Articles publicats (Psicologia, Sociologia i Treball Social)

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Open Access
A Blockchain Technique for Trade Credit Maintainability Using the Role of Information and Communication Technology
(Hindawi, 2022) Shah, Fadia; Liu, Yumin; Shah, Yasir; Haq, Ijaz Ul; Mukred, Muaadh; Hussain, Saddam; Alasaly, Mahfoudh S.
Recent advances in data analysis and processing methods can improve the ability of computational applications to perform complex steps of different tasks. With the progress of information and communication technologies (ICT), Blockchain-based complex data processing for transaction analysis and smart contract agreement has become a new research area in the fields of mathematics and computation. Stability of financial sector based on the ICT is a core component for growing the economics of medium and small enterprises. This stability brings the innovation to businesses productivity, while the management of information takes more prospective for improving the efficiency and more ways for innovating the business of products. In this study, we use the autoregressive distribution lag (ARDL) model with Blockchain-based complex data processing approach to emphasize the role of ICT in the field of trade credit maintainability. Actually, the ICT connects the industries in the entire world and makes business sectors that use its technologies be more advanced. Based on the ARDL model conducted on the records gathered from 2000 to 2019, the analysis concludes that the ICT-based complex data processing is a critical component of trade credit. The statistics of ICT are chosen based on the economy penetrations through the Internet and mobile phones. The causality exposed between the trade credit and ICT is bidirectional in nature. Also, it is found that the usage of mobile phones has a substantial influence on the business sectors, as a substantial amount of trading and business transactions are conducted over the phone. Therefore, the primary concern is the association between the Blockchain and trade credit, which is thoroughly discussed in this work. The trade credit improves the stability of financial sector and the Blockchain supports its maintainability by the role of ICT. The results of the study can help the business stakeholders and investors to estimate the marketing for future useful execution.
Open Access
A Comprehensive Skills Analysis of Novice Software Developers Working in the Professional Software Development Industry
(Hindawi, 2022) Mian, Imdad Ahmad; Haq, Ijaz Ul; Anwar, Aamir; Alroobaea, Roobaea; Ullah, Syed Sajid; Almansour, Fahad; Umar, Fazlullah
Measuring and evaluating a learner’s learning ability is always the focus of every person whose aim is to develop strategies and plans for their learners to improve the learning process. For example, classroom assessments, self-assessment using computer systems such as Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS), and other approaches are available. Assessment of metacognition is one of these techniques. Having the ability to evaluate and monitor one’s learning is known as metacognition. An individual can then propose adjustments to their learning process based on this assessment. By monitoring, improving, and planning their activities, learners who can manage their cognitive skills are better able to manage their knowledge about a particular subject. It is common knowledge that students’ metacognitive and self-assessment skills and abilities have been extensively studied, but no research has been carried out on the mistakes that novice developers make because they do not use their self-assessment abilities enough. ,is study aims to assess the metacognitive skills and abilities of novice software developers working in the industry and to describe the consequences of awareness of metacognition on their performance. In the proposed study, we experimented with novice software developers and collected data using Devskiller and a self-assessment log to analyze their use of self-regulation skills. ,e proposed study showed that when developers are asked to reflect upon their work, they become more informed about their habitual mistakes, and using a self-assessment log helps them highlight their repetitive mistakes and experiences which allows them to improve their performance on future tasks.
Open Access
A Novel Approach to Automate Complex Software Modularization Using a Fact Extraction System
(Hindawi, 2022) Khan, Muhammad Zakir; Naseem, Rashid; Anwar, Aamir; Haq, Ijaz Ul; Alturki, Ahmad; Ullah, Syed Sajid; Al-Hadhrami, Suheer
Complex software systems that support organizations are updated regularly, which can erode system architectures. Moreover, documentation is rarely synchronized with the changes to the software system. This creates a slew of issues for future software maintenance. To this goal, information extraction tools use exact approaches to extract entities and their corresponding relationships from source code. Such exact approaches extract all features, including those that are less prominent and may not be significant for modularization. In order to resolve the issue, this work proposes an enhanced approximate information extraction approach, namely, fact extractor system for Java applications (FESJA) that aims to automate software modularization using a fact extraction system. The proposed FESJA technique extracts all the entities along with their corresponding more dominant formal and informal relationships from a Java source code. Results demonstrate the improved performance of FESJA, by extracting 74 (classes), 43 (interfaces), and 31 (enumeration), in comparison with eminent information extraction techniques.
