The human brain undergoes structural and functional changes across the lifespan. The study of motor sequence learning in elderly subjects is of particularly interest since previous findings in young adults might not replicate during later stages of adulthood. The present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study assessed the performance, brain activity and functional connectivity patterns associated with motor sequence learning in late middle adulthood. For this purpose, a total of 25 subjects were evaluated during early stages of learning [i.e., fast learning (FL)]. A subset of these subjects (n = 11) was evaluated after extensive practice of a motor sequence [i.e., slow learning (SL) phase]. As expected, late middle adults improved motor performance from FL to SL. Learning-related brain activity patterns replicated most of the findings reported previously in young subjects except for the lack of hippocampal activity during FL and the involvement of cerebellum during SL. Regarding functional connectivity, precuneus and sensorimotor lobule VI of the cerebellum showed a central role during improvement of novel motor performance. In the sample of subjects evaluated, connectivity between the posterior putamen and parietal and frontal regions was significantly decreased with aging during SL. This age-related connectivity pattern may reflect losses in network efficiency when approaching late adulthood. Altogether, these results may have important applications, for instance, in motor rehabilitation programs.

The ability to appropriately perceive distances in activities of daily living, such as driving, is necessary when performing complex maneuvers. With aging, certain driving behaviors and cognitive functions change; however, it remains unknown if egocentric distance perception (EDP) performance is altered and whether its neural activity also changes as we grow older. To that end, 19 young and 17 older healthy adults drove in a driving simulator and performed an functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment where we presented adults with an EDP task. We discovered that (a) EDP task performance was similar between groups, with higher response times in older adults; (b) older adults showed higher prefrontal and parietal activation; and (c) higher functional connectivity within frontal and parietal-occipital-cerebellar networks; and (d) an association between EDP performance and hard braking behaviors in the driving simulator was found. In conclusion, EDP functioning remains largely intact with aging, possibly due to an extended and effective rearrangement in functional brain resources, and may play a role in braking behaviors while driving.

This study presents a short and valid questionnaire for evaluating Facebook usage by the Spanish-speaking population. In order to achieve this aim, the Facebook scales developed by Ellison and collaborators (i.e., Facebook Intensity, Actual Friends, Connection Strategies, and Relationship Maintenance Behavior) were translated into Spanish and then grouped into a 31-item questionnaire: the Spanish Facebook Battery (SFB). Subsequently, the reliability and construct validity of the SFB was tested once administered to a sample of Spanish speakers (N=433) by means of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with iterated principal axis factoring and Promax rotation methods. The SFB showed high internal (¿=.89) and acceptable retest (¿=.65) reliability whereas the EFA indicated the retention of five dimensions that explained 89% of the total variance in this sample data. A main dimension related to Facebook Intensity was found to account for almost half of the total variance, whereas the other four dimensions were found to be associated with Online Connection Strategies, Relationship Maintenance Behaviors, Maintaining Connection Strategies, and Offline Connection Strategies. Therefore, the factor analysis returned a dimensional structure of the SFB that differed slightly from the original scales composition, stressing the difference between online and offline connection strategies in this population sample. In summary, this article proposes a short and valid tool which could be useful for assessing Facebook usage among Spanish-speakers. https://rdcu.be/bnCtQ

Objectives To examine the mediation role of self-care between stress and psychological well-being in the general population of four countries and to assess the impact of sociodemographic variables on this relationship. Design Cross-sectional, online survey. Participants A stratified sample of confined general population (N=1082) from four Ibero-American countries-Chile (n=261), Colombia (n=268), Ecuador (n=282) and Spain (n=271)-balanced by age and gender. Primary outcomes measures Sociodemographic information (age, gender, country, education and income level), information related to COVID-19 lockdown (number of days in quarantine, number of people with whom the individuals live, absence/presence of adults and minors in charge and attitude towards the search of information related to COVID-19), Perceived Stress Scale-10, Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale-29 and Self-Care Activities Screening Scale-14. Results Self-care partially mediates the relationship between stress and well-being during COVID-19 confinement in the general population in the total sample (F (3,1078)=370.01, p<0.001, R-2=0.507) and in each country. On the other hand, among the evaluated sociodemographic variables, only age affects this relationship. Conclusion The results have broad implications for public health, highlighting the importance of promoting people's active role in their own care and health behaviour to improve psychological well-being if stress management and social determinants of health are jointly addressed first. The present study provides the first transnational evidence from the earlier stages of the COVID-19 lockdown, showing that the higher perception of stress, the less self-care activities are adopted, and in turn the lower the beneficial effects on well-being.

The Teachers Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) has been the most widely used instrument to assess teacher efficacy beliefs. However, no study has been carried out concerning the TSES psychometric properties with teachers in Mexico, the country with the highest number of Spanish-speakers worldwide. The purpose of the present study is to examine the reliability, internal and external validity evidence of the TSES (short form) adapted into Spanish with a sample of 190 primary and secondary Mexican teachers from 25 private schools. Results of construct analysis confirm the three-factor-correlated structure of the original scale. Criterion validity evidence was established between self-efficacy and job satisfaction. Differences in self-efficacy were related to teachers¿ gender, years of experience and grade level taught. Some limitations are discussed, and future research directions are recommended.

The Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) has been the most widely used instrument to assess teacher efficacy beliefs. However, no study has been carried out concerning the TSES psychometric properties with teachers in Mexico, the country with the highest number of Spanish-speakers worldwide. The purpose of the present study is to examine the reliability, internal and external validity evidence of the TSES (short form) adapted into Spanish with a sample of 190 primary and secondary Mexican teachers from 25 private schools. Results of construct analysis confirm the three-factor-correlated structure of the original scale. Criterion validity evidence was established between self-efficacy and job satisfaction. Differences in self-efficacy were related to teachers' gender, years of experience and grade level taught. Some limitations are discussed, and future research directions are recommended.

In a context where there is no treatment for the current COVID-19 virus, the combination of self-care behaviours together with confinement, are strategies to decrease the risk of contagion and remain healthy. However, there are no self-care measures to screen self-care activities in general population and which, could be briefly in a lockdown situation. This research aims to build and validate a psychometric tool to screen self-care activities in general population. Firstly, an exploratory factor analysis was performed in a sample of 226 participants to discover the underlying factorial structure and to reduce the number of items in the original tool into a significant pool of items related to self-care. Later a confirmatory factor analyses were performed in a new sample of 261 participants to test for the fit and goodness of factor solutions. Internal validity, reliability, and convergent validity between its score with perceived stress and psychological well-being measures were examined on this sample. The exploratory analyses suggested a four-factor solution, corresponding to health consciousness, nutrition and physical activity, sleep, and intra-personal and inter-personal coping skills (14 items). Then, the four-factor structure was confirmed as the best model fit for self-care activities. The tool demonstrated good reliability, predictive validity of individuals¿ perception of coping with COVID-19 lockdown, and convergent validity with well-being and perceived stress.

Resumen Las vivencias de los adolescentes en los centros educativos son determinantes en su rendimiento académico y adaptación al mismo. Este artículo compara las diferencias en torno a la percepción del clima y funcionamiento del centro según curso, edad, sexo, titularidad y ámbito del centro y rendimiento académico. El estudio analiza las diferencias en una muestra de 1208 estudiantes adolescentes sobre la escala de Percepción del Clima y Funcionamiento del Centro (PCFC), y las dimensiones que la conforman. Estas dimensiones son clima, vínculo con el centro, claridad de normas y valores, y empoderamiento y oportunidades. Entre los resultados se hallaron diferencias significativas en la escala PCFC en función del curso, edad, sexo, tipo de centro y rendimiento académico. Se observa en las mujeres, una mejor percepción en las dimensiones de Vínculo y Claridad de las normas del centro educativo. La percepción global del centro disminuye con el aumento del nivel educativo y de la edad, pero aumenta con mayor rendimiento académico y en centros de titularidad privada-concertada frente a la pública. Con base en los hallazgos, proporcionamos orientaciones para centros y elaboradores de políticas educativas. A lo largo de la adolescencia, los estudiantes requieren mayor responsabilidad y participación en la toma de decisiones del centro educativo, así como que este les proporciones mayores oportunidades para su desarrollo. Abstract The experiences of adolescents in schools are decisive for their academic achievement and adaptation. This article compares the differences around the perception of the climate and school functioning according to the educational level, age, sex, ownership and school location, and academic achievement. In this article, the differences in a sample of 1208 adolescent students on the Scale of Climate Perception and School Functioning (PCFC) and their dimensions are analyzed. These dimensions are climate, school bonds, clarity of norms and values, and empowerment, and opportunities. Significant differences are found in the PCFC scale depending on the course, age, sex, type of center, and academic performance. Bonds and Clarity are better observed in women. The overall perception of the school decreases with the increase in educational level and age, but increases with greater academic achievement, as well as in schools of private ownership over the public. From the findings, we provide guidelines for schools and educational policymakers. Throughout adolescence, students claim for greater responsibility and participation in the decision making of the school, as well as providing them with greater opportunities for their development.