Dating Violence in Adolescence: Comparison between Scholars and Adolescents in Residential Care

(1) Background: Dating violence (DV) among adolescents constitutes a serious problem, not only because of the magnitude of the phenomenon, but also because of the seriousness of the personal and social consequences derived from it. The objectives of this study were the following: to analyze the prevalence of DV among adolescents in residential care and in schools, according to sex, age and origin, and to analyze the prevalence of the types of violence and victimization, according to the residential care resource and the school. (2) Methods: The sample consisted of adolescents in residential care in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (Spain) (n = 271) and adolescents in schools (n = 268) aged between 12 and 17 years. (3) Results: The results showed a higher prevalence of DV in adolescents in residential care than that found in other studies with a normative sample. (4) Conclusions: These results support the need for work and research with these minors in residential care. It also gives an important weight to sociodemographic variables, such as age and sex, and also to the types of violence and victimization, i.e., variables to be taken into account in the intervention with adolescents. Future educational programs should consider DV prevention and children in residential care.

Promoting Health in a Rural Community in the Basque Country by Leveraging Health Assets Identified through a Community Health Diagnosis

Salutogenesis focuses on factors that generate health and is a useful construct for identifying factors that promote health and for guiding activities to this end. This article describes health assets identified in a community diagnosis and how to leverage them with actions for improvement to deepen the understanding of this concept and its impact on health promotion. An intervention strategy was designed following the principles of participatory action research (PAR). The study was carried out in Mañaria (Basque Country, Spain) using semi-structured and in-depth interviews, participant observation, desk review, and photographs, alongside different participatory strategies. Twenty-six women were interviewed, 21 of whom were community inhabitants, and five were key informants who worked in public or private institutions. Participant recruitment stopped when data saturation was reached. Data were analysed through discourse analysis, progressive coding, and categorisation. Six meta-categories emerged, and for each of these categories, health assets were identified together with actions to improve the community’s health. The latter were presented by the community to the authorities to trigger specific actions towards improving the health of the community. Identification of health assets led to different actions to improve the health of the community including improving the existing physical and social environments, personal and group skills, and the promotion of physical, social, emotional and cultural well-being.

Perception of Competence as Mediator between Motor Competence and Physical Activity

Background: The practice of physical activity (PA) plays an important role in achieving an active-healthy lifestyle. Several authors have focused their studies on the relationship between motor competence (MC) and physical activity (PA). Stodden et al. proposed a conceptual model, where they postulated the existence of a positive and significant relationship between the two variables and that there are mediating variables that play a critical role in this relationship as perceived motor competence (PMC). Aims: Therefore, the purpose of this research is to provide empirical evidence to support the conceptual model. The aim is to examine the association of PMC and MC with PA and to determine whether PMC is a mediator of the association between MC and PA in Basque adolescents. Methods: 897 students between 12 and 16 years old from the Basque Country (Spain) participated in this study. The SPORTCOMP battery was used to assess motor competence and the AMPET-R questionnaire was applied to measure the PMC. To know the level of PA participants were asked how many days per week they performed physical activity, considering physical activity to include any sport activity, organized or unorganized, that meets the conditions of a minimum duration of 60 min medium and vigorous intensity. A descriptive, correlational and direct/indirect effect approach was used, using the PROCESS macro for Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: The results highlight that, on the one hand, PMC significantly correlates with both MC and PA and, on the other hand, it is corroborated that PMC is a mediator variable in the relationship between MC and PA. Conclusion: The mediation role of the PMC in the association between MC and PA raises the necessity not only to improve motor skills but also to provide successful experiences that allow adolescents to build a competent image of themselves that will contribute to the achievement and maintenance of an active lifestyle.

Trace Elements Analysis of Tunisian and European Extra Virgin Olive Oils by ICP-MS and Chemometrics for Geographical Discrimination

The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of trace elements in olive oils from different locations and their use for geographical authentication. Concentrations of seventeen elements were determined in a total of 42 olive oils from Tunisia, Spain (Basque country), and southern France, and in nine soil samples from Tunisia by quadrupole inductively plasma mass spectrometry. The compilation of appropriate techniques integrated into the analytical procedure achieved a precision (RSD) between 2% and 15% and low limits of detection (between 0.0002 and 0.313 µg kg−1). The accuracy of the analytical method applied for olive oil analysis was evaluated using SRM NIST 2387 Peanut butter. The recoveries obtained after microwave-assisted digestion for the certified elements ranged between 86% and 102%. Concentrations of non-certified elements (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Ba, Rb, Sr, Cd, Pb, and As) were presented. The use of Pearson correlation applied on paired Tunisian oil/soil samples has shown that several elements (Mg, Mn, Ni, and Sr) were significantly correlated. The multivariate statistics using principal component analysis have successfully discriminated against three studied origins. The most significant variables were the elemental concentrations of Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Sr, V, and Zn. This study shows the potential of applying trace elements profiles for olive oil geographical discrimination.

Collective violence and construction of peace culture in the Basque Country: two experiences of memory, recognition and forgiveness

Post-conflict societies must confront the past and build a culture of peace. Two interventions are presented here in the context of the Basque Country after the cessation of violence. The first, an intervention with the participation of victims of terrorism, where participants (N = 280 Mage = 19.83 SD = 1.29) were assigned to intervention and control groups. Results showed that participation in the programme produced more favourable attitudes towards intergroup forgiveness, intergroup empathy, and the mediating effect of self-transcending emotions. Second, the Citizenship Processes programme of memory and recognition (N = 31 Mage = 19.48 SD = 3.91). Results showed an increase in forgiveness, intergroup empathy and a change in outgroup emotions from before to after the intervention. The impact of both programmes was medium-high and the relevance of combining narratives that avoid competitive victimisation and promote peaceful intergroup attitudes is discussed. Received: 14 September 2021Accepted: 22 November 2021

A pomidory są te, co zawsze. Refleksje z baskijskiego terenu

This article focuses on personal experience of fieldwork in the Basque Country. The author reflects on the linguistic and political dimensions of her research, on the relationship between the researcher and research participants, and on the emotional challengesof ethnographic fieldwork, with particular focus on the impact of motherhood on such research. Emphasizing the importance of autoethnography, the author also points out a variety of approaches to the research process and ways of presenting research results.

Business Leadership from a Gender Perspective and Its Impact on the Work Environment and Employee’s Well-Being in Companies in the Basque Country

If the workplace environment is good, the health and well-being of employees will be good too. This research aims to distinguish whether there are differences when it comes to being directed by a man or a woman and whether this affects employees. An ad hoc questionnaire was applied, collecting personal information and including the MLQ-6 S. It was sent by mail and answered by 549 employees of 16 companies in the Basque Country, Spain. A total of 277 (50.5%) men and 272 (49.5%) women participated, among whom there were 63 managers. The methodology shows a double perspective of how employees understand and perceive the differences between male and female business leaders and how managers see themselves exercising this leadership. No significant differences have been perceived. Both men and women believe they make their employees feel good about exercising leadership (M = 42.11%, W = 48.00%) quite often. Employed women consider it more challenging to become leaders and reconcile their work-life. Men do not think so. Communication is the tool that women managers know best how to handle and where men seem to fail more. Working on it could achieve more business success and better health in employees.