University Of Zaragoza Research Articles

Conceptualization of Depression among Medical Students and Its Differences during Medical Education.

The definition of mental disorders has been traditionally a matter of discussion, and it has relevant implications in research and healthcare. Our aim was to explore the conceptualization medical students have of depression and to determine differences across academic years. The Maudsley Attitudes Questionnaire was adapted through a double translation, double back-translation and a preliminary validation, obtaining a Spanish edition. All students of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zaragoza and doctors who graduated from this University in 2020 were invited to answer the online questionnaire, and we received 222 answers (response rate: 15.2%). The results were compared by years and levels of education using an ANOVA. The social realist, behavioral, biological, cognitive and psychodynamic models were the most endorsed. The psychodynamic and nihilist models were less embraced by students in later educational years. These students also reported greater confidence in their understanding of depression and of its biological, cognitive and behavioral models. In conclusion, the conceptualization of depression among medical students is complex and multidimensional, and appears to be similar across different years of education. In later years, we found less support for the psychodynamic model, increased confidence in psychiatry and greater ease in handling the concepts of its leading models.

Creating educational podcasts as an expository methodology for active learning and its relationship with satisfaction: A comparative study with live oral presentations

ABSTRACT The educational podcast is a didactic resource requiring specific planning to create a digital audio file with educational content. These podcasts promote meaningful learning and stimulate cognitive skills. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of educational podcasts in increasing students’ satisfaction and performance in content acquisition compared to live oral presentations. An experimental methodology was used, involving 148 students from the University of Zaragoza (2022-2023). Students were divided into two groups: one used podcasts, and the others gave live oral presentations. They assessed both types of presentations using an evaluation rubric and collaborated on content development. Data on academic performance, satisfaction, ratings, gender, age, and admission cut-off marks were collected for statistical analysis. Both groups reported high satisfaction, with in-class presentations deemed slightly more appropriate. Exam performance was similar across groups. Collaborative, student-centered learning increased satisfaction, but intra-group conflicts prevented clear distinctions between the methodologies.

Training pre-service teachers to deal with cyberbullying: Collective intelligence as a mode of learning

Collective intelligence is a theoretical construct that focuses on results stemming from a workgroup dealing with complex tasks. Our goal was to determine whether a group of pre-service teachers presented with a case of adolescent cyberbullying could improve their capacity for action. The experiment was carried out with 221 pre-service teachers at the University of Zaragoza, Spain, and using Collective Learning. The cyberbullying case we presented could be resolved via a series of questions in successive phases. Results showed an increase in learning throughout all phases, with a remarkable difference between the average score of the first phase and the last one. By the end of the experiment, the answers which had been most highly valued by the total set of participants turned out to be of considerable quality. We discuss the potential of collective intelligence as a tool for innovating and improving teaching-learning processes in university training.

Research trends in international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS): a bibliometric analysis

Purpose This study aims to provide quantitative information on the research trends of international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS). Design/methodology/approach The study used bibliometric analysis to determine the research trends in IPSAS literature. The method was applied to papers indexed in the Scopus database to analyze the growth and publication trends of the selected papers. The research team rigorously compiled a list of keywords relevant to IPSAS after consultation with the principal researcher. The study did not apply document type, year or language filter. The search query resulted in 475 documents. The study used MS Access, Excel and Biblioshiny software for the data analysis and visualization. Findings The acceptance and application of IPSAS by many countries and UN system organizations have led to the rise in IPSAS literature globally. The study finds the USA to be the most productive country, with Italy, Spain and the UK as second, third and fourth, respectively. Similarly, the University of Zaragoza has produced the most publications in the field, followed by the University of Salerno and Ghent University. Practical implications This study provides the current state of IPSAS research globally; as a result, it supports the development of policies by the users of this standards. This information can inform the development or revision of public sector accounting policies and standards. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that provides a bibliometric analysis of the growth and publication trends of IPSAS literature. The findings in this study uncover different areas of IPSAS research productivity globally.

100 Years since Robert Barany's visit to the Zaragoza medical faculty.

In December 1923, a twelve-day course took place at the University of Zaragoza, specifically at the Faculty of Medicine, given by Professor Róbert Bárány, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1914 for his discoveries on the vestibular apparatus. Professor Robert Bárány came to the faculty at the invitation of Professor Victor Fairén through the University Exchange programme. This course consisted of four lectures and twelve lessons a day in which he presented his knowledge of the physiopathology of the vestibule and cerebellum, as well as practical demonstrations of the physical examination of nystagmus and cerebellar pathology. Lorente de Nó, a doctorate student of medicine, was one of the most outstanding students on the course. His intellect was already outstanding in those years, which helped him to discuss the physiopathology of nystagmus with Professor Bárány. The relationship he forged with the Nobel laureate in Zaragoza would be decisive for his future as a researcher. The aim of this work is to compile and integrate the available information on the course that Professor Bárány took in the city of Zaragoza, consulting official documents from the university and the city, articles, books and the press of the time.

