Social and emotional neuropsychology

The group is focused and collaborating on those neuropsychological aspects that affect the improvement of both social (especially emotional) and personal (adaptation) functioning. Several works have already been published on emotion regulation, empathy, mindfulness and emotional intelligence as mechanisms of change that affect, mediate or moderate the functioning of people. Currently, the research drift of the group is focusing more on the neurological aspects that are supporting these processes. In such a way that the neuropsychobiological bases that may be explaining a considerable decrease in both social (and emotional) and personal functioning of people with neuropsychobiological deficits are studied.

For example, we are interested in personality disorders, of which very little is known about the implications of certain relevant neural structures that can explain the reason for certain social and personal malfunctions. Likewise, we are collaborating with other INiBICA groups using the group's own resources and the INDESS institute (social and sustainable development) of the UCA as a cooperation link with neurologists, endocrinologists, nurses or other health specialists.

• José Miguel Mestre Navas:
• E-mail: josemi.mestre@uca.es.
• ORCID: 0000-0002-6822-4970.

• Emotional intelligence and social functioning: Emotional intelligence is a set of cognitive abilities (to perceive, attend to, decide, manage and understand) linked to the emotional processes that directly affect (fundamentally as a mediator) the processes of personal growth and social functioning. The deficit of these competences affects a low mental health where affection and adaptation play a relevant role). Of all these capacities, the regulation of emotions is the most decisive. We are also very interested in the development of techniques that improve personal functioning and emotional attention, such as mindfulness and the mediating role of both cognitive and emotional empathy in mental health patients (especially those diagnosed with personality disorders).
• Cognitive architecture and personal and social functioning: We tried to study which structures of the neocortex, limbic system and primary areas of the brain (for example, the amygdala) are linked to social functioning (where emotional intelligence and emotional regulation have a key role in a person's social functioning, for example, the orbitofrontal region). This interest focuses on people with brain damage who may be affected in proper personal functioning (such as their autonomy) or in their social functioning (eg, in their social and family relationships).
• Emotional Biometrics: It is an emerging field in which some of the group are training for the objective study (through devices and software such as I-motion and EMotiv) that allow us objective measurements that are operational and synchronized in experiments. both in people with neurological damage and not. This field is booming and allows interdisciplinarity between fields such as Experimental Psychology and Medicine. The advantage of the synchronization of the different signals and measurements allows us to monitor moment by moment everything that the experimental subject feels (GSR, EEG, Eye-tracking, Facial expressions, blind mind). Useful in fields such as intracranial stimulation, brain injuries, chronic illnesses and experiments that require a reliable and objective measure (not manipulated by the subject) of his real affective state and not the self-perceived one.

Emotional intelligence Emotional regulation Mindfulness Social and personal functioning Adaptation Neuropsychological evaluation Biometrics Emotional Social neuropsychology

• Principal Investigators:
  • José Miguel Mestre Navas (TU) (PI).
• Investigators:
  • Cristina Guerrero Rodríguez.
  • Álvaro Rodríguez Mora (PSI).
  • Jorge Turanzas Romero (COL).

• Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO), Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Programa Estatal de I+D+i Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad [PSI2017-85951-R] Collaboration. Segura Assessing the integrity of cortical–subcortical functional networks by nucleus accumbens and subthalamic deep brain stimulation.
• Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO); Programa Estatal de I+D+i Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad RTC-2016-5095-1 Collaboration.: Sistema Individualizado y Personalizado de Atención Sanitaria, orientado a la Prevención, la Pre-Asistencia y la Autogestión de la Salud (em-Phasys).