Open Access
A Pilot Study of the Efficacy of a Cognitive Training Based on Board Games in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial
(Mary Ann Liebert, 2019) Estrada Plana, Verónica; Esquerda, Montserrat; Mangues, Rocío; March Llanes, Jaume; Moya Higueras, Jorge
Objective: The main aim of this study was to prove the efficacy of an intervention based on board games on executive functions (EFs) and clinical symptoms in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Materials and Methods: A nonblinded randomized controlled trial was conducted with a sample of children with a diagnosis of ADHD (diagnosed by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists in a mental health center). Children were randomly allocated by matching age and sex, into two groups: experimental EF training group (n = 13; mean [M]age = 9.46, standard deviation [SD] = 1.20; boys = 53.8%) or a wait-list control group (n = 14; Mage = 9.50, SD = 1.09; boys = 71.4%). Measures assessed individually at pretest, posttest, and follow-up intervention included EFs and clinical symptoms. Results: Analysis of covariance repeated measures analysis showed that linguistic short-term memory, F(1,28) = 7.45, p = 0.02, and conduct problems, F(1,28) = 12.51, p = 0.00, significantly improved with larger effects in the board games training group after intervention when compared to the wait-list group. Although nonsignificant effects were reported at the follow-up, large effect sizes were actually found. Conclusion: Although future studies are needed, the results of this study highlight the importance of board games and its efficacy as a possible therapeutic and/or preventive intervention on ADHD. Keywords: ADHD, Board games, Working memory, Executive functions, Conduct problems
Restricted
A place for the hippocampus in the cocaine addiction circuit: Potential roles for adult hippocampal neurogenesis
(Elsevier, 2016-07-01) Castilla Ortega, Estela; Serrano, Antonia; Blanco Calvo, Eduardo; Araos, Pedro; Suárez, Juan; Pavón, Francisco Javier; Rodríguez de Fonseca, Fernando; Santín, Luis
Cocaine addiction is a chronic brain disease in which the drug seeking habits and profound cognitive, emotional and motivational alterations emerge from drug-induced neuroadaptations on a vulnerable brain. Therefore, a 'cocaine addiction brain circuit' has been described to explain this disorder. Studies in both cocaine patients and rodents reveal the hippocampus as a main node in the cocaine addiction circuit. The contribution of the hippocampus to cocaine craving and the associated memories is essential to understand the chronic relapsing nature of addiction, which is the main obstacle for the recovery. Interestingly, the hippocampus holds a particular form of plasticity that is rare in the adult brain: the ability to generate new functional neurons. There is an active scientific debate on the contributions of these new neurons to the addicted brain. This review focuses on the potential role(s) of adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) in cocaine addiction. Although the current evidence primarily originates from animal research, these preclinical studies support AHN as a relevant component for the hippocampal effects of cocaine.
