International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology (Revista INFAD de Psicología)
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Apoyo social, empatía y satisfacción con la vida en los diferentes roles de agresor-víctima de acoso escolar
Get PDFBullying is one of the main problems in adolescence, with serious consequences. In comparison with the large number of studies focused on the role of passive victim and pure aggressor, research focused on the double role of aggressor-victim is still scarce. The aim of this study was to analyze possible differences in emotional and cognitive empathy, evaluation of the social network, emotional loneliness and life satisfaction among five groups of adolescents with different involvement in bullying: “not involved”, “occasional aggressors/victims”, “frequent victims”, “frequent aggressors” and “frequent aggressors/victims “. The sample consisted of 1034 adolescents (50.6% boys and 49.4% girls), between 12 and 19 years old. The results show that frequent aggressors have less emotional empathy than frequent victims and occasional aggressive-victims. On the other hand, frequent victims show a more negative evaluation of the social network than occasional aggressivevictims. Victims and frequent aggressive-victims show greater loneliness. Finally, the non-involved and the occasional aggressive-victims have greater satisfaction with life. These results and their implications are discussed.El acoso escolar es una de las principales problemáticas en la adolescencia, con graves consecuencias. En comparación con la gran cantidad de estudios centrados en el rol de víctima pasiva y agresor puro, todavía son escasas las investigaciones centradas en el doble rol de agresor-víctima. Así, el objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar posibles diferencias en empatía emocional y cognitiva, evaluación de la red social, soledad emocional y satisfacción con la vida entre cinco grupos de adolescentes con diferente implicación en el acoso escolar: “no implicados”, “agresores/víctimas ocasionales”, “víctimas frecuentes”, “agresores frecuentes” y “agresores/víctimas frecuentes”. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 1034 adolescentes (50.6% chicos y 49.4% chicas), entre 12 y 19 años. Los resultados mostraron que los agresores frecuentes tienen menor empatía emocional que las víctimas frecuentes y los agresores-víctimas ocasionales. Por otro lado, las víctimas frecuentes presentan una evaluación más negativa de la red social que los agresores-víctimas ocasionales. Los adolescentes víctimas y agresores-víctimas frecuentes muestran mayor soledad. Por último, los noimplicados y los agresores-víctimas ocasionales presentan mayor satisfacción con la vida. Estos resultados y sus implicaciones son discutidos
O bem-estar através das tecnologias digitais: um estudo em populações 50+
Get PDFThe concept of ‘healthy aging’ refers to the process of developing and maintaining functional capacity, which contributes to the well-being of the elderly, to a functional level (mental well-being) and to the person’s interaction with the environment (social well-being). Access to information through lifelong learning is a vital element for aging, which can influence well-being. In this context, this research aims to identify the sociocultural factors that influence the option of learning Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in 50+ populations, and to know the impacts of this learning in well-being throughout the learning process aging.Methods: A qualitative/quantitative mixed study involving a sample of 374 participants who answered a questionnaire and 5 directors from the Senior Universities of the district of Castelo Branco, Portugal, who were interviewed through a semi-structured interview.Results: The factors that explain the choice of ICT learning include the need to update knowledge, be intellectually active and make better use of the computer. The impacts of this learning on mental well-being lie essentially in stimulating memory and in intellectual aptitudes, reasoning, and thinking. In social well-being they focus on communication, participation in the digital society and on the relationship between digital and social inclusion.O conceito de «envelhecimento saudável» refere-se ao processo de desenvolvimento e manutenção da capacidade funcional, que contribui para o bem-estar das pessoas idosas, a nível funcional (Bem-estar mental) e da interação da pessoa com o meio (Bem-estar social). O acesso à informação através da aprendizagem ao longo da vida constitui um elemento vital para o envelhecimento, capaz de influenciar o Bem-estar. Neste contexto surge esta investigação que teve como objetivo geral identificar os fatores socioculturais que influenciam a opção pela aprendizagem das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC), em