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Background: Although the use of technology is a trend, since the COVID-19 pandemic, its use has been exacerbated, especially in educational processes, causing techno-stress among teachers. Purpose: In order to contribute to the lack of validated and adapted instruments in Latin America, this study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the Spanish version of the technostress scale in a large sample of Ecuadorian teachers. Methods: A non-probabilistic intentional sample of 2850 teachers (mean age 40 years, SD= 9.65; 65% female) from various schools throughout the Ecuadorian territory was surveyed online using a cross-sectional design. Data analysis included exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), factorial invariance, assessment of internal consistency, sex differences in technostress scale scores and convergent validity. Results: The EFA yielded a structure of four factors: skepticism, fatigue, anxiety and inefficiency. Through CFA, the hierarchical model that included a general factor and four nested factors had a better fit, and that model remained invariant across sex, age and public and private institutions. Total omega value (ω) was 0.962 for the total scale and hierarchical omega values (ωh) were 0.886 for the general factor, as well as 0.30, 0.22, 0.12 and 0.21 for the respective nested factors (skepticism, fatigue, anxiety and inefficiency). Moreover, the Resources, Experiences, Demands for Information and Communication Technologies (RED/TIC) scores were significantly higher among women, although effect sizes of comparison of those sex differences were very small. Finally, the RED/TIC scores correlated with the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Conclusion: The RED/TIC scale has adequate psychometric properties in primary and high school teachers, and its use in that population is supported, which provides a valuable tool for the evaluation and detection of technostress in teachers and facilitates the investigation of this multifactorial phenomenon in Latin America.

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BACKGROUND: Psychological capital (PsyCap) as a higher-order positive psychological resources (that include hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism, or the HERO within). This construct was widely described and evaluated in the workplace; however, there is little research in other contexts, such as education, due to the lack of validated and adapted instruments in Latin America. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyze the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the Spanish version of the psychological capital scale in a large sample of Ecuadorian university students. METHODS: A non-probabilistic convenience sample of 1732 university students (mean age 20 years, SD = 2,29; 55% female) from the city of Loja-Ecuador were surveyed online using a cross-sectional design. RESULTS: The respecified second-order 4-factor model showed the best fit to the data (CMIN/DF = 7.99, CFI = .977, TLI = .970 NFI = .974, IFI = .980, AIC = 443.833, RMSEA = .064 [058, .070]), and such model remained invariant across sex, age and public and private institutions. The internal consistency was adequate, with Alpha and Omega coefficients for the total scale (α = .941, ω = .942) and its four factors: self-efficacy (α = .869, ω = .872), hope (α = .888, ω = .889), resilience (α = .774, ω = .785), and optimism (α = .840, ω = .840). Finally, the PsyCap and its dimensions correlated with academic engagement and satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The psychological capital showed adequate psychometric properties in university students, and its use in this context is supported.

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Introducción: El Patient Health Questionnaire es un instrumento breve para evaluar ansiedad y depresión, cuya estructura factorial no es clara. Objetivo: Analizar la confiabilidad, validez convergente, divergente y de constructo como la estructura factorial del Patient Health Questionnaire en universitarios ecuatorianos. Métodos: La muestra fue de 1732 estudiantes, con una edad promedio de 20 años; 55 % fueron mujeres de tres universidades de Loja, Ecuador. Los instrumentos aplicados, en su versión en español fueron: Cuestionario de Aceptación y acción, Cuestionario de Capital Psicológico, Escala de Depresión y Ansiedad, Escala de Estrés percibido. Resultados: La estructura factorial se ajustó mejor al modelo bifactorial (CMIN/DF = 14,247; CFI = 0,996; GFI = 0,996; NFI = 0,996, RMSEA = 0,087). Este modelo es invariante entre hombres y mujeres. La confiabilidad fue óptima para la escala total (α = 0,879; ω = 0,880) y sus dos factores: ansiedad (α = 0,838; ω = 0,838) y depresión α = 0,779; ω = 0,780). Las puntuaciones se correlacionaron con indicadores de salud mental. Conclusiones: El Patient Health Questionnaire es una escala con propiedades psicométricas óptimas para estudiantes universitarios ecuatorianos, que presenta una estructura de dos factores(AU)

