Spanish University Research Articles

Experience sampling methods for the personalised prediction of mental health problems in Spanish university students: protocol for a survey-based observational study within the PROMES-U project

IntroductionThere is a high prevalence of mental health problems among university students. Better prediction and treatment access for this population is needed. In recent years, short-term dynamic factors, which can...

The Levels of Historical Awareness and Treatment of Controversial Issues in Digital Environments: A Case Study of Future Spanish Secondary School Teachers

The aim of this research is to determine, on the one hand, the levels of historical awareness of future Spanish secondary school teachers (n = 61) in social networks and/or virtual environments. On the other hand, it aims to approach the representations of the past-present-future constructed by future teachers in these spaces, and to interpret the relationships between their levels of historical awareness and their interaction with controversial issues based on their own social narratives (n = 169). This study follows a qualitative-deductive approach to test the theoretical transferability of Rüsen's levels of historical consciousness to the specific context of a Spanish university. The results obtained show mostly exemplary and critical levels of historical awareness, with little variation between the dimensions analysed (global pandemic by COVID-19 and public health; historical memory, national identities, migratory crises, and exclusionary identities; sex-gender identities and exclusionary identities). Consequently, it can be concluded that working on controversial issues generated in virtual environments in teacher training could mean a potential improvement in the acquisition of third-order concepts, such as historical awareness, allowing future teachers to successfully address issues and situations of social life in the classroom in a transversal and transversal way. interdisciplinary way.

Content analysis of public stigma on intimate partner violence against women in a sample of Spanish university students..

Public stigma on intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is still present among university students and hinders victim recovery. The aims were to: 1) Analyze public stigma in university students using content scales found in the literature, distinguishing between general negative attitudes towards IPVAW and those when asked about a known situation of violence, and 2) Determine the reliability of those scales. A sample of 37 students (age, M=25.54; SD=3.44) at the University of Seville completed a survey based on the selected content scales. Response content was analyzed. Attitudes were related to myths exonerating the abuser, the majority belief that victims' actions for recovery were detachment strategies, and a catastrophic perception of the consequences of violence. Attitudes changed after knowing a victim. Most scales were reliable (Kappa > 0.7). Stigma toward IPVAW was present, but to a lesser extent when the situation of violence was known. The implications of this study and future lines of research were discussed.

The Influence of Cultural Snapshots on Pre-service Teachers' Attitudes Towards Death Education.

Cultural snapshots may be a didactic resource that promotes the understanding of death and provides teachers with tools that can be used to work with students. This study aims to analyse pre-service teachers' attitudes towards death education. A quantitative longitudinal panel design with pre-test and post-test measures was applied, with descriptive, inferential, and predictive approaches. The sample consisted of 161 pre-service primary teachers from a Spanish university who responded to the validated questionnaire "Death Education Attitudes Scale-Teachers" (DEAS-T). The results reveal an improvement in their attitudes towards death education after implementing cultural snapshots in class, producing significant differences between the pre-test and post-test according to gender, in favour of the male participants. The variables of death anxiety and adequate training are relevant for predicting the attitudes of both genders, in addition to the motivation variable in male participants and the variable of interest towards the topic in female participants.

Assessing Attitude and Behavioral Intention toward Chatbots in an Insurance Setting: A Mixed Method Approach

Conversational robots (chatbots) are currently an extended Insurtech that is widely used to enable policyholders’ communication with insurance firms. This paper analyses customers’ acceptance of chatbots in procedures with regard to in-force policies. We analysed a semistructured survey answered by workers of a public Spanish university. Structured questions have been grounded in the well-known technology acceptance model (TAM), which is based on two explanatory variables: perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU). We have also considered two additional explanatory factors: social influence (SI), whose impact on behavioral intention (BI) is mediated by PU, and trust (TRUST), whose influence on BI is supposed to be made throughout PU and PEOU. Likewise, we asked two open questions about the advantages and disadvantages of chatbot use to make procedures linked with in-force insurance contracts. We performed our analysis by using quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative analysis tests the suitability of TAM on our data and has been performed by using structural equation modelling with partial least squares (PLS-SEM). Subsequently, to reach a deeper understanding of the reasons that explain the respondents’ behavioral intention, we provide a systematic overview of the answers to open questions with the help of the groundwork provided by TAM. We have checked that the basic TAM along with social influence and trust provide a satisfactory explanation for behavioral intention toward bots. Likewise, we have observed a general reluctance toward the use of chatbots. The qualitative analysis showed that arguments explaining resistance come from all explanatory factors considered in the paper. Therefore, mainstream responses have outlined that interaction with chatbots is difficult, and many times, the procedure must be finished with the assistance of a human operator. Likewise, many responses point out as a relevant drawback that they provide a dehumanized service without empathy. Consequently, interactions with chatbots are perceived as cumbersome, ineffective, and a loss of time. Although some people perceive that the faster service provided by chatbots in concrete circumstances is an advantage, other theoretical consequences that may add value, such as temporal flexibility and the possibility of proving better services with the same cost and/or reducing insurance prices because of the reduction of firms’ administrative costs, are generally not perceived. Our findings have theoretical and practical implications. We have shown that TAM provides a reliable theoretical model to understand policyhoders’ acceptance of chatbot technology in an insurance setting. Perceived usefulness, reliability, social opinion about bot adoption, and usability must be improved to avoid generalized policyholders’ reluctance. That resistance is because of issues such as conversational skills, the capability to provide an interaction closer to being human, and users’ perception that chatbots actually add value to policyholders.

