To systematically review and perform meta-analyses on the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of adults born moderate and late preterm (MLPT) in relation to cognitive functioning and psychiatric disorders. A search was conducted to identify any studies that involved prematurity in adulthood. From these studies, reports that included a group of MLPT adults and included description of cognitive and/or mental health domains (including specific long-term outcomes) were selected. In total, 155 publications were identified, but only 16 papers met the inclusion criteria. A small effect size (g = 0.38) was found in MLPT to demonstrate poorer intellectual performance compared with those born at term. Moreover, MLPT adults exhibited greater odds for any psychiatric (OR 1.14), substance use (OR 1.16), mood (OR 1.06), and psychotic disorders (OR 1.40). Despite inconsistency due to the methodologic differences between the selected studies, MLPT showed minor long-term effects into adulthood. However, more studies are needed, because prematurity seems to confer some vulnerability to biological and environmental factors that enhance susceptibility to adverse neurodevelopment outcomes.

Self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that motivation can interact with resilience and perceived competence. The climate-related characteristics of the classroom can influence student motivation. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between the differentiated motivation of theoretical and practical teaching, resilience, and perceived competence, considering the number of students per class and the profiles of the lecturers. A total of 789 students participated (mean age = 19.31; SD = 3.37) from Psychology, Nursing, and Education degrees from different Spanish universities. The BRS (resilience), PCNS (perceived competence), and PLOC-U (university student motivation) questionnaires were used with a new scale designed ad hoc to measure motivation in practical teaching. Student-to-class ratios and different levels of teaching experience were also recorded. A test–retest design was used to verify the stability of the measures before and after the examination of the subjects. Intrinsic motivation in practical teaching was significantly associated with resilience (r = 0.09, p < 0.03) and perceived competence (r = 0.23, p < 0.01), and in theoretical teaching, it was associated only with perceived competence (r = 20, p < 0.01). The factorial analysis of the new subscale of the PLOC-U for the measurement of motivation in practical teaching presented a good fit and reliability (α = 0.60 to 0.84) in the five factors. Test–retest analyses revealed good temporal stability. Students in small groups with more experienced lecturers scored higher on intrinsic motivation, particularly in practical classes. The stable and reliable measurement of the different types of student motivation allows their analysis and association with other variables of interest in university education, which could lead to significant improvements in teaching planning.

White matter (WM) alterations are well documented in schizophrenia. Abnormalities in interhemispheric fibers appear to account for altered WM asymmetry in the illness. However, the regional specificity (e.g., frontal versus occipital) of these alterations and their potential contribution to cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia remain unknown. Forty one patients with schizophrenia and 21 healthy controls (HC) underwent diffusion-weighted imaging on a 3 Tesla MRI machine. Tract-based spatial statistic (FSL) was used to assess whole brain differences in WM. Probabilistic tractography was performed in order to separately measure frontal and occipital WM tracts. Participants also completed tests of verbal memory and processing speed. Repeated measures analyses of covariance and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. A significant group x cerebral hemisphere interaction was found for fractional anisotropy (FA) (F_(1,17) = 7.03; p = .017; η_p² = 0.29) and radial diffusivity (RD) (F_(1,17) = 4.84; p = .042; η_p² = 0.22) in the frontal tract of patients versus HC. Healthy controls showed higher mean FA and lower mean RD in the left frontal tract compared to patients, who showed the opposite pattern. In patients with schizophrenia, mean FA and RD in the right frontal tract correlated with verbal memory (r = -0.68, p = .046; r = 0.77, p = .015). Asymmetric WM alterations were found in a frontal tract of patients with schizophrenia. Higher mean FA in the right frontal tract correlated with worse verbal memory performance, suggesting a possible contribution these brain changes to cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.

This study analyzed the effectiveness of an integrative cognitive remediation program (REHACOP) in improving neurocognition, social cognition, creativity, functional outcome, and clinical symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. In addition, possible mediators predicting improvement in functional outcomes were explored. The program combined cognitive remediation with social cognitive training and social and functional skill training over 20 weeks. The sample included 94 patients, 47 in the REHACOP group and 47 in the active control group (occupational activities). Significant differences were found between the two groups in change scores of processing speed, working memory, verbal memory (VM), inhibition, theory of mind, emotion processing (EP), figural creative strengths, functional competence, disorganization, excitement, and primary negative symptoms. A mediational analysis revealed that changes in VM, inhibition, and EP partially explained the effect of cognitive remediation on functional competence improvement. This study provides initial evidence of the effect of integrative cognitive remediation on primary negative symptoms and creativity.

The increased aging of populations and rises in immigration have prompted the design of new methodologies and instruments for fostering the invisible care of geriatric patients among health science students in accordance with the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. A total of 656 psychology, nursing and dentistry students participated in this study, which had a pretest–posttest design and was implemented over the course of three academic years. The intervention groups received training using an active learning methodology based on a case study involving a geriatric patient; specifically, a Maghrebi woman. The control groups were not exposed to the case study. The CCI-U questionnaire was designed ad hoc to evaluate the acquisition of invisible competences for caring for geriatric patients in accordance with their age, sex, emotional situation and ethnic origin. The questionnaire had a reliability of α = 0.63 to 0.72 and its factor solution was found to have a good fit. Students in the intervention groups scored higher than those in the control groups, with the difference being statistically significant for ethnic origin in all three undergraduate courses and all three academic years. The proper application of this active learning methodology fosters the invisible care of geriatric patients among students in accordance with the 2030 Agenda.

Neuropsychological rehabilitation has been the focus of much scientific research over the past decades due to its efficacy in different pathologies. Advances in the neuropsychology field have led to improvements and changes in neuropsychological interventions, which in turn have given rise to different approaches and rehabilitation programs. REHACOP is an integrative neuropsychological rehabilitation program designed by specialist neuropsychologists. With an integrated bottom-up and top-down approach, REHACOP includes neurocognition, social cognition, and daily living tasks hierarchically organized on an increasing level of difficulty. Task arrangement is addressed to maximize improvements and transfer effects into participant’s daily living. To date, REHACOP has been implemented on different clinical samples such as patients with schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson’s disease (PD). This manuscript presents the efficacy data of REHACOP across these three populations and discusses it in the context of the available literature. Overall, the magnitude of improvements obtained by means of REHACOP ranged from medium to high across samples. These changes were not restricted to specific neurocognitive domains since participants attending the REHACOP program also showed changes in social cognition and daily functioning variables by means of both direct and transfer effects. Results regarding REHACOP’s efficacy in psychiatric and neurological conditions have contributed to expanding the existing evidence about the use of structured neuropsychological rehabilitation. In addition, the results obtained after its implementation highlighted the need and importance of designing and implementing integrative neuropsychological rehabilitation programs that are focused not only on cognition per se but also on participants’ performance in daily living.