populações 50+, e conhecer os impactos desta aprendizagem no Bem-estar ao longo do processo de envelhecimento.Métodos: Estudo misto de carácter quantitivo/qualitativo, envolvendo uma amostra de 374 participantes que responderam a um questionário e 5 diretores das Universidades Seniores do distrito de Castelo Branco, Portugal, que foram entrevistados através de entrevista semiestruturada.Resultados: Os fatores que explicam a escolha pela aprendizagem das TIC incluem a necessidade de atualizar conhecimentos, estar ativo intelectualmente e utilizar melhor o computador. Os impactos desta aprendizagem no Bem-estar mental incidem essencialmente no estímulo da memória e nas aptidões intelectuais, raciocínio e pensamento. No Bem-estar social incidem na comunicação, na participação na sociedade digital e na relação entre a inclusão digital e social
Propuesta de intervención en familiares de niños con TEA desde ACT para mejorar la convivencia familiar y escolar
Get PDFThe diagnosis of autism of a child reaches the family with difficulty and mixed emotions. A stage begins in which a great variety of resources are put in place to make the development of the person diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder resemble as much as possible a neurotypic evolution.Objectives: The first objective of this work is to make a bibliographic search of articles that deal with the Programs to deal with the difficulties that parents or families find when it comes to educating or living and teaching to live at home and in schools with their children or family, as well as intervention strategies to address the obstacles in family members of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The second objective is to make an intervention proposal with families of children diagnosed with ASD from the framework of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy based on the results found.Methodology: A systematic review of scientific articles has been carried out by consulting the Web of Science, Scopus and INDAGA databases. The materials have been restricted by publication date (2000/2017) and have been searched in Spanish and English.Abstracts / abstracts have been reviewed and the selected articles have been read in depth as well as all the articles with empirical and theoretical results of relevance for this review.Results: As a result of the systematic search, intervention has been proposed in families of children diagnosed with ASD from the framework of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.Conclusions: It has been proven that there are many lines from which interventions for families of children diagnosed with ASD are proposed, but it is those based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that have the greatest benefits in improving coexistence at home. and the subsequent integration and coexistence of the child in the classroom. Therefore, the intervention proposal proposed is based on this third generation therapy.El diagnóstico de autismo de un hijo llega al seno de la familia con dificultad y emociones encontradas. Se inicia una etapa en la que se ponen en marcha gran variedad de recursos para hacer que el desarrollo de la persona diagnosticada con Trastorno del Espectro Autista se asemeje lo más posible a una evolución neurotípica.Objetivos: El primer objetivo de este trabajo es hacer una búsqueda bibliográfica de artículos que versen sobre los Programas para tratar las dificultades que encuentran los padres o familias a la hora de educar o convivir y enseñar a convivir en casa y en escuelas a sus hijos o familiares, así como estrategias de intervención para tratar los obstáculos existentes en familiares de niños con diagnóstico de Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA). Como segundo objetivo se pretende realizar una propuesta de intervención con familias de niñosdiagnosticados con TEA desde el marco de la Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso basada en los resultados encontrados.Metodología: Se ha realizado una revisión sistemática de artículos científicos consultando lasbases de datos Web of Science, Scopus e INDAGA. Los materiales han sido restringidos por fecha de publicación (2000/2017) y se han buscado en idioma español e inglés. Se han revisado resúmenes/abstracts y se han leído en profundidad los artículos seleccionados así como todos los artículos con resultados empíricos y teóricos de relevancia para esta revisión.Resultados: Como resultado de la búsqueda sistemática se ha propuesto una intervenciónen familias de niños con diagnóstico de TEA desde el marco de la Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso.Conclusiones: Se ha comprobado que son muchas las líneas desde las que se proponen intervenciones para familias de niños diagnosticados con TEA, pero son las basadas en Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (ACT) las que mayores beneficios reportan en la mejora de la convivencia en casa y la posterior integración y convivencia del niño en el aula. Por ello la propuesta de intervención que se propone está basada en esta terapia de tercera generación
