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- Testing motivational and self-regulatory mechanisms of action on device-measured physical activity in the context of a weight loss maintenance digital intervention: A secondary analysis of the NoHoW trialPublication . Encantado, Jorge; Marques, Marta M.; Gouveia, Maria João; Santos, Inês; Sánchez-Oliva, David; O'Driscoll, Ruairi; Turicchi, Jake; Larsen, Sofus C.; Horgan, Graham; Teixeira, Pedro J.; Stubbs, R James; Heitmann, Berit Lilienthal; Palmeira, António L.Background To date, few digital behavior change interventions for weight loss maintenance focusing on long-term physical activity promotion have used a sound intervention design grounded on a logic model underpinned by behavior change theories. The current study is a secondary analysis of the weight loss maintenance NoHoW trial and investigated putative mediators of device-measured long-term physical activity levels (six to 12 months) in the context of a digital intervention. Methods A subsample of 766 participants (Age = 46.2 ± 11.4 years; 69.1% female; original NoHoW sample: 1627 participants) completed all questionnaires on motivational and self-regulatory variables and had all device-measured physical activity data available for zero, six and 12 months. We examined the direct and indirect effects of Virtual Care Climate on post intervention changes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and number of steps (six to 12 months) through changes in the theory-driven motivational and self-regulatory mechanisms of action during the intervention period (zero to six months), as conceptualized in the logic model. Results Model 1 tested the mediation processes on Steps and presented a poor fit to the data. Model 2 tested mediation processes on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and presented poor fit to the data. Simplified models were also tested considering the autonomous motivation and the controlled motivation variables independently. These changes yielded good results and both models presented very good fit to the data for both outcome variables. Percentage of explained variance was negligible for all models. No direct or indirect effects were found from Virtual Care Climate to long term change in outcomes. Indirect effects occurred only between the sequential paths of the theory-driven mediators. Conclusion This was one of the first attempts to test a serial mediation model considering psychological mechanisms of change and device-measured physical activity in a 12-month longitudinal trial. The model explained a small proportion of variance in post intervention changes in physical activity. We found different pathways of influence on theory-driven motivational and self-regulatory mechanisms but limited evidence that these constructs impacted on actual behavior change. New approaches to test these relationships are needed. Challenges and several alternatives are discussed.
- Patients with AUD exhibit dampened heart rate variability during sleep as compared to social drinkersPublication . Wemm, Stephanie; Golden, Max; S. Martins, Jorge; Fogelman, Nia; Sinha, RajitaChronic heavy alcohol use profoundly affects the cardiovascular system, contributing to several life-threatening cardiovascular diseases. Heart rate variability (HRV), or the fluctuations in heart rate, reflects dynamic autonomic nervous system processes that change to meet biological demands and environmental challenges. In the current study, we examined whether HRV metrics are altered in alcohol use disorder (AUD) during waking and sleeping with passive biomonitoring as participants went about their daily lives. Social drinkers (standard deviation: n = 10, 5 female) and treatment-seeking individuals with moderate to severe AUD (n = 16, 7 female) provided continuous, real-world heart rate monitoring for 5 days of monitoring on average (M = 5.27 ± 2.22). Five indices of respiration and HRV—respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) amplitude, high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF), HF/LF ratio, root-mean-square standard deviation (RMSSD), and standard deviation of the N–N intervals (SDNN)—were analyzed separately for waking and sleeping hours. Both RMSSD and SDNN decreased the longer the participants were awake (Ps < .013). During sleeping hours, HF, RSA amplitude, RMSSD, and SDNN were significantly higher in light social drinkers as compared to patients with AUD (all Ps < .009), indicating higher parasympathetic activation during sleep in the SD versus AUD group. Sleep and waking HRV measures were significantly correlated with patient-reported symptoms of depression and sleep difficulties in the AUD group (Ps < .05). This natural observational study utilizing continuous autonomic biomonitoring in the real world indicates parasympathetic dysfunction that is clearly detectable during sleep in AUD and HRV measures, which are also related to clinical, patient-related symptoms of AUD.
