Spanish Adolescents Research Articles

Prevalence and Quantification of the Effects of Sexual Harassment Victimization of School-Aged Adolescents.

Sexual harassment has become a serious social and public health problem in adolescents, causing adverse effects on mental health. Nevertheless, some behaviours arise that, due to their characteristics, might be misinterpreted as sexual harassment. A field study using a survey with non-probabilistic accidental sampling was designed in order to estimate the prevalence of sexual harassment victimization in the Spanish adolescent population as well as to quantify the harms. A total of 1028 Spanish adolescents, 54.3% females and 45.7% males aged 13-17 years (M = 15.21, SD = 1.03), responded to a diagnostic measure of sexual harassment victimization and an inventory measure of internalizing and externalizing mental health problems (MHPs). The results showed a significant prevalence of diagnosed sexual harassment victimization of school-aged adolescents, 24.1%, 95% CI [0.215, 0.267], with adverse effects on internalizing and externalizing MHPs. As for the internalizing MHPs, the results exhibited moderate adverse effects on depression, anxiety, somatic burns, posttraumatic symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, as well as mild adverse effects on social anxiety. Regarding externalizing MHPs, the results revealed moderate adverse effects on hyperactivity-impulsivity, anger control, and antisocial behaviour, as well as mild adverse effects on attention problems, aggression, and defiant behaviour. In addition, it was confirmed that sexual harassment victimization affects adolescent females to a greater extent, with the effect being significantly greater in internalizing than in externalizing MHPs. The results obtained are discussed and future lines of research and intervention are proposed to promote the implementation of prevention and intervention programs that address this phenomenon and, in turn, improve the physical, psychological, and social well-being of adolescents.

Anxiety and depression in educational settings: Prevalence, assessment, and impact on psychological adjustment

Symptoms of anxiety and depression constitute one of the main challenges for educational and social-health systems among young people. The main objective of this study was to study the symptoms of anxiety and depression in educational contexts. For this purpose, prevalence rates have been analyzed, a brief screening test to assess anxiety and depression has been validated and its relationship with psychological adjustment has been studied. A total of 2228 Spanish adolescents (M=14.49 years, SD=1.76; 52.9% female) participated in the study. The brief version developed to assess emotional problems was adjusted to a two-factor model (depression and anxiety). The reliability of the scores was ω=.82 and ω=.87. Symptoms of anxiety and depression have been positively associated with negative affect and emotional and behavioural problems, and negatively related with positive affect and quality of life. Emotional regulation difficulties seen to be common in educational contexts and impact on different indicators of psychological adjustment during adolescence. Anxiety and depression can be assessed with reliable screening test. It is necessary to implement programs for the prevention of emotional problems in educational contexts.

Active Commuting to School among Spanish Preschool Children: A Temporal Change Study between 2013 and 2017.

Active commuting to school may increase the total daily physical activity and achieve health benefits among preschool children. Rates of active commuting to school among Spanish children and adolescents have been widely analysed, while the rates of active commuting to school among Spanish preschool children are unknown. The main objective of this study was to examine the changes in the rates of active commuting to school in a sample of Spanish preschool children between 3 and 6 years old from 2013 to 2017. Data were found from five studies carried out across Spain. The study sample comprised 4787 preschool children (4.59 ± 0.77 years old; 51% males). The overall changes in active commuting to school were assessed using multilevel logistic regression analysis. The rates of active commuting to school in Spanish preschool children are around 52%, and the active commuting to school rates have stayed stable throughout the period assessed (odds ratio from 0.40 to 0.58, all p > 0.05). In preschool children, the present study obtained a favourable result on active commuting to school, showing a pattern stability in the examined period similar to other ages. It will be of great importance to promote this behaviour to obtain high levels of active commuting to school.

Design and validation of the general scale of academic engagement for Spanish adolescents (CAADE)

Academic engagement is considered one of the most essential elements to achieve educational success and decrease levels of school dropout. However, there is a need to develop reliable, practical and valid instruments that evaluate the academic engagement of adolescents taking into account their multidimensionality. The main aim of this research was to design and validate the General Scale of Academic Engagement for Spanish Adolescents that overcomes this limitation. The elaboration process began with the creation of items that are relying on the evaluation of existing literature, then the items were refined thanks to the reviews of the experts and discussion groups with adolescents. Data from 1158 students in compulsory secondary education were analyzed. The instrument's psychometric properties were determined by comprehension validity, analysis of content, reliability and construct validity. An Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed with the first sample (n = 356), while the second sample (n = 802) was used to verify the factor structure identified through Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Evidence of reliability and validity was provided for the instrument using SPSS Version 27 and SPSS AMOS. The results of the analyses resulted in a questionnaire of 17 items grouped into three factors (Cognitive, Affective-Emotional and Behavioral), and confirm that the General Scale of Academic Engagement for Spanish Adolescents (CAADE) has an adequate construct validity and reliability. In summary, this study has resulted in the development of a tool that can be utilized by educators or any institution concerned in evaluating student academic engagement, a construct that does not yet to have consensus.

