Browsing by Author "Silva, Sara"
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- Back to kindergarten? Paternalistic care behavior in healthcare contexts and older adults’ mental healthPublication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Silva, Sara; Leal, IsabelObjectives: Paternalistic care behavior in health contexts reduces involvement in the decision-making process and dissatisfaction in healthcare, which may negatively influence older adults’ mental health. This study comprised two main objectives: (1) to explore older adults’ experiences of paternalistic behavior in the context of health services and (2) analyze the influence of paternalistic behavior on older adults’ mental health. Methods: The sample involved 416 participants aged 65 to 81 (M = 70.1 ± 5.73) with three different nationalities (English, Brazilian ad Portuguese). All interviews went through content analysis. Results: For the first objective, content analysis identified seven themes: (1) perceived inattention to the uniqueness of each person (81%); (2) feeling a duality of supporting and suppressing independence (79%); (3) selective disclosure of information to keep the person’s spirit up (74%); (4) feeling neglected (66%); (5) feeling unable to make decisions (64%); (6) receiving opposition to the person’s requests (60%); and (7) routine actions being considered as the best action (57%). For the second objective, three main themes emerged: (1) feeling anxious and stressed (88%); (2) feeling frustration and despair (87%); and (3) feeling injustice and anger (72%). Conclusions: Healthcare paternalism negatively affects older adults’ mental health, emphasizing the need for their agency, involvement in decisions, and personalized care. These findings highlight the negative influence of paternalistic behavior on the mental health of older adults and may contribute to future targeted interventions and policy programs among the older population.
- Existential psychotherapy supervision: The supervisor’s perspectivePublication . Silva, Sara; Sousa, DanielSupervision is a cross-disciplinary practice among various professional groups. This study focuses on clinical supervision as a practice linked to psychology and psychotherapy. The literature highlights the need to expand and consolidate knowledge in this area. Specifically, in the few existing approaches to research on existential supervision, the need for the systematization of knowledge is clear. The use of qualitative methods is recognized as an approach that is likely to enrich knowledge of supervision. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the theme of clinical supervision, particularly as it relates to existential psychotherapy, from the supervisor’s perspective to assess insights from the experience of each participant. Method: The three participants are both existential psychotherapists and supervisors that apply the same approach, in group mode, in the context of psychotherapist training. The data were collected using phenomenological interviews. A comprehensive analysis of the transcripts of the interviews was performed using the phenomenological method. Results: Emerging themes presented a general meaning structure that represents eidetic dimensions and how they are related. The eidetic dimensions, relationship and responsiveness, arise in the existential approach as the foundational and promotional aspects of successful supervision.
- Existential psychotherapy supervision: the supervisor’s perspectivePublication . Silva, Sara; Sousa, Daniel: Chronic illnesses cause considerable burden in quality of life, often leading to physical, psychological, and social dysfunctioning of the sufferers and their family. There is a growing need for flexible provision of home-based psychological services to increase reach even for traditionally underserved chronic illness sufferer populations. Digital interventions can fulfill this role and provide a range of psychological services to improve functioning. Despite the potential of digital interventions, concerns remain regarding users’ engagement, as low engagement is associated with low adherence rates, high attrition, and suboptimal exposure to the intervention. Human–computer interaction (e.g., theoretical models of persuasive system design, gamification, tailoring, and supportive accountability) and user characteristics (e.g., gender, age, computer literacy) are the main identified culprits contributing to engagement and adherence difficulties. To date, there have not been any clear and concise recommendations for improved utilization and engagement in digital interventions. This paper provides an overview of user engagement factors and proposes research informed recommendations for engagement and adherence planning in digital intervention development. The recommendations were derived from the literature and consensualized by expert members of the European Federation of Psychology Associations, Psychology and Health Standing Committee, and e-Health Task Force. These recommendations serve as a starting point for researchers and clinicians interested in the digitalized health field and promote effective planning for engagement when developing digital interventions with the potential to maximize adherence and optimal exposure in the treatment of chronic health conditions.
- How do older adults experience pet companionship? A qualitative study of the affective relationship with pets and its effect on the mental health of older adults during the Covid-19 pandemicPublication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Silva, Sara; Leal, Isabel Maria PereiraThis study aimed to explore the affective relationship of older adults with their pets during the COVID-19 pandemic; and to assess how this contributed to their mental health. This qualitative study included 351 participants aged 65–88 years from Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Spain. All interviews went through content analysis. Findings indicated five themes: (1) Enabling a meaningful affective relationship (86%); (2) Strengthening affective sharing with partner (68%); (3) Easing new affective relationships (61%); (4) Enhancing sensory stimuli and physical touch (55%); and; (5) Feeling physical pleasure (23%). Three main themes emerged from the content analysis regarding the second objective: (1) Fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms (73%); (2) Fewer feelings of loneliness (68%); and (3) Fewer mood swings (43%). The affective relationship between older adults and their pets was relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic since it solidified affective relationships with their partners and fostered the creation of new relationships. Additionally, it contributed to a deeper affective relationship with themselves, in terms of sensory stimuli, physical touch, and physical pleasure. Owning a pet improved mental health symptoms, namely those associated with depression, anxiety, and mood swings.
- Intergenerational relationships: do older adults experience ambivalence with their adult children?Publication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Costa, Andrea; Fernandes, Mariline; Silva, Sara; Leal, IsabelThis study aims to analyze the perspectives of intergenerational relationships between older adults and adult children. For this purpose, a qualitative research was carried out, which analyzes these relations at a cross-national level. Four hundred and twenty four older participants aged 65–97 years, were interviewed. Participants were of three different nationalities and lived in the community. All the interviews went through the process of verbatim transcription and subsequent content analysis. Two dimensions of generational ambivalence were revealed from the study; support and the conflict dimensions. Findings of content analysis produced six themes, which represent intergenerational relations between older adults and adult children: older adults-adult children interaction quality; family integration; care and support; definition of limits; distance and alienation; and communication difficulties. This study highlighted the diversity of experiences in old age, in relation to intergenerational relationships and underlined the conflicting expectations from older adults in relation to their adult children.
- Perspectives on perceived workplace age discrimination and engagement: The moderating role of emotion regulationPublication . Miguel, Isabel; von Humboldt, Sofia; Silva, Sara; Tavares, Patrícia; Low, Gail; Leal, Isabel Maria Pereira; Valentim, Joaquim P.Engaging workers with their work is fundamental for employee wellbeing and performance. Perceived age discrimination in the workplace is a factor that may influence workers’ engagement. The present study aimed to analyze the moderating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between perceived age discrimination and work engagement. Survey data were collected from a sample of 453 Portuguese workers of various age groups, between 18 and 65 years-old. Four instruments were used in this study: (a) a sociodemographic questionnaire; (b) the Workplace Age Discrimination Scale (WADS); (c) the Emotion Regulation Scale and (d) the reduced version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). Results show that perceived workplace age discrimination negatively impacts work engagement. Further, results suggest that emotional regulation exacerbates the negative relationship between perceived age discrimination and work engagement. The progressively aging workforce is creating challenging issues to organizations, from a human resource management perspective. Age management strategies to address perceived age discrimination and work engagement are needed