Universities strive to ensure quality education focused on the diversity of the student body. According to experiential learning theory, students display different learning preferences. This study has a three-fold objective: to compare learning styles based on personal and educational variables, to analyze the association between learning styles, the level of academic performance, and consistency of performance in four assessment methods, and to examine the influence of learning dimensions in students with medium-high performance in the assessment methods. An interdisciplinary approach was designed involving 289 psychology, early childhood education and primary education students at two universities in Spain. The Learning Style Inventory was used to assess learning styles and dimensions. The assessment methods used in the developmental psychology course included the following question formats: multiple-choice, short answer, creation-elaboration and an elaboration question on the relationship between theory and practice. Univariate analysis, multivariate analysis, and binomial logistic models were computed. The results reveal Psychology students to be more assimilative (theoretical and abstract), while early childhood and primary education students were evenly distributed among styles and were more divergent and convergent (practical) in absolute terms. In addition, high scores in perception (abstract conceptualization) were associated with a high level of performance on the multiple-choice tests and the elaboration question on the relationship between theory and practice. Abstract conceptualization was also associated with medium-high performance in all assessment methods and this variable predicted consistent high performance, independent of the assessment method. This study highlights the importance of promoting abstract conceptualization. Recommendations for enhancing this learning dimension are presented.

The use of effective teaching strategies should be developed from teachers’ reflections on educational needs. This study has a twofold objective: to identify needs in teaching-learning processes in the university setting as well as to present and examine the effectiveness of four psychodramatic techniques: psychodramatic images, soliloquy, role-playing and roda viva. A qualitative design using thematic analysis was followed. All 128 teachers participating in the Training in Teaching Skills: Educational Psychodrama (nine courses) were evaluated. Teachers (62.5% women) were from different disciplines. Two semi-structured group interviews were conducted using the focus group procedure. Focus groups were held at the beginning and end of each course (18 in total). The phases of thematic analysis were used as discourse analysis strategies. Teachers reported the need to develop active teaching practices with large groups, strategies to motivate students and skills for conflict resolution with students. Concerning psychodramatic techniques, emphasis was placed on the psychodramatic images to promote active learning and group construction of contents, exploring previous ideas and as an evaluation resource. In addition, the structured use of role-playing was positively assessed. These results identify specific teaching needs and support the use of psychodramatic techniques as a valuable educational resource in higher education.

The stressful life events experienced by adolescents with problematic behaviors, should be considered for implementing effective interventions. This study aimed to examine the adjustment of adolescents with problematic behaviors, and to assess the effectiveness of a family-based treatment, namely Scene-Based Psychodramatic Family Therapy (SB-PFT), according to different stress profiles. Ten SB-PFT sessions, over 17 trials were implemented. Stressful life events and adolescent adjustment were evaluated at pretest and posttest, for the SB-PFT participants (n = 104 adolescents) and a control group (n = 106). The adolescents were categorized into three profiles depending on the nature of the stressors: family stress profile, individual and family stress profile, and low stress profile. The individual and family stress group showed worse adjustment. Effectiveness analyses revealed improvements in SB-PFT participants’ emotional intelligence, but not in anger and hostility. Furthermore, adolescents with low and family-related stress profiles showed enhancements in parent attachment. In conclusion, interventions involving adolescents with problematic behaviors must be tailored to the stressful life events experienced. Specific treatments should be used alongside SB-PFT, when adolescents are met with individual-related stress. Nevertheless, SB-PFT seemed to promote emotional intelligence and parent attachment, particularly in adolescents with problematic behaviors that experienced only family stressors.

The purpose of this research was to present an overview of the existing family support resources in Spain for at-risk families. We analysed 64 family support services from 16 agencies belong to 11 regions of Spain. In a second phase, 20 positive parenting programmes were analysed in depth to ascertain the extent to which they met evidence-based programme quality criteria. Our results suggest that services for at-risk families are delivered by public, local and social agencies. Most interventions were psycho-educational and aimed at parental training. The analysis of the positive parenting programmes’ quality showed both strengths and weaknesses. Most programmes relied on a previous needs analysis and interventions were, to some extent, outlined in a manual. Nevertheless, few programmes have been evaluated according to evidence-based programme criteria. In light of these results, we discuss several practical implications for services and family support policies aimed at at-risk families.