Introduction: The Patient Health Questionnaire is a brief instrument for assessing anxiety and depression, whose factorial structure is not clear. Objective: To analyze the reliability, convergent, divergent and construct validity, as well as the factorial structure, of the Patient Health Questionnaire in Ecuadorian university students. Methods: The sample consisted of 1732 students, with an average age of twenty years. 55 % were women from three universities in Loja. The instruments applied were the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire, the Depression and Anxiety Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Results: The factorial structure was better adjusted to the bifactorial model (CMIN/DF=14.247; CFI = 0.996; GFI = 0.996; NFI = 0.996, RMSEA = 0.087). This model is invariant between men and women. Reliability was optimal for the total scale (α = 0.879; ω = 0.880) and its two factors: anxiety (α = 0.838; ω = 0.838) and depression (α = 0.779; ω = 0.780). Scores were correlated with mental health indicators. Conclusions: The Patient Health Questionnaire is a scale with optimal psychometric properties for Ecuadorian university students, presenting a bifactorial structure(AU)

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Background/Objective: Depression represents a leading cause of disability and a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease with women systematically reporting a higher prevalence than men. This study aimed to examine the predictive value and relation of three transdiagnostic psychological factors (perceived stress, psychological inflexibility and loneliness) on depression and its sex differences for the general population in a large sample of Ecuador. Method: A non-probabilistic and non-clinical sample of 16.074 people from across Ecuador were online surveyed using a cross-sectional design. The structural equation model was based on scores from standardized questionnaires as measures of depression, psychological perceived stress, psychological inflexibility, and loneliness. Results: Women reported significantly higher levels of depression, mediated by differences in perceived stress, psychological inflexibility and loneliness. Perceived stress was the most important predictor of depression and mediated the effect of loneliness on depression. Complementarily, psychological inflexibility partially mediated the effect of perceived stress and loneliness on depression. The overall model accounted for the 78% of the total variance in depression. Conclusions: Results of this study provide a novel and robust transdiagnostic model of sex differences on depression and insights on how to design effective programs for preventing depression targeting modifiable transdiagnostic risk factors.

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Background: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is the most well-known self-report measure to screen for depressive symptomatology, although discerning which is the factor structure that represents the best fit remains a challenge. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the Spanish version of the PHQ-9 in a large sample of Ecuadorian college students. Methods: A total of 5,394 students (M = 22.03 years; SD = 3.05; 54.8% female) from three Ecuadorian universities were surveyed using a computerized questionnaire within a 4-week assessment period. The PHQ-9 was tested for factorial structure, reliability, and correlations with other mental health-related measures. Results: The hierarchical model that included a general factor and three nested factors had a better fit, and such a hierarchical structure remained invariant across sex and age. Total omega value (ω) was 0.90 for the total scale and hierarchical omega values (ωh) were 0.68 for the general factor, as well as 0.34, 0.38, and 0.44 for the respective nested factors (somatic, cognitive/affective, concentration/motor). Moreover, PHQ-9 scores were significantly higher among women, although effect sizes of comparison of those sex differences were very small. Finally, the PHQ-9 scores correlated with multiple mental health indicators (psychological inflexibility, loneliness, stress, and satisfaction with life). Discussion: The Spanish version of the PHQ-9 showed good psychometric properties among Ecuadorian college students. The hierarchical structure showed the best fit for the data, including not only a dominant general factor, but also the somatic, cognitive/affective and concentration/motor subcomponents. In conclusion, the PHQ-9 tool seems to represent an easy-to-implement screening questionnaire to design preventive programs for those Ecuadorian college students at risk of developing depressive disorders.

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(1) Background: The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II) is the most well-known self-report measure to assess psychological inflexibility, a transdiagnostic pathological process, and targets for interventions. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the Ecuadorian Spanish version of the AAQ-II in a large sample of college students in Ecuador. (2) Methods: A total of 7905 students, 46.26% male and 53.75% female, from 11 Ecuadorian universities were surveyed. The AAQ-II was tested for factorial structure, reliability, and correlations with other health-related measures. (3) Results: The AAQ-II showed an unidimensional factorial structure, accounting for 66.87% to 70% of the total variance and showing a good fit of the data to the model (comparative adjustment index (CFI) = 0.995; goodness of fit index (GFI) = 0.992; Standardized Root Mean Squared Residual (SRMR) = 0.037; mean square approximation error (RMSEA) = 0.047, CI90% = 0.038-0.056). Reliability was optimal (Cronbach's α = 0.919; ω = 0.928), and AAQ-II scores significantly correlated with multiple health indicators. Psychological inflexibility was significantly higher in women than men. (4) Conclusions: The Spanish version of the AAQ-II showed good psychometric properties, which further supports psychological inflexibility, not just as a transdiagnostic process.

