APPsyCI - Artigos em revistas científicas internacionais
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- Loneliness during the COVID pandemic: Characteristics and associated risksPublication . Paiva, Teresa; Gaspar, Tânia; Tomé, Gina; Gaspar de Matos, MargaridaLoneliness is becoming progressively more frequent despite increasing communication facilities. The COVID lockdown and social interaction restrictions enhanced loneliness complaints in more vulnerable groups while increasing its global prevalence. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence, characteristics, and predictors of loneliness complaints during COVID19 Methods: The sample includes 5230 participants, 67.7% female, mean age 48.6 years and SD 14.30. To assure complexity/ diversity, an extensive internet survey with 177 questions was applied during the first COVID-19 pandemic wave in Portugal, including data from the Continent and Islands (Madeira and Azores). Results: The prevalence was higher in females, emerging adults, those living alone, living in a flat, and in a big city. The following variables were higher in LG (Loneliness Group): Stress, depression, anxiety, irritability, worries, Calamity Experience Check List (CECL), economic problems, Sleep latency and Awakenings, Screen time in TV, Mobile, Social networks, negative attitudes and negative behaviors, dependences from TV, Social networks and Games, morbidities, worsening of previous morbidities, and nightmares. The predictors were civil status, living alone, and having negative attitudes during the pandemic. Conclusions: The study allows us to conclude that loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with health, psychological, behavioral, lifestyle, and housing-related factors; it could be predicted by the Calamity Experience Check List (CECL); Frequency of sexual activity; Negative attitudes; Positive attitudes; Negative Behaviors; Civil status; Living alone; Sleep latency weekdays; Sleep latency weekends. There were gender similarities and differences in loneliness predictors.
- The impact of community resilience, well-being, and community attachment on human service workers’ burnoutPublication . Henriques, Joana; Luís, Sílvia; Rivero, Catarina; Gonçalves, Sónia P; Tavares, Lara Patrício; Marujo, Helena ÁBurnout has become an increasingly prevalent condition, especially affecting professionals in direct contact with clients. Human service workers (HSWs) have quite emotionally taxing jobs supporting vulnerable groups. In developing a close relationship with the communities they work with, it could be possible that community-related variables have an impact on HSWs’ burnout. We aim to analyze the prevalence of burnout in a sample of HSWs from Portugal and the role of community resilience as a predictor of their burnout, as well as explore if their subjective well-being and community attachment could explain the relationship between community resilience and burnout, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through an online questionnaire between August 2020 and January 2021 ( N = 598). Results indicate that HSWs presented medium to low levels of burnout, although 8.9% presented high levels. Those who reported lower levels of burnout perceived higher community resilience and had much higher well-being and community attachment. Findings point to community resilience having a significant direct effect on burnout and also an indirect effect, which was explained by subjective well-being and community attachment. Results seem to suggest that this sample's low-medium levels of burnout could be linked to the benefit of experiencing high community attachment and working in communities with high resilience, which consequently impacted their well-being and burnout. This highlights the crucial role of the work context in professionals’ mental health, showing that a broader context needs to be considered in professional mental health promotion programs.
- Bridging genetic insights with neuroimaging in Autism Spectrum Disorder — A systematic reviewPublication . Vilela, Joana; Rasga, Célia; Santos, João Xavier; Martiniano, Hugo; Marques, Ana Rita; Oliveira, Guiomar; Vicente, Astrid Moura; Maria Rasga, CéliaAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an early onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and repetitive patterns of behavior. Family studies show that ASD is highly heritable, and hundreds of genes have previously been implicated in the disorder; however, the etiology is still not fully clear. Brain imaging and electroencephalography (EEG) are key techniques that study alterations in brain structure and function. Combined with genetic analysis, these techniques have the potential to help in the clarification of the neurobiological mechanisms contributing to ASD and help in defining novel therapeutic targets. To further understand what is known today regarding the impact of genetic variants in the brain alterations observed in individuals with ASD, a systematic review was carried out using Pubmed and EBSCO databases and following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. This review shows that specific genetic variants and altered patterns of gene expression in individuals with ASD may have an effect on brain circuits associated with face processing and social cognition, and contribute to excitation–inhibition imbalances and to anomalies in brain volumes.
