Several governments have implemented strict measures to reduce the spread of COVID‐19, such as lockdown measures. However, these measures have brought negative consequences at an individual level by exacerbating the psychological distress caused by the pandemic. We evaluated the role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERS) on the levels of anxiety and depression during the lockdown in a sample of 663 Spanish‐speaking adults, while controlling for variables related to social support, hobbies, seeking information related to COVID‐19, perceived risk of infection, time of assessment, number of deaths and contagions during the assessment and age. Using multiple regression analyses with a stepwise model selection procedure, 29% of the variance in anxiety and 38% of the variance of depression were found to be predicted by specific CERS. The impact of CERS on anxiety and depression was moderated by the sex of participants and the time of assessment, indicating that CERS did not have the same protective or harmful effects in all participants and situations. Based on our results, recommendations are provided for improving coping with stressful events where lockdown measures are taken.

Purpose: Informal caregivers constitute a vulnerable population group that has forsaken their activities and life projects with the sole purpose of caring for a dependent individual without receiving any form of compensation in return. Emotionally, this population has been neglected by both the state and family members, exacerbating distress levels among them. The objective is to analyze the impact of emotional coping strategies on the experiences of distress and emotional burden among adult informal caregivers tending to hospitalized individuals. Sample and Methods: The role of emotional coping strategies in caregiver burden and psychological distress was examined in 460 informal adult caregivers from Guayaquil, Ecuador, who participated in an online survey. The instruments used included the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS 21), the Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI), and the Emotional Coping Questionnaire (Cuestionario de Afrontamiento Emocional). The analysis involved a multiple regression to iteratively select variables, aiming to build a simpler and more explanatory model. Results: Employing multiple regression analysis with a stepwise model selection procedure, it was found that 16.5% of the variance in depression, 19.5% of the variance in anxiety, 19.8% of the variance in stress, and 32% of the variance in burden were predicted by specific coping strategies. Additionally, the impact of burden was estimated by the participants’ gender, with greater burden observed among males due to societal role expectations. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of emotional coping in the experience of informal caregivers and suggests that psychological interventions should focus on developing adaptive strategies to manage the stress and emotional burden associated with caregiving.

Introduction: The rise of social media has transformed social interactions, becoming essential in the lives of young people. Its excessive use raises concerns about negative repercussions on mental health, especially on self-esteem, which is crucial for psychological well-being and academic success. Methodology: This cross-sectional quantitative study investigated the influence of social media addiction on the state of self-esteem among 521 psychology students, selected by convenience. The Social Media Addiction Scale - Student Form (SMAS-SF) and the State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES) were used. Results: The results indicate that problems arising from social media use (β=-0.42, p<.001) and the obsession with being connected (β=-0.49, p=0.01) are significant predictors of lower state self-esteem, explaining 10% of the variance in state self-esteem. Discussions: Social media addiction has a moderately negative impact on the self-esteem of university students, which has negative implications for well-being. Conclusions: The need for specific interventions to mitigate these effects is highlighted. Further research is recommended to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of such interventions in the long term.

Introduction: The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education has raised growing concerns regarding its potential impact on academic autonomy, self-regulated learning, and cognitive functioning. However, limited attention has been given to the progressive delegation of academic cognitive and self-regulatory processes to intelligent systems. This study aimed to develop and examine the initial psychometric properties of the Academic AI Overreliance Scale among health sciences university students. Methods: Two independent studies were conducted in Ecuador. In Study 1, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed with 437 university students to identify the underlying structure of an initial 24-item pool. In Study 2, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted with an independent sample of 437 university students to evaluate the factorial validity, measurement invariance, and internal consistency of the refined 22-item version. Results: Study 1 supported a two-factor solution composed of Emotional-Dysregulated Reliance and Cognitive Reliance. Study 2 confirmed the correlated two-factor model, showing excellent fit indices (CFI = 0.994, TLI = 0.994, RMSEA = 0.066, SRMR = 0.056) and strict invariance across sex groups. Internal consistency was adequate for both Emotional-Dysregulated Reliance ( α = 0.94, ω = 0.94) and Cognitive Reliance ( α = 0.88, ω = 0.88). Discussion: The findings suggest that Academic AI Overreliance may represent a specific form of cognitive and self-regulatory externalization associated with the integration of generative AI into academic activities, rather than a traditional form of technological addiction. The scale provides preliminary evidence of validity based on internal structure, measurement invariance, and reliability, and may serve as an initial instrument for future research on generative AI, academic reasoning, and intellectual autonomy in higher education.

Objective: This study explored the influence of personal and familial factors on adolescent substance abuse in high-risk urban areas. The aim was to identify psychological and family-based predictors of abuse to inform more comprehensive prevention strategies. Method: A comparative cross-sectional design was applied to a sample of 60 adolescents aged 12–18 from vulnerable neighbourhoods in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Participants were divided into two groups: those with substance use disorder (SUD) and those who did not use drugs at all. Emotional stability and cognitive control were assessed using the Cuestionario de Personalidad Situacional, while family dynamics were evaluated with the McMaster Family Assessment Device and the Risk Family Characteristics Inventory. Welch’s t-tests and chi-square analyses were conducted for group comparisons, and multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of drug abuse. Results: Both groups demonstrated below-average scores in cognitive control and emotional stability, with substance abuse participants showing significantly lower cognitive control. Contrary to expectations, overall family functioning did not significantly differ between groups. However, adolescents with substance abuse were more likely to have family members with substance abuse issues. Logistic regression revealed that critical health problems in the family, poor family problem-solving abilities, and low emotional stability were significant predictors of drug abuse, with respective odds ratios indicating increased risk. Conclusion: The findings underscore that adolescent substance abuse is shaped by both individual psychological vulnerabilities and specific family stressors, rather than by global family functioning alone. Effective interventions should integrate support for emotional regulation with family-based strategies that enhance problem-solving and address critical health burdens. These results suggest a need to reframe prevention approaches to target both personal and environmental risk mechanisms simultaneously. While the study’s cross-sectional nature and reliance on self-reports limit causal inferences, its findings provide valuable direction for future longitudinal and intervention-based research.

(1) Background: Insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders worldwide and a growing public health concern, yet the combined contribution of psychological and demographic factors remains understudied in Latin America. This study aimed to examine how perceived stress, generalized anxiety, and sociodemographic variables predict insomnia severity in Ecuadorian adults. (2) Methods: A community sample of 698 participants (31.7% men; M = 25.6 years, SD = 10.4) completed an online survey during nationwide electricity blackouts in 2024. Measures included the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and a demographic questionnaire. Hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to evaluate the relative contribution of predictors. (3) Results: Demographic variables (age, sex, employment status, and socioeconomic level) were not significant predictors of insomnia severity (R² = 0.007). Perceived stress strongly predicted insomnia (ΔR² = 0.207, p < 0.001), and generalized anxiety added further explanatory power (ΔR² = 0.074, p < 0.001), with both factors contributing independently (β ≈ 1.96 and β ≈ 2.67). Interaction effects with socioeconomic status were non-significant. (4) Conclusions: Psychological factors explained nearly one-third of the variance in insomnia severity, underscoring the importance of stress and anxiety as core predictors and supporting the need for integrated psychological interventions to improve sleep health in Ecuador.