A consistência interna do questionário de Goldberg nos agricultores
Get PDFThe General Health Questionnaire is used to detect the existence of a probable psychiatric disorder in the general population, among a community or in non-psychiatric settings, such as in public health or primary care (Pais Ribeiro, et al., 2015). It is sensitive to recent psychiatric disorders but not to stable states with prolonged existence (Goldberg and Williams, 1988). In this study, we evaluated the internal consistency of the Goldberg Questionnaire in 150 farmers aged between 19 and 88 years, with a mean of 55.3 years. The sample,had a higher percentage of male participants living in the central region of Portugal and with a partner; most of them with a schooling up to the 9th grade and professionally active. A Pearson correlation matrix was performed between the subscales and the global index. The results showed that the correlations were positive and significantly correlated, ranging from (r = 0.267) somatic symptoms to social dysfunction and (r = 0.623) somatic symptoms vs anxiety and insomnia. As regards for the correlations between the different subscales with the overall value, it is observed that these are reasonable and positive, ranging from (r = 0.553) with social dysfunction and (r = 0.871) with anxiety and insomnia (table 6) accounting for 30.5% and 75.8% respectively. The results show that the great majority of the items are significant, consubstantiating higher correlational values in the subscales to which they belong, and that this value is higher than the others, being in most cases higher than 0.30.O Questionário de Saúde Geral é utilizado para detetar a existência de provável perturbação psiquiátrica na população em geral, de entre a população da comunidade ou em contextos não psiquiátricos, tais como na saúde pública ou nos cuidados primários (Pais Ribeiro, et al. 2015). É sensível a perturbações psiquiátricas recentes mas não a estados estáveis com existência prolongada (Goldberg y Williams, 1988). Neste estudo, procedemos apenas à avaliação da consistência interna do Questionário de Goldberg em 150 agricultores com idades compreendidas entre os 19 e os 88 anos, com uma média de 55.3 anos, apresentando maior percentagem de participantes do sexo masculino que vivem na região centro de Portugal e têm companheiro, a maioria com grau de escolaridade até ao 9ºano e face à situação profissional encontram-se no ativo. Efetuamos, uma matriz de correlação de Pearson entre as subescalas e o índice global. Dos resultados notamos que as correlações são positivas e significativamente correlacionadas oscilando entre (r=0,267) sintomas somáticos vs disfunção social e (r=0,623) nos sintomas somáticos vs ansiedade e insónia. No que se refere às correlações existentes entre as diferentes subescalas com o valor global, observa-se que estas são razoáveis e positivas, oscilando entre (r=0,553) com disfunção social e (r=0,871) com ansiedade e insónia (tabela 6) explicando respetivamente 30.5% e 75.8%. Os resultados evidenciam que a grande maioria dos itens são significativos, consubstanciando valores correlacionais mais elevados nas subescalas a que pertencem, e que esse valor é superior aos restantes, sendo na maioria dos casos superior a 0,30
Relação entre stress parental e as características socioeconómicas de pais de crianças com necessidades especiais
Get PDFIntroduction: There is a relationship between parental stress, family well-being and bio-psychological development of the children. An increased risk of developing physical-psychological pathology is associated with parents of children with special needs (CSN).Objetives: To determine the level of stress in CSN parents and to identify socioeconomic characteristics that may be associated with high levels of stress.Methods: An observational, cross-sectional and analytical study was performed based on a nonrandom sample of 274 CSN parents in Portugal. Data were collected from April to October 2017. As a tool for data collection, a questionnaire was used that included questions of socioeconomic nature and the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) consisting of 18 items, evaluated on a Likert scale that varies from 1 (totally disagree) to 5 (totally agree). The stress score resulted from the sum of all items and, later, it was classified taking into account the following cutoff points: Low: 18-40; moderate: 41-66 and high: 67-90.Results: Parents that respond to the questionnaire were, mainly, female (65%), with a mean age of 40.5 years old (SD = 8.25), from Bragança or Porto districts (73.4%), with 12 years of schooling (56.2 %), married (61.3%), full-time occupation (71.9%), monthly income ≤ 1200 euros per month (46.7%). The level of parental stress ranged from low (10.6%), moderate (46.7%) to high (42%). There were, statistically, significant associations between the level of parental stress and the variables: district of residence, marital status and household income. The proportion of parents with high stress levels was higher in: Guarda, Viseu, Castelo Branco and Faro districts; couples in a stable relation or divorced; in households with monthly income ≤ to national minimum wage (557 euros per month). Conclusion: Parental stress should be the focus of implementation of actions promoting the healthy development of CSN.Existe relação entre stress parental, bem-estar familiar e desenvolvimento bio-psicológico dos filhos. Um risco acrescido de desenvolver patologia físico-psíquica está associado aos progenitores de crianças com necessidades especiais (CNE)Objetivos: Determinar o nível de stress em pais de CNE e identificar caraterísticas socioeconómicas que possam estar associadas a elevados níveis de stress.Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo observacional, transversal e analítico, com base numa amostra não aleatória, constituída por 274 pais de CNE em Portugal. Os dados foram recolhidos de abril a outubro de 2017. Como instrumento para a recolha de dados foi utilizado um questionário que incluiu questões de natureza socioeconómica e a Escala de Stress Parental (ESP) constituída por 18 itens, avaliados numa escala de Likert que varia de 1 (discordo totalmente) a 5 (concordo totalmente).O score de stress resultou do somatório de todos os itens e foi, posteriormente, classificadotendo em conta os seguintes pontos de corte: Baixo:18-40; moderado: 41-66 e, elevado: 67 a 90.Resultados: Amostra maioritariamente do género feminino (65%), com idade média de 40,5anos (DP±8,25), dos distritos de Bragança ou Porto, (73,4%), com 12 anos de escolaridade (56,2%), casado(a) (61,3%), ocupação profissional a tempo inteiro (71,9%), rendimento mensal ≤1200 euros/mês (46,7%). O nível de stress parental variou de baixo (10,6%), moderado (46,7%) a elevado (42%). Verificaram-se associações, estatisticamente significativas, entre o nível de stress parental e as variáveis: distrito de residência, estado civil e rendimento do agregado familiar. A proporção de pais com níveis de stress elevados, foi maior em: distritos da Guarda, Viseu, Castelo Branco e Faro; casais em união de facto ou divorciados; em agregados com rendimento mensal ≤1 salário mínimo nacional (557 euros/mês).Considerações finais: O stress parental deve ser foco de implementação de ações promotoras do desenvolvimento saudável das CNE
Valoración funcional de la visión en niños con deficiencia visual cerebral
Get PDFCerebral visual impairment is the main alteration of the visual function in children in developed countries. It is a different affectation, which is not located in the main organ of the visual sense, but is produced in the channels or in the centers of interpretation of the visual information. Thus, the functional repercussions are also different and much more difficult to understand, evaluate and intervene, It is not surprising that it’s one of the areas with more lines of research in low vision in the international community. It is necessary to review how services are provided to these people with new rehabilitation programs, multidisciplinary care models and a complete evaluation of visual functions. In children with cerebral visual impairment, the main question to be solved is how the damage in the brain affects vision. When the visual system is damaged in the visual processing points, a wide range of effects are manifested and each one shows a combination of particular features which are apparently changing and contradictory. Only with a careful assessment, it is possible to get an approximation to the understanding of how the child sees, providing the guideline which should lead the intervention to try to optimize the visual efficiency. The assessment model introduced, considers that it is necessary to act systematically through interviews with parents and teachers who are the ones who better know the child’s visual behaviours, observations in the natural context, and direct evaluations of the most important visual tasks.La deficiencia visual cerebral es la principal alteración en la función visual en niños en los países desarrollados. Se trata de una afectación distinta, que no está situada en el órgano principal del sentido visual, sino que se produce en los canales o en los centros de interpretación de la información visual. En consecuencia, las repercusiones funcionales son también diferentes y mucho más difíciles de comprender, evaluar e intervenir. No es de extrañar que sea una de las