Browsing by Author "Delalibera, Mayra"
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Does meaning-making mediate COVID-19 restrictions’ impact on grief and psychological symptoms?Publication . Batista, João; Albuquerque, Sara; Delalibera, Mayra; Oliveira, João T.; Coelho, AlexandraThe COVID-19 pandemic imposed substantial restrictions on funeral ceremonies,profoundly affecting grief experiences. This study investigated the mediating role ofmeaning-making in the relationship between these restrictions and prolonged griefdisorder (PGD) symptoms, anxiety, depression, and trauma. A longitudinal studyinvolving 141 bereaved individuals was conducted, with assessments at two time points:3–6 months (T1) and 9–12 months (T2) post-loss. Structural equation modeling re-vealed that the psychological impact of restrictions on death and funeral ceremonieshad indirect effects on anxiety and prolonged grief symptoms through meaning-making,particularly the footing in the world subscale. These findings underscore the im-portance of understanding the complex interplay between pandemic-related re-strictions and grief experiences, emphasizing the pivotal role of meaning-making inadapting to loss during those challenging times.
- “I could not give him the funeral he deserved”: The role of alternative mourning rituals during the pandemicPublication . Manquinho, Susana; Albuquerque, Sara; Delalibera, Mayra; Coelho, Alexandra; Salvador, ÁgataAmid the COVID-19 pandemic, measures were enforced that constrained people's ability to engage in conventional funeral and mourning rituals, which in general serve as vital mechanisms for coping with the experience of loss. This study aimed to investigate how these limitations afected early grief symptoms and the infuence of alternative mourning rituals (paying tribute on social media, lighting candles in memory of the deceased, and using objects of the deceased) on moderating the relationship between individuals' perception of these limitations (such as being unable to perform the present body ceremony or fulfll the funeral wishes of the deceased) and the intensity of the grief symptoms. The study involved 227 participants, aged between 18 and 77 years, who had experienced the loss of a loved one during the pandemic. Results demonstrated that higher levels of perceived limitation in funeral ceremonies are associated with greater intensity of grief responses. Paying tribute on social media and lighting candles in memory of the deceased person moderated the relationship between the perception of limitation in fulflling the deceased’s wishes in relation to the funeral ceremonies and the intensity of the grief responses. Using objects moderates the relationship between the perception of limitation in performing a present body ceremony and the intensity of the grief responses. Results underline the relevance of psychological fexibility, in particular concerning alternative morning rituals, that can be used as a way of bufering the impact of the perception of limitation in funeral ceremonies on the intensity of grief responses. This study ofers a distinctive insight into bereavement during the pandemic, highlighting the role of fexibility in morning rituals in mitigating the deleterious efect of ritual restrictions on bereavement outcomes.
- Utrecht grief rumination scale (UGRS): Psychometric study of validation of the Portuguese versionPublication . Araújo, Liliane; Albuquerque, Sara; Coelho, Alexandra; Delalibera, Mayra; Paulino, PaulaGrief rumination is characterized by recurring, repetitive, self-focused thoughts about the causes and consequences of loss and loss-related emotions. This cognitive process is a transdiagnostic risk factor for mental disorders, such as prolonged grief. The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Utrecht Grief Rumination Scale (UGRS). The sample consists of 242 bereaved adult participants with Portuguese nationality. Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that the hierarchical model showed a better fit to the data. Average Variance Extracted was also calculated to measure convergent and divergent validity. Test-criterion validity was investigated by analyzing associations between grief rumination and measures of posttraumatic stress, prolonged grief, anxiety, and depression. Using McDonald’s Omega and Cronbach’s Alpha, all subscales showed adequate reliability. The UGRS showed acceptable psychometric properties, standing out as a valid instrument for practice and research in psychology in the area of bereavement.
- Validation of the Portuguese version of the Integration of Stressful Life Experiences Scale (ISLES) in a sample of bereaved individualsPublication . Albuquerque, Sara; Henriques, Mariana; Rosa, Pedro Joel; Delalibera, Mayra; Neimeyer, Robert A.; Coelho, Alexandra; Batista, JoãoThe Integration of Stressful Life Experiences Scale (ISLES) evaluates the ability to integrate stressful experiences into one's meaning system. This study aimed to validate ISLES for the Portuguese population, utilizing a sample of 242 adults who had lost a significant other. The sample was predominantly female, educated, married, or in consensual unions, and actively employed. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure, consisting of 13 items, showing adequate local and global goodness-of-fit and supporting the proposed original structure. Convergent evidence based on internal structure was found for the two dimensions (Comprehensibility and Footing in the World). Regarding reliability, Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald's omega computed for each factor showed good internal consistency and the average inter-item correlation was considered satisfactory. This psychometric support for ISLES underscores its relevance in enhancing the knowledge of meaning-making processes in the Portuguese context.