Open Access
A review on the use of NEO-PI-R validity scales in normative, job selection, and clinical samples
(Universidad de Zaragoza, 2009) Blanch Plana, Angel; Aluja Fabregat, Antón; Gallart Masia, Salvador; Dolcet, Joan Marc
Background and Objectives: In this study we review the use of the Positive Presentation Management (PPM) and Negative Presentation Management (NPM) scales, two NEO-PI-R derived measures originally devised to control for biased and distorted responses. These scales have been used with normative, job selection and clinical samples, in cross-sectional and experimental studies. Methods: Web-based and manual searches in personality and psychological assessment journals were conducted, and information on the PPM and NPM scales was systematically recorded. Means, standard deviations and reliability coefficients were summarized and compared between three types of samples: normative, job selection and clinical. Results: Five studies were performed with normative samples (33%), 3 with employment samples (20%) and 7 with clinical samples (47%). Cross-sectional designs were most common (60%), although there were also experimental studies (40%). Reported reliability coefficients were lower than usually accepted. There were differences in mean PPM and NPM scores in regard to the study sample background. Conclusions: There were some discrepancies when reporting PPM and NPM results across the reviewed studies. Normative and employment samples scored higher in PPM than clinical samples. Clinical samples scored higher in NPM than normative and employment samples The PPM and NPM scales could be useful in applied situations, although parallel sources of information should be taken into account to detect distorted responses to the questionnaire. However, the results on these scales should be systematically reported in future studies.
Open Access
A Spatial Analysis of Sex Differences in Chess Expertise Across 24 Countries in Eurasia
(Michigan State University, 2023) Blanch Plana, Angel; Comas Rodríguez, Carles
Past reports attribute sex differences in chess expertise to either the differential participation of males and females in chess, or to biological and cultural factors. This study examines whether geographical factors relate with the sex gap in chess expertise evaluated with three measures: raw (R), expected (E), and discrepancy (D). These differences corresponded to the 100 top-ranked male and female chess players in 24 Eurasian countries. The main aim of the study consisted of evaluating whether these countries resembled or differed in the three measures (RED) regarding either country size or country latitude. While no differences or similarities were found regarding latitude, six countries of a similar size resembled the expected sex differences (E) in chess expertise. Five out of these six countries share geographical borders, linguistic origins, and climatic characteristics, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece. The outcomes in the current study suggest that bearing in mind geographical factors is a worthy research avenue to address the prevalent sex gap in chess expertise across different countries and cultures.
Open Access
A third hierarchical level of narrower traits for the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology‐Basic Questionnaire
(Wiley, 2021-02-23) Gutiérrez, Fernando; Vicente, Enrique; Aluja Fabregat, Antón; Peri, Josep M.; Gutiérrez Zotes, Alfonso; Baillés, Eva; Edo Villamón, Silvia; Ruipérez Rodríguez, María Ángeles; Meliá de Alba, Amanda; Vall, Gemma; Gallardo Pujol, David
Current dimensional taxonomies of personality disorder show a stronger empirical grounding than categories, but may lack the necessary level of detail to make accurate predictions and case formulations. We need to further develop the lower levels of the hierarchy until reaching the building blocks of personality pathology. The Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology (DAPP-BQ) is well-suited to this purpose due to its multilayered structure and its agreement with the official dimensional classifications. We disaggregated the 18 DAPP-BQ mid-level facets through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in a sample of 3,233 community subjects and outpatients. We obtained a set of 72 clinically relevant, narrower subfacets which were reliable, well-fitted to the data, and invariant between clinical and community subjects and between the sexes. This third level of abstraction increases by 4.7% the capacity to predict DSM categorical personality disorders, gives a particular advantage in capturing dependent, histrionic, paranoid, obsessive, and schizoid features, and can provide the detailed information that clinical decisions demand.
Open Access
Ability and non-ability traits in chess skill
(Elsevier, 2021-04-05) Blanch Plana, Angel; Llaveria, Anton
Chess is an appropriate model to study ability and non-ability traits as related with performance because it bears intellectual and emotional demanding requirements. With a group of amateur chess players (n = 100), the current study addressed two interrelated aims. First, we assessed whether the three broad PEN personality factors (psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism), and emotion regulation traits (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) differentiated chess players from the general population. Second, we compared the association of domain knowledge and personality / emotion traits with chess skill. The main findings indicated that chess players scored lower in neuroticism and higher in expressive suppression compared with the general population. Moreover, chess knowledge related in a greater extent with chess skill than personality / emotion regulation traits, even though extraversion explained additional variability in chess skill. Overall, the findings suggest that non-ability traits may be influential in the selection of the chess environment. Besides, the findings corroborate the stronger impact of cognitive ability than personality traits on intellectual performance found in other domains.
