A ética e o processo de avaliação psicológica

O objectivo principal do presente artigo é alertar para o bom uso das técnicas psicométricas nos contextos da avaliação psicológica. Assim, são evidenciados os principais cuidados a tomar, no que respeita aos testes psicométricos, em cada fase do processo de avaliação psicológica (entrevista, escolha dos testes, aplicação e apresentação dos resultados), bem como os princípios éticos e deontológicos fundamentais que devem caracterizar a boa prática profissional do psicólogo, apesar da inexistência de um Código Deontológico ou de uma entidade reguladora da profissão, em Portugal

A pertinência da formação em psicoterapia

No âmbito da relação de ajuda a intervenção psicoterapêutica é considerada uma forma de tratamento, de reconhecido valor científico, em várias patologias do foro psiquiátrico e psicossomático. Contrariamente ao que acontece no universo português, a Psicoterapia é reconhecida, em alguns países do espaço europeu, como uma profissão com exigências específicas codificadas por legislação adequada. Existem mesmo países, como a Suíça, em que a obtenção do título de especialista em psiquiatria está condicionada pela aquisição de uma formação completa em Psicoterapia. A exigência de uma formação especializada e credenciada por instituições de cariz científico representa, sobretudo em Portugal por não haver legislação, uma protecção quer para pessoa que a ela recorre quer para o profissional que a pratica

Vulnerabilidade infantil e (des)organização familiar

A criança é, dentro do sistema familiar, o membro mais vulnerável. O seu bem-estar não depende apenas dos seus recursos internos, mas também das condições, mais ou menos favoráveis, que o ambiente e as relações familiares lhe proporcionam. Quando o sistema familiar se desorganiza, as consequências para o seu desenvolvimento são inevitáveis. Contudo, a criança não é um agente passivo nesse processo, e a forma como vivência o impacto da adversidade - o seu nível de resiliência - e como gere situações desencadeadoras de stresse - as suas estratégias de coping - desempenham uma função fundamental na integração da desorganização familiar na sua vivência

Attachment orientations and family functioning: the mediating role of emotion regulation

Attachment insecurity has been found to be associated with poor family functioning. The mechanisms underlying this link, however, are less explored. This study examines the potential mediating role of emotion regulation in the association between attachment orientations and family functioning. Self-report scales measuring attachment, family functioning, and emotion regulation were administered to 132 adults (58% women; 57.63 years). Results showed that both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were associated with poor family functioning. Furthermore, emotion suppression, but not positive reappraisal, was found to partially mediate the association between attachment insecurity (both anxiety and avoidance) and perceived family functioning. Findings suggest that emotion regulation seems to play a role in the impact that attachment orientations may have on family functioning.4317-C2CF-53B0 | Rute Sofia Ribeiro Brites Diasinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Attachment orientations, emotion goals, and emotion regulation

While research has linked attachment to emotion regulation (ER), little is known about associations between attachment and what individuals want to feel (i.e., emotion goals), something that has been found to influence ER strategy choice. In this study, we examined the links between attachment, emotion goals, and emotion regulation. A total of 605 participants from the community were included. They filled out self-report scales on attachment, emotion goals, and ER strategies. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Direct effects showed a link between attachment avoidance and fewer pro-hedonic goals, more suppression and fewer emotion communication, and between attachment anxiety and fewer pro-hedonic goals, more pro-social, performance, and impression management goals, and more suppression and rumination. Indirect effects showed that attachment avoidance was associated with less emotion communication and positive reappraisal and more suppression through fewer pro-hedonic goals. Attachment anxiety was associated with more rumination and more suppression through fewer impression management goals; attachment anxiety was also associated with more suppression through fewer pro-hedonic goals and more performance goals. These findings highlight the role of attachment as an important antecedent of emotion goals.4317-C2CF-53B0 | Rute Sofia Ribeiro Brites Diasinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fathers parenting role: self-esteem, parenting styles and parental self-efficacy

This study aims to explore the relation between fathers parenting styles (PS), self-esteem (SE) and parental self-efficacy (PSE). Research points out the complex potential relations between SE and PSE. Although PSE has been studied in association to PS, there’s a research gap concerning the influence of fathers’ SE in this process. In a cross-sectional study a questionnaire comprising personal data, PS, SE and PSE was completed by 157men (age: M=38.41, SD=6.03) of pre-school/school age children. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses and structural equation models (SEM) were performed. Like other studies, authoritative PS is associated to positive outcomes, explaining 25% of PSE variance, in opposition to permissiveness, associated to a negative sense of PSE. Education level and SE emerge as significant predictors for fathers PS exerting indirect effects on PSE. Father’s higher levels of SE and education are important individual variables to fathers-child relation with implications on family affective climate and health

Attachment orientations and family functioning: The mediating role of emotion regulation.