Perceived Quality of Life Is Related to a Healthy Lifestyle and Related Outcomes in Spanish Children and Adolescents: The Physical Activity, Sedentarism, and Obesity in Spanish Study.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial for safeguarding the well-being and quality of life perception, appropriate growth, and development of children and adolescents, while also mitigating the risk of future adult-onset diseases. To assess associations between perceived quality of life and healthy lifestyle and related outcomes in Spanish children and adolescents. Cross-sectional analysis of 8-16-year-old children and adolescents (n = 3534) were included in the nationwide study of Physical Activity, Sedentarism, and Obesity in Spanish Youth (PASOS). Data were collected through (1) questionnaires on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), healthy lifestyle outcomes (dietary intake, physical fitness, sleep, and screen time), and (2) anthropometric measurements for weight status assessment. Data were analysed by logistic regression, using the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as the grouping variable. Participants with a lower HRQoL were those with a lower adherence to the MedDiet and lower achievement of the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables. They were also less likely to follow the recommendations for screen time and sleep (with the exception of the weekend) compared to participants with a higher HRQoL. Participants with a lower HRQoL showed a lower healthy weight status and poorer physical fitness than those with a higher HRQoL. Healthy eating habits, healthy weight status (normal weight), appropriate sleep time, physical fitness, and limited screen time play a crucial role in the perceived quality of life in children and adolescents.

Electronic victimization experiences in Spanish adolescents from the general population and risk contexts

The present work aims to show the differences in the occurrence of electronic victimization in the last year, between four different samples of Spanish adolescents. Likewise, it seeks to study whether there is a relationship between having suffered electronic victimization and other forms of victimization and whether cyber-victims show differences according to sex and age group. 1,105 adolescents from secondary education centers, 149 from child and adolescent mental health centers, 129 from the protection system, and 101 from the juvenile justice system were interviewed. Victimization experiences were assessed using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (Finkelhor et al., 2005). Electronic victimization ranged from 8.9% in the school sample, 16.8% in mental health, 25.7% in the juvenile justice system and 27.1% in the protection system. A positive relationship was found between electronic victimization and other forms of victimization in educational, protection and justice centers. Besides, girls were more likely to experience electronic victimization in the mental health and school samples. In conclusion, electronic victimization is distributed differentially according to the adolescents’ provenance group.

Risk profiles of social anxiety for interpersonal difficulties in a sample of Spanish adolescents

Social anxiety has been widely studied over the past four decades. However, limited attention has been given to the relationship between social anxiety and interpersonal difficulties during adolescence. Adolescents exhibiting symptoms of social anxiety (SA) may also face challenges in their interpersonal interactions at school. This study aimed to identify distinct profiles of adolescents with social anxiety and examine whether these profiles differed in terms of the severity of their interpersonal difficulties (ID). A random cluster sampling was performed. The sample comprised 1,685 Spanish students (49.0% female) from 15 to 18 years old (M = 16.28, SD = 0.97). Participants completed the Spanish version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) and the Questionnaire About Interpersonal Difficulties for Adolescents (QIDA). Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) revealed four social anxiety profiles: mild SA, moderate SA, severe SA, and extreme SA. Multivariate analyses (MANOVA) indicated statistically significant differences in interpersonal difficulties across the four clusters with effect sizes between d = 0.23 and d = 0.91. The mild SA profile showed the lowest mean scores in interpersonal difficulties whereas the extreme SA profile showed the highest ones. Intervention strategies are suggested as preventive or corrective measures to support adolescents who fall in high-risk profiles.

