Browsing by Author "Guedes, Maryse"
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- Assessing the benefits of the “Intergalactic World” social emotional learning program for 8–12-year-old children in Portugal: perspectives from teachers and caregiversPublication . Antunes, Rita; Alexandre, Joana; Guedes, Maryse; Filipe, Marisa G.; Veríssimo, ManuelaIntroduction: “Intergalactic World” is a new social–emotional program designed to reduce psychopathological symptoms and improve social and emotional skills in children aged 8–12. This study aims to evaluate the program’s benefits from teachers’ and caregivers’ perspectives, focusing on internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Methods: The findings were obtained through self-reported measures using a pretest-posttest design with a follow-up period, but with no control group. One hundred fifty-four children (M age = 9.66, SD = 0.78) participated in this intervention study. Eleven teachers completed the Teacher’s Report Form (TRF) for these children, and 133 caregivers completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Participants without caregivers’ reports were excluded from the analysis. Data were collected at three-time points: before the intervention (T1), immediately after (T2), and 6 months after the implementation of the program (T3). Results: Results (n = 133) showed an effect of time on the Internalization scores (at T3 for teachers and T2 and T3 for caregivers) with no gender effect and a decrease in the perception of externalizing behaviors with a gender effect: Boys were perceived as exhibiting more externalizing behaviors than girls. However, these behaviors significantly decrease at T3 for teachers and at T2 and T3 for caregivers. Discussion: Despite its limitations, this study highlights the benefits of employing social–emotional programs to help reduce children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors. A multi-informant approach enables a comprehensive analysis and provides insights into the child’s significant contexts and interactions with adults.
- Beliefs, practices and support needs of preschool teachers toward shy‐withdrawn behavioursPublication . Guedes, Maryse; Veríssimo, Manuela; Santos, António J.Shy-withdrawn behaviours place preschoolers at increasedrisk of experiencing adverse developmental outcomes. Posi-tive teacher-child relationships play a protective role againstthese negative socioemotional outcomes. This study aimedto understand, in-depth, the beliefs, practices and supportneeds of preschool teachers toward shy-withdrawn children.Thirty preschool teachers of children aged 3–5 years wereinterviewed, using a semistructured guide. The thematic anal-ysis revealed that most preschool teachers were aware of themain manifestations, transactional influences and conse-quences of shy-withdrawn behaviours, and of the empiricallyvalidated strategies that may be useful to modify them.However, a noteworthy proportion of participants reportedmisconceptions about the intentionality of shy-withdrawnbehaviours, negative emotions and inconsistent or less effec-tive practices. Our findings highlight that strengthening pre-service and in-service training and providingcoachingto thepreschool staff may be helpful to restructure dysfunctionalbeliefs about shy-withdrawn behaviours, translate develop-mental knowledge in evidence-based classroom practices andenhance professionals' self-awareness.Highlights•This study explored, in-depth, the beliefs, practicesand support needs of preschool teachers toward shy-withdrawn children Most of the 30 interviewed preschool teachers were aware of the main manifestations, transactional influences and consequences of shy-withdrawn behaviours. • Our findings highlight the need to strengthen teachers' training, bridging theoretical knowledge with professional development.
- Evidence-based interventions targeted at behavioral inhibition, shyness, and anxious withdrawal during the preschool years: A rapid reviewPublication . Maia, Rita; Santos, Ana Filipa; Veríssimo, Manuela; Santos, António J.; Guedes, MaryseHigh and stable behavioral inhibition (BI) during early childhood may place individuals at increased risk of experiencing anxiety during the COVID-19 crisis. Prior knowledge syntheses showed that selective prevention interventions were efective in reducing child BI and anxiety. However, the efectiveness of preschool-based universal and selective prevention interventions targeted at BI to improve child social outcomes remains unclear. Due to the vulnerability of highly inhibited children, this rapid review aimed to (1) synthetize the characteristics of evidence-based interventions targeted at BI, and (2) summarize intervention outcomes in domains of child individual and social functioning. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published between january 1991 and december 2021, conducted with highly inhibited children aged 3 to 5 years, were included in the review. Thirteen RCTs on four evidence-based interventions targeted at BI were retained. Most studies were conducted in samples of married/cohabitating and highly educated mothers and almost half of them described parent-only interventions. Three pilot RCTs on child-only and multimodal interventions found signifcant post-intervention improvements in observed child social competence and positive peer interactions. Pre-to-post intervention changes in parent and teacher ratings on child social outcomes were less consistent across studies. Further large-scale RCTs with medium-to-long term follow-ups are needed to examine intervention outcomes in domains of child social functioning, using a multi-informant and multi-method approach. After the COVID-19 crisis, preschool-based universal interventions targeting BI may enhance the engagement of inhibited children from diverse communities and contribute to the generalization of intervention efects to naturalistic peer settings.
