Repositório do ISPA
Repositório Institucional do Ispa-Instituto Universitário
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Tell me how: Teaching science with narration vs exposition
Publication . Soares, Sara; Santos, João O.; Simão, Cláudia; Gonçalves, Matilde; Barata, Raquel; Jerónimo, Rita; Kolinsky, Régine
Background: Narrative texts can support science comprehension. Yet, it remains unclear under which conditions
they are beneficial.
Aims: We compared the comprehension benefits of science narrative versus expository texts across comprehension
levels and retention intervals and identified reader and activity characteristics predicting science
comprehension.
Sample: A sample of 125 university students with low prior knowledge of the content of the texts volunteered to
participate.
Methods: Participants read both a narrative and an expository text and then completed comprehension questions
targeting different levels of comprehension. The contents were related to math or chemistry. Participants
completed the comprehension items on that session, and one week after reading the texts. We also assessed
participants' pre-reading perceived prior knowledge of the science topics and their post-reading perceptions of
the texts’ difficulty and interest.
Results: Comprehension scores were higher for the narrative than for the expository text only with the chemistry
topic, at all comprehension levels. Scores were higher in immediate comprehension assessments than in delayed
assessments. Exploratory analyses suggest that narrative texts support comprehension in part by increasing
perceived interest and lowering perceived difficulty.
Conclusion: The narrative advantage was specific to the less familiar content, boosting comprehension across all
levels of representation, partly by reducing perceived difficulty and increasing interest — underscoring the
importance of aligning text type with learners' prior knowledge and task demands.
A person-based approach to planning and developing “EmOcean”: A transdiagnostic digital intervention for stress and emotion management
Publication . Sebastião e Sebastião, Rita Maria; Ribeiro, Pedro Rodrigues; Sardinha, Eduardo; Castro, Cátia Martins; Dias Neto, David Manuel
This paper constitutes an intervention development paper, illustrating the application of the person-based approach to planning and developing a digital transdiagnostic intervention to support Portuguese adults in managing their stress and emotions, thereby enhancing their mental health.
A multi-method intervention development study following the person-based approach (Phase I: collating and analysing evidence; Phase II: creating the intervention plan). Evidence from three quantitative studies, examining emotional schemas, psychological flexibility, and mental health in the context of stress, a qualitative study, exploring stress-coping experiences, and a scoping review of digital interventions designed for stress, were combined with experts’ consultation to facilitate the creation of the guiding principles and the logic model. This guided the development of prototype intervention.
Community-based recruitment across Portugal, collected online and at hospitals, senior universities and patient organisations.
Quantitative studies used a convenience sample (Study 1, n=666; Study 2, n=583; Study 3, n=276). 29 adults purposively sampled from the Study 3’ highest and lowest stress quartiles took part in semi-structured interviews. In the scoping review, 5867 articles were identified, and 131 studies of digital psychological interventions for stress were included. Six experts in stress, cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, emotional schema therapy, digital interventions, intervention development and public health reviewed the draft intervention plan.
Results Stress responses, more than stressor type, were the strongest predictor of both positive and negative mental health, with emotional schemas (negative evaluation of emotions, difficulties in reappraisal) and psychological flexibility (behavioural awareness, valued action, openness to experience) acting as mediators. Qualitative interviews highlighted maladaptive thoughts as the main barrier and emotional management as the main facilitator to coping, alongside preferences for intervention content and delivery. The scoping review found common components in existing digital interventions for stress, but none integrated the emotional schemas model. Together with expert consultation, these findings led to the development of EmOcean prototype, a guided self-help digital intervention comprising eight integrated and five optional modules, tailored to users’ needs, characteristics and preferences, which are completed sequentially on a weekly basis. Modules include psychoeducation and exercises on topics such as stress, emotions, cognitive reframing, mindfulness, acceptance, values, activities, problem-solving, time management, physical exercise, sleep, social support, assertiveness and emotional management. Conclusions: Combining empirical, theoretical and person-based evidence supported the development of EmOcean, an intervention hypothesised to support stress and emotion management and enhance mental health. Its acceptability, feasibility and efficacy will be evaluated in future studies.