University Students' Achievement of Meaningful Learning through Participation in Thinking Routines.

This study was conducted among undergraduate students pursuing a Primary Education degree at the University of Zaragoza. Its primary aim was to enhance and elevate the quality of participation during theoretical sessions, thereby fostering meaningful learning that contributes to the improvement of academic performance among the participants. To achieve this objective, a quasi-experimental case study was meticulously crafted. This research design was structured to not only stimulate and augment participation but also to cultivate meaningful learning, ultimately enhancing students' academic achievements. The study employed a comprehensive approach to monitor participation, utilizing observation records to track engagement levels, and anecdotal records to delineate the progression of sessions and the quality of responses. Through meticulous analysis, it can be deduced that the integration of thinking routines as a pedagogical tool in expository sessions significantly enhances student engagement. These routines effectively activate students' prior knowledge, establishing meaningful connections with the subject matter at hand. Moreover, the incorporation of thinking routines has been observed to elevate the quality of student participation. By fostering reflective practices, aiding in the formulation of inquiries, promoting collaborative learning, and nurturing critical thinking skills, these routines play a pivotal role in enriching the educational experience and bolstering academic performance.

Attendance and Academic Performance in University Studies in Tourism

Academic literature has extensively studied the relationship between classroom attendance and academic performance in higher education. However, there is a lack of specific studies on higher education in tourism. To address this gap, this study investigates the correlation between class attendance and grades achieved by students in the Tourism Degree programme at the University of Zaragoza. The research incorporates variables of interest such as gender, academic year and course repetition, significantly contributing to the proposed predictive model. The subgroup analysis shows that women and students who do not repeat courses exhibit higher attendance rates and achieve better academic outcomes. Class attendance and course repetition are the most influential factors affecting students’ final grades.

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Financial Performance: A Bibliometric Analysis using Biblioshiny

This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of the relationship between ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors and financial performance. The purpose is to gather bibliometric data on citations, scientific publications, authors, sources, affiliations, contributions from different nations, keywords, trending aspects, and potential future research fields. The study collects data from the Scopus research database covering the period from 2013 to 20th May 2023. Biblioshiny in R Studio is used for data evaluation. The analysis includes annual publication output, average citations, influential authors and institutions, commonly used keywords, and country-wise research output. The analysis reveals a consistent and growing interest in ESG and financial performance research, with a significant increase in scientific articles over time. Earlier publications have higher average citations, indicating their impact, while recent ones show lower citation rates. Key focal points include "financial performance" and "ESG." Noteworthy institutions such as the University of Zaragoza, Nord University, New York University, and the Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment demonstrate high overall impact. The study emphasizes the ongoing research interest in the relationship between financial performance and ESG and the growing importance of sustainability and corporate social responsibility in corporate practices. The findings indicate a recent emphasis on ESG, financial performance, CSR, sustainability, and corporate governance within environmental studies.

Bone metabolism in children with normal weight and overweight/obesity in a northeastern region of Spain.

Bone mass progressively increases to peak during childhood and adolescence, which determines future bone health. Bone formation-resorption processes are assessed using bone markers. However, studies on the impact of obesity on bone turnover markers at this age are limited, and results are inconsistent. The objective of this study was to examine the potential impact of overweight/obesity on bone metabolism. A study was performed to compare parameters of bone metabolism in 45 girls and boys with normal weight (controls) and in a group of 612 girls and boys with overweight/obesity (cases) from the Exergames study (University of Zaragoza). Ages ranged from 8 to 12 years. Higher values of phosphorus and IGFBP-3 were observed in children with overweight/obesity, as compared to children with normal weight, (p=0.042) and (p=0.042), respectively. BAP, osteocalcin, magnesium, vitamin D and IGF-I concentrations were lower in the group with overweight/obesity, whereas calcium concentrations were higher in this group, although differences were not statistically significant. A negative correlation was found (r=-0.193) (p=0.049) between BAP and BMI. Although differences did not reach statistical significance, BAP and osteocalcin concentrations were lower in children with overweight/obesity. This added to the negative correlation found between BAP and MIC may demonstrate that overweight/obesity may negatively affect bone health already at a young age.