Understanding Spanish University Students’ Monitoring Failures and Regulatory Actions When Reading in EFL

The present paper analyses the reasons for comprehension monitoring failure and the regulatory actions performed by Spanish university students when reading in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Two different but connected empirical studies were conducted to obtain data about students’ behaviour during a reading task. In Study 1, comprehension monitoring was assessed following the Error Detection Paradigm. Then, semi-structured interviews were conducted to analyse subjects’ regulatory actions. In Study 2, a questionnaire was proposed to classify subjects’ detection X regulation actions when reading in EFL. Results showed that participants’ comprehension monitoring level was not very high according to other literature findings. Moreover, the lack of language proficiency could imply additional processing and monitoring difficulties. The questionnaire accounted for a great percentage of participants’ behaviour: semantic obstacles, spurious detections, no re-reading, skip information or no detection. Knowing students’ reading obstacles is necessary for teachers and practitioners in order to help students become effective readers.

Prevalence of Depression and Fish Consumption among First Year Spanish University Students: UniHcos Project.

The World Health Organization estimates that one fifth of university students have experienced major depressive disorder at some point in their lives. Nutrition may be one of the modifiable factors that influence the development of depression. Specifically, low omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin D levels, both nutrients found in high quantities in fish, have been linked to depressive disorders. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of depression among young Spanish university students, in addition to the pattern of fish consumption among students and the possible relationship between fish consumption and the presence of depression. Data were collected retrospectively from a nationally representative sample of 11,485 Spanish university students aged 18 years or older in 11 Spanish universities, from 2012 to 2022. The respondents were analyzed according to frequency of consumption and compliance with weekly recommendations for fish intake and the presence of depression. Regression models were also performed to determine students' odds of depression as a function of compliance with recommendations according to selected sociodemographic variables. The prevalence of depression was 10.5%; it was more prevalent in women, older students and in those with both high and low BMIs. In addition, it was also more prevalent in those that lived outside the family home, with roommates and those who were employed. Sixty-seven percent of the students met the fish intake recommendations. The most common frequency of fish consumption was 1-2 times/week (44.2%), and the least frequent was 2.3% daily fish consumption. Students from northern universities were more likely to consume fish (68.4%) than those from southern universities (66.4%). Non-consumption of fish was found to increase the risk of depression (ORa = 1.45 (1.28-1.64); AF = 31.0% (21.9-39.0)), but it was the student's own conditions that had the greatest influence on the development of the disorder. In summary, a lower consumption of fish seems to be associated with a higher incidence of depression in Spanish university students; however, other social factors of the student may influence the development of the disorder, and all of this should be taken into account for the development of prevention strategies.

Technological resources for the initial training of Music teachers: an intervention in the Spanish university context

En la enseñanza de la música, la evolución de la tecnología y la informática han impulsado nuevas prácticas metodológicas para el trabajo en el aula. Desde el ámbito de la educación superior, se presenta una investigación cualitativa basada en la aplicación de distintos recursos y herramientas digitales en la asignatura de “Formación Instrumental”, perteneciente a los Grados de Maestro en Educación Infantil y Primaria. Su objetivo general consiste en determinar la utilidad de las TIC para favorecer la formación inicial del profesorado de Música, el cual, a su vez, se concreta en dos objetivos específicos: conocer la percepción del estudiantado sobre las aplicaciones y recursos tecnológicos empleados en su proceso de aprendizaje, y valorar su inclinación a utilizar las TIC cuando ejerzan como docentes de Música. La recogida de datos se ha llevado a cabo a través de distintas técnicas e instrumentos, que incluyen cuestionarios, un grupo de discusión y el análisis de documentos. Entre los resultados, cabe destacar el carácter innovador que ha supuesto la utilización de las TIC en el aula, posibilitando un mayor aprovechamiento de las horas de clase e impulsando la autonomía y motivación del alumnado en el aprendizaje musical.