áreas con más líneas de investigación en baja visión en la comunidad internacional. Es necesario revisar cómo se proporcionan los servicios a estas personas con nuevos programas de rehabilitación, modelos de atención multidisciplinarios y una completa evaluación de las funciones visuales. La cuestión fundamental a resolver es cómo afecta el daño en el cerebro a la visión. Cuando el sistema visual está dañado en los centros de procesamiento visual, un amplio rango de efectos se manifiesta y cada caso muestra una combinación de rasgos, muchas veces aparentemente cambiantes y contradictorios. Sólo con una cuidadosa valoración se puede llegar a obtener una aproximación a la comprensión de cómo ve, proporcionando la pauta que debe guiar la intervención para intentar optimizar la eficiencia visual. El modelo de valoración que se presenta considera necesario actuar de forma sistemática a través de entrevistas a los padres y profesores, que son los que mejor conocen los comportamientos visuales del niño, observaciones en el contexto natural y evaluaciones directas de las tareas visuales más significativas
Relación entre la educación inclusiva y la calidad de vida
Get PDF“Inclusive education” is a new way of living education, whereby, all the subjects have place in the educational system and where every student, is enriched by this diversity. This study shows how children without Special Educational Needs (SEN), enrolled in a school with High Degree of Inclusion, show higher levels in the Quality of Life as well as in several dimensions, compared to those students enrolled in a traditional educational system. Through this research, it is also shown how students who have joined the school with High Degree of Inclusion, have higher scores in the Quality of Life and its various dimensions, when they have spent more time experiencing this particular and natural way of living education.La “Educación Inclusiva” supone una nueva forma de vivir la educación, mediante la cual, la totalidad de los sujetos tienen cabida en el sistema educativo y donde todos y cada uno de los alumnos, se enriquecen de esta diversidad. El presente estudio muestra como niños y niñas sin Necesidades Específicas de Apoyo Educativo (NEAE), escolarizados en un colegio con Alto Grado de Inclusión, muestran mayores niveles en la Calidad de Vida, así como en varias de sus dimensiones, en comparación con aquellos alumnos escolarizados en un sistema educativo tradicional. A través de esta investigación, también se demuestra como los alumnos que se han incorporado al centro educativo con Alto Grado de Inclusión, presentan mayores puntuaciones en la Calidad de Vida y sus diferentes dimensiones, cuando han pasado más tiempo experimentando esta inclusiva y natural forma de vivir la educación
La evaluación del abuso sexual en personas con discapacidad intelectual: proceso de construcción y validación de un instrumento de autoinforme
Get PDFPeople with functional diversity have certain limitations in the functioning of their daily life, which makes them dependent on their primary caregivers, leaving their bodies exposed to them. In addition, they have fewer resources to detect and defend themselves against abuse. These factors, among others, make them a group vulnerable to sexual abuse. But in the detection of potential victims, we find limitations in comprehension and literacy, which makes questioning the reliability of the information obtained. The objective of this study is the development of a reliable and valid instrument adapted to the characteristics of people with functional diversity and allows the detection of cases of sexual abuse. In order to do so, the construction-validation process of the scale has been carried out in two phases, generating, in each of them, different versions that have been applied to two groups of participants. It details the analysis that the group of experts has made from the two pilot applications and the consequent modifications derived from these analyzes. In the first phase the version applies to 20 participants and in the second to 150. The final version has a reliability of .91. The study has shown the complexity of developing an instrument for assessing sexual abuse for people with intellectual disabilities because of the limitations of understanding inherent in the collective, stressing the importance of having the contributions of professionals who work daily with them.Las personas con diversidad funcional presentan ciertas limitaciones en el funcionamiento desu día a día, lo que les convierten en dependientes de sus cuidadores principales, quedando su cuerpo expuesto a ellos. Además, presentan menos recursos para detectar y defenderse ante situaciones de abuso. Estos factores, entre otros, hacen que se conviertan en un colectivo vulnerable al abuso sexual. Pero en la detección de las víctimas potenciales, nos