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Nunes da Silva, Ana Catarina

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  • Looking after myself while caring for others: A pilot study on self-care in psychologists working in palliative care
    Publication . Sousa, Daniela Santos; Silva, Ana Nunes Da; Neto, David Dias
    The risks inherent to being a doctor or a nurse in palliative care are well known. Since palliative care is a context in which professionals are exposed to specific risks and challenges, self-care is important to promote a better practice and prevent burnout. However, little research has been conducted to determine the impact palliative care setting has in clinical psychologists. It is necessary to explore the influence this work has on the well-being of psychologists, and the relevance they attribute to self-care. This qualitative study explores the experiences of clinical psychologists working in palliative care in order to understand the various aspects related to their self-care. Eleven Portuguese psychologists working in palliative care participated in semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis was performed, and three main domains emerged: (1) working in palliative care and its impact; (2) self-care: how, what for and why not more; and (3) self-care learning. The findings suggest that being a psychologist in this setting has risks, as being exposed to human suffering, but also has existential positive benefits that allow them to seize their own lives and understand the strengths of humankind. Self-care practices are perceived as improving professional performance and contribute to the well-being of the psychologist. Also, participants recognized some barriers to self-care that seem to be related to the little access to self-care information during their training. This research allows an understanding of self-care practices and gives relevance to this topic within palliative care psychologists
  • Rethinking Leahy’s Emotional Schema Scale (LESS): Results from the Portuguese Adaptation of the LESS
    Publication . Silva, Ana Nunes Da; Matos, Marta; Faustino, Bruno; Neto, David Dias; Roberto, M. S.
    This study aims to contribute to the study of emotional schemas, through the adaptation of the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (LESS) to Portuguese. The LESS is a 50 item self-report with 14 theoretical dimensions, representing concepts, evaluations, attributions of emotions, and strategies of emotion regulation (Leahy in Cognit Behav Pract 9(3):177–190, 2002. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1077-7229(02)80048- 7). Translation, back-translation and pilot assessment of LESS’s Portuguese version were completed. Data was collected online with 396 participants. An exploratory principal component analysis was conducted. Parallel analysis revealed a 5-component structure, which after the deletion of eight items generated a fnal solution explaining 48% of the variance. Components internal consistency was adequate and convergent validity supported with signifcant correlations with difculties in emotional regulation and emotional processing, and psychopathology. It presents dimensions that are highly relevant for assessment, case conceptualization and clinical decision making. Although this scale is related to a specifc cognitive theory, the construct and its subscales may be useful beyond the psychotherapeutic model, stressing the transtheoretical potential of the scale.
  • Predictors of changing patterns of adherence to containment measures during the early stage of COVID-19 pandemic: an international longitudinal study
    Publication . Chong, Yuen Yu; Chien, Wai Tong; Cheng, Ho Yu; Lamnisos, Demetris; Ļubenko, Jeļena; Presti, Giovambattista; Squatrito, Valeria; Constantinou, Marios; Nicolaou, Christiana; Papacostas, Savvas; Aydın, Gökçen; Ruiz, Francisco J.; Garcia-Martin, Maria B.; Obando-Posada, Diana P.; Segura-Vargas, Miguel A.; Vasiliou, Vasilis S.; McHugh, Louise Anita; Höfer, Stefan; Baban, Adriana; Neto, David Dias; Silva, Ana Nunes Da; Monestès, Jean-Louis; Alvarez-Galvez, Javier; PAEZ BLARRINA, MARISA; Montesinos, Francisco; Salas, Sonsoles Valdivia; Őri, Dorottya; Kleszcz, Bartosz; Lappalainen, Raimo; Ivanović, Iva; Gosar, David; Dionne, Frederick; Merwin, Rhonda M.; Gloster, Andrew; Kassianos, Angelos P.; Karekla, Maria
    ABSTRACT: Background Identifying common factors that afect public adherence to COVID-19 containment measures can directly inform the development of ofcial public health communication strategies. The present international longitu‑ dinal study aimed to examine whether prosociality, together with other theoretically derived motivating factors (selfefcacy, perceived susceptibility and severity of COVID-19, perceived social support) predict the change in adherence to COVID-19 containment strategies. Method In wave 1 of data collection, adults from eight geographical regions completed online surveys beginning in April 2020, and wave 2 began in June and ended in September 2020. Hypothesized predictors included prosociality, self-efcacy in following COVID-19 containment measures, perceived susceptibility to COVID-19, perceived sever‑ ity of COVID-19 and perceived social support. Baseline covariates included age, sex, history of COVID-19 infection and geographical regions. Participants who reported adhering to specifc containment measures, including physical distancing, avoidance of non-essential travel and hand hygiene, were classifed as adherence. The dependent variable was the category of adherence, which was constructed based on changes in adherence across the survey period and included four categories: non-adherence, less adherence, greater adherence and sustained adherence (which was designated as the reference category). Results In total, 2189 adult participants (82% female, 57.2% aged 31–59 years) from East Asia (217 [9.7%]), West Asia (246 [11.2%]), North and South America (131 [6.0%]), Northern Europe (600 [27.4%]), Western Europe (322 [14.7%]), Southern Europe (433 [19.8%]), Eastern Europe (148 [6.8%]) and other regions (96 [4.4%]) were analyzed. Adjusted