The Mediating Role Played by Perceived Motor Competence in the Relationship between Motor Competence and Physical Activity in Spanish Adolescents

The promotion of regular physical activity (PA) is becoming one of the main tools applied in developed countries to address health and obesity problems, particularly in view of the proven benefits of PA on a physical, psychological, and social level. Indeed, childhood and adolescence are crucial periods for an active lifestyle can be established, with the prospect of prolonging it in adulthood. The conceptual model propounded by Stodden provides a theoretical underpinning for the relationship between motor competence (MC) and PA. This study’s objective was to explore the predictive value of motor competence (MC) regarding physical activity (PA), along with the mediating role played by self-perceived motor competence (SPMC) and comparatively perceived motor competence (CPMC), with the purpose of confirming the theoretical model propounded by Stodden, as well as the relationships among variables in our own conceptual model. To this end, we tested a random sample of 925 adolescents (53.6% males; 46.3% females, age 13.75 years, SD = 1.28). Participants completed the Multidimensional Sportcomp Battery to evaluate MC and the Achievement Motivation in Physical Education test (AMPET4) to evaluate their perception of their competence; moreover, to evaluate PA, we used three indicators from the WHO Health Behaviour in Schoolchildren survey in the Spanish version. Our final theoretical model explains 19.9% of the variance of sport practice in boys and 24.2% in girls; moreover, it ascribes an important role to self-perceived motor competence (SPMC) and to comparatively perceived motor competence (CPMC) as mediating variables in the relationship between MC and PA in both sexes. Notably, we found a direct relationship between motor coordination/control tests and PA. Overall, this study underscores the degree to which adolescents’ perceived motor competence affects their actual motor competence.

Relationship between Physical Fitness and Cyberbullying Patterns (Cybervictimization and Cyberperpetration) in Spanish Adolescents.

(1) Background: Cyberbullying is a growing problem among adolescents, and deeper knowledge of this phenomenon could facilitate the implementation of adequate prevention and intervention strategies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between victimization and aggression patterns in cyberbullying and physical fitness levels in Spanish adolescents. (2) Methods: A total of 741 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years from two high schools in Andalusia, Spain (mean = 14.52 ± 1.96 years; 50.9% girls, 49.1% boys) participated in the study. The participants underwent the EUROFIT battery test and completed the Spanish version of the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (ECIPQ) scale. T-test, bivariate correlations and a linear regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. (3) Results: The study results indicated positive relationships between cyberbullying patterns, especially cybervictimization, and age, as well as several physical fitness measures, including BMI, sit-ups, sit-and-reach, and handgrip tests. On the other hand, cyberperpetration was positively related only to age and the specific grip strength test. Further statistical analysis revealed that cybervictimization was primarily influenced by age, while cyberperpetration was mainly influenced by age and performance in a functional test (sit-and-reach). (4) Conclusions: Cyberbullying roles, both as victims and aggressors, may not be strongly influenced by isolated physical fitness factors. Thus, in order to reach a more comprehensive understanding and better explanations of individual involvement in cyberbullying behavior, future studies should analyze psychological and social factors along with the variables considered in this study.

The relationship between suicidal behavior and perceived stress: The role of cognitive emotional regulation and problematic alcohol use in Spanish adolescents.

Suicidal behavior has become an important public health problem, correlating with stress and emotional deficits in recent research. This study examined the relationship between perceived stress and suicidal behavior risk, testing the mediating roles of cognitive emotion regulation and impulsivity, and the moderating role of problematic alcohol use in stress-suicidal behavior association in a sample of 121 Spanish adolescents surveyed online. Results showed positive and significant associations between perceived stress and suicidal behavior risk, as well a mediation role of adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies and a moderation role of problematic alcohol use between perceived stress and suicidal behavior risk, supporting stress as an influential factor in suicidal behavior. Our findings emphasize adaptive emotional regulation strategies in stressful situations, as well as the importance of promoting responsible alcohol consumption to decrease suicide risk in adolescents. Additionally, they contribute to effective educational suicide prevention programs for young people.

Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome Symptoms from Early Childhood to Adolescence in a Nationally Representative Spanish Sample

ABSTRACT Objective The identification of a common set of symptoms for assessing cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS, formerly sluggish cognitive tempo) for early childhood (ages 5–8), middle childhood (ages 9–12), and adolescence (ages 13–16) is needed to advance research on the developmental psychopathology of CDS (i.e. a common symptom set with comparable internal and external validity for each age group). Method Parents of a nationally representative sample of 5,525 Spanish children and adolescents (ages 5 to 16, 56.1% boys) completed measures of CDS, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-inattention (ADHD-IN), and other measures. Results First, the 15 CDS symptoms showed convergent and discriminant validity relative to the ADHD-IN symptoms within each age group. Second, CDS showed stronger first-order and unique associations than ADHD-IN with anxiety, depression, somatization, daytime sleep-related impairment, and nighttime sleep disturbance, whereas ADHD-IN showed stronger first-order and unique associations than CDS with ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity, oppositional defiant disorder, and academic impairment. Third, CDS showed stronger first-order and unique associations than ADHD-IN with a history of having an anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder diagnosis, whereas ADHD-IN showed stronger first-order and unique associations with having an ADHD diagnosis. Conclusions The identification of a common set of CDS symptoms spanning early childhood to adolescence allows for the advancement of research on CDS, with a particular need now for longitudinal studies and examination of CDS with other functional outcomes and across other cultural contexts.

Prevalence of Problematic Internet Use among Spanish Adolescents

Prevalence of Problematic Internet Use among Spanish Adolescents

Effectiveness of an e-Health Quasi-Randomized Controlled Universal Prevention Program for Eating Disorders in Spanish Adolescents

Eating disorders (EDs) and sub-threshold conditions are prevalent in the adolescent population. Unfortunately, most preventive interventions have been targeted at emerging adults and the effectiveness of online prevention programs has yet to be determined in adolescents. This study sought to examine the short-term effectiveness of a universal e-Health psychoeducational prevention program for EDs compared to a control (non-intervention) group in Spanish adolescents. Using a quasi-randomized trial design, a total of 161 [% girls: 45.96; Mage(SD) = 12.43 (0.43)] adolescents from 5 participating schools were allocated to two intervention arms: (1) psychoeducational intervention (n = 79) and (2) wait-list control (n = 82). The intervention was delivered over 3 months through 3 modules that were accessible 24/7 and 3 school sessions guided by the students´ tutors focusing on nutrition, promoting a healthy lifestyle, mitigating body concerns, and social pressures. Participants completed an online assessment battery including the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and measures of self-esteem, family disruption, compliance with the Mediterranean diet, and lifestyle. Correlational analysis showed small to moderate relationships between self-esteem and family function (rho = 0.413, p = 0.001), BMI (body mass index) and the EAT-26 dieting subscale (rho = 0.417, p = 0.001), physical activity and the bulimia subscale (rho = − 0.237, p = 0.003), and self-esteem and the dieting subscale (rho = − 0.223, p = 0.004). At the post-intervention assessment, the intervention group showed a statistically significant reduction in ED risk (EAT-26) (d = − 0.323, p = 0.040) and the oral control subscale (d = 0.327, p = 0.038). The e-health intervention including tutor-led digital components was effective for reducing ED risk in children. Results must be interpreted with caution due to the low statistical power and the limited sample size. Large scale randomized controlled trials with longer follow-ups will be needed to bolster the evidence.

Are there differences between Mediterranean diet and the consumption of harmful substances on quality of life?-an explanatory model in secondary education regarding gender.

Adolescence is a key life stage in human development. It is during this stage of development that healthy and physical behaviors are acquired that will last into adulthood. Gender differences in the acquisition of these behaviors have been observed. This research aims to (a) study the levels of Mediterranean diet adherence, quality of life and alcohol and tobacco consumption as regarding the gender of the participants and (b) study the effects of the variable adherence to the Mediterranean diet, alcohol consumption and tobacco consumption on quality of life as a function of the gender of the participants. A non-experimental, cross-sectional, exploratory study was carried out in a sample of 1,057 Spanish adolescents (Average Age = 14.19; Standard Deviation = 2.87). The comparative analysis shows that the male teenagers shows a higher Mediterranean diet adherence compared to the male adolescents (p ≤ 0.05) and a higher consumption of alcoholic beverages (p ≤ 0.05). On the contrary, adolescent girls show a higher consumption of alcoholic beverages than male participants (p ≤ 0.05). The exploratory analysis indicates that for boys, alcohol consumption has a beneficial effect on the quality of life of adolescents (β = 0.904; p ≤ 0.001). In this case, participants show differences in the levels of Mediterranean diet adherence, consumption of harmful substances and quality of life according to gender. Likewise, there are different effects between the variables according to gender. Therefore, gender is a key factor to consider during adolescence.

