Psicología desde el Caribe

Rigor and continuous review: Ethical and scientific imperatives in contemporary psychology

Angellys Mendoza Villadiego, Juan Camilo Mendoza Arango, Jean David Polo Vargas — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In this editorial, we invite the academic community to pause and reflect on a practice as common as it is seldom examined: the habit of summing or averaging responses in psychological tests. The article that opens this volume calls upon us to reflect from the epistemological and methodological foundations of the discipline on the true meaning of this operation and its implications for data interpretation. This is not merely a technical inquiry but an exercise in disciplinary self-criticism that restores to psychometrics its ethical and scientific dimension.

Assuming that responses can be summed without considering the ordinal nature of scales or the unequal contribution of items is equivalent to relinquishing the conceptual precision that scientific psychology demands. The proposal is to rethink validity not as a theoretical dogma but as an empirical argument supported by evidence and by the coherence between the construct, the measurement model, and the use made of the scores.

This reflection calls upon us as researchers, teachers, and professionals: technical responsibility is also an ethical responsibility. Using appropriate procedures, revisiting the foundations of our inferences, and updating our analytical methods are not optional tasks but essential requirements of our profession. From this perspective, the editorial reaffirms Psicología desde el Caribe’s commitment to a rigorous scientific practice, one that is open to debate and aware that every measurement, like every theory, is a way of interpreting the world, not a mirror that reflects it without error.

Importance of emotional intellenge development in university students

Sofía Florez Rodríguez — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The university stage represents a turning point in a student’s life. Beyond the acquisition of technical knowledge, it involves a process of personal transformation in which emotions play a decisive role in learning, decision-making, and well-being. In this context, emotional intelligence emerges as an essential competence for meeting the cognitive, social, and affective demands of higher education.

Scientific evidence has shown that students with high levels of emotional intelligence experience lower anxiety and depression, achieve better academic performance, and use coping strategies more effectively. For this reason, various authors agree on the need to incorporate systematic emotional training programs within the university curriculum, integrating both theoretical and practical components that strengthen socioemotional skills.

In Colombia, the recent approval of the Chair of Emotional Education —inspired by the Pisotón program of Universidad del Norte— marks a historic milestone by recognizing socioemotional development as an educational right. This progress calls upon universities to take a leading role in consolidating institutional policies that promote emotional intelligence as an integral part of professional training.

The Caribbean region offers inspiring examples of this transformation. Institutions such as CECAR, UNAD, Universidad del Norte, and Universidad Simón Bolívar have demonstrated that emotional intelligence programs generate tangible impacts on well-being, social adaptation, and academic performance.

In a context where university mental health has become a priority, this evidence reaffirms a clear message: educating in emotions is educating for life. The university should not only train competent professionals but also human beings capable of managing, with empathy, balance, and resilience, the challenges of their time.

Clinical Psychology in Health Systems: Expressions and Tensions in its Development – A Systematic Review (2002-2023)

Cristian Correa Ramirez, Luis Javier Tobón Restrepo, Juan David Villa Gómez — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The research aimed to analyze the evolution and role of clinical psychology within health systems, identifying indicators, perceptions, and forms of expression at the primary and specialized care levels, while also recognizing tensions, limitations, and areas for development. The methodology was based on a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines. The databases EBSCO, Sage, Taylor & Francis, and Dialnet were used, with a temporal range from 2002 to 2023. The analysis was drawn from 18 documents that met the inclusion criteria. The results show a prevalence of qualitative studies, a limited amount of research on clinical psychology within health systems, and the need to expand traditional views of mental health and its care, which primarily rely on individualistic and biomedical approaches. A significant increase in the number of psychology professionals within health systems was noted; however, their role and position remain unclear and confined to intramural settings. There is dissatisfaction among professionals regarding the executive scope they hold in these contexts. It is necessary to adopt an expanded psychosocial approach to clinical practice, framed within a socio-historical context.

The Recent research (2008–2023) on the sexuality of trans women: a narrative literature review

Margarita Cilveti-Lapeira, José Miguel Rodríguez-Molina, Esther López-Trenado — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The aim of this review was to synthesize the most recent research on the sexuality of trans women. A systematic search was conducted in the PsycInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science databases using predefined keywords. A total of 52 relevant articles were ultimately identified for inclusion in this narrative literature review. The majority of the identified studies were cross-sectional in design, lacked comparison groups, and were conducted in Western countries. The findings indicate that trans women report being predominantly attracted to men. Medical treatment appears to have a positive impact on their sexuality. Hormone therapy alters sensitivity and the experience of sexual relations, while following surgical treatment, trans women report engaging in sexual activity regularly. Sexual orientation is not affected by medical treatment, although sexual desire tends to decrease at the onset of hormone therapy, subsequently recovering over time with continued treatment. Research on the sexuality of trans women has remained largely focused on functional aspects associated with surgical interventions. However, more recent studies have shown increasing interest in the subjective experiences of this population, particularly regarding the impact these interventions may have on sexual well-being and overall quality of life.

Ageism at work: analysis of measurement scales for older workers in Latin America.

Andy Luis Marrero Vega, Jesús, Mariana Bargsted — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The aging of the population in Latin America has led to increased age discrimination or ageism, a phenomenon encompassing beliefs, effects, and behaviors at various expression levels. The literature reports the development of numerous scales that focus only on certain levels or dimensions without addressing their intrinsic complexity. Because of this situation, the objective of this study is to analyze the scales available for their measurement, with particular attention to their application in work contexts, their adaptation and implementation in the Latin American context, and their capacity to perform multidimensional and multilevel evaluations. For this purpose, an analysis of previous studies focused on the measurement of ageism was carried out, in which 24 scales were identified and analyzed in terms of their content (dimensions and levels) and psychometric properties. As a result, the scarcity of multidimensional and multilevel instruments is highlighted, as well as the need for more tools adapted to the labor context in the region. This analysis is crucial to address ageism at work, improve the management of inclusion and organizational diversity, and inform effective public policies.