Teachers’ profile in sustainability: Association with personal and social responsibility in physical education classes

This study aims to identify in a sample of future teachers the profiles of their perceptions, attitudes, and values towards sustainable development and to determine whether a specific profile is related to personal and social responsibility and positive behaviors in Physical Education classes. The sample comprised 372 students (Mage = 22.02±3.16 years; 66.67% girls) from the subject of Physical Education of the Degree of Teacher of Primary Education (Universities of Granada and Zaragoza). An initial cluster analysis revealed the existence of two different groups among future teachers: Cluster 1, "negative perception," represented by 36.3%, and Cluster 2, "positive perceptions" with 63.7% of the sample. Thus, almost 40% of the sample does not perceive the current environmental crisis. The relationship between the groups and the rest of the target variables was analyzed through one-factor ANOVA, finding that Cluster 2 students had higher values in all the dimensions of personal and social responsibility and positive behaviors than those of Cluster 1. Lastly, a discriminant analysis revealed that belonging to a certain university determined belonging to one of the two Clusters, with the values obtained by the sample from the University of Granada being higher than those from the University of Zaragoza.

Faculty versus students: different perceptions of misconducts at university.

Academic integrity is a goal to be achieved by university institutions, and student academic behavioral misconduct is a phenomenon to be fought and eradicated. Two of the main problems faced by universities in this area are: (1) the lack of consensus among students and faculty on the seriousness of acts considered academic misconduct; and (2) the difficulty of noticing and controlling certain student behaviors. The main aim of this paper is to assess the importance of these two problems. For this purpose, the authors compare, on the one hand, students' and teachers' perceptions of the seriousness of different types of dishonest and inappropriate behaviors and, on the other hand, the frequency with which they report that these misconducts occur. Two samples were taken from the responses of students and teachers of the Economics and Business School of the University of Zaragoza. The first consisted of 333 students and the second of 72 teachers. The academic misconducts asked about were grouped into three categories: academic works, exams, and interpersonal relationships in the classroom. Nonparametric tests were used to study the significance of the differences observed in the responses of students and teachers. Results show that the greatest differences in the assessment of the seriousness of academic misconducts are in the group referring to interpersonal relationships. In terms of frequency, the study reveals that there is a serious problem of moral hazard in some of the behaviors analyzed, since the frequency with which teachers notice these practices is lower than that expressed by students. Based on these results, possible measures to be adopted in universities in order to eradicate the academic misconduct problem are discussed.

Impact of Problem-Based Learning on the Perception, Understanding, and Application of Statistical Concepts in Business Administration and Management Students

We investigate the impact of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach supplemented by student-created videos on the teaching of Probability Calculation and Inference Statistics in Business Administration and Management Studies. To that aim, we analyse survey results gathered from a sample of students from the Business Administration and Management and Law-Business Administration and Management degrees at the University of Zaragoza who participated in the PBL experience, focusing on their perceptions, skill development, dynamics of collaboration, and communication with teachers and classmates. Additionally, a comparative study of their final grades is conducted, comparing them with that obtained by students who did not engage in PBL. Our findings reveal that PBL significantly enhances students’ understanding and motivation, along with their communication with teachers, particularly among repeating students, and teamwork skills, particularly among beginners. Furthermore, students participating in PBL activities tended to achieve significantly higher grades than their nonparticipating counterparts did. Moreover, our study contributes to the discourse on sustainable education by highlighting the potential of PBL as a pedagogical approach aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. By promoting active learning, collaborative problem solving, and communication skills, PBL fosters a culture of lifelong learning and empowers students to address real-world challenges in a sustainable manner. These findings have implications for educators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to promote sustainability in higher education through effective pedagogical practices.

European Journal of Geography (Year 2023): Reviewer Appreciation & Publication Recap

European Journal of Geography (Year 2023): Reviewer Appreciation & Publication Recap

Literary topoi in today’s music as a bridge to the classics Spanish authors

This article presents a review of literary topoi in current music that come from classical Spanish authors and that, therefore, can be exploited didactically with the aim of bringing students closer to literature. The songs that young people listen to are a "powerful hook" with the literary tradition since they allow them to identify these topics and connect them with classic literary works. From a theoretical point of view, we begin by delving into the links between literature and music, we by addressing the concept of literary topic, and we conclude by connecting some current songs with classic literary works through some literary topics or catchwords. These approaches were subjected to classroom action research that was initiated in the framework of a doctoral dissertation and implemented in a Warsaw secondary school mainly during the 2013/2014 academic year. It was subsequently adapted for interactive use within an innovation project of the University of Zaragoza in the 2017/18 academic year and finally applied in an innovation project of the Government of Aragon with 3rd ESO students of the IES Ramón Pignatelli during the 2018/19 academic year. Finally, we analyzed the results of the practical applications, which showed an increase in both student motivation and understanding of literary content.