  • Corrigendum: Illness perceptions of COVID-19 in Europe: Predictors, impacts and temporal evolution
    Publication . Dias Neto, David; Nunes da Silva, Ana; Roberto, M. S.; Ļubenko, Jeļena; Constantinou, Marios; Nicolaou, Christiana; Lamnisos, Demetris; Papacostas, Savvas; Höfer, Stefan; Presti, Giovambattista; Squatrito, Valeria; S. Vasiliou, Vasilis; Anita McHugh, Louise; Monestès, Jean-Louis; Baban, Adriana; Alvarez-Galvez, Javier; PAEZ BLARRINA, MARISA; Montesinos, Francisco; Valdivia Salas, María Sonsoles; Dorottya, Őri; Lappalainen, Raimo; Kleszcz, Bartosz; Gloster, Andrew; Karekla, Maria; P. Kassianos, Angelos
  • The mental health impacts of a pandemic: A multiaxial conceptual model for COVID-19
    Publication . Neto, David Dias; Nunes da Silva, Ana
    The COVID-19 pandemic substantially impacted the mental health of the general population and particularly vulnerable individuals and groups. A wealth of research allows for estimating this impact and identifying relevant factors contributing to or mitigating it. The current paper presents and synthesizes this evidence into a multiaxial model of COVID-19 mental health impacts. Based on existing research, we propose four axes: (1) Exposure to COVID-related events; (2) Personal and social vulnerability, such as previous mental health problems or belonging to a vulnerable group; (3) Time, which accounts for the differential impacts throughout the development of the pandemic; and (4) Context, including healthcare and public policies, and social representations of the illness influencing individual emotional reactions and relevant behaviors. These axes help acknowledge the complexity of communities’ reactions and are pragmatic in identifying and prioritizing factors. The axes can provide individual information (i.e., more exposure is harmful) and account for interactions (e.g., exposure in an early phase of the pandemic differs from a later stage). This model contributes to the reflections of the evidence and informs the mental health response to the next pandemic.
  • To help or not to help? Prosocial behavior, its association with well-being, and predictors of prosocial behavior during the coronavirus disease pandemic
    Publication . Haller, Elisa; Ļubenko, Jeļena; Presti, Giovambattista; Squatrito, Valeria; Constantinou, Marios; Nicolaou, Christiana; Papacostas, Savvas; Aydın, Gökçen; Chong, Yuen Yu; Chien, Wai Tong; Cheng, Ho Yu; Ruiz, Francisco J.; García-Martín, María B.; Obando-Posada, Diana P.; Segura-Vargas, Miguel A.; Vasiliou, Vasilis S.; McHugh, Louise Anita; Höfer, Stefan; Baban, Adriana; Neto, David Dias; Silva, Ana Nunes Da; Monestes, Jean-Louis; Alvarez-Galvez, Javier; Paez Blarrina, Marisa; Montesinos, Francisco; Salas, María Sonsoles; Ori, Dorottya; Kleszcz, Bartosz; Lappalainen, Raimo; Ivanović, Iva; Gosar, David; Dionne, Frederick; Merwin, Rhonda M.; Karekla, Maria; Kassianos, Angelos P.; Gloster, Andrew
    The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic fundamentally disrupted humans’ social life and behavior. Public health measures may have inadvertently impacted how people care for each other. This study investigated prosocial behavior, its association well-being, and predictors of prosocial behavior during the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and sought to understand whether region-specific differences exist. Participants (N = 9,496) from eight regions clustering multiple countries around the world responded to a cross-sectional online-survey investigating the psychological consequences of the first upsurge of lockdowns in spring 2020. Prosocial behavior was reported to occur frequently. Multiple regression analyses showed that prosocial behavior was associated with better well-being consistently across regions. With regard to predictors of prosocial behavior, high levels of perceived social support were most strongly associated with prosocial behavior, followed by high levels of perceived stress, positive affect and psychological flexibility. Sociodemographic and psychosocial predictors of prosocial behavior were similar across regions.
  • Illness perceptions of COVID-19 in Europe: Predictors, impacts and temporal evolution
    Publication . Neto, David Dias; Silva, Ana Nunes Da; Roberto, M. S.; Ļubenko, Jeļena; Constantinou, Marios; Nicolaou, Christiana; Lamnisos, Demetris; Papacostas, Savvas; Höfer, Stefan; Presti, Giovambattista; Squatrito, Valeria; S. Vasiliou, Vasilis; Anita McHugh, Louise; Monestes, Jean-Louis; Baban, Adriana; Alvarez-Galvez, Javier; Paez Blarrina, Marisa; Montesinos, Francisco; Valdivia Salas, María Sonsoles; Dorottya, Őri; Lappalainen, Raimo; Kleszcz, Bartosz; Gloster, Andrew; Karekla, Maria; Kassianos, Angelos P.
