Internet use has been steadily and unstoppably gaining ground in all areas of life, from recreational activities to the establishment of social relations. However, addictive use of the Internet is a problem that seriously affects some people. Factors that may influence the occurrence of inappropriate internet use include age and social skills. For this reason, the aim of this study is to analyze the influence of social skills and age on the development of problematic internet use in university students. The study involved 514 students enrolled at a university in Spain, who filled in two questionnaires, one on problematic internet use and the other on social skills. Multivariate multiple linear regression models revealed that some social skills variables (conversation and social ease, empathic and positive feeling skills, risk coping) predicted problematic internet use. In addition, age played a role in preference for online social interaction and deficient self-regulation. Younger students were more at risk of having obsessive thoughts related to internet use and of engaging in compulsive internet use compared to older students.

The objective of this study is to measure the effectiveness of a program on improving inhibitory and emotional control among children. In addition, it is assessed whether the improvement of these skills has an effect on the reduction of aggressive behavior in pre-school children. The participants were 100 children, 50 belonging to the control group and 50 to the experimental group, aged between 5 and 6 years. Pre-intervention and post-intervention measures of inhibitory and emotional control (BRIEF-P) and aggression (BASC) were taken. A Generalized Linear Mixed Model analysis (GLMM) was performed and found that children in the experimental group scored higher on inhibitory and emotional control compared to their peers in the control group. In addition, these improvements have an effect on the decrease in aggressiveness. In conclusion, preventive research should have among its priorities the design of such program given their implications for psychosocial development.

The objective of this research is to examine the effectiveness of the “Executive Function Training Program in Preschool” (EFE-P) that includes real-world activities and applies different required methodologies for a sustainable education. In addition, it is evaluated whether the improvement of executive functions is transferred to the social competence domain. The study involved 100 students aged 5–6 years, of which 50 were randomly assigned to the active control group and 50 to the experimental group. Executive functions (BRIEF-P) and social competence (BASC and PKBS-2) were measured at two time points (pre-intervention and post-intervention). Data were analyzed using the Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) for repeated data and results showed that children in the experimental group obtained better scores on executive functions and social competence compared to their peers in the control group. It is discussed if the executive functions training can be effective in improving social competence as long as the programs include real-world activities that encourage such transfer, as the EFE-P does.

Information and communication technologies are transforming our daily lives in a wide variety of ways, such as the way we work, study, and interact with others. There are clear benefits to be gained from appropriate use, but a problem arises when addictive and problematic use of the Internet is experienced. In this sense, several predictive factors can be related to inappropriate or problematic Internet use. For this reason, the present study aimed to analyze whether inhibition, flexibility, emotional control (executive functions) and self-esteem directly influence all variables of problematic Internet use. Furthermore, it was examined whether executive functions, mediated by self-esteem, indirectly influence problematic Internet use. The study involved 514 university students who completed three scales, one for the assessment of problematic Internet use, one for self-esteem and one for executive functions. Mediation models showed that both executive functions and self-esteem had an influence on different problematic uses of the Internet. Specifically, it was found that flexibility and emotional control were the variables with the most direct effects, as they influenced all variables of problematic Internet use. However, when self-esteem was included as a mediator, inhibition was the variable with the most indirect effects.

Behavioral problems are early indicators of antisocial behavior and should be targeted from a preventive perspective from early childhood. The purpose of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of the AC1 preschool program that develops social-emotional skills that facilitate the adjustment and regulation of the person. A total of 102 children aged 3–4 years old participated in the research, 52 belonging to the experimental group and 49 to the control group. Program-trained skills (ROAC-3), social skills (PKBS-2), and externalizing problems (CBCL C-TRF) were assessed in the pre- and post-intervention phase. Data analysis was carried out using a generalized linear mixed model analysis (GLMM). The results show that the children in the experimental group scored higher on the variables trained by the program and on social skills than those in the control group. They also obtained lower scores in the observed externalizing problems. The effect of the program was high in the emotion identification and expression, communication skills, prosocial behaviors (sharing and helping), problem-solving, and social interaction. Social-emotional learning in early childhood is essential for the prevention of behavioral problems to facilitate the development of adjusted and regulated behavior. Thus, preschool programs could play a key role.

Actualmente, los problemas de conducta siguen siendo un tema de preocupación social debido a la multitud de consecuencias negativas que llevan asociados, tales como bajo rendimiento académico, mayor riesgo de deserción escolar, el rechazo de los compañeros, y la disminución de la motivación. Una extensa literatura sugiere una relación inversa entre las funciones ejecutivas y la conducta agresiva en los seres humanos, es decir, altas puntuaciones en los problemas de conducta coinciden con bajas puntuaciones en las pruebas de funcionamiento ejecutivo. A pesar de que la conducta agresiva se desarrolla en la primera infancia, son pocos estudios sobre funciones ejecutivas los que se han realizado en niños en edad preescolar con problemas de comportamiento. Por esta razón, la presente investigación pretende: conocer la relación entre funciones ejecutivas y los problemas de conducta en los niños y niñas del tercer curso de Educación Infantil. En el presente estudio participaron 204 alumnos/as (116 niños y 88 niñas) de 5 años de edad, matriculados en el tercer curso de Educación Infantil, en un centro concertado de la provincia de Granada. Igualmente participaron los padres y madres del alumnado. Los resultados indican que altas puntuaciones en problemas de conducta se relacionan con puntuaciones bajas en funciones ejecutivas. En conclusión, mucha literatura sugiere un vínculo entre la conducta agresiva y los déficits en las funciones ejecutivas, aunque estas diferencias no son consistentes en todos los estudios. Por tanto, seria interesante realizar estudios longitudinales que permitan analizar con mayor precisión el impacto de las funciones ejecutivas en los problemas de conducta.