- Examining the Factorial Structure of the Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale in a Portuguese SamplePublication . Guedes, Maryse; Monteiro, Lígia Maria Santos; Santos, António J.; Torres, Nuno; Verissimo, ManuelaThe increase in women's labor market participation emphasizes the importance of understanding maternal separation anxiety, that is, the unpleasant maternal emotional state, due to the actual or anticipated short-term separation from the child. Drawing on the insights of the attachment and psychoanalytic perspectives, the Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale (MSAS) was developed to overcome existing measurement gaps. However, prior research did not replicate its original three-factor structure in the contemporary context and in other cultural settings, using large samples composed of mothers of preschool children. This study aimed to examine the factorial structure of the MSAS in a sample of 597 Portuguese mothers of children aged 5-84 months who completed the questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) conducted in subsample 1 revealed a four-factor structure: Maternal Negative Feelings, Beliefs about Exclusive Maternal Care, Need of Proximity, and Perceptions of Separation Benefits for Children. Confirmatory factor analyses conducted in subsample 2 revealed that the original three-factor structure revealed a poor fit, whereas the four-factor solution (obtained in the EFA) revealed an acceptable fit. As in previous studies, our findings report deviations from the original three-factor structure of the MSAS. Three of the newly identified factors seem to reflect specific sub-dimensions that originally guided item development in the MSAS, namely, maternal negative feelings, maternal attitudes about the value of exclusive maternal care, and the need of proximity with the child. The last factor appears to represent a refinement of original items pertaining to perceptions about separation effects for children.
- Factorial structure, measurement invariance and reliability of the Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC) in a sample of Portuguese parentsPublication . Fernandes, Marília; Morais, Inês; Santos, Carolina; Guedes, Maryse; Ribeiro, Olívia; Fernandes, Carla; Pires, Eva; Santos, Ana Filipa; Santos, Antonio J.; Veríssimo, ManuelaAbstract: Emotion regulation is important for socioemotional and mental health development, with lifelong implications. The Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC; Shields & Cicchetti, 1997) is a widely used tool to assess emotional regulation and dysregulation in children. Despite wide use and translate into several languages, inconsistent findings have been found in its factorial structure across studies. This study addresses this gap by examining the factorial structure, reliability, and measurement invariance of the ERC in a Portuguese sample. A sample of 789 parents (mostly mothers, 90.9%) with children between 3 to 12 years old (49.3% preschoolers and 50.7% School-age) completed the scale. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) revealed that the original two-factor model (Emotion Regulation and Lability/Negativity) reached an acceptable fit, however three items had to be removed, and two item residuals correlated. Full invariance was achieved regarding boys and girls. While, regarding age, only configural invariance was achieved, meaning that, different loadings should be expected between preschool and school-age children. Considering the final model the Cronbach’s alphas (α) was .66 for Emotion Regulation and .80 for Lability/Negativity. These findings provide some support for the use of the Portuguese parents’ version of the ERC with preschool and school-age children.
- Multidimensional Factor Structure of the Modified Child Rearing Practices Report Questionnaire (CRPR-Q) in a sample of Portuguese mothers : a bifactor approachPublication . Ribeiro, Olívia; Guedes, Maryse; Veríssimo, Manuela; Rubin, Kenneth; Santos, António J.Abstract: Parental attitudes toward child socialization influence their child-rearing practices, the quality of parent-child relationships, and children’s developmental outcomes. The Modified Child Rearing Practices Questionnaire (CRPR-Q) has been widely used to assess parenting practices across children’s development. However, the few studies investigating its two-factorial structure (nurturance and restrictiveness) have shown inconsistent findings and have not explored measurement invariance across children’s sex and age groups. The aims of this study were to (1) further investigate the factorial structure of the CRPR-Q, by using bifactor solutions (b-confirmatory factor analysis [B-CFA] and b-exploratory structural equation modeling [B-ESEM]) and (2) examine the measurement invariance of CRPR-Q across children’s sex and age groups. A community sample of 589 Portuguese mothers of children aged 3 to 15 years completed the CRPR-Q. Our findings revealed that the B-ESEM model best fit the data. A clear differentiation between the two a priori factors (nurturance and restrictiveness) was found. However, our findings suggest the need to control for content specificity and rely on a broader perspective regarding the nurturance factor. Measurement invariance was observed across children’s sex but not across children’s age groups. These findings contribute to a more in-depth understanding of the underlying relationships among the CRPR-Q items.