- Validation of a job satisfaction scale for predicting employee churn in commercial airlines in PortugalPublication . Brito, António Pimenta de; Moreira, Ana; Sousa, Maria JoséPurpose – The purpose of this study is to validate a job satisfaction scale that can predict employee churn for Portuguese commercial airline companies. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 369 subjects voluntarily participated in this study, all of whom worked for commercial air transport companies. An exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was carried out to test the instrument. Findings – The results of the psychometric qualities of this instrument indicate that it can be used in future empirical studies. This instrument assesses various dimensions of job satisfaction: leadership, safety, work/life balance, career and pay. Research limitations/implications – One of the limitations of this study is the small sample size and the data collection process. Another limitation is that the questionnaire is self-administered and consists of closed questions. Practical implications – This turnover, satisfaction and performance assessment can be critical, especially when companies struggle with high employee turnover like aviation companies. Aviation professionals are a very skilled profession, with high qualification costs. Social implications – By providing a reliable tool to measure and improve job satisfaction, the research can help reduce employee turnover, leading to more stable employment in the airline industry in Portugal and other countries. Originality/value – By presenting a validated job satisfaction scale tailored for predicting employeechurn specifically within Portuguese commercial aviation companies. This concern benefits employees’ mental health, job security and enhances service quality for assengers
- Observação inspirada em revisão por paresPublication . Lopes, Susana; Sanches, TatianaEste trabalho examina a convergência entre a observação de pares na docência no ensino superior e o processo de revisão por pares na publicação científica. Realizámos um estudo preliminar para analisar as estratégias utilizadas por professores do ensino superior ao avaliar práticas de ensino, por meio da observação, e comparámos esses resultados com o rigor da revisão por pares no contexto da publicação científica. O objetivo central é comparar práticas de qualidade em dois ecossistemas distintos: o ambiente académico, onde colegas de ensino observam e avaliam métodos de ensino, e o campo da publicação científica, onde revisores por pares avaliam a qualidade e originalidade da investigação. Este estudo é baseado em uma revisão da literatura, enquadrando a análise em parâmetros descritivos. Os resultados mostram semelhanças na importância da reflexão crítica e análise rigorosa, evidenciando uma convergência nas perceções dos participantes sobre a necessidade de feedback construtivo e orientação específica para promover o desenvolvimento profissional. Ambos os processos contribuem significativamente para a qualidade e o progresso nas suas respetivas esferas, destacando a importância de práticas eficazes de avaliação em ambientes académicos e científicos.
- Protective factors in the LGBTIQ+ adolescent experience: A systematic reviewPublication . Ancín-Nicolás, Ruth A.; Pastor, Yolanda; López-Sáez, Miguel Ángel; Platero, LucasBackground: LGBTIQ+ adolescents face multiple forms of violence due to minority stress, putting their mental health at risk. These adolescents, particularly trans and gender-diverse youth, face significant challenges, including family violence, bullying, and limited access to health services. This article investigates the factors that protect their mental health. Method: A systematic review of articles published between 2019 and 2024 was conducted using the PRISMA method. Results: The study identifies family and school support, peer relationships, and individual resilience as key protective factors to reduce depression, anxiety, and suicidal behavior, as well as increase self-esteem and well-being. Conclusions: This review calls for further research into protective factors related to the microsystem, exosystem, and macrosystem and the impact of intervention programs with adolescents and their families.
- Overcoming barriers: Trajectories for a school environment that promotes the participation of adolescents with chronic conditionsPublication . Cerqueira, Ana; Guedes, Fábio Botelho; Gaspar, Tania; Godeau, Emmanuelle; Simões, Celeste; Gaspar de Matos, MargaridaThe characteristics of the school environment can influence students’ participation. Therefore, exploring the existing barriers to school participation and academic success of students with chronic conditions (CCs) is essential since they are a population at an increased risk for impairments and difficulties in these areas. This specific study aimed to explore the personal and school-environment variables associated with the school participation of students with CCs. Additionally, it aimed to analyze the differences between (1) male and female adolescents concerning the impact of CCs on school participation and the personal and school-environment variables; and (2) adolescents with and without school participation affected by the existing CCs regarding personal and school-environment variables. This work included 1442 adolescents with CCs, 56.3% female (n = 769), with a mean age of 15.17 years (SD = 2.33), participating in the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) 2022 study. The results showed that girls and students with school participation affected by CCs are at greater risk regarding the personal and school-environment variables under study. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis of the association between these variables and the school participation of students with CCs, a greater weight of personal variables was observed, followed by those of the school environment related to interpersonal relationships and, finally, the physical environment and safety-at-school variables. The study highlights the relevance of considering the existing barriers to school participation and academic success of students with CCs. The results also underline the importance of aligning the intervention of health and education professionals and policymakers. All of these professionals must make a joint effort to overcome existing barriers in the school context and move towards an increasingly balanced environment that promotes and protects the equal participation of all students.
