mental.