Patricia Leivy’s scientific contributions

Background: Online psychological interventions have emerged as a treatment alternative because they are accessible, flexible, personalized, and available to large populations. The number of Internet interventions in Latin America is limited, as are Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) of their effectiveness and a few studies comparing their effectiveness in multiple countries at the same time. We have developed an online intervention, Well-being Online, which will be available to the public free of charge in 7 countries: Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Spain, and the Netherlands. We expect a reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms and an increase in well-being of the participants. Methods: A multi-country, randomized controlled trial will be conducted. The intervention is multicomponent (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Behavioral Activation Therapy, Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Positive Psychology), with 10 sessions. In each country, eligible participants will be randomized to one of three groups: Enriched Intervention (interactive web design with videos, infographics, text, audio, and forum), Text Intervention (text on the website), and Wait List (control group). Repeated measures will be obtained at 5-time points. Our primary outcomes will be anxiety symptomatology, depressive symptomatology, and mental well-being. MANOVA analysis will be used for our main analysis. Discussion: This protocol describes the design of a randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of a web-based intervention to reduce anxiety and depression symptomatology and increase subjective well-being. The intervention will be made available in four languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and English). Its results will contribute to the evidence of effectiveness in terms of randomized trials and Internet interventions, mainly in Latin America and Europe

The evaluation of quality of life in children and adolescents with cancer has become an increasing necessity, because of the different areas of the patient's and its families lives that get affected by this disease. The aim of this research was to determine the association between quality of life and sociodemogra-phic variables in children and adolescents with cancer and their families. We developed a transversal and analytic study that included a sample of fifty-nine patients from four to 16 years old, along with its parents. The participants answered the KINDL survey in its children, adolescents, and parents versions (α = 0.77). The results indicated that the lower scores of quality of life were in the socioemotional areas, particularly in school. We observed an affectation to quality of life that increases with age. Additionally, differences in the perception of quality of life of the patients and parents were found. This study provides scientific evidence about the necessity to develop personalized and opportune socioemotional interventions for the pediatric oncology services.

Background: The transtheoretical model (TTM) has been widely used to promote healthy behaviors in different groups. However, a questionnaire has not yet been developed to evaluate the health behaviors that medical practitioners often consider in individuals with cancer or at a high risk of developing cancer. Purpose: The aim of this study was to construct and validate the Health Behavior and Stages of Change Questionnaire (HBSCQ), which is based on the TTM and health recommendations related to risk and factors that protect against cancer. Methods: Content validity was conducted in two phases (qualitative and quantitative). Item difficulty index, item discrimination index, and discrimination coefficient were obtained based on the classical test theory. Finally, Cronbach's alpha was used. Results: Measure of concordance showed scores considered adequate and excellent. The item discrimination index obtained a rating of " excellent " and suggested the preservation of all items. The discrimination coefficient scores are >0.74. The global internal consistency of the HBSCQ was 0.384. HBSCQ specification between groups of internal consistency for the sample of men was 0.712 and that for the sample of women was 0.378. Conclusion/implications for practice: The HBSCQ represents a proposal for a fast, simple, and innovative screening test, which aims to identify persons who may benefit from interventions to promote health behaviors delimited to the stage of change.