Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2020-06"
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- Can we count on each other? An inquiry about Portuguese citizens’ individual and relational dispositionsPublication . Minas, MariaAbstract: Every human being has the capacity to contribute to collective well-being. The purpose of this article is to understand the dispositions and perceptions of a group of Portuguese citizens, regarding their relationships with others and their satisfaction with life, having into consideration the differences according to the socio-economic level and sex. This article presents a quantitative study involving an analysis of the 1187 Portuguese citizens’ responses to an online questionnaire aimed at analyzing their satisfaction with life (SLS), sense of community (BSCS), perceived social support (SPS), social comparison (SCS), competition (SAIS), external shame (OASS) and willingness to contribute (WCS) of members of the Portuguese society, whilst understanding the influence of sociodemographic characteristics such as sex and socio-economic situation. Crossing the values assigned to Competition and socio-economic situation (Resources) four groups were created. The results showed that both the highest values for SLP, SPS, BSCS, and the lowest values for OASS, were predominantly concentrated in the Low Competition-High Resources Group. By contrast, the lowest values for SLS, SPS, and the highest values in OASS were predominantly concentrated in the High Competition-Low Resources Group. In respect to WCS, the lowest values were concentrated at the High Competition groups and the highest values at the Low Competition groups. No statistical differences were found for SCS between groups. These results suggest that the focus on collective values of mutual trust are associated with greatest satisfaction with life, social support and willingness to contribute, involving less need for competition and defensiveness.
- Psychological adjustment and language development of young children in residential carePublication . Pereira, Joana Campos; Barbosa-Ducharne, Maria; Dias, PedroIn Portugal, 98% children under the age of three removed from their birth families are living in Residential Care (RC) centres. The early placement of children in RC can dramatically affect their development. This study aims to: identify the frequency of internalizing, externalizing and total problems, as well as the average number of words used by young children in RC; compare the frequency of these children’s problems and their vocabulary to a Portuguese normative sample that allowed for the validation and standardization of the ASEBA Battery in Portugal; analyse differences among the children in RC according to gender, preschool integration, presence of siblings in the same RC centre, and the size of the RC centre itself and explore the correlations between the adjustment measures and language development and sociodemographic variables. One hundred and sixteen Portuguese children (56.9% female) ranging from 0 to 71 months (under 6 years) participated in this study. Data were collected using the ASEBA Battery. Results showed that these children presented a higher level of vulnerability regarding psychological adjustment and language development, when compared to children living within families, especially those separated from their siblings and living in a context which was not able to provide enough contact with other children. These findings highlight the importance of adopting measures such as family foster care (instead of RC), especially at this age, in order to give these children the chance of living in a normative and family context.
- Aesthetic development in children, adolescents and young adultsPublication . Rocha, T. Almeida; Peixoto, Francisco; Jesus, S. N.Abstract: This paper focuses on aesthetic development in children, adolescents and young adults at a theoretical and empirical level. The most relevant theories in the area of aesthetic development are mentioned. The main goal of the study was to test Parsons’ theory, in an empirical and precise way, characterizing how aesthetic appreciation is developed. In terms of principal methodological assumptions there are two theoretical positions in current research into aesthetic development, those of Housen and Parsons. Parsons’ approach has been proven to be more effective when adapted to younger age groups (children). The empirical research undertaken in this paper uses his interview to understand the level of aesthetic development of 100 participants, divided into 5 age groups (from 4-5 years old, to 18-20 years old). Results of these individual interviews offer direct support to the idea that aesthetic develops naturally and is positively correlated to age. In addition to the findings on aesthetic development, data backs up the progressive descentration that underlies Parsons’ assertion that aesthetic stages depend “on our increasing ability to take on the points of view of others”.
