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ISSN: 1695-2294 (web edition); ISSN: 0212-9728 (print edition)
1998, volume 14, issue # 2 (december), pp. 137-268 

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Index

Special volume: Psychology and Old Age (Part II)  
 

  • NAVALÓN, C.: Psychology and Old Age. Presentation of this Second Part. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 137-138)
    Mail address  Full text in pdf
  • MONTORIO CERRATO, I., IZAL FERNÁNDEZ DE TROCÓNIZ, M., LÓPEZ LÓPEZ, A., and SÁNCHEZ COLODRÓN, M.: The Burden Interview. Usefulness and validity of the burden concept. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 229-248)
    Abstract, key words, and mail address Full text in pdf


    Methodology of Behavioural Sciences  

1998, volume 14, issue # 2

Abstracts   

Special volume: Psychology and Old Age (Part II)  

  • NAVALÓN, C.: Psychology and Old Age. Presentation of this Second Part. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 137-138) 
  • Mail address: Conrado Navalón Vila. Deptº de Psicología Básica y Metodología. Universidad de Murcia. Campus de Espinardo (Edif. "Luis Vives"). Aptdo. correos 4021, 30080 Murcia (Spain). E-Mail: conrado@fcu.um.es
     
     
  • BENEDET, M.J., MARTÍNEZ ARIAS, R., and ALEJANDRE, M.A.: Aging: Use of strategies, learning and retention. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 139-156) 
  • Abstract: Using a semantically structured list of words, the usage of learning and recall strategies by a group of n=500 individuals 35 through 92-year-old, has been examined. The individuals were distributed into five age groups (35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75 and more). Regarding the learning essais, the three younger groups showed, on each of the variables considered, a quite similar curve, although values either decrease (on the positive variables) or increase (on the negative variable), respectively, as age increases. Regarding the recall tests (short and long delay, respectively), the 65-74 age group shows a diminished resistence to interference when compared with the two younger groups. On the other hand, the curves showed by the individuals aged 75 and more differe from the rest of the age group ones on every variable considered, both regarding the learning essais and the recall tests. Otherwise, the four groups benefit equally from the incitation to use a semantic strategy. The results are discussed from a neuropsychological approach, considering both, the available data about brain aging and a cognitive model of memory systems.

    Key words: Aging and learning, aging and use of strategies, aging and retention.

    Mail address: Mª Jesús Benedet. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas. 28223 Madrid (España). E-mail: pscog06@emducms1.sis.ucm.es


     
    ELOSÚA, M.R., RATO, F., and LECHUGA, M.T.: Effects of age on two different span tasks. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 157-168) 

  • Abstract: The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of age on a demanding working memory task, as it is using the running memory task, in three different groups aged 18-22, 65-75 and 80-90 respectively. Morris and Jones (1990) claimed that in this task it can be assumed that the updating component requires central executive resources but not the phonological loop. Conversely, the serial recall component of the task requires the phonological loop but not the central executive. The focus of this study was to investigate whether there were effects of age on the updating performance only and / or on the serial recall performance. In order to have another measure from the serial recall a classical letter span task was also used with the same material. In the running memory task lists of 6 to 12 consonants were presented and subjects had to recall the last six items. Results indicated that there were significant differences between the three groups in the letter span task and that age interacted with list length and serial position in the running memory task. It was concluded that results from both tasks suggested that elderly subjects’ capacities were impaired.

    Key words: Letter span, running span, normal aging.

    Mail address: Mª Rosa Elosúa. Dpto. de Psicología Básica I. UNED, Ciudad Universitaria s/n. 28040 Madrid (España). E-mail: relosua@cu.uned.es
     
     

  • JUNCOS RABADÁN, O., ELOSÚA, M.R., PEREIRO ROZAS, A., and TORRES MAROÑO, M.C.: Lexical Difficulties in the Elderly. Basis for Intervention. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 169-176) 
  • Abstract: We analyse lexical access according to a processing model in two phases: 1) semantic, in which an independent representation of meaning or pre-phonological unit (lemma) is selected, and 2) phonological, in which the spared knowledge of lexical form (lexema) is available. The model works with two main mechanisms: transmission across semantic and phonological representations and activation-inhibition that allows retrieval of the target unit and blocks other alternates in competition with the target.
    In the light of this model, results obtained by Juncos and Iglesias (1994) from their translinguistic study with 840 subjects speaking fourteen different languages and distributed in three groups of age (50-59; 60-69; and over 70 years) are interpreted. We consider the subjects' performances in the following Subtests of the Bilingual Aphasia Test (Paradis, 1987): Semantic Categories, Synonyms, Antonyms, Semantic Acceptability, Lexical Decision, Verbal Fluency, Semantic Opposites, and Reading Comprehension of Words.
    The results did not show significant differences among age groups on Semantics Categories and Semantic Acceptability Subtests. From those results we interpret old people to have no difficulty in the organisation of semantic fields and therefore age has not negative effects on conceptual and semantic knowledge. Older individuals have no problems in lexical decision and verbal fluency tasks, showing a good organisation of the Phonologically Lexicon. The older adults obtained poorer rates than the young adults on Synonyms, Antonyms and Semantic Opposites Subtests. Their difficulties could be due to a breakdown on the access to the Phonological Lexicon from the Semantic Lexicon. This breakdown could be interpret as a deficit in the connection between the two systems or as a deficit in the competition of possible alternates.