encontramos con limitaciones en comprensión y lectoescritura, lo que hace cuestionar la fiabilidad de la información obtenida. El objetivo de este estudio, es la elaboración de un instrumento fiable y válido que se adapte a las características de las personas con diversidad funcional, y posibilite la detección de casos de abuso sexual. Para ello, el proceso de construcción-validación de la escala se ha realizado en dos fases generándose, en cada una de ellas, diferentes versiones que se han aplicado a dos grupos de participantes.Se detalla el análisis que el grupo de expertos ha realizado a partir de las dos aplicacionespiloto y las consecuentes modificaciones derivadas de dichos análisis. En la primera fase la versión se aplica a 20 participantes y en la segunda a 150. La versión final cuenta con una fiabilidad de .91.El estudio ha mostrado la complejidad que supone elaborar un instrumento de evaluación del abuso sexual para personas con discapacidad intelectual por las limitaciones de comprensión inherentes al colectivo, remarcando la importancia de contar con las aportaciones de profesionales que trabajan diariamente con ellos
Programa emocional en alumnado de segundo de e.s.o. con déficit en sus logros académicos
Get PDFEmotional management is considered one of the emerging challenges in current society. In this sense, the educational field appears as one of the pioneers designing and implementing of programs to promote its development, favoring in the students’ social and personal skills (Guil and Gil-Olarte, 2007). According to current educational laws in Spain, educational administrations should promote the maximum personal, intellectual, social, and emotional development of students (Organic Educational Law 2/2006, of May 3, modified by the Organic Law 9/2013, of 9 December, for the Improvement of Educational Quality). However, in Middle School (in Spain Secondary Mandatory School, ESO) we find few programs that address this integral development. Moreover, these students have special educational needs in order to achieve academic performance due, among others, to emotional competencies and social skills deficits (Santamaría and Valdés, 2017). Specifically, in Andalusia, students of Basic Vocational Training, usually present high rates of absenteeism, as well as poor motivation, self-concept, self-esteem, and social skills (Junta de Andalucía, 2018). To respond to this situation, we propose a pilot project aimed to increase academic achievement and socio-academic adaptation through emotional competencies. This project has been developed with five students from eighth grade (second year of Spanish ESO) that met the basic criteria to begin Basic Vocational Training next academic year. In this way, students’ emotional competencies will be developed through the reinforcement of instrumental and fundamental curricular subjects, complementary to formal education.La gestión emocional se plantea como uno de los retos emergentes en la sociedad actual. Eneste sentido, el ámbito educativo se presenta como uno de los pioneros en el diseño e implementación de programas que promueven su desarrollo, favoreciendo en el alumnado sus competencias sociales y personales (Guil y Gil-Olarte, 2007). De acuerdo con la normativa educativa vigente, las administraciones educativas promoverán el máximo desarrollo personal, intelectual, social y emocional del alumnado (Ley Orgánica 2/2006, de 3 de mayo, de Educación modificada por la Ley Orgánica 9/2013, de 9 de diciembre, para la Mejora de la Calidad Educativa). Sin embargo, en la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (E.S.O.) encontramos escasos programas que atiendan a este desarrollo integral. Asimismo, este alumnado presenta necesidades específicas de apoyo educativo para alcanzar el logro académico debido, entre otras razones, a su déficit en diversas competencias emocionales y habilidades sociales (Santamaría y Valdés, 2017). Concretamente, en Andalucía, el alumnado de Formación Profesional Básica presenta altas tasas de absentismo, así como escasa motivación, autoconcepto, autoestima y habilidades sociales, entre otras características (Junta de Andalucía, 2018). Para dar respuesta a esta situación, planteamos un proyecto piloto cuya finalidad será incrementar el logro académico y la adaptación socioescolar a través de las competencias emocionales. Dicho proyecto se ha llevado a cabo con cinco alumnos/as de segundo curso de E.S.O. que cumplen las características necesarias para iniciar las enseñanzas de Formación Profesional Básica en el próximo curso escolar. De este modo, se desarrollarán las competencias emocionales del alumnado con el refuerzo de las materias instrumentales y fundamentales del currículum de manera complementaria a la enseñanza formal
Relación de los menores con las redes sociales y el whatsapp: causas y consecuencias.