Experiences and Psychological Impact Derived from Unwanted Exposure to Online Pornography in Spanish Adolescents

Abstract Introduction Unwanted exposure (UE) to sexual content may have important consequences on children/adolescents’ psychosexual development. Our objective was to analyze UE to online pornography, parental filter use, type of sexual contents seen, emotional/behavioral reactions, and UE as positive/traumatic experience in Spanish adolescents and to examine these experiences and reactions depending on the type of sexual content. Methods In 2020, 500 Spanish teenagers (13–18 years) completed an ad hoc questionnaire for the evaluation of different dimensions involved in UE to sexual contents, such as those mentioned in the study objectives. Results A high frequency of UE (88.2%) is observed. Regarding the kind of scenes, naked people, straight porn, and people showing genitals are the most unexpectedly seen. Adolescents used to react to the UE closing the window and deleting sexual materials. A greater predominance of negative emotions was revealed, and another noteworthy result is related to the role played by type of sexual content and gender. Gay scenes and being woman increased the probability of living the experience as non-positive, and being woman and viewing naked people/BDSM scenes/under-age sex were associated with reactions of rejection. Conclusions This study contributes significantly to the knowledge of UE to online pornography in adolescents. It provides valuable information about the role played by the type of sexual content seen and the gender in the diverse reactions/experiences derived from the UE to pornography. Policy Implications This topic, that is, involuntary exposure to online sexual material in adolescents, should be included in affective-sexual education and prevention programs at early ages, so that children/adolescents are already trained in healthy sexuality when facing this type of content for the first time. These programs, adjusted to the reality of our adolescents, will minimize the negative impact that UE may have on their psychosexual development.

Adolescents' Perceptions of Sexuality: A Qualitative Study.

Adolescents have a greater risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which is a serious public health problem. Education is an effective strategy to improve adolescent sexual health outcomes. However, Spanish adolescents have a lack of sex education. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions and opinions of a sample of adolescents regarding sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Photovoice is a research method that uses the search for images of everyday events with the intention of bringing about social change. An exploratory, descriptive design was used with a qualitative approach based on the Photovoice methodology. The sample consisted of 26 high school and baccalaureate students of Almería (Spain) selected through a convenience sample. The age of the participants ranged from 14 to 17 years, with a mean age of 15.31 years. Two main categories were extracted from the data analysis: 'Towards a culture of preventing STIs and promoting healthy sexual practices' and 'Adolescents' needs from their perspective'. In conclusion, numerous changes take place at the biopsychosocial level during adolescence that imply a need to explore their sexuality in depth. A lack of knowledge and a carefree attitude during sexual initiation can increase the risk of developing STIs. The study's adolescents stated that they do not have adequate sex education to acquire sufficient knowledge about sexuality and sexual health, and therefore, request that the traditional format be modified in order to achieve better results.

Factors Associated with HIV Testing Among Spanish and English-Speaking Latino Adolescents Aged 13-18.

Adolescent Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) in the U.S. are disproportionately impacted by HIV. However, there has been limited focus on their HIV prevention and risk behaviors. In this study, we examine the rates of HIV testing and explore the significant demographic and healthcare factors that influence HIV prevention among adolescent LMSM. The analysis for this study utilized data collected during the baseline assessment of SMART, a pragmatic trial aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of an online HIV prevention intervention for adolescent LMSM (N = 524). Only 35.5% of participants had ever had an HIV test in their lifetime. Rates of testing increased among adolescent LMSM who had a doctor with whom they spoke about their sexual health (odds ratio: 4.0; 95% confidence interval: 2.1-8.4;P < 0.001) or HIV testing (odds ratio: 5.8; 95% confidence interval: 3.1-10.7;P < 0.001). Out of the 61 participants who took part in the survey conducted in Spanish, only 26% reported ever having an HIV test. Additionally, 24.5% stated that they had discussed their sexual orientation with a doctor, and only 8.2% had undergone HIV testing. Spanish-speaking adolescents who completed the SMART survey were less likely to openly discuss their sexual orientation or sexual health with most people or have a doctor with whom they discussed these topics, compared to those who completed the survey in English. These findings suggest that Spanish-speaking adolescent LMSM may face obstacles in accessing HIV prevention services in the U.S.

Cross-Sectional Association between Perceived Physical Literacy and Mediterranean Dietary Patterns in Adolescents: The EHDLA Study.