Open Access
Absence of substantial copy number differences in a pair of monozygotic twins discordant for features of autism spectrum disorder
(Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2014) Laplana Lafaja, Marina; Royo Sánchez-Palencia, José Luis; Aluja Fabregat, Antón; López Ortega, Ricard; Heine-Suñer, Damià; Fibla Palazón, Joan
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heritable disease (∼0.9) with a complex genetic etiology. It is initially characterized by altered cognitive ability which commonly includes impaired language and communication skills as well as fundamental deficits in social interaction. Despite the large amount of studies described so far, the high clinical diversity affecting the autism phenotype remains poorly explained. Recent studies suggest that rare genomic variations, in particular copy number variation (CNV), may account for a significant proportion of the genetic basis of ASD. The use of disease-discordant monozygotic twins represents a powerful strategy to identify de novo and inherited CNV in the disorder. Here we present the results of a comparative genome hybridization (CGH) analysis with a pair of monozygotic twins affected of ASD with significant differences in their clinical manifestations that specially affect speech language impairment and communication skills. Array CGH was performed in three different tissues: blood, saliva, and hair follicle, in an attempt to identify germinal and somatic CNV regions that may explain these differences. Our results argue against a role of large CNV rearrangements as a molecular etiology of the observed differences.This forwards future research to explore de novo point mutation and epigenomic alterations as potential explanations of the observed clinical differences.
Open Access
Accesibilidad y alfabetización digital: barreras para la integración de las TIC en la comunicación familia/escuela
(Universidad de Murcia. Servicio de Publicaciones, 2018) Macià Bordalba, Mònica; Garreta i Bochaca, Jordi
Los recursos tecnológicos han ido apareciendo en los centros escolares como potenciales instrumentos para mejorar la información y la comunicación con las familias. Una comunicación que es esencial para mejorar la relación entre ambos agentes e incrementar la implicación y participación de los progenitores en la educación de sus hijos y en el centro. En este contexto, el presente trabajo tiene como objetivos identificar los factores que influyen negativamente en el uso comunicativo de las TIC y determinar si los estudios realizados en el campo pedagógico (de aplicación de las TIC en los procesos educativos de aula) pueden aplicarse en el ámbito comunicacional con las familias. Para ello se ha llevado a cabo un estudio etnográfico en 20 centros de educación primaria (realizado en cuatro Comunidades Autónomas españolas), seleccionados por tener indicadores positivos de implicación de las familias en los centros. Los resultados muestran que el acceso de las familias, así como la formación y actitudes de padres y docentes hacia las TIC, condicionan el uso de las nuevas tecnologías en la comunicación familia-escuela. La investigación evidencia, pues, que no solo se debe mejorar la formación de las familias, sino también la de los docentes, especialmente para reducir su resistencia a utilizarlas (se requiere, sobre todo, una formación en actitudes).