Attachment insecurity has been found to be associated with poor family functioning. The mechanisms underlying this link, however, are less explored. This study examines the potential mediating role of emotion regulation in the association between attachment orientations and family functioning. Self-report scales measuring attachment, family functioning, and emotion regulation were administered to 132 adults (58% women; 57.63 years). Results showed that both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were associated with poor family functioning. Furthermore, emotion suppression, but not positive reappraisal, was found to partially mediate the association between attachment insecurity (both anxiety and avoidance) and perceived family functioning. Findings suggest that emotion regulation seems to play a role in the impact that attachment orientations may have on family functioning.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Dyadic coping, marital adjustment and quality of life in couples during pregnancy: an actor-partner approach

This study aimed to examine the impact of dyadic coping on the quality of life of couples during pregnancy and to explore the potential mediating role of marital adjustment on this association. Background: According to the systemic transactional model, pregnancy can be characterised as a situation of dyadic stress because it affects both members of the couple. However, the impact of dyadic coping on couples’ quality of life during pregnancy is unexplored. Also, the potential mediating role of marital adjustment on this association remains understudied. Methods: Participants were 320 pregnant women and their partners (N = 640) who completed the Dyadic Coping Inventory, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the World Health Organisation Quality of Life instrument. Data were analysed using the actor–partner interdependence mediation model. Results: Results showed that there was an intrapersonal indirect effect of dyadic coping on quality of life through marital adjustment. Moreover, an interpersonal indirect effect was found with fathers’ dyadic coping being associated with mothers’ quality of life through mothers’ marital adjustment. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of assessing dyadic coping strategies of couples during pregnancy and targeting them in the psychological support offered to couples as a way of improving their marital adjustment, and consequently, their quality of life

Burden and Parental Satisfaction in Informal Caregivers of People with Angelman Syndrome: A Mix-method Study

Background: Studies focusing on the burden of parents informally caring for offspring with chronic illnesses such as Angelman Syndrome are rare, despite the challenging task of parenting a person with such a disabling illness. The present article seeks to study the experience of being a parent and, simultaneously, an informal caregiver for a person with Angelman Syndrome, pursuing to investigate the effects of autonomy on the caregiver burden and how parental satisfaction mediates this relationship. Methods: A mixed methods research was conducted. The quantitative cross-sectional study involved 24 parents of a person with Angelman Syndrome, 75% mothers (Mothers Mage = 42.9, SD= 2.1; Fathers Mage =50.00, SD= 4.4). Five self-reported instruments were applied: sociodemographic questionnaire, Katz Index, Parental Satisfaction Scale and Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale. The qualitative study involved four parents (75% mothers), to whom we conducted a semi-structured interview. Results: The results show that the greater the general satisfaction, the lower the feelings of burden. Also, an indirect effect of autonomy on caregiver burden through general satisfaction was found. The qualitative study revealed the presence of feelings such as burden, sadness, shock, fear, uncertainty, and hope, being the main complaints the lack of personal time and the multitude of responsibilities and activities. All data was collected during a global pandemic situation, inevitably affecting the results of the study. Conclusion: Results confirm the emotional impact of being, simultaneously, a parent and a caregiver of a person diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome. Further studies with this population are needed to find out the risk and protective factors of symptoms of burden within this population.4317-C2CF-53B0 | Rute Sofia Ribeiro Brites Diasinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Emotion goals, emotion regulation, and mental health: A mediational hypothesis

Objective Until recently, studies have focused their attention on the different ways individuals regulate their emotions. What remains to be known are the reasons underlying individuals’ emotion regulation choices and their consequences. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to provide preliminary evidence on individual differences in how emotion goals, emotion regulation strategy choice, and individuals’ mental health are associated. Method A sample of 400 Portuguese adults from the community was used. Results Pro-hedonic goals were associated with the use of less suppression, more emotion communication, and more positive reappraisal, which in turn were associated with better mental health. Contra-hedonic goals were associated with the use of more suppression and less positive reappraisal, which in turn were associated with worse mental health. Finally, impression management goals were associated with the use of more suppression and more rumination, and less emotion communication, which in turn were associated with worse mental health. Conclusions Overall, our findings seem to suggest that emotion goals are linked to individuals’ mental health via emotion regulation strategies. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: (1) Emotion regulation has important implications for the individuals’ psychological well-being. (2) Emotion goals are likely to influence emotion regulation strategy choice. (3) Emotion goals seem to influence individual’s psychological well-being. What this topic adds: (1) Pro-hedonic goals were associated with the use of less suppression, more emotion communication, and more positive reappraisal which in turn were associated with better mental health. (2) Contra-hedonic goals were linked to depression and anxiety via the use of more suppression and less positive reappraisal. (3) Impression management goals were linked to depression, anxiety, and stress via the use of more suppression, more rumination, and less emotion communication.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio