UNED Madrid, Spain

Modulating aspects in child adjustment

It is well known that pathological disorders during infancy and adolescence, far from descending in developed countries, are increasing in some areas, above all the emotional ones. Important factors such as Temperament, Personality, Family and Society are established as the relevant ingredients in adjustment or maladjustment, although there is a lot left to investigate on the different interactions between these basic elements. In this symposium the aim is to analyse those questions that can answer and explain the different relationships that the diverse risk factors have with the appearance of the different psychological maladjustments that appear in children and adolescents. The group of experts that participate have a good judgement in the analysis of typical problems during childhood in our immediate surroundings and they will present the results of their research on maladjustment issues such as anxiety, aggression, depression, and on those aspects that can be used as a defence mechanism when faced with these maladjustments such as: empathy, prosocial behaviour, fortitude and positive emotions. In this manner, the therapeutic intervention is expected to be more effective on the analysed disorders.

Researcher on child emotions, especially Depression, Aggressiveness and Anxiety, as well as their most important risk factors: Temperament and Family. This can be seen in her latest published articles: "Dimensionalidad de la empatía y su relación con depresión, agresión y conducta prosocial" (Empathy dimensionality and its relationahsip with depression, agression and prosocial behaviour), “Agresión física y verbal en niños de familias monoparentales divorciadas y biparentales: el efecto moderador del género de los hijos” (Physical and verbal aggressiveness in children in single-parent, divorced and two-parent families), “Effects of Parental Interpersonal Power/Prestige and Acceptance on the Psychological Adjustment of Spanish”. And also in her books: “El libro de la Familia” (The Family book), “La agresión infantil de cero a seis años” (Child aggression from 0 to 6 years old), “Depresión Infantil y adolescente” (Depression in children and adolescents). She is a member of Spanish and international scientific Societies where she has held a number of positions, she has participated in the organisation of congresses, she has been the Director of the SPA at the UNED, as well as the founder and director of the journal Acción Psicológica (Psychological Action). She has received numerous awards such as, Aitana Award, Psychology Promoter in the media Official Association of Psychologists in Madrid, Fellow Award de la IAAP.