The Strategic Influence of Social Factors on Self-Perceived Happiness of Spanish University Students

The Strategic Influence of Social Factors on Self-Perceived Happiness of Spanish University Students

Teaching Methods in Medical Education: An Analysis of the Assessments and Preferences of Students

Knowing which teaching methods students value the most is important, as it directly affects the quality of learning. This paper analyzes which teaching methods are most commonly used in the Medicine Degree at a Spanish university, as perceived by both professors and students. It further explores the students’ assessments of these methods and the relationship between these assessments and the methods’ frequencies of use. The participants were 36 professors and 150 students. Professors completed the Teaching and Assessment Methodology of University Faculty Questionnaire (TAMUFQ), while students were administered a specially designed questionnaire. The questionnaire defined twelve teaching methods, and students were asked to provide their personal assessment and the frequency of use for each method based on their experiences. Professors reported adhering to a traditional style of teaching and assessment. According to the students, the most commonly used method was the lecture, although their assessments of lectures were significantly lower than the frequency with which that method was being used. Regarding the eleven remaining methods, the prospective doctors’ assessments were significantly higher than the methods’ degree of use. The main conclusion is that, while students did not negatively assess lectures, they considered them to be overused. This may mean that the potential of other teaching methods is being missed.

FRI-139 - Retrospective study of hepatitis C virus antibodies and active viral replication in at-risk population with dual diagnosis in a Spanish university hospital

FRI-139 - Retrospective study of hepatitis C virus antibodies and active viral replication in at-risk population with dual diagnosis in a Spanish university hospital

FRI-148 - Retrospective study of hepatitis C virus antibodies and active viral replication in patients with severe mental illness in a Spanish university hospital

FRI-148 - Retrospective study of hepatitis C virus antibodies and active viral replication in patients with severe mental illness in a Spanish university hospital

A Smart System for Remote Monitoring of Patients in Palliative Care (HumanITcare Platform): Mixed Methods Study.

Due to the complexities of advanced illnesses and their treatments, it can be difficult for patients in palliative care to maintain their quality of life. Telemedicine interventions in chronic disease management engage patients in their care, provide continuous follow-up by their health care providers, identify symptoms earlier, and allow a quick response to illness-related decline. We aimed to detail and reflect on the design of an app and evaluate its feasibility to monitor the clinical situation of patients with advanced illnesses. This study used a mixed methods design using qualitative methods to inform app development and design and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis of patient evaluations. Palliative care units in 2 Spanish university hospitals (Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and University Hospital Complex of Ferrol in A Coruña) carried out a literature review, designed the study protocol, and obtained approval from the Ethics Committee from June to December 2020. In addition, focus group meetings were held, and the design and technical development of the app were elaborated on and subsequently presented in the participating palliative care units. From January to March 2021, the app was made public on the App Store and Play Store, and a pilot study with patients was carried out in April to September 2021. Six focus group meetings were held that included doctors, nurses, app developers, technology consultants, and sponsors. In addition, the technology consultants presented their results 3 times in the participating palliative care units to obtain feedback. After the app's final design, it was possible to publish it on the usual servers and begin its evaluation in patients (n=60, median age 72 years). Sixty percent (n=36) of the participants were women and 40% (n=24) were men. The most prevalent advanced pathology was cancer (n=46, 76%), followed by other diseases (n=7, 12%) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n=5, 8%). Seventy percent (n=42) of the patients were already in follow-up prior to the start of the study, while 30% (n=18) were included at the start of their follow-up. The information in the app was collected and entered by relatives or caregivers in 60% (n=36) of the cases. The median follow-up was 52 (IQR 14-104) days. In all, 69% (n=41) had a follow-up >30 days (10 were deceased and 9 were missing data). The use of the different sections of the app ranged from 37% (n=22) for the glycemic record to 90% (n=54) for the constipation scale). Patients and caregivers were delighted with its ease of use and usefulness. Incorporating an intelligent remote patient monitoring system in clinical practice for patients in palliative care can improve access to health services and provide more information to professionals.