Open Access
Access and utilization of social and health services as a social determinant of health: The case of undocumented Latin American immigrant women working in Lleida (Catalonia, Spain)
(John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2015) Gea Sánchez, Montserrat; Gastaldo, Denise; Molina, Fidel; Otero García, Laura
Although Spain has social and healthcare systems based on universal coverage, little is known about how undocumented immigrant women access and utilise them. This is particularly true in the case of Latin Americans who are overrepresented in the informal labour market, taking on traditionally female roles of caregivers and cleaners in private homes. This study describes access and utilisation of social and healthcare services by undocumented Latin American women working and living in rural and urban areas, and the barriers these women may face. An exploratory qualitative study was designed with 12 in-depth interviews with Latin American women living and working in three different settings: an urban city, a rural city and rural villages in the Pyrenees. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed, yielding four key themes: health is a tool for work which worsens due to precarious working conditions; lack of legal status traps Latin American women in precarious jobs; lack of access to and use of social services; and limited access to and use of healthcare services. While residing and working in different areas of the province impacted the utilisation of services, working conditions was the main barrier experienced by the participants. In conclusion, decent working conditions are the key to ensuring undocumented immigrant women's right to social and healthcare. To create a pathway to immigrant women's health promotion, the 'trap of illegality' should be challenged and the impact of being considered 'illegal' should be considered as a social determinant of health, even where the right to access services is legal
Open Access
“Acción colectiva, activismos juveniles y Estado en Iberoamérica y El Caribe”. Introducción al dossier temático
(Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, 2016) Feixa, Carles; Vázquez, Melina; Domínguez Aroca, M. Isabel; Unda Lara, René
Open Access
Acculturation strategies and attitudes and their relationship with the identification of descendants of migrants in the Catalan school context
(Informa UK Limited, 2019-01-01) Petreñas, Cristina; Ianos, Maria Adelina; Lapresta Rey, Cecilio; Sansó Galiay, Clara
The mass arrival of immigrants to Catalonia (Spain) in the last two decades has led to a change in the socio-demographic composition of a society which de facto is characteristically bilingual and bicultural. The acculturation process undergone by young descendants of migrants and how they identify in this context are essential in order to overcome the social challenges arising in different societies. We have carried out a mixed study in order to identify the acculturation profile of descendants of migrants in the context of Catalan schools, correlating these processes with identification by considering Catalan-Spanish group membership, identification with the culture, and identification with the language. A survey was completed by 212 young people of migrant origin (14-18 years old) in secondary education; as well as 9 life stories from them and 6 semi-structured interviews with teachers. These results suggest the development of complex acculturation strategies fitting a complex socio-cultural context where identification with Catalonia and Spain plays a key role in its construction.
Open Access
Acerca de la competencia lingüística del alumnado de origen inmigrante en educación secundaria
(Asociación Universitaria de Formación del Profesorado, 2006) Navarro Sierra, José Luis; Huguet, Àngel
Ante la creciente incorporación de alumnado de origen inmigrante a nuestros centros educativos, y dada la práctica inexistencia de estudios empíricos que aborden esta nueva situación, entre el profesorado suelen primar ciertas creencias o ideas previas que condicionan las respuestas educativas en torno al proceso de enseñar la lengua o lenguas de la sociedad de acogida a estos alumnos. Nuestra investigación, a partir de la evaluación del conocimiento lingüístico adquirido en castellano por parte de un grupo de alumnos y alumnas de 1º de ESO, ha analizado algunos de los factores que determinan sus niveles de competencia lingüística. Ello, además de contrastar determinadas creencias sobre el aprendizaje de la lengua de estos colectivos, nos ha permitido formular ciertas indicaciones o sugerencias para abordar la cuestión.
Open Access
Acerca de la competencia lingüística del alumnado de origen inmigrante en la Educación Secundaria en Cataluña. El papel del tiempo de estancia y la lengua familiar
(Universidad de Murcia, 2012) Navarro Sierra, José Luis; Huguet, Àngel; Sansó Galiay, Clara; Chireac, Silvia María
Una de las consecuencias del fenómeno migratorio tiene que ver con la presencia de alumnado de origen extranjero en los centros edu-cativos. En este contexto, la diversidad de lenguas de origen y, de manera especial, los diferentes niveles de competencia en la lengua de instrucción de los re-cién llegados es uno de los elementos que genera una mayor preocupación en la escuela. Con este marco de fondo, a partir de una muestra de de 271 alumnos inmigrantes que fueron comparados con 332 alumnos autóctonos, escolarizados en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria en el ámbito de Cataluña, nuestro trabajo analiza el conocimiento de las lenguas catalana y castellana, así como la incidencia que en ello tienen variables como el tiempo de estancia en el país de acogida y la lengua familiar. Los resultados obtenidos apuntan a un proceso lento y complejo del que no queda exclui-do incluso aquel alumnado cuya lengua L1 es el castellano.