    Objective: Illness perceptions (IP) are important predictors of emotional and behavioral responses in many diseases. The current study aims to investigate the COVID-19-related IP throughout Europe. The specific goals are to understand the temporal development, identify predictors (within demographics and contact with COVID-19) and examine the impacts of IP on perceived stress and preventive behaviors. Methods: This was a time-series-cross-section study of 7,032 participants from 16 European countries using multilevel modeling from April to June 2020. IP were measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Temporal patterns were observed considering the date of participation and the date recoded to account the epidemiological evolution of each country. The outcomes considered were perceived stress and COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Results: There were significant trends, over time, for several IP, suggesting a small decrease in negativity in the perception of COVID-19 in the community. Age, gender, and education level related to some, but not all, IP. Considering the self-regulation model, perceptions consistently predicted general stress and were less consistently related to Dias Neto et al. Illness Perceptions of COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Country showed no effect in the predictive model, suggesting that national differences may have little relevance for IP, in this context. Conclusion: The present study provides a comprehensive picture of COVID-19 IP in Europe in an early stage of the pandemic. The results shed light on the process of IP formation with implications for health-related outcomes and their evolution.
  • Recalled parental emotion socialisation and psychological distress: The role of emotional schemas
    Publication . Sebastião, Rita; Neto, David Dias; Nunes da Silva, Ana
    Recalled parental emotion socialisation has been associated with psychological distress in adulthood. Since emotional schemas develop from interpersonal interaction and can result in pathological reactions, they can be an important mechanism. The present study analyses the mediator role of emotional schemas in the relationship between recalled parental emotion socialisation and psychological distress. A community sample of 246 Portuguese adults, between 18 and 73 years old (M = 34.3, SD = 13.32), completed the following self-report measures: Emotional (In)Validation Experiences Scale; Leahy Emotional Schema Scale; and Brief Symptom Inventory 18. Two mediation models were estimated, one for each parent. Emotional schemas mediated the relationship between recalled parental emotion socialisation and psychological distress. Negative evaluation of emotion was the strongest mediator in the relationship between emotional invalidation and psychological distress while difficulties in reappraisal was the strongest mediator in the relationship between emotional validation and psychological distress. Differences were observed between the mother’s and father’s models. Results highlight the importance of emotional schemas in understanding the role of parental emotion socialisation in psychological distress, which may have important implications for intervention and prevention.
  • Rethinking Lleahy’s Emotional Schema Scale (LESS): Results from the Portuguese Adaptation of the LESS
    Publication . Silva, Ana Nunes Da; Matos, Marta; Faustino, Bruno; Neto, David Dias; Roberto, Magda S.
    This study aims to contribute to the study of emotional schemas, through the adaptation of the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (LESS) to Portuguese. The LESS is a 50 item self-report with 14 theoretical dimensions, representing concepts, evaluations, attributions of emotions, and strategies of emotion regulation (Leahy in Cognit Behav Pract 9(3):177–190, 2002. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1077-7229(02)80048- 7). Translation, back-translation and pilot assessment of LESS’s Portuguese version were completed. Data was collected online with 396 participants. An exploratory principal component analysis was conducted. Parallel analysis revealed a 5-component structure, which after the deletion of eight items generated a fnal solution explaining 48% of the variance. Components internal consistency was adequate and convergent validity supported with signifcant correlations with difculties in emotional regulation and emotional processing, and psychopathology. It presents dimensions that are highly relevant for assessment, case conceptualization and clinical decision making. Although this scale is related to a specifc cognitive theory, the construct and its subscales may be useful beyond the psychotherapeutic model, stressing the transtheoretical potential of the scale.
  • Contextual similarities in psychological flexibility: The Brazil-Portugal transcultural adaptation of Psy-Flex
    Publication . Neto, David Dias; Mouadeb, Daniella; Lemos, Nanci; Nunes da Silva, Ana; Gloster, Andrew; Perez, William
    Psychological Flexibility is an essential concept in Contextual Behavioural Sciences. The development of instruments is vital for its study, and it is an opportunity to reflect on this concept. Among the measures of this construct, Psy-Flex shows promise due to comprehensiveness in assessing the six facets of psychological flexibility and its pragmatic value. In the present study, we sought to translate Psy-Flex to Portuguese and adapt it transculturally for use in Portugal and Brazil. The translation was done independently by Brazilian and Portuguese researchers, and a consensus procedure was done to identify a synthesis. A total of 873 adults from Portugal and Brazil were involved in this study. The participants completed several questionnaires with ACT-related measures (e.g., cognitive fusion, mindful attention) and instruments measuring conceptually related variables (e.g., positive mental health). The results show good psychometric properties of PsyFlex. The one-factor structure of the original instrument was confirmed in both the Portuguese and Brazilian samples. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good fit of the model to the data (CFI = 0.985, RMSEA = 0.055) of both countries. Furthermore, the Psy-Flex showed convergent validity with related measures in a conceptually expected way. As a transcultural instrument, we argue that both the similarities and differences across samples suggest the broad human nature of psychological flexibility while retaining its context sensitivity.