The objective of the current study was to analyze the relationship between perceived physical literacy (PPL) and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) and its specific components in a sample of Spanish adolescents. In this cross-sectional study, we examined a sample of 845 adolescents (58.1% boys) aged 12-17 years from the Valle de Ricote (Region of Murcia, Spain). PPL was assessed by the Spanish Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument for adolescents (S-PPLI). To assess adherence to the MedDiet, the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index in children and adolescents (KIDMED) was applied. In unadjusted analyses, adolescents with medium or high PPL were more likely to have optimal adherence to the MedDiet (medium PPL: OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.20-2.40, p-adjusted = 0.003; high PPL: OR = 2.90, 95% CI 2.03-4.17, p-adjusted < 0.001). These findings remained significant after adjusting for sex, age, socioeconomic status, body mass index, energy intake, overall sleep duration, physical activity, and sedentary behavior (medium PPL: OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.05-2.19, p-adjusted = 0.003; high PPL: OR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.53-3.39, p-adjusted < 0.001). PPL could play a relevant role in the adoption of healthy eating habits among adolescents. Adolescents with low or medium PPL were less likely to report optimal adherence to the MedDiet. Adolescents with high PPL seem to consume more fruits, vegetables, fish, pulses, nuts, and dairies (for breakfast). Conversely, these adolescents tend to skip breakfast less, as well as to consume less commercially baked goods or pastries at this meal.

Assessing Food Preferences and Neophobias among Spanish Adolescents from Castilla-La Mancha.

Food neophobia is a reaction of dislike or fear of food, which may be due to a wide variety of factors (taste, texture, exposure at an early age, genetics, or diversity in feeding practices and food consumption). The aim of this study was to assess the preferences for tastes and foods and food neophobias among Spanish adolescents and to compare the differences between boys and girls. This was a cross-sectional observational study on 11-18-year-old healthy adolescents (n = 600; 50% female) recruited in the Castilla-La Mancha region (central Spain). Information on taste preferences, food neophobias, anthropometric measurements, and sociodemographic data was recorded. The highest taste preference was found for sweet, salty, and umami. Most adolescents usually did not try new foods outside the home, nor did they like to try foods from other countries. More than half of them also acknowledged being selective eaters or were very particular about the foods they ate. There were no significant associations between taste preference and neophobias with obesity, waist-to-height ratio (WtHR), sleep, and smoking. Adolescents showed a high unwillingness to change food habits, and most of the food neophobias found in the current study were related to new, novel, or previously unknown foods. Spanish adolescents from central Spain (Castilla-La Mancha region) showed a preference for sweet, salty, and umami tastes of foods, as well as food neophobia towards foods that they do not regularly consume, mainly those with a bitter taste. Gender and body weight showed little influence, and age had a moderate influence on food neophobias. Familiarity with foods, as well as educational activities, are suggested as useful to decrease food neophobias among adolescents.

H - 44 Relationship between Symptoms of Anxiety and Neurocognitive Functions of Attention and Working Memory in Trauma-Exposed Puerto Rican Adolescents: a Preliminary Data Analysis.

Examine the relationship between symptoms of anxiety [ANX] and neurocognitive functions of attention [ATT] and working memory [WM] in trauma-exposed Puerto Rican adolescents. Secondary data analysis was performed of the study's sample, "Exploring the relationship between Traumatic Exposure on Neurocognitive Processes and Academic Achievement in a sample of Puerto Rican Youth". This study's design is a quantitative within-subjects, correlational-causal transactional non-experimental method. Spanish speaking adolescents who reside in Puerto Rico ages 12-17 were recruited. Without serious mental or motor disorders who self-reported exposure to more than one traumatic event. A non-probabilistic convenience sample (N = 21; M = 13; F = 8; Age: M = 15; SD = 1.6) was recruited from clinics (81%) and schools (19%) in different regions of Puerto Rico. To measure traumatic exposure, the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS), which is a 15-item self-report trauma screening, was used. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), a 7-item self-report assessment used to explore anxiety symptoms. Lastly, cognitive variables ATT and WM, were measured using subtests of the standardized neuropsychological battery, Cognitive Assessment System-2: Español (CAS2:ES). A Linear Regression analysis revealed that total ANX could explain 18% variability of ATT and 56% of WM and were not statistically significant (p = 0.534, IC 95%; 0.53-1.93; p = 0.245, IC 95%: -2.64-0.75) consecutively. Preliminary data suggest some variability of WM can be explained by ANX experienced in trauma-exposed Puerto Rican adolescents. Confounding variables of complex trauma may exist. A larger clinical sample, including ANX severity and a control group, is recommended to explore cognitive, learning, and mental health consequences.