Assessing health science students’ gaming experience: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundDigital gamification applied to university students enrolled in health-related degrees is considered an innovative and beneficial tool that complements traditional teaching.ObjectivesTo analyze the enjoyment experience obtained by university students in the Faculty of Health Sciences and to know the gender differences after participating in a digital game.DesignCross-sectional descriptive study.ParticipantsA total of 156 university students from the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Zaragoza.MethodsThe activity of a digital game took place in the academic year 2021–2022 and was carried out as a teaching innovation project with the final approval of the University of Zaragoza. The tools used were the Spanish version of the Gameful Experience Scale and a self-administered questionnaire on satisfaction and suitability reported by the activity.ResultsA total of 156 students participated with an age of 21.2 ± 6.2 years. The highest score is the enjoyment dimension (4 ± 0.7), and the lowest score is the negative affect dimension (1.5 ± 0.9). Cronbach’s alpha for the whole Gameful Experience Scale was 0.95. There were significant differences in three dimensions of the Gameful Experience Scale: male students had more enjoyment than female students (p = 0.05), enjoyed a greater sense of domination (p = 0.01), and had fewer negative effects (p = 0.0). In the highest corresponding positions it was used for other topics such as learning (m 4.4; SD 0.5), motivation to learn (m 4.1; SD 0.8) or helping memorize concepts (m 4.4).4; SD 0.5).ConclusionGender influences student satisfaction after carrying out a gamification activity, especially after a digital game. The dimensions in which gender differences were found were fun, absence of negative effects, and dominance.

El laboratorio de investigaciones bioquímicas de la Universidad de Zaragoza y los inicios de la Ciencia de Coloides e Interfases en España: un ejemplo de ciencia periférica, 1918-1936

This article presents a historical approach to the beginnings of Colloid and Interface Science in Spain. The pioneer in the colloidal domain research was Antonio de Gregorio Rocasolano, professor of General Chemistry, and founder of the Biochemical Research Laboratory of the University of Zaragoza in 1918. The pioneering work carried out by Rocasolano with silver and gold sols synthesized in his own laboratory and the use of the ultramicroscope to follow the colloidal aggregation processes turned the Biochemical Research Laboratory into a research center capable of obtaining interesting scientific-technical results that have remained valid to the present day. It is an example of high-quality research carried out in the periphery of Spanish science. To this end, Professor Rocasolano surrounded himself with brilliant young researchers such as Juan Martín Sauras, Jes.s Camón Cano, María Antonia Zorraquino Zorraquino and José María Albareda Herrera, establishing solid collaborative relationships with prestigious foreign researchers such as Richard Adolf Zsigmondy and Heinrich Jakob Bechhold. In November 1936 Rocasolano agreed to be the president of the Purging Committee of the University staff (Committee A). This Committee purged at least 40% of the Spanish university teaching staff. This repressive activity of Professor Rocasolano overshadowed his brilliant scientific career, which is unknown to the vast majority of Spanish scientists.

Knowledge, Integration and Scope of Deepfakes in Arts Education: The Development of Critical Thinking in Postgraduate Students in Primary Education and Master’s Degree in Secondary Education

If the appearance of digital images does not coincide with what they look like when they are presented as authentic photos or videos, we must reflect on concepts such as mimesis, truth, Artificial Intelligence and impersonation, something that is currently gaining prominence in the education of teachers and university professors. The current study presents the results of a research focused on the scope and knowledge of the so-called ‘deepfake images’ by the university student body of the Visual and Plastic Education subject, in the Graduate Certificate in Primary Education, and the student body of the Activity Design subject, in the master’s degree in Secondary Education—Specialty in Drawing, in the subject of Activity Design, University of Zaragoza. To do so, a quasi-experimental design with qualitative methodology was used, in which of 100 students participated. As a data collection strategy, reports were used, based on semi-structured questions, for the analysis of the development of critical thinking. The achieved results allow us to verify that deepfakes put forward an innovation in the study by university classrooms. The use of these deepfake representations is a novel issue that generates some moral and ethical controversy due to the different uses it can have, where the age of the interpreter is a differentiating factor for the knowledge and the possibilities that these imaginaries present. Therefore, it is a work area belonging to the field of artistic education on which little exploration and research has been conducted. Based on the obtained results, we conclude that there is currently a better awareness on the part of artistic education, and of education itself, in general terms, regarding the knowledge by the students, the relevance of its use, and the possibilities of these technological tools, both in their creative aspect and their misinformative ones.