- Coesão e flexibilidade familiar : validação do pacote FACES IV junto de adolescentes portuguesesPublication . Pereira, Maria Gouveia; Gomes, Hugo; Miranda, Mariana; Candeias, Marisa De JesusResumo: A Escala de Avaliação da Coesão e Flexibilidade Familiar, desenvolvida no âmbito do estudo do Modelo Circumplexo dos Sistemas Conjugais e Familiares, permite avaliar o funcionamento familiar através de um diagnóstico relacional. Este instrumento está subdividido em seis subescalas que permitem uma avaliação dos níveis equilibrados e disfuncionais (extremamente baixos e extremamente elevados) das dimensões de coesão e flexibilidade familiar. O Pacote FACES IV inclui ainda dois questionários que permitem a avaliação da comunicação e satisfação familiar. O presente artigo analisa as propriedades psicométricas dos instrumentos incluídos no Pacote FACES IV junto de uma amostra de adolescentes portugueses em dois estudos. No primeiro estudo, incluímos um grupo comunitário de 757 estudantes e um grupo clínico de 67 adolescentes que recorrem a consultas psiquiátricas. Os resultados deste estudo revelaram um modelo fatorial de 24 itens com qualidades psicométricas satisfatórias, permitindo concluir um ajustamento aceitável à nossa amostra. No segundo estudo, a solução fatorial obtida no estudo anterior foi replicada junto de uma amostra independente de 707 jovens estudantes. Os resultados desta validação apresentam o FACES IV como um instrumento útil para o diagnóstico familiar junto de adolescentes portugueses.
- Concordância entre dados antropométricos reportados vs. medidos e relação com as práticas parentais alimentares em idade pré-escolarPublication . Santos, A. F.; Fernandes, C.; Cardia, Sara; Fernandes, M.; Bost, Kelly K.; Veríssimo, M.Resumo: O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar a concordância entre os dados antropométricos das crianças (peso, altura, respetivos IMC e z-score de IMC calculados) reportados pelos pais e medidos objetivamente pelos investigadores, bem como a sua relação com as práticas parentais alimentares. Participaram no estudo 71 famílias, com crianças entre os 2 e os 6 anos. Verificou-se uma discordância entre os dados reportados pelos pais e os dados medidos para 45,5% das crianças. Foram encontrados efeitos bidirecionais entre a prática restrição por controlo de peso e a altura e peso reportados, bem como entre a prática pressão e o peso, IMC e z-score de IMC reportados. Os resultados sugerem que perceções parentais incorretas sobre o estado ponderal da criança poderão levar a maiores níveis de práticas parentais alimentares negativas, com impacto no peso das crianças. Por outro lado, pais e filhos, influenciam-se mutuamente, pelo que os pais são reativos ao peso das crianças, mas também o influenciam.
- Psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire for Elementary SchoolPublication . Sanches, Cristina; Monteiro, V.; Mata, Lourdes; Santos, Natalie; Gomes, MartaAbstract: The main purposes of the current research were to translate and adapt the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire – Elementary School (AEQ-ES) into Portuguese and to analyze its psychometric properties. A sample of 350 Portuguese third and fourth graders (aged 7 to 12 years) completed the Portuguese version of the AEQ-ES (AEQ-ES-P). As does the original version, the AEQ-ES-P measures students’ enjoyment, boredom, and anxiety toward mathematics in three academic settings: attending class, doing homework, and taking tests. Confirmatory factor analysis corroborated the hierarchical structure of the AEQ-ES-P, which was also invariant across gender and grades. The instrument also showed good reliability and temporal stability. Significant correlations were found in the expected direction between enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom, as well as between these emotions, students’ perceptions of competence, and intrinsic motivation toward mathematics, thus supporting the internal and external validity of the questionnaire. These results indicate that the AEQ-ES-P presents good psychometric properties and is suitable to measure the achievement emotions of Portuguese elementary-school children of the third and fourth grades in the domain of mathematics.
- Generation and testing of emergent traits in composite professional stereotypesPublication . Benrós, Miguel F.; Vaz, André R.; Assunção, Hugo; Correia dos Santos, Ana Sofia; Palma, Tomás; Garcia-Marques, LeonelAbstract: In daily interactions, we frequently meet people that belong to multiple categories, sometimes with conflicting stereotypical implications. Studies show that, when generating attributes for composite stereotypes, novel emergent attributes are created, derived from the constituent categories, but also from real world knowledge (e.g., Hastie, Schroeder, & Weber, 1990; Kunda, Miller, & Claire, 1990). In this work, in a similar vein as the work by Kunda and collaborators (1990), we test composite professional categories, and their simple constituents, in a Portuguese sample. To our knowledge, there is no evidence that, in Portuguese language, composite categories are able to generate emergent properties. We empirically explore the kind of content that is generated, and how the conflict between constituents is solved. In Experiment 1, participants described 24 pairs of composite categories and each constituent. In Experiment 2, we refined the identification of emergent attributes by asking participants to evaluate each previously generated attribute on a rating scale, for each category, constituent or composite, in a between-subject design. Results provide evidence that emergent attributes were generated and revealed a different mean rating in the composite categories that were not in their constituents. We discuss their contribution for future research delving into what kind of processes are at the basis of the creation of composite stereotypes, as well as what is the nature of its mental representation, how stable composite stereotypes are, and how consensual are they, given different possibilities in conflict resolution modes and models (e.g., Hastie et al., 1990; Kunda et al., 1990).
