APPsyCI - Artigos em revistas científicas internacionais
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- Empower-grief for relatives of cancer patients: Implementation And findings from an exploratory randomized controlled trialPublication . Dias Neto, David Manuel; Coelho, Alexandra; Silva, Ana Nunes; Garcia-Marques, Teresa; Albuquerque, SaraGrief reactions among relatives of palliative care patients are often overlooked, with most interventions targeting Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) rather than its prevention. Few interventions have been developed for individuals at risk. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Empower-Grief, a selective intervention designed to address early problematic grief reactions and to explore predictors of its effectiveness. This exploratory randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared Empower-Grief with Treatment as Usual (TAU) among relatives or caregivers of palliative and oncological patients at risk of developing PGD. A total of 46 participants were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and six months later. The primary outcome was PGD symptoms, with additional measures including anxiety, depression, coping strategies, attachment style, psychological flexibility, post-traumatic growth, social support, and therapeutic alliance. The final analyses indicate equivalence between Empower-Grief and TAU, suggesting that both interventions yielded comparable outcomes in reducing PGD symptoms and associated psychological distress. The initial symptoms and therapeutic alliance were predictors of the results in both post- and follow-up moments. This study contributes to the evidence on grief interventions in palliative care, highlighting the importance of structured support for bereaved caregivers. While Empower-Grief demonstrated comparable effectiveness to TAU, its lower intensity, ease of training, and application make it a promising treatment option.
- Explaining the mental health consequences of internalized racial oppression: The mediating roles of family resilience and collective actionPublication . Ribas, Anna Luiza; Miranda, Mariana; Bú, Emerson Araújo doRacial oppression's institutional and interpersonal levels have had a substantial amount of empirical attention. Internalizedracial oppression (IRO) and the paths through which it negatively impacts mental health have received considerably lesserattention. In this cross‐sectional study with 226 self‐identified Black participants, we focus on colonial mentality, as a form ofIRO, and its association to depression. We argue that this detrimental effect happens because IRO limits the access to socialidentity resources, at both levels of the family system and wider society. The results revealed that the communication/problem‐solving dimension of family resilience mediated the effect of colonial mentality on depression. Support for the Black LivesMatter movement, a measure for collective action, was also a significant mediator but was, however, positively associated withdepression. This study is the first to quantitatively assess IRO's consequences on the mental health of Black individuals in apostcolonial European country. We discuss clinical implications
- Voices from the rainbow: Exploring participants’ experiences in an online LGBTIQ+-Affirmative Psychoeducation ProgramPublication . Ancín-Nicolás, Ruth A.; Collado, João Carlos; Lopez-Sáez, Miguel A.; Gonzalez, António JoséBackground/Objectives: This article highlights the importance of addressing the mental health of LGBTQ people, specifically through psychoeducation/intervention programs. The primary objective was to understand the effects of participating in an online affirmative program. The theoretical frameworks of the minority stress model and the concept of decompensation were used to understand and address disparities with the general population. Methods: A detailed protocol was designed to understand the participants’ experiences. An analysis of the results was carried out using a content analysis of the data collected from a convenience sample of participants from two groups. Results: The findings show that the participants’ experiences were satisfactory, especially with developing coping skills and changing their attitudes towards homophobia, also showing improvements in mental health indicators. Conclusions: This study concludes that online LGBTQ-affirmative psychoeducation programs can be positive in enhancing the mental health and well-being of the LGBTQ population. The research highlights the importance of extending these programs to LGBTQ family members. It is also important to acknowledge the specificities of each subgroup.
- Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version of The PERMA-ProfilerPublication . Alves, Marcela Almeida; Palmer, Stephen; Gouveia, Maria JoãoThis study evaluates the psychometric properties of a Portuguese version of The PERMA Profiler in a sample of 1258 Portuguese adults (72.3% females) with a mean age of 36.74 years (SD = 11.313). The PERMA Profiler is a questionnaire that assesses the five dimensions of psychological flourishing, according to Seligman’s well-being theory. According to this theory, the well-being pillars known by the acronym PERMA are positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test Seligman’s model. Results support a reasonable model fit for the five-factor model, but based on the results of bootstrap sample analysis the model was not confirmed. There is also a lack of discriminant validity between PERMA constructs and a lack of validity and reliability of engagement factor. Internal consistency was satisfactory for all five sub-scales, except for engagement. Concurrent validity was demonstrated through the strong and very strong correlations between the PERMA factors and Flourishing Scale. A Portuguese version of The PERMA Profiler is a new tool to assist researchers to refine the measurement and understanding of well-being in Portuguese cultures. Future recommendations and limitations are highlighted.