Does topic choice affect high-stakes L2 writing scores?

This study sets out to investigate the potential effects of topic choice on test-takers’ L2 writing scores in a high-stakes context. Data were collected from a total of 150 essays that were assessed by three qualified raters who participated as judges in the administration of the high-stakes English Test (ET), included in the Spanish University Admission Examination (SUAE), in July 2020. Although test-takers showed a clear preference for one writing topic choice over the other, results did not reveal statistically significant differences between the average scores awarded to both essay options. Therefore, the data clearly indicate that topic choice does not affect L2 writing quality. Findings also show that choice of topic had little impact on test-takers’ overall performance on the ET. Additionally, no differences in choice patterns were either observed across test-takers’ proficiency levels, which suggests that topic choice may be closely related to test-takers’ characteristics (motivation, interest, relevance, etc.) rather than to the writing prompt itself. Lastly, the data show potential interactions between raters’ characteristics and essay topics which may affect final writing scores.

Textbook outcome in colon carcinoma: implications for overall survival and disease-free survival.

Textbook outcome (TO) is a multidimensional quality management tool that uses a set of traditional surgical measures to reflect an "ideal" surgical result for a particular pathology. The aim of the present study is to record the rate of TO in patients undergoing elective surgery for colon cancer (CC). Retrospective study of all patients undergoing scheduled CC surgery at a Spanish university hospital from September 2012 to August 2016. Patients with rectal cancer were excluded. The variables included in the definition of TO were: R0 resection, number of isolated nodes ≥ 12, no Clavien-Dindo ≥ IIIa complications, no prolonged stay, no readmissions, and no mortality in the first 30days. The main objective of this study is to analyse the achievement of TO in these patients and to assess the relationship between TO and overall and disease-free survival. Five hundred and sixty-four patients were included in the study. TO was achieved in 49.8%. The sample had a mean age of 69 ± 11years, and 60% were male. Female sex (OR 1.61; 95% CI 2.30-1.13), T3 and T4 classification (OR 2.50, 95% CI 4.59-1.36, and OR 2.55, 95% CI 5.21-1.24 respectively) and laparoscopic approach (OR 1.53, 95% CI 2.33-1.00) were independent factors that were significantly associated with achieving a TO. Patients who achieved TO had higher overall survival (p = 0.008) than those who did not. However, with regard to disease-free survival, no statistically significant differences were found (p = 0.303). TO is a useful, easy-to-interpret management tool for measuring oncological results and for predicting patient survival.

Terapia termal con vapor de agua: variaciones técnicas entre hospitales universitarios españoles y eficacia a 2 años de seguimiento

AimThe aim of this work is to evaluate the initial experience with water vapor thermal therapy (WVTT) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in Spanish university hospitals, as well as to describe the differences in technique and follow-up between centers. Materials and MethodsThis retrospective observational multicenter study collected baseline characteristics, surgical, postoperative and follow-up data at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months, including validated questionnaires, flowmetric variations, complications, and the need for pharmacological or surgical treatment following the procedure. Possible triggers for postoperative acute urinary retention (AUR) were also analyzed. ResultsA total of 105 patients were included. No differences were observed between the groups with and without AUR with respect to catheterization time (5 and 4.3 days respectively, p = 0.178), or prostate volume (47.9 gr and 41.4 gr respectively, p = 0.147). The mean improvement at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months in terms of peak flow was 5.3, 5.2, 4.2 and 3.8 ml/s, respectively. As for ejaculation, an improvement was observed after 3 months of follow-up and was maintained over time. ConclusionsMinimally invasive treatment for BPH with WVTT shows good functional outcomes at 24 months follow-up, without significant impairment of sexual function and a low incidence of complications. There are minor inter-hospital variations, mainly in the immediate postoperative period.

Excess Weight in Relation to Lifestyle Habits in Spanish First-Year University Students: Differences between Pre- and Post-COVID-19-A Serial Cross-Sectional Study Based on uniHcos Project.