Open Access
La acogida del alumnado de origen inmigrante: un análisis comparado desde la situación en Cataluña
(Sociedad Española de Educación Comparada, 2008) Palaudàrias i Martí, Josep Miquel; Garreta i Bochaca, Jordi
Open Access
La actitud de los equipos directivos en torno a la Educación Religiosa en Cataluña (España)
(Asociación Internacional de Ciencias Sociales y Trabajo Social, 2020) Garreta i Bochaca, Jordi; Macià Bordalba, Mònica; Llevot Calvet, Núria
La enseñanza de la religión en el sistema educativo español ha sido, desde el inicio de la democracia, un tema controvertido que ha ido tomando fuerza a medida que la sociedad se ha vuelto más plural. En este contexto, el presente estudio analiza las actitudes de los equipos directivos de la comunidad autónoma de Cataluña hacia las enseñanzas religiosas en la escuela. Concretamente, se ha realizado una encuesta a 380 representantes de equipos directivos (directores, jefes de estudio y secretarios) y 25 entrevistas en profundidad a este mismo perfil de profesionales y docentes de religión. Los resultados muestran que la mayoría de los miembros de equipos directivos consideran que la educación religiosa confesional debería mantenerse fuera del sistema educativo y que las escuelas deberían trabajar la diversidad religiosa desde un punto de vista histórico y cultural con el objetivo de fomentar la competencia intercultural del alumnado.
Open Access
Actitud, presión social y educación inclusiva en aulas con diversidad lingüística y cultural.
(Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), 2013) Madariaga Orbea, José María; Huguet, Àngel; Lapresta Rey, Cecilio
Se estudiaron las actitudes lingüísticas del alumnado de E.S.O. en Cataluña, desde un enfoque que tuviera en cuenta la presión social. Se pretendía analizar la posibilidad de realizar intervenciones educativas inclusivas, la relación entre actitudes lingüísticas y competencia y las posibles variables explicativas de dichas actitudes. Se aplicó a 1206 escolares de 2º y 4º de E.S.O. un cuestionario que evaluaba actitudes lingüísticas y condición lingüística familiar, recabando edad de llegada y tiempo de estancia del alumnado inmigrante y una prueba de conocimiento lingüístico. Las actitudes del alumnado autóctono fueron más favorables hacia el catalán y las del inmigrante hacia el castellano, si bien había diferencias al contrastar hispanohablantes / no-hispanohablantes. Condición lingüística familiar, edad de llegada y tiempo de estancia resultaron significativas en actitudes hacia castellano y catalán, que además mostraron correlación con la competencia lingüística. En conclusión, no parece haber dificultades para intervenir educativamente, pero es necesario fijar variables explicativas de las actitudes del alumnado inmigrante considerando la presión social.
Open Access
Actitudes hacia la lengua materna y la del país de acogida por parte de los escolares inmigrantes. Su relación con la competencia lingüística en la lengua de la escuela
(Graó, 2008) Navarro, José Luis; Huguet, Àngel; Janés i Carulla, Judit
La continua llegada de población inmigrante a los países de Europa Occidental, y en concreto a España, está produciendo cambios importantes en nuestra sociedad. Así, año tras año, se ve incrementado el número del alumnado procedente de orígenes geográficos, lingüísticos y culturales bien diferentes. En este contexto, numerosos trabajos han mostrado como las actitudes lingüísticas juegan un papel clave, tanto por lo que respecta al aprendizaje de segundas o terceras lenguas como en la integración sociocultural de los individuos. Con este marco de fondo, este estudio pretende describir las actitudes hacia el castellano y hacia su lengua materna, cuando ésta no es el castellano, manifestadas por el alumnado de origen inmigrante escolarizado en 1.º de ESO en la provincia de Huesca, así como comparar dichas actitudes en relación con el conocimiento de la lengua castellana.