- Organizational citizenship behavior: Adaptation and validation of the OCB scale CCOE-RPublication . Neves, Paula C.; Palma-Moreira, Ana; Andrade, Cláudia; Au-Yong-Oliveira, ManuelOrganizational Citizenship Behavior has evolved as a pivotal concept in organizational behavior because of its importance on fostering the success of organizations. Despite its recognized benefits, OCB’s dimensions are not consensual in literature. The goal of this paper was to adapt and validated to be used in a broader work context an OCB scale (CCOE-R) initially developed for the Portuguese specific professional context, schools and the education sector. The sample of this study is composed of 740 participants. To validate the scale, an exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis and scale invariance test were performed. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a 10-item unidimensional structure, with excellent reliability indices, and goodness of fit, besides invariance for group status (managerial and non-managerial positions). The OCB-G (Global OCB) emerges as a reliable and valid instrument that is based on a conception of OCB as a unidimensional construct. Because the items are group referenced items, it is possible to obtain a global value of OCB that represents group perceptions on OCB, allowing research to be carried out at the group/organizational level. The (CCOE-R) is an essential contribution to the study of organizational behavior, serving as a practical tool for assessing OCB-G as it plays a prominent role in organizations.
- Psychological health and life satisfaction of portuguese teachersPublication . Tomé, Gina; Rodrigues, Nuno; Gaspar de Matos, MargaridaBackground: In Portugal, teachers have constantly sought better working conditions in order to improve their mental health, which can result in demotivation and personal and professional exhaustion. Methods: A total of 1454 national public school teachers participated in this study, 17.4% (n = 253) male, aged between 22 and 66 years old (M = 51.4, SD = 7.5). The instrument used included questions concerning sociodemographic data (gender, years of teaching experience, age, length of service), a life satisfaction scale, WHO-5/quality of life perception, the physical and psychological symptoms scale-HBSC, depression, stress, and the anxiety scale-DASS-21. It also included questions about the school environment: relationship with the principal, and school atmosphere. Results: Four groups of teachers were created for the statistical analyses: No Life Satisfied/No Symptoms; Life Satisfied/No Symptoms; No Life Satisfied/With Symptoms; and Life Satisfied/With Symptoms. The results revealed that male teachers showed higher percentages for the following groups: No Life Satisfied/No Symptoms (χ2 = 17.223(3), p ≤ 0.001, 20.2%), Life Satisfied/No Symptoms (χ2 = 17.223(3), p ≤ 0.001, 43.3%) and No Life Satisfied/With Symptoms (χ2 = 17.223(3), p ≤ 0.001, 23.9%). Conclusions: The results made it possible to identify a profile of teachers who are more likely to develop mental health problems and psychological distress: those who have lower perceived life satisfaction and more psychological symptoms, which are associated with a low perception of quality of life, a worse relationship with principals and a worse perception of the quality of the school environment; this situation seems to be even worse among female teachers.
- Who are the happy girls? Gender Comparison Using a Biopsychosocial Approach: Health Behavior School-Aged Children Study in Portugal During Covid-PandemicPublication . Gaspar, Tania; Carvalho, Marina; Guedes, Fábio Botelho; Cerqueira, Ana; Matos, Margarida Gaspar deFrom an ecological perspective, this study aimed to understand and characterize the similarities and differences between girls and boys regarding the perception of happiness. This paper is based on the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2022 study. 5809 students from 6th (29.6%), 8th (33.5%), and 10th (37%) grades responded, of whom 50.9% were female, with a mean age of 14.09 years (SD = 1.82). The results allow us to study and identify similarities and differences between four groups from an ecological perspective: happy girls, happy boys, unhappy girls, and unhappy boys. For both boys and girls, quality of life, low psychological symptoms, and body image best explain their well-being. Among unhappy girls, the mother's job, life satisfaction, health literacy, communication with the father, and relationship with teachers explain their well-being. In the case of unhappy boys, in addition to these variables, the father's job and the relationship with the family also explain their well-being.. Mental health factors, such as life satisfaction, quality of life, and low psychological symptoms, explain well-being in both boys and girls. For happy girls, age, mother's job, stress management, health literacy, and liking school explain their well-being. Happy boys report that not being so sad that they cannot stand it, not having worries, having a good relationship with teachers, and feeling safe in their living area contribute to their well-being. We conclude that unhappy adolescents are the ones who report more socioeconomic and family relationship difficulties, especially in communication with their fathers. Girls have weaker psychological health indicators and a more negative body image.