- Bridging the gap: Environmental health literacy as key to adolescent well-being and sustainable behaviorsPublication . Matos, Margarida Gaspar de; Branquinho, Cátia; Domingos, Leonor; Guedes, Fábio Botelho; Cerqueira, Ana; Gaspar, TaniaAdolescents who possess environmental health literacy are more equipped to handle the effects of the environment on their health. This study uses data from Portugal’s 2022 HBSC survey to investigate the environmental health literacy (EHL) of teenagers. The Environmental Health Literacy Scale (EHLS) was verified by confirmatory component analysis. Within the framework of an ecosystem, this study investigates factors related to health and well-being. There are 7355 adolescents in the sample. EHLS_Social Norms and participation in volunteering activities were found to be significant predictors of EHL_Knowledge, which explained 25.2% of the variance in the final model. EHLS_Social Norms and EHLS_Knowledge accounted for 42.9% of the variance in EHL_Behaviors, while school grade was adversely connected with pro-environmental behavior. While actions and knowledge were major positive predictors, gender and school grades showed negative relationships, and EHL_Social Norms accounted for 46% of the variance. This study establishes a valid measure of environmental health literacy in adolescents, informing science education strategies and public health interventions.
- Bereavement support guidelines for caregivers in palliative care: A scoping reviewPublication . Coelho, Alexandra; Albuquerque, Sara; Neto, David DiasPalliative care teams’ support practices for bereavement vary substantially. Clinical guidelines are needed to promote concerted, evidence-based intervention. The goal of the present study is to identify and synthesize the principles and clinical guidelines that ensure best practices in bereavement support for family caregivers accompanied in palliative care. A scoping review was conducted based on a systematic search of articles in academic databases (EBSCO, PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Scopus) and Google (2010–2024). The review included articles focused on the principles, guidelines, and clinical recommendations for bereavement support for adult family caregivers in palliative care. Quality appraisal of guidelines was conducted using the AGREE II instrument. Of the 1,489 references identified, 20 documents were included, mostly governmental or institutional norms and clinical guidelines from gray literature. Quality appraisal revealed gaps in evidence selection, resource implications, updates and monitoring criteria. Eight fundamental principles were identified, from which several clinical guidelines were derived, organized according to the moments of assessment and intervention throughout the bereavement process, including pre and post-death period: (1) organizing support for the family caregiver; (2) assessing needs and establishing a care plan; (3) ensuring information and support for the family caregiver; (4) preparing for death; (5) support at the time of death; and (6) bereavement support post-death. In addition to universal support and information measures, regular assessment procedures should be adopted for timely referrals based on individual needs.These guidelines cover the temporal variation of care and the multidimensional and multiple-actor nature of palliative care. Implementing these guidelines and evaluating their impact will allow for the standardization of best practices and improve the quality of bereavement support in palliative care.
- Effectiveness of empower-grief for relatives of palliative care patients: Protocol for an exploratory randomized controlled trial.Publication . Neto, David Dias; Coelho, Alexandra; Albuquerque, Sara; Silva, Ana Nunes da; PsychOpenBackground: Grief reactions of relatives of palliative care patients are seldom addressed. Most interventions focus on Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) and not on its prevention. This is particularly relevant in palliative care, in which death is the result of a difficult period of a terminal illness, making caregivers particularly vulnerable to psychological distress. The purpose of the present exploratory trial is to test the efficacy of a selective intervention (Empower-Grief) for the initial problematic grief reactions and to study potential predictors of adherence and efficacy. Method: This is an exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) studying Empower-Grief compared with Treatment as Usual (TAU). Participants will be relatives or caregivers of palliative and oncological patients with initial indicators of risk of developing PGD and will be randomly allocated to Empower-Grief and TAU. Participants will be assessed prior, at the end and six months after the intervention. The primary outcome considered will be symptoms of PGD. The assessment includes measures of anxiety and depression, coping, attachment, psychological flexibility, posttraumatic growth, social support and therapeutic alliance. Results: The trial is ongoing. Forty-four participants will be invited to participate. Conclusion: This study addresses the need for the development of empirically grounded and feasible interventions aimed at dealing with initial problematic reactions in grief, exploring potential predictors and possible venues for personalizing intervention and understanding the mechanism through which these interventions operate.