- Conflict (Work-Family and Family-Work) and task performance: The role of well-being in this relationshipPublication . Moreira, Ana; Encarnação, Tiago; Viseu, J.; Au-Yong-Oliveira, ManuelRecent societal changes have brought new challenges to contemporary organisations, e.g., how to properly manage the work-family/family-work dyad and, thus, promote adequate task performance. This paper aimed to study the relationship between conflict (work-family and familywork) and task performance, and whether this relationship was moderated by well-being. Thus, the following hypotheses were formulated: (1) conflict (work-family and family-work) is negatively associated with task performance; (2) conflict (work-family and family-work) is negatively associated with well-being; (3) well-being is positively associated with task performance; and (4) well-being moderates the relationship between conflict (work-family and family-work) and task performance. A total of 596 subjects participated in this study, all employed in Portuguese organisations. The results underlined that only family-work conflict was negatively and significantly associated with task performance. Work-family conflict established a negative and significant relationship with well-being. Well-being was positively and significantly associated with performance and moderated the relationship between conflict (work-family and family-work) and task performance. These results show that organisations should provide employees with situations that promote their wellbeing, especially in Portugal, where a relationship culture exists (rather than task culture, which is predominant in the USA and Canada, for example) which means that additional and considerable time must be dedicated to personal and family matters for people to fit in and be accepted harmoniously.
- Can interpersonal problems predict female depression?Publication . Fonseca, Alexandra; Matos, M. G.; Gois, CarlosBackground: Recognized as a common and debilitating condition with a high recurrence rate, depression is considered a severe public health problem. The association between interpersonal problems and depressive disorders is well documented, but studies in non-clinical populations are scarce. The working hypotheses were that (Hp1) depressed women report more interpersonal problems than nondepressed ones, and (Hp2) depression is predicted by interpersonal problems. Methods: The present study analyzes the relationship between depression and interpersonal problems, assessed by the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP64), in a non-clinical Portuguese female population (n=240), aged 18 to 81. Two groups of participants were considered, based on the Beck Depression Inventory – short form (BDI-SF) cut-off points: G1 "non-depressed" (n=119, M=44.18, SD=12.34) and G2 “depressed” (n=121, M=41.14, DS=13.74). One-way ANOVA and binary logistic regression with forward selection were performed. Results: There was a significant difference in interpersonal problems between depressed and nondepressed women. Specifically, when women experienced depressive symptoms, they identified more interpersonal problems. The sub-scales IIP1 dominating/controlling, IIP7 Self-sacrifice and IIP4 Socially inhibited had the most significant impact on the likelihood of depression. Conclusions: This study emphasizes that clinical practice and universal and selective prevention strategies for depression should include analyses and interventions on factors such as inhibition, reduction of the social network, difficulty in emotional expression and low gratification experienced in interpersonal relationships
- The four facets of the Psychopathy Checklist, Youth Version and recidivism: A meta-analysisPublication . Braga, Teresa; Castro Rodrigues, Andreia de; Cruz, Ana Rita; Pechorro, Pedro; Cunha, OlgaThe present meta-analysis explored the predictive utility of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version at the facet level, namely the relation between the interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, and antisocial facets with violent and general recidivism. We included data from 12 manuscripts and 16 independent samples drawn exclusively from longitudinal study designs. Only the lifestyle and the antisocial facets were significantly related to both outcomes (General: rw = 0.15, p = .023 and rw = 0.22, p < .001, respectively. Violent: rw = 0.17, p = .003 and rw = 0.24, p < .001, respectively). Additional analyses from multivariate results revealed contrasting lower effect sizes (not exceeding rw = 0.05), which suggests the shared variance between the facets is more important for predicting recidivism than their independent effect. Finally, our moderation analyses showed that longer follow-ups resulted in lower predictive effects among some facets, suggesting the malleability of psychopathic traits in youth.