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BACKGROUND: . The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is the most well-known self-report measure to assess perceived psychological stress. OBJECTIVE: . The objective of the study was to analyze the psychometric properties of three versions of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4, PSS-10 and PSS-14) in Ecuador. METHODS: . A sample of 7905 university students (46% men and 54% women) from Ecuador were surveyed using all three versions of PSS. RESULTS: . All three versions showed a satisfactory adjustment with a bifactorial structure based on the item structure rather than underlying dimensions of psychological stress. The reliability was also adequate, with Alpha and Omega coefficients [α = 0.85 and ω = 0.80 for PSS-14; α = 0.85 and ω = 0.87 for PSS-10; α = 0.74 and ω = 0.78 for PSS-4] respectively. Psychological stress scores positively correlated with multiple health indicators such as loneliness, psychological inflexibility, alcohol consumption, and presence of anxiety and depression symptoms, and negatively with resilience. CONCLUSIONS: . The use of PSS-10 based on its best goodness of fit and PSS-4 as the shortest version are recommended to measure psychological stress, rather than the original PSS-14 version. Psychological stress was significantly higher in women than men.

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BACKGROUND: Personality has been recognized as a key variable in the prediction of treatment adherence and health care behaviors in patients living with chronic diseases. PURPOSE: In order to contribute to the prediction of treatment-adherence behaviors among HIV-positive patients, this study aimed to test the metric properties of the 12-item Stress-Related Situations Scale (SRSS-12), which assesses four interactive styles of personality related to stressful situations when receiving treatment for a chronic disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed with a nonprobability sampling between May and June 2016. The SRSS-12 was fulfilled by 186 out of 400 HIV-positive patients receiving attention through the regional program for HIV -sexually transmitted diseases control in the State of Lara, Venezuela (sample proportion =0.465). The participants were young adults (X=34.9 years), predominantly men (80.1%), and single (76.3%). Data analysis included exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, assessment of internal consistency, and description of distributions. RESULTS: The exploratory factor analysis yielded a three-factor structure: Tolerance to Frustration and Ambiguity, Follow-up of Instructions and Impulsivity, and Decision Making. Through confirmatory factor analysis, this model showed an acceptable fit to the data. The three factors showed convergent and discriminant validity and internal consistency from acceptable to high. The factor scores did not follow a normal distribution. CONCLUSIONS: The three-factor model for the SRSS-12 showed validity and internal consistency among Venezuelan HIV-positive patients. Scaled scores for factors can be developed using percentile scores.

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Este artigo, em homenagem a Victor Guerra, recentemente falecido, aborda temas que lhe são muito caros e que foram proferidos em uma conferência na qual ele estabelece o diálogo entre psicanálise e arte ao discorrer sobre o ritmo na vida psíquica.

This paper, published in honor of Victor Guerra recently deceased, discusses topic that are very dear to him and give in this conference in which he establishes a dialogue between psychoanalysis and art discussing the rhythm in psychic life.

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Visible Light Communications (VLC) is a cutting edge technology for data communication that is being considered to be implemented in a wide range of applications such as Inter-vehicle communication or Local Area Network (LAN) communication. As a novel technology, some aspects of the implementation of VLC have not been deeply considered or tested. Among these aspects, security and its implementation may become an obstacle for VLCs broad usage. In this article, we have used the well-known Risk Matrix methodology to determine the relative risk that several common attacks have in a VLC network. Four examples: a War Driving, a Queensland alike Denial of Service, a Preshared Key Cracking, and an Evil Twin attack, illustrate the utilization of the methodology over a VLC implementation. The used attacks also covered the different areas delimited by the attack taxonomy used in this work. By defining and determining which attacks present a greater risk, the results of this work provide a lead into which areas should be invested to increase the safety of VLC networks.

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