Evaluación de la atención y las funciones ejecutivas mediante realidad virtual en menores de zonas de alto riesgo socioeconómico de ciudad de Guatemala

Authors

  • Pablo Rodríguez - Prieto
  • Alejandro García - Crespín
  • Ian Craig Simpson
  • Joaquín Ibáñez - Alfonso

Abstract

RESUMEN

Trasfondo: Cada vez hay mayor evidencia de que el contexto social-cultural influye significativamente en el desarrollo cognitivo y emocional. Este estudio analizó las funciones ejecutivas y atencionales en niños de zonas con alta pobreza y violencia en Ciudad de Guatemala. Método: Con 352 estudiantes de 5º de primaria, se usaron herramientas innovadoras de realidad virtual para evaluar la relación entre contexto socioeconómico, exposición a la violencia y salud mental con la cognición, dividiendo a los participantes en grupos normativos y no normativos. Resultados: Ambos grupos tuvieron rendimientos por debajo de la media, especialmente en atención sostenida y planificación en los menores no normativos. Factores como violencia, ingresos familiares y el nivel educativo de los tutores afectaron la atención sostenida y memoria de trabajo. Conclusión: Estos datos apoyarían evidencias previas sobre el impacto negativo que el contexto socioeconómico y cultural puede tener en el rendimiento de las funciones ejecutivas y atencionales, efecto también reflejado en estas novedosas herramientas de evaluación neuropsicológica mediante realidad virtual.

Palabras clave: Atención, funciones ejecutivas, realidad virtual, nivel socioeconómico, salud mental.

ABSTRACT

Background: There is increasing evidence regarding the impact of social-cultural context on cognitive and emotional development. The present study aimed to analyze the performance of executive functions and attention in children living in areas of high risk of poverty and exposure to violence in Guatemala City. Method: Innovative cognitive assessment tools were used to analyze the impact of socioeconomic context, exposure to violence, and mental health on cognition. There were 352 participants in 5th grade of primary school, divided into normativity groups. Results: The performance of both groups was below average, being especially low in sustained attention and planning in the non-normative group. Additionally, we found that exposure to violence, the ratio of monthly income per person in the family unit, and the educational level of legal guardians especially influenced sustained attention and working memory. Conclusion: These data would support previous evidence on the negative impact that socioeconomic and cultural context can have on the performance of executive and attentional functions, an effect also reflected in these novel neuropsychological assessment tools using virtual reality.

Keywords: Attention, executive functions, virtual reality, socioeconomic level, mental health.

RESUMO

Contexto: Há cada vez mais evidências de que o contexto sociocultural influencia significativamente o desenvolvimento cognitivo e emocional. Este estudo analisou as funções executivas e de atenção em crianças de áreas de alta pobreza e violência na Cidade da Guatemala. Métodos: Foram usadas ferramentas inovadoras de realidade virtual para avaliar a relação entre o contexto socioeconômico, a exposição à violência, a saúde mental e a cognição em 352 alunos da 5ª série, dividindo os participantes em grupos normativos e não normativos. Resultados: Ambos os grupos tiveram desempenho abaixo da média, especialmente em atenção sustentada e planejamento em crianças não normativas. Fatores como a violência, a renda familiar e o nível educacional dos responsáveis afetaram a atenção sustentada e a memória de trabalho. Conclusão: Esses dados corroboram evidências anteriores sobre o impacto negativo que o contexto socioeconômico e cultural pode ter sobre o desempenho das funções executivas e atencionais, um efeito que também se reflete nessas novas ferramentas de avaliação neuropsicológica que usam realidade virtual.

Palavras-chave: Atenção, funções executivas, realidade virtual, status socioeconômico, saúde mental.

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How to Cite

Prieto, P. R. .-., Crespín, A. G. .-., Simpson, I. C., & Alfonso, J. I. .-. (2025). Evaluación de la atención y las funciones ejecutivas mediante realidad virtual en menores de zonas de alto riesgo socioeconómico de ciudad de Guatemala. Panamerican Journal of Psychology, 19(1). Retrieved from https://cnps.cl/index.php/cnps/article/view/581

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 1 (2025): Cnps.

Section

Original Papers

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