- Public administration leadership and public policiesPublication . Fialho, Elisabete; Sousa, Maria José; Moreira, AnaThis is a study of Portuguese central public administration addressing leadership typology, using the Full Range Leadership (FRL) model to better understand the leadership effectiveness process (Bass & Avolio, 1994). The study examines of the impact of training, professional experience, and organizational context on managers' performance as well as predominant leadership styles. A total of 422 participants in the Portuguese state's central public administration responded to this quantitate research. The results indicate that the perception of leadership style differs significantly between leaders and followers, as does the perception of evaluation. Regarding the organization where they work, significant differences were found in the perception of transformational leadership, contingent rewards, laissez-faire, recruitment, training, and evaluation. The association between leadership style and public policies is significant, and this relationship is moderated by whether the participant holds a managerial position. This study tells us what type of leadership is predominant in public administration and its association with public policies
- Effects of temperature on acoustic and visual courtship and reproductive success in the two-spotted goby Pomatoschistus flavescensPublication . Albouy, Robin; Faria, Ana M.; Fonseca, Paulo J.; Amorim, ClaraFish are ectothermic and small changes in water temperature could greatly affect reproduction. The two-spotted goby is a small semi-pelagic species that uses visual and acoustic displays to mate. Here, we studied the effect of temperature (16 and 20 ◦C) on acoustic and visual courtship and associated reproductive success in 39 males. Temperature influenced male visual courtship performed outside the nest, but it did not influence calling rate and the number of laid eggs. Interestingly, the number of sounds (drums) was the sole predictor of spawning success. These findings suggest that exposure to different temperatures within the species’ natural range affect courtship behaviour but not its reproductive success. We propose that finding the link between acoustic behaviour and reproduction in fishes offers the opportunity to monitor fish sounds both in the lab and in nature to learn how they respond to environmental changes and human impacts, namely global warming.
- When are puppies receptive to emotion-induced human chemosignals? The cases of fear and happinessPublication . D'ANIELLO, BIAGIO; Pinelli, Claudia; Scandurra, Anna; Di Lucrezia, Alfredo; Aria, Massimo; Semin, Gün R.We report an observational, double-blind, experimental study that examines the efects of human emotional odors on puppies between 3 and 6 months and adult dogs (one year and upwards). Both groups were exposed to control, human fear, and happiness odors in a between subjects’ design. The duration of all behaviors directed to the apparatus, the door, the owner, a stranger, and stress behaviors was recorded. A discriminant analysis showed that the fear odor activates consistent behavior patterns for both puppies and adult dogs. However, no behavioral diferences between the control and happiness odor conditions were found in the case of puppies. In contrast, adult dogs reveal distinctive patterns for all three odor conditions. We argue that responses to human fear chemosignals systematically infuence the behaviors displayed by puppies and adult dogs, which could be genetically prefgured. In contrast, the efects of happiness odors constitute cues that require learning during early socialization processes, which yield consistent patterns only in adulthood.
- Distress among healthcare professionals during the first two years of COVID-19 pandemic in PortugalPublication . Costa, A; Fialho, M; Rasga, C; Martiniano, H; Santos, O; Virgolino, A; Moura Vicente, A; Heitor, M J
- Deontic signs increase control monitoring: Evidence from a modified traffic flanker taskPublication . Garcia-Marques, Teresa; Figueira, Pedro; Fernandes, Alexandre; Martins, JoãoDeontic norms are expected to impose individuals’ control over their behavior. In this paper, we address such norms presented in trafc signs and test their infuence over executive control functions. For Experiment 1, we develop a trafc fanker task in which the typical neutral arrows are replaced with trafc prohibition/obligation signs. Experiment 2 isolated the deontic aspect of the signs using simple arrows on red, blue, and green backgrounds and either primed them to be interpreted as trafc signs or as elements of a gaming console controller. Results in both studies show evidence of controlling context interferences more efciently when dealing with deontic (trafc) signs than with simple arrows (Experiment 1) or with similar perceptive targets when primed with a deontic context than with a gaming context (Experiment 2). In both studies, obligation/blue signs mitigate fanker efects less than prohibition/red signs. Stimuli color afects the alertness of the cognitive system, with the color red being, by itself, a cue for increased control. Based on temporal analysis, we further discuss these results as evidence of an increase in proactive control that aims to prevent the occurrence of undesirable infuence.