The objective of this research was to study the relationship between the body weight and diet, physical activity, and other habits among freshmen students by sex, and to determine whether these habits have changed during the post-era of the COVID-19 pandemic. A serial cross-sectional study with data from 11 Spanish universities was carried out. In total, 10,096 first-year university students (73.2% female, mean age = 19.0 ± 1.5 years) completed an online self-administered questionnaire between 2012 and 2022. For some analyses, questionnaires were categorized by the year in which the survey was filled out as Before COVID-19, Lockdown, and New Normal. In total, 72.9% of participants were within the normal weight range, and 17.7% of men and 11.8% of women were overweight (p < 0.001). The students who did not meet the WHO criteria of physical activity, spent more than 7 h per day sitting, and skipped breakfast had a higher prevalence of obesity (p < 0.05). According to the period of study, the prevalence of overweight/obesity Before COVID-19 was 16.1% (95% CI: 15.4-16.9%), while in Lockdown the prevalence was significantly higher (20.2, 95% CI: 17.1-23.8) and in New Normal it was 18.9% (CI: 15.7-22.5). Moreover, the study suggests that during the Lockdown period, there was a reduction in the practice of physical activity and an increase in the prevalence of a healthy diet. For all these, it is necessary to propose public health interventions that improve the lifestyles of university students.

Daytime napping and the risk of atrial fibrillation in the SUN cohort

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – EU funding. Main funding source(s): European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) and Spanish Ministry of Health. Introduction Previous research has identified a potential relationship between sleep patterns and atrial fibrillation (AF). Short daytime napping is a widespread healthy habit particularly in Mediterranean countries. However, as far as we know, daytime napping and the risk of developing AF has not been analysed before. Purpose Our objective was to assess the association between daytime napping and the incidence of AF in a Mediterranean cohort. Methods The SUN project is a dynamic, prospective cohort of Spanish university graduates. A total of 20,348 participants, free of AF at baseline, were followed-up for a median time of 13.8 years, with a retention proportion of 91%. Daytime napping was assessed at baseline and participants were categorised according to their average daily napping time. Incident cases of AF were confirmed by a cardiologist according to a prespecified protocol. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) of AF according to daytime napping time. Results During follow-up, we identified 131 incident cases of AF. In comparison to participants with short daytime napping (&amp;lt;30 minutes/day), those who slept ≥30 minutes/day exhibited a significant 90% higher relative risk of incident AF (adjusted HR= 1.90; 95% CI: 1.26, 2.86), whereas no significant risk was observed for participants who did not have nap (adjusted HR = 1.26; 95% CI: 0.82, 1.93). After excluding participants that reported not having nap, those with shorter daytime napping had a lower risk of developing AF, with the greatest risk reduction between 15-30 minutes/day (adjusted HR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.72), in comparison to sleeping &amp;gt;30 minutes/day. Conclusions Daytime napping was significantly associated with the risk of developing AF. Sleeping a longer nap (≥30 minutes/day) was associated with an increased risk, while a shorter nap between 15-30 minutes/day was associated with a lower risk of incident AF. These findings suggest a potential novel healthy lifestyle habit in the primary prevention of AF.

The Influence of Physiological Learning Styles on the Completion of an Online Task in a Law Degree

Advances in educational technology offer many opportunities in the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classroom: the development of students’ motivation and autonomy; the integration and evolution of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) with the emergence of different types of online learning tasks; or the concern of students’ Perceptual Learning Styles in multimodal environments. This study investigates new generations’ perceptual learning preferences and how digital tendencies may influence students’ academic achievement after the implementation of an online task (i.e., ‘Lesson’).&#x0D; An experimental (n=150) and a control group (n=21), from the first year of the bachelor’s degree in Law at a Spanish university participated in this study. Four stages were followed: (1) ‘Perceptual Learning Styles’ Questionnaire’ completion, (2) ‘Lesson’ performance, (3) online exam implementation, and (4) data analysis. After the intervention, results indicate the presence of the ‘Multimodal’ learning style and high levels of academic achievement of multimodal students.

Anxiety Related to Online and Remote Exams among Spanish University Students

Exams are a common part of university studies, and they often generate a significant amount of anxiety, which can increase when they are taken remotely and online. The aim of this multi-centric, cross sectional study was to provide additional knowledge on this subject. The sample consisted of 1,024 Spanish university students with a mean age of 20.34 (SD: 1.78), 66.4% of them women. They were recruited from seven different universities and six areas of study. The instruments applied were the Exams Anxiety Self-Assessment Questionnaire and the Anxiety subscale of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). For the purposes of data analysis, frequency and descriptive statistics were used. The results showed moderate to high rates of anxiety related to online and remote exams in 50.1% of the sample for generalized symptoms, levels not explicable by anxiety related to the person and their context, which was 32.9%. Anxiety is greater among women and among students in the disciplines of economics, business and law, followed by arts and humanities and health sciences. Based on the results, interventions to reduce anxiety related to online and remote examination techniques are recommended.