Teachers’ grade retention beliefs and practices – The role of collective teacher culture
Publication . de Nóbrega dos Santos, Natalie; Pipa, Joana; Martinho, Vera; Peixoto, Francisco
Teachers have a complex, multidimensional system of socially constructed beliefs that shape their practices. Grade retention beliefs, in particular, are embedded within a broader psycho-pedagogical framework and may be reinforced when shared by the teachers’ community. The present study used a person-centred approach to identify teachers’ profiles based on their perceptions of collective teacher culture and grade retention beliefs, to examine how these profiles relate to other psycho-pedagogical beliefs, and to their grade retention intentions and practices. An online questionnaire was completed by 1,597 Portuguese basic education teachers, assessing their beliefs about learning, assessment, intelligence, and grade retention; their intentions and practices regarding grade retention; and their perceptions of collective teacher culture. Latent profile analysis identified six profiles, differentiated by teachers’ perceptions of the collective teacher culture (two weak, two moderate, and two strong), with three profiles supporting grade retention and three sceptical of it. Covariate analyses showed that teachers in the Grade Retention Support profiles reported stronger transmissive and fixed intelligence beliefs, whereas teachers in the Grade Retention Scepticism profiles reported more malleable intelligence beliefs. Teachers in the Strong Collective Teacher Culture profiles also endorsed more transmissive teaching and summative assessment beliefs. Teachers in the Scepticism profiles showed a lower intention to use this practice. The highest grade retention rates were observed within the Weak Collective Teacher Culture and Grade Retention Scepticism profile. These findings highlight the importance of reflective and collaborative practices among teachers to share effective strategies that enhance student success, strengthen collective efficacy, and reduce grade retention rates.
Initial training of Portuguese ECEC professionals to work with children aged 0–3: Current challenges and needs
Publication . Gregório, Inês; Moreira, Janete Silva; Aguiar, Ana Lúcia; Brito, Ana Teresa; Cadima, Joana; Barros, Luísa; Corval, Raquel
Research examining and characterizing the initial training programs
currently offered to early childhood educators is scarce. This study
aims to a) characterize current offers of initial training for qualified
educators, with a focus on the under 3s in Portugal and b) identify the
main constraints and opportunities from the perspective of lecturers
involved in initial training. A document analysis of 67 initial training
programs and a series of focus group discussions (n = 23) were conducted.
Findings showed that most programs devote limited time to
0–3 years. Participants identified several constraints and proposed
adjustments that can be useful for improvement
Intersections among attachment, empathy and emotion regulation in middle childhood
Publication . Pires, Eva; Fernandes, Marilia; Fernandes, Carla; Santos, António; Vaughn, Brian E.; Verissimo, Manuela
Within secure attachment relationships, caregivers function as primary sources of self‐regulation and foster empathy. Affective empathy refers to the direct sharing of others' emotional states, whereas cognitive empathy involves understanding the meaning of others' affective displays. Although robust evidence links secure attachment to empathy, research examining the mediating role of emotion regulation (ER) during middle childhood remains limited. Participants were 214 children (108 girls) aged 8–12 years (M = 9.28 ± 1.09) and their parents (86.3% mothers). Children completed the Security Scale (SS), assessing Safe Haven (SH) and Secure Base (SB), as well the Questionnaire to Assess Affective and Cognitive Empathy in Children (QACE). Primary caregivers completed the Emotion Regulation Checklist assessing children's ER and lability/negativity. Results indicated that global ER was positively associated with cognitive but not affective empathy. Mediation analyses revealed that attachment was significantly associated with children's empathy (
however, ER did not mediate this association. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that maternal SH and paternal SB were strongly associated with cognitive and global empathy, whereas only maternal SH was strongly associated with affective empathy. These results underscore the robustness of attachment theory as an organising framework for socioemotional development regarding the processes during middle childhood.