    Key words: Gerontology, Psycholinguistics, Aging, Lexical Access

    Mail address: Onésimo Juncos Rabadán. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educacion. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. Campus Sur. 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, España. E-mail: pejuncos@uscmail.usc.es
     

  • YUSTE ROSSELL, N., and GONZÁLEZ ALMAGRO, I.: The favorite personal objects in the Adulthood and Senility. An empiric approach. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 177-192) 
  • Abstract: Concerning two age groups (348 adults and 303 senior citizens) and by means of a questionnaire based on one by Kamptner, Kayano and Peterson (1989), we examined what objects were preferred in infancy and adolescence and which are preferred now, if these change due to special circumstances, which of those now lacking are wanted and what feelings are perceived at their loss. It is intended to show, in a first approximation, if their exists an affinity for objects, and its meaning and importance during the whole human life cycle. The results show that neither marital status, locality nor cultural level influence preferences, however differences do appear in the kind of favorite things preferred by children and adolescents, also in those preferred by adults and older people (coinciding with works by Csikszentimihalyi and Rochberg-Halton, 1981; Sherman and Newman, 1977-78; Kamptner, Kayano and Peterson, 1989). Main reasons in order to prefer one oject or another during the life-span are age, generation cohort, gender and social influences. The study focuses on future investigations in which transcultural aspects will be considered, the overcoming or not of gender differences (given the present androgeny) and whether new technology will affect future generations of adults and senior citizens.

    Key words: Favorite objects, attachment, adulthood, age and senility, life-span, cohort, gender.

    Mail address: Ignacio González Almagro. Dpto. de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación. Universidad de Murcia. Campus de Espinardo (Edif. "Luis Vives"). Aptdo. correos 4021, 30080 Murcia (España).E-Mail: ignaciog@fcu.um.es
     
     

  • PERAITA, H., and SÁNCHEZ BERNARDOS, M.L.: Assessment of impairments of memory semantic aspects in Alzheimer desease. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 193-206) 
  • Abstract: In this work, which is part of a broader project on assessment of the deterioration of semantic memory in patients with Alzheimer-type dementia, the lexical-semantic and categorical-semantic alterations in a group of patients with probable dementia Alzheimer type, divided into two sub-groups according to the degree of severity of their dementia (slight, n = 23, and moderate, n = 21) were analyzed and compared with a healthy control group (n = 30), equaled in age and sex, although it was not possible with regard to educational level. The cognitive tasks, whose results are presented in this study, that were used to analyze the aforementioned deterioration are all production tasks: fluidity of category exemplars, category definition, drawing denomination, and attribute production. In the analysis of variance carried out ( General Lineal Model of the SPSS, 7,1), the following were considered the independent variables: the kind of subject, with three levels (healthy, slightly ill, and moderately ill); the kind of item or stimulus, with two levels (belonging to animated or inanimate categories); and the kind of attribute or conceptual relations implied in the 2nd and 4th tasks. Age and educational level were considered covariants, so as to control their effect. The results reveal that age was highly significant in the categorical-fluidity and the drawing-denomination tasks, but not in the other two; the kind of group/stage of disease was highly significant in all the tasks, whereas the animate/inanimate quality of the stimuli was only significant in the attribute-denomination and production tasks. Lastly, the kind of attribute and/or the conceptual relations were again highly significant, as was the interaction between the latter and the disease stage.

    Key words: Verbal fluency. Definition of attributes. Conceptual-semantic memory assessment.

    Mail address: Herminia Peraita. Dpto. de Psicología Básica I. UNED, Ciudad Universitaria s/n. 28040 Madrid.E-mail: hperaita@cu.uned.es
     

  • BUIL, S., PELEGRINA, M., and FERNÁNDEZ, O.: Methods of variable analysis in dementia which is associated with adult´s chronic hidrocephalia. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 207-213) 
  • Abstract: In this investigation we show some methods of analysis about those variables and behaviours which are associated with the HCA. The study was made starting from the clinical revision of 34 patiens(range of 50 - 82 years old). A methodology based on the categoric analysis was applied. The data have been statistically significant for the variables related to the diagnostic and evolution of the physical categories and not for the psychological and neuropsychological ones. These results will be useful to indicate models of variables analysis in patients with HCA and also to detect those which are associated to the diagnosis and rehabilitation process.