- From healthy play to gaming disorder: Psychological profiles from emotional regulation and motivational factorsPublication . Castro, Cátia Martins e; Neto, David DiasBackground and Aims: The widespread popularity of video games eflects their appeal to meet fundamental needs. This study aims to investigate the psychological factors of gaming use, identifying profiles ranging from healthy to gaming disorder. Methods: In this ross-sectional study, 5,222 participants were surveyed. This ternational sample included adolescents and adults (16–69 years, M 5 25.6 years, SD 5 6.44), 48.66% men (n 5 2,541; M 5 26.4, SD 5 7.03), 42.32% women (n 5 2,210; M 5 25.1, SD 5 5.78), and 9.02% non-binary individuals (n 5 471; M 5 23.3, SD 5 5.23), spanning from casual gamers to esports rofessional players. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was employed to dentify distinct psychological profiles. The profile indicators included emotional regulation and motivations for playing video games. The profile correlates analysed included gaming disorder symptoms, time spent gaming and sociodemographics. Results: The LPA revealed four profiles labelled as avoidant (20.16%), engaged (38.95%), relational (26.01%), and dysregulated (15.78%). Results suggested that the dysregulated profile had the most emotional regulation difficulties, a low level of general motivation, and less interest in recreational aming, presenting the highest risk for gaming disorder. Discussion and Conclusions: This study’s findings present the first profiles incompassing key detailed psychological factors affecting gamers’ behaviour across all game genres, considering three genders. These profiles can aid researchers and clinicians in developing further research on targeted prevention and intervention programs tailored to each profile’s characteristics to promote healthy gaming habits and mitigate the risks and harm associated with gaming disorder.
- Distal supports, capabilities, and growth‐focused recovery: A comparison of Housing First and the staircase continuum of carePublication . Greenwood, Ronni Michelle; O'Shaughnessy, Branagh R.; Manning, Rachel M.; Hogan, Niamh; Vargas‐Moniz, Maria J.; Ornelas, JoseAdults who have substantial histories of homelessness and complex support needsmay feel ambivalent about integrating into their communities and find it difficultto do so. Being familiar to and recognized by others as a resident in aneighborhood or community are sources of “distal support” that provideindividuals with feelings of belonging to their community and are important torecovery from homelessness. We hypothesized that individuals engaged withHousing First (HF) programs would report more distal support than individualsengaged with traditional homeless services (treatment as usual, TAU), and thatdistal support would predict more community integration, growth‐relatedrecovery, and achieved capabilities. We analyzed data collected from homelessservices users (n = 445) engaged with either HF or TAU in eight Europeancountries. Measures included achieved capabilities, growth‐focused recovery,distal supports, and community integration. Serial mediation analyses confirmedour hypothesis that the effects of HF on growth‐related recovery and achievedcapabilities are indirect, mediated by distal supports and community integration.Findings are discussed in relation to the importance of modeling the effects of HFon social and psychological outcomes as indirect and identifying importantmediators that translate the effects of HF components on social andpsychological outcomes. We also note the importance of case managementactivities that encourage clients to develop and sustain distal supports with otherswho live and work in their neighborhoods.
- The global impact of multisystemic vulnerabilities on criminal variety: A cross-continental study in young adultsPublication . Villanueva, Lidón; Maciel, Laura; Gomis Pomares, Aitana; Gouveia-Pereira, Maria; Adrián, Juan E.; Costa, Maria Suely Alves; Rocha, André Sousa; Ximenes, Jocélia Medeiros; Garcia, Mathieu; Rouchy, Emma; Michel, Grégory; Al Shawi, Ameel; Sarhan, Yaseen; Altaha, Mahasin A.; Fulano, Celso; EL-ASTAL, SOFIÁN; Alattar, Kefaya; Shaqalaih, Saja O.; Sabbah, Khetam; Holtzhausen, Leon; Campbell, Emma; Sakulku, Jaruwan; Grummitt, Lucinda; Barrett, Emma; Lawler, Siobhan; Newton, Nicola C.; Prior, Katrina; Pereira, Miguel BastoPrevious research has shown a robust association between different childhood and adolescent vulnerabilities and youth offending. However, these investigations have primarily focused on youths from high-income Western countries. Consequently, the generalizability of these findings to better inform global justice policies remains uncertain. This study aimed to address this gap by examining the relationship between individual, familial, and contextual vulnerabilities and criminal versatility during young adulthood, accounting for sociodemographic factors and cross-national differences. Data were derived from a diverse sample of 4,182 young adults (67% female; mean age = 18.96; SD = 0.81) residing in 10 countries across 5 continents who participated in the International Study of Pro/Antisocial Behavior in Young Adults. The Psychosocial and Family Vulnerability Questionnaire and the Adverse Childhood Experiences questionnaire were used to assess social and family adversity, and past-year criminal diversity was measured with the Criminal Variety Index. Results indicate that child maltreatment, substance abuse, and delinquent peers are global risk factors for criminal variety. Moreover, they are independent across males and females and among youths living in countries that are ranked differently on the Human Development Index (HDI). In addition, some childhood vulnerabilities showed different predictive ability across sexes (e.g., school failure), and across countries ranked differently on the HDI (e.g., family dysfunction). These findings suggest that certain childhood factors contribute to criminal behavior through transcultural mechanisms. Moreover, they highlight the importance of developing evidence-based policies that focus on transcultural risk factors to globally prevent criminal behavior.