Openness Toward Organizational Change Scale (OTOCS): Validity evidence from Brazil and Portugal

Openness toward organizational change is central to employees’ responses to organiza- tions’ strategic actions. This study aims to assess the validity evidence of the Openness Toward Organizational Change Scale (OTOCS) by examining the internal structure of the measure (e.g., dimensionality, reliability, measurement invariance) and its relations with other variables such as quality of work life, burnout, job satisfaction, and work engagement. A cross-sectional study was conducted using total sample of 1,175 workers, with 565 work- ers from Portugal and 610 from Brazil. The data provided satisfactory validity evidence based on the internal structure: the expected dimensionality was confirmed, acceptable lev- els of reliability were found, and measurement invariance was achieved among countries and sex. The measure also demonstrated satisfactory validity evidence based on the rela- tions to other variables, being negatively associated with burnout and positively associated with work engagement, job satisfaction and quality of work. The OTOCS proved to be a rela- tively short self-report measure with satisfactory validity evidence to be used among Brazil- ian and Portuguese workers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Shame, Self-Criticism, Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Depression in Eating Disorders

Costa, J., Marôco, J., Pinto-Gouveia, J., & Ferreira, C. (2016). Shame, Self-Criticism, Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Depression in Eating Disorders. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 16(3), 317-328. http://www.ijpsy.com/volumen16/num3/449.htmlThe complexity of eating disorder (ED) manifestations has increased the interest in understanding the mechanisms underlying the eating psychopathology and it is now widely accepted that there are multiple risk pathways for both the development and maintenance of eating psychopathology. This study examined the association between external shame and depression. We also investigated the possible mediation effect of self-criticism in the relation between shame and depression. Further to that, the current cross-sectional study inspected whether this mediation exists for different conditional values of perfectionistic self-presentation. One hundred and twenty one women diagnosed with eating disorder according to the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE 16.0D) completed a battery of self-report questionnaires to assess external shame, self-criticism, perfectionistic self-presentation and depression. A mediated-moderation analysis was performed. Results showed that the path from external shame to self-criticism depends on the level of perfectionistic self-presentation whereas the effect of self-criticism on depression is constant. Thus, there is an interaction between external shame and perfectionistic self-presentation on self-criticism which, in turn, affects depression. The internalization of an ideal-self sets up a standard that once compared to the actual self, displays negative self-evaluations and feelings that individuals see as reflecting a bad, inferior and flawed self. In this context, a perfectionistic self-presentation is used to create positive images on the minds of others. Although this style of organization is an adaptive way to deal with specific social contexts once it functions as a buffer in the relationship between shame and self-criticism, perfectionistic self-presentation seems to be a useless strategy since it does not prevent them from depression. Implications for future research are discussed

Understanding the relationship between illness perceptions of breast cancer and perceived risk in a sample of U.A.E. female university students: the role of comparative risk

BackgroundIn the Middle East region, the incidence of breast cancer (BC) has substantially increased in the last years. Despite a considerable body of research about BC in Arab countries, how illness perceptions of healthy women about BC may influence risk perception is unknown.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample of 298 young Emirati women. The measures included demographic information, illness perceptions, and risk perception. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed to assess illness perceptions about BC, perceived individual risk and comparative risk. A structural equation modelling (S.E.M.) was built to investigate the relationship between illness perceptions and perceived individual risk.ResultsParticipants reported negative illness perceptions about BC The individual risk perception and the compared risk perception for BC were low. Participants with a family history of BC reported more negative illness and higher risk perceptions. The relationship between illness perceptions and perceived individual risk was significant and mediated by compared risk. The S.E.M. explained 55.9% of the variance in predicting perceived individual risk for BC.ConclusionWomen\u27s views of BC are important factors in risk perception and may provide culturally sensitive clues to promote early screening for BC in Arab countries. This may be important for policymakers to design intervention strategies to lower health risks, considering the different ways in which women perceive their risks for BC

Understanding the relationship between illness perceptions of breast cancer and perceived risk in a sample of U.A.E. female university students: the role of comparative risk

BMC Women's Health is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that considers articles on all aspects of the health and wellbeing of adolescent girls and women, with a particular focus on the physical, mental, and emotional health of women in developed and developing nations. The journal welcomes submissions on women's public health issues, health behaviours, breast cancer, gynecological diseases, mental health and health promotion.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

How Do Healthy Women Perceive the Risk of Breast Cancer? The Role of Illness Perceptions and Compared Risk between