Nomophobia in university students during COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-sectional study.

Currently, access to the Internet through smartphones has led to their functions going beyond purely communicative ones, allowing the management of massive, instantaneous, and easily accessible information. This research analyzed the differences in smartphone use and the prevalence of nomophobia, mainly according to gender and university degree of Health Sciences students at the University of Zaragoza during the COVID-19 confinement in Spain. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 318 first and second-grade students, who completed an online questionnaire sent to their institutional email, which included sociodemographic questions, other questions about smartphone use, and the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) scale. Compared to men (n = 58), women (n = 260) were more likely to use their smartphones more intensively daily, as were occupational therapy students compared to the other degree programs studied. The prevalence of nomophobia was moderate, being around the risk of suffering from it. No significant differences in scores for nomophobia among students were found according to gender, university degree, or population nucleus for the nomophobia scores of the students. The present study extends the existing literature on nomophobia by providing results of interest in terms of gender and the exceptional healthcare context of COVID-19. The results suggest that despite intense daily smartphone use young people did not reach severe nomophobia figures. This fact underlines the need for appropriate and healthy technology education. Understanding the characteristics of the populations that use the smartphone the most may help to analyze nomophobia rates and the massive use of the device.

Effectiveness of attachment-based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

Higher education, particularly university, is a challenge for many students that can lead to their mental health being seriously affected. The stress to which they are subject throughout their time at university can lead to anxiety and depression. "Third wave" psychotherapies, including compassion-based therapy, have been used to improve psychological outcomes, such as stress, anxiety, emotional distress and well-being. There are some signs that third wave psychotherapies reduce psychological distress in university students, but more and higher-quality studies are needed. In this randomised controlled trial (RCT), we hypothesise that the provision of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT) will be more effective than an active control group based on relaxation therapy for improving psychological distress in university students. A two-arm RCT will be conducted involving 140 university undergraduate and postgraduate students from the University of Zaragoza and the National University of Distance Education (UNED) who reside in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. Interventions with either ABCT or relaxation therapy will be implemented, with an allocation ratio of 1:1 between groups. Both interventions will last six weeks and consist of six weekly group sessions lasting 1.5 h each. Data will be collected before and after the intervention, and there will be a follow-up at six months. The primary outcome will be psychological distress at post-intervention. Secondary outcomes will be depression, anxiety, stress and burnout symptoms, affectivity and emotional regulation. Attachment style, experiential avoidance, compassion (for others/oneself) and mindfulness skills will be measured as potential mechanistic variables. Intention-to-treat analysis will be performed using linear mixed regression models. The clinical significance of improvements will be calculated. Potential side effects will be monitored by an independent clinical psychologist. This study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Aragón. Participant data will remain anonymous, and results will be submitted to peer-reviewed open-access journals and disseminated via conferences. ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT05197595.

Linking sedentary behavior and mental distress in higher education: a cross-sectional study.

Sedentary behavior among university students could negatively affect their mental health. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of mental health (anxiety and depression) and sedentary behavior between gender in Health Degrees at the University of Zaragoza. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Sample of 257 University students who completed an online questionnaire. Sedentary behavior was assessed with the SBQ questionnaire. Anxiety and depression were assessed with the GADS questionnaire. The Mann-Whitney U test and multiple linear regression models were used. In comparison to men, female students with symptoms of anxiety spend more time in total engaged in sedentary behaviors (10.56 ± 4.83) vs. (7.8 ± 3.28; p < 0.001) and mentally-passive sedentary activities [2.24 (1.57) vs. 1.15 (0.90; p < 0.005)]. Female students at risk of depression also spend more hours engaged in mentally-passive sedentary behaviors in comparison to men (8.28 ± 50.70 vs. 1.27 ± 1.02; p = 0.009). Female students at risk of anxiety and/or depression spend more time engaged in sedentary activities in comparison to male students. The risk of anxiety and depression is associated with the total number of hours a day spent engaged in sedentary behaviors and with mentally passive behaviors, but not mentally active behaviors.