- Psychological adjustment and language development of young children in residential carePublication . Pereira, Joana Campos; Barbosa-Ducharne, Maria; Dias, PedroAbstract: In Portugal, 98% children under the age of three removed from their birth families are living in Residential Care (RC) centres. The early placement of children in RC can dramatically affect their development. This study aims to: identify the frequency of internalizing, externalizing and total problems, as well as the average number of words used by young children in RC; compare the frequency of these children’s problems and their vocabulary to a Portuguese normative sample that allowed for the validation and standardization of the ASEBA Battery in Portugal; analyse differences among the children in RC according to gender, preschool integration, presence of siblings in the same RC centre, and the size of the RC centre itself and explore the correlations between the adjustment measures and language development and sociodemographic variables. One hundred and sixteen Portuguese children (56.9% female) ranging from 0 to 71 months (under 6 years) participated in this study. Data were collected using the ASEBA Battery. Results showed that these children presented a higher level of vulnerability regarding psychological adjustment and language development, when compared to children living within families, especially those separated from their siblings and living in a context which was not able to provide enough contact with other children. These findings highlight the importance of adopting measures such as family foster care (instead of RC), especially at this age, in order to give these children the chance of living in a normative and family context.
- The Leventhal´s self-regulatory model in breast cancerPublication . Fernandes, Susana; McIntyre, TeresaAbstract: The aim of this study was to examine psychosocial adjustment to breast cancer, according to Leventhal’s self-regulation model. We tried to understand the role of emotional adjustment and illness representations in coping. The participants were 74 Portuguese recently diagnosed breast cancer patients. Measures included the Portuguese versions of: The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), to assess emotional adjustment (anxiety; depression); the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ), to evaluate illness perceptions; and the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (Mini-MAC) to assess coping style. The principal hypothesis was that illness perceptions and emotional adjustment would be significant predictors of coping before surgery. The hypothesis was confirmed for most coping strategies. Emotional adjustment and illness representations were significant predictors of coping, which supports Leventhal’s Self-Regulatory Model, in this sample. Emotional adjustment and illness perceptions were significant predictors of Helplessness/Hopelessness, Anxious Preoccupation, and Fighting Spirit coping strategies.
- Urgent decision-making in extreme circumstances : associations with cognitive reflection and with responses to moral dilemmasPublication . Cosentino, Alejandro César; Azzara, Sergio Héctor; Grinhauz, Aldana Sol; Azzollini, Susana CelesteAbstract: It has been proposed that urgent decision making in extreme circumstances may be based on two systems of information processing: affective and rational (Cosentino, Azzollini, Depaula, & Castillo, 2017). Given that the model of urgent decisions has been recently developed, the aim of this study was to determine its characteristics and relationships with relevant variables: (a) the tendency to inhibit dominant but incorrect responses and to promote a reflective process that leads to the correct responses and (b) the resolution and difficulty of high-conflict personal moral dilemmas. We used an intentional sample of 416 university students from a military academy. The results showed that urgent decision making in extreme circumstances is related to general preferences for intuition or deliberation, cognitive reflection, and reaction to high-conflict personal moral dilemmas. Notably, urgent decision making based on rationality was positively associated with cognitive reflection and a utilitarian way of solving high-conflict personal moral dilemmas. Also, both rational and affective/emotional urgent decision-making types were found to be associated with the perceived difficulty in solving the dilemmas. The model of urgent judgments in extreme circumstances can be useful because it contributes to describing the optimal cognitive and decisional profile for the selection of human resources in activities that involve facing contexts of high uncertainty where fast decision making is required, such as tasks performed by professional rescue or combat personnel.