Get PDFAt present, the smartphone and social networks have become almost mandatory elements for everyone, from very early ages, constituting a new and powerful form of socialization, with relational and communicative functions so powerful that if you do not use any of them, it seems that “you do not exist”.This is the reason that led us to develop the present work, intending to study the causes and consequences derived from the type of relationship established by minors with social networks and WhatsApp. The influence of certain factors such as self-esteem and the need of attention and social recognition –even reaching narcissism– which crystallize in the incessant uploading (publication) of photos and personal information, is analysed. Moreover, other negative consequences that may result from a little responsible and/or abusive use, such as the difficulty of interacting with others outside a screen or the possibilities to control to the other that they can allow, are also considered. Likewise, by focusing on different aspects of their social behaviour, we intend to analyse the reasons that make these tools so attractive and how they affect the lives of the users. To perform this research, a quantitative methodology was used, through an ad hoc questionnaire developed by the authors. It was applied to a sample of n=134 students from the province of Salamanca: ESO (Obligatory Secondary Education) children, high school and professional training students, with an average age of 14.8 years. From the results obtained it is possible to conclude that these tools can represent an important limitation in the life of the users, making difficult some aspects of their social life, even doing that their mood depend on the feedback obtained from the networks through the publications, not being as simple as they think to be separated from them.En la actualidad, el smartphone y las Redes Sociales se han convertido en elementos casi obligados para todo el mundo, desde edades muy tempranas, constituyendo una nueva y poderosa forma de socialización, con funciones relacionales y comunicativas tan potentes que, si no utilizas alguna de ellas, parece que ‘no existes’. Y éste es, precisamente, el motivo que nos ha llevado a desarrollar el presente trabajo, donde pretendemos estudiar las causas y consecuencias derivadas del tipo de relación establecida por los menores con las Redes Sociales y el WhatsApp. Se analiza la influencia de algunos factores como la autoestima y la necesidad de atención y reconocimiento social –llegando incluso al narcisismo– cristalizada en la incesante ‘subida’ (publicación) de fotos e información personal, así como otras consecuencias negativas que pueden derivarse de una utilización poco responsable y/o abusiva, como la dificultad para interaccionar con otros fuera de una pantalla o las posibilidades de control del otro que otorgan. Asimismo, se pretenden analizar los motivos que hacen tan atractivas estas herramientas y cómo afectan a la vida de los usuarios, centrándonos en diferentes aspectos del comportamiento social de los mismos. Para llevar a cabo la investigación se utilizó una metodología cuantitativa, a través de un cuestionario a d h o c , de elaboración propia, aplicado a una muestra de alumnos de la provincia de Salamanca, obteniendo una muestra final de n =134, con menores estudiantes de ESO, Bachillerato y FP , con media de edad de 14,8 años. Los resultados permiten concluir que estas herramientas pueden llegar a suponer una importante limitación en la vida de los usuarios, dificultado aspectos de su vida social, llegando incluso a que su estado de ánimo dependa de la retroalimentación obtenida en las redes a través de las publicaciones, no siendo tan sencillo como piensan desvincularse de ellas