1. Sensory-Processing Sensitivity and Pathways to Depression and Aggression: The Mediating Role of Trait Emotional Intelligence and Decision-Making StyleA Pilot Study. Authors (3): Drndarevic, Nikola; Protic, Sonja; Mestre, Jose M*. Published: Dec 2021 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. DOI: 10.3390/IJERPH182413202. Web of Science accession number: WOS:0007390607000010. IF: 3.390 Q1.
2. The Role of Strategic Emotional Intelligence in Predicting Adolescents' Academic Achievement: Possible Interplays with Verbal Intelligence and Personality. Authors (4): Jolic, Zorana; Altaras, Ana; Protic, Sonja; & Mestre, Jose M*. Published: Dec 2021 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. DOI: 10.3390/IJERPH182413166. Web of Science accession number: WOS:0007381960000010. IF: 3.390 Q1.
3. Mediators and Theories of Change in Psychotherapy for Young People with Personality Disorders: A Systematic Review Protocol. Authors (22): Volkert, Jana; Taubner, Svenja ... Heinonen, Erkki…Mestre, J.M…. Published: Sep 2021 in Frontiers in Psychology. DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2021.703095. Web of Science accession number: WOS:0007037828000010. IF: 2.988 Q2.
4. Mediators in Psychological Treatments for Anxiety and Depression in Adolescents and Young People: A Protocol of a Systematic Review. Authors (21): Conejo-Ceron, Sonia; Taubner, Svenja ... Mestre, J.M….Moreno-Peral, Patricia. Published: Jul 2021 in Frontiers in Psychology. DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2021.708436. Web of Science accession number: WOS:0006807780000010. IF: 2.988 Q2.
5. Mediators and theories of change in psychotherapy with adolescents: a systematic review protocol. Authors (21): Taubner, Svenja; Saliba, Andrea;…Mestre, J.M.... Sales, Celia M. D. Published: Mar 2021 in BMJ Open. DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2020-042411. Web of Science accession number: WOS:0006271985000120. IF: 2.692 Q2.
6. The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence, Obesity and Eating Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Mapping Review. Authors (7): Giusti, Emanuele Maria; Manna, Chiara ... Pietrabissa, Giada, Mestre, J.M…. Published: Feb 2021 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. DOI: 10.3390/IJERPH18042054. Web of Science accession number: WOS:000623546600001. IF: 3.390 Q1.

1. Guerra, J., García-Gómez., M., Turanzas, J., Cordon, J.R., Suarez-Jurado, C., & Mestre, J.M. (2019). A Brief Spanish Version of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). A Dispositional Mindfulness Measure. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(8), 1355. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16081355.

1. Turanzas, J., Cordón, J.R., Choca, J. P., & Mestre, J.M. (2018). Evaluating the APAC (Mindfulness for Giftedness) Program in a Spanish Sample ofGifted Children: a Pilot Study. Mindfulness,on-line version first. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0985-1.

1. Cordon, J.R., Mestre, J.M., & Walliser, J. (2017) Human Factors in Seafaring: The Role of Situation Awareness. Safety Science, 93, 256-265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2016.12.018.
2. Mestre, J. M., Núñez-Lozano, J. M., Gómez-Molinero, R., Zayas, A., & Guil, R. (2017). Emotion Regulation Ability and Resilience in a Sample of Adolescents of a suburban area. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01980.
3. Cordón, J. R., Mestre, J.M., Walliser, J. (2017). Human factors in seafaring: The role of situation awareness. Safety Science, 93, 256–265. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2016.12.018.

1. Mestre, J. M., MacCann, C., Guil, R., & Roberts, R. (2016). Models of Cognitive Ability and Emotion Can Better Inform Contemporary Emotional Intelligence Frameworks. Emotion Review, 8(4), 322-330. DOI: 10.1177/1754073916650497.
2. Roberts, R.J., MacCann, C., Guil, R., & Mestre, J. M. (2016). Reimagining Emotional Intelligence: A Healthy, Much Needed, and Important Progression for the Field. Emotion Review, 8(4), 334-334. DOI: 10.1177/1754073916650506.
3. Barchard, K. A., Brackett, M. A., Mestre, J. M. (2016). Taking Stock and Moving Forward: 25 Years of Emotional Intelligence Research. Emotion Review, 8(4), 289-289. DOI: 10.1177/1754073916650562.

1. Mestre, J.M., Larran, C., Herrero, J., Guil, R., & G. de la Torre, F. (2015). PERVALE-S: PERVALE-S: a new cognitive task to assess deaf people’s ability to perceive basic and social emotions. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1148. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01148.

1. De la Torre, G., Mestre, J. M., & Guil, R. (2014). Neurocognitive performance using the Windows spaceflight cognitive assessment tool (WinSCAT) in human spaceflight simulations. Aerospace Science and Technology, 35, 87-92. DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2014.02.006.

• European Network on Individualized Psychotherapy Treatment. 2017-03 hasta 2021-03 | Grant. European Cooperation in Science and Technology (Brussels, Belgium, Europe, ES). URL: https://e-services.cost.eu/. Part of GRANT_NUMBER: CA16102.