- Perceções das famílias portuguesas acerca do impacto da participação no turtle programPublication . Guedes, Maryse; Matos, Inês; Almeida, Telma Sousa; Freitas, Miguel; Alves, Stephanie; Santos, António J.; Verissimo, Manuela; Chronis-Tuscano, Andrea; Rubin, Kenneth
- Perceções dos psicólogos portugueses acerca da aceitabilidade de uma intervenção dirigida a crianças inibidas em idade pré-escolarPublication . Guedes, Maryse; Alves, Stephanie; Santos, António J.; Verissimo, Manuela; Tuscano, Andrea Chronis; Danko, Christina; Rubin, KennethHigh and stable behavioral inhibition (BI) during early childhood have been associated with an increased risk of later anxiety disorders and peer difficulties. Developing evidence-based early interventions to prevent these unhealthy developmental trajectories has become a major focus of interest. However, these interventions are not yet available in Europe. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of Portuguese psychologists about the acceptability of the child component of the Turtle Program, before its dissemination in Portugal. Eighteen psychologists were distributed into three focus groups. Each group was moderated by a trained psychologist, using a semi-structured interview guide. The thematic analysis revealed that Portuguese psychologists acknowledged that the intervention needs to go beyond social skills training and enhance children’s positive self-perceptions. Overall, psychologists perceived the structure, contents, activities, and materials of the intervention to be acceptable. However, participants recommended minor modifications to strengthen the connection with naturalistic contexts, broaden the focus on emotional expressiveness and social interaction, and introduce creative activities and materials. These findings are consistent with previous research with LatinX practitioners, who typically agree with the acceptability of evidence-based child intervention principles and only report the need to introduce minor changes related to the way how interventions are delivered to children.
- Perceived attachment security to parents and peer victimization: Does adolescent's aggressive behaviour make a difference?Publication . Guedes, Maryse; Santos, António José; Ribeiro, Olívia; Freitas, Miguel da Costa Nunes de; Rubin, Kenneth; Veríssimo, ManuelaPeer victimization is one of the most prominent problems during adolescence. Research has distinguished aggressive and non-aggressive victims; however, there are still significant drawbacks in understanding the social and family functioning of these different groups of victimized adolescents. This study aimed to compare social behavior and perceived attachment security to parents of Portuguese adolescents, classified as aggressive victims, non-aggressive victims and non-victims. The sample consisted of 222 adolescents (115 boys, 107 girls) who completed the Kerns Security Scale and the Extended Class Play, to assess perceived attachment security and social behavior, respectively. Controlling for age and sex, aggressive victims and non-aggressive victims differed in anxious withdrawal but shared a similar profile in peer exclusion and prosocial behavior. Only aggressive victims reported lower attachment security to mother and father when compared to non-victims. These findings underline that victimized adolescents constitute a heterogeneous group in terms of their social and family functioning.
- Perceived attachment to fathers and mothers and shame in early adolescencePublication . Gerulaitis, Sandra; Azevedo, Jussane; Fernandes, M.; Veríssimo, Manuela; Guedes, MaryseAbstract: Shame results from a set of complex ideas about the self and, when intense and prolonged, may interfere in adolescents’ socioemotional adjustment. Research with young adults found that parent-child attachment was associated with shame. Due to the limited number of studies during adolescence, this study aimed to examine the role of the perceptions of safe haven and secure base in the relationship with the mother and the father in self-reported shame in a sample of adolescents aged 10 to 15 years. A total of 312 adolescents (45% boys) aged, on average, 12 years, recruited from a school of the Metropolitan Lisbon, participated in the study. Participants answered the Portuguese version of the Security Scale Questionnaire (SSQ) and the External and Internal Shame Scale for Adolescents(EVEI-A) to assess perceptions of safe haven and secure base in the relationships with parents and total, internal, and external shame. Higher scores of secure base and safe haven in the relationships with the father and with the mother were associated with self-reports of lower levels of overall, internal, and external shame. The strength of the associations between the scores of safe haven and internal shame tended to be higher for the relationship with the mother than for the relationship with the father. These findings are consistent with research conducted with young adults and highlight the importance of assessing the role of both fathers and mothers as a safe haven and secure base.