    Key words: HCA, categorization, age, memory, methodology

    Mail address: Manuel Pelegrina del Río. Departamento de Psicología Básica, Psicobiología y Metodología. Facultad de Psicología (Universidad de Málaga). Campus de Teatinos, 29071, Málaga (España). E-Mail: Pelegrina@ccuma.uma.es
     

  • ROIG, M.V., ABENGÓZAR, M.C., and SERRA, E.: The burden in the primary caregivers of Alzheimer patients. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 215-227) 
  • Abstract: This present study measures the burden experienced by the primary caregivers of Alzheimer patients.
    The sample is composed of 52 subjects of both sexes who had the following characteristics: they were 20 years old or older (there was no upper age limit), primary caregivers of elderly Alzheimer patients, the caregiver lived in the same household as the patient, the caregiver and the patient performed their daily rutine together. At last, the patients were not candidates for institutionalization.
    The variables that were controled were: age, sex, marital status, number of children, level of education, relation to the patient, time dedicated to the patient´s care, and the stage of development of the dementia (CAMDEX), as soon as the subject´s answers to a questionaire dealing with the burden experienced by de caregivers of elderly patients suffering from dementia (SCAD).
    The results of this study show that the caregivers who are women, 56 years old or older,married, with one child, with an average to low level of education, of low economic status, who have been caring for the patient for aproximately 10-12 years and who care for patients who are in the third fase of de disease experience the most burden.

    Key words: Alzheimer, caregivers, family, burden.

    Mail address: Mª Carmen Abengózar. Dpto. de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación. Avda. Blasco Ibáñez 21dup. 46010 Valencia (España). E-mail: Carmen.Abengozar@uv.es
     

  • MONTORIO CERRATO, I., IZAL FERNÁNDEZ DE TROCÓNIZ, M., LÓPEZ LÓPEZ, A., and SÁNCHEZ COLODRÓN, M.: The Burden Interview. Usefulness and validity of the burden concept. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 229-248)

  • Abstract: The purpose of this project was to identify the underlying dimensions of the burden concept just as it is assessed by The Burden Interview (Zarit and Zarit, 1983), as well as to set up the relationships between the identified dimensions and external criteria which are implied in the caregiving of functional dependent elderly. These processes of identification and analysis allowed to replace the burden concept into a wider conceptual framework. The sample consisted of 62 caregivers and 45 of their care-recipients. Besides the caregiver burden other variables were assessed, diferent aspects of burden stressors (time of caregiving, quality of the relationship between caregiver and care-recipient, functional capacity, mental state and behavioral problems of the care.recipient) and some of the effects of the caregiving situation on caregiver=s well-being (perceived health, use of the health system services, subjective satisfaction). Results showed diferent relationships between three underlying dimensions of caregiver=s burden (cargiving impact, interpersonal burden and autoeficacy expectatives) and some external criteria, revealing the multidimensional nature of the burden in the same way other researchers had pointed out. The analysis of these results and bearing in mind the theorical model of stress point out the necessity to overcome important theorical and methodological deficiencies of the burden concept.

    Key words: Caregiver. Burden. Stress. Elderly

    Mail address: Ignacio Montorio Cerrato. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid.E-mail: igmacio.montorio@uam.es
     

    Methodology of Behavioural Sciences  

  • VALLEJO, G., FIDALGO, A.M., and FERNÁNDEZ, P.: Effects of nonsphericity to the analysis of multivariate repeated measures designs. (1998, vol. 14, nº 2, pp. 249-268)
     
  • Abstract: The analysis of the data obtained from a multivariate repeated measures design, generally, it is accomplished across through of doubly multivariate model (MDM) analysis, or also by means of multivariate mixed model (MMM) analysis. Based on the examination of the Type I error rates and power of the referred procedures, the present investigation puts of relief, on the one hand, the superiority of the MDM approach on the corresponding MMM, except when the dispersion matrix satisfies multivariate sphericity or the sample size is very small and, on the other hand, the poor functioning some of the correction factors used to construct ajusted MMM tests, as for example suggested it in the routine MANOVA of the popular program SPSS.

    Key words: Repeated measures; Multivariate sphericity; Kronecker structure; Mixed model.

    Mail address: G. Vallejo. Departamento de Psicología. Universidad de Oviedo. Plaza Feijoo, s/n. 33003 Oviedo (España). E-Mail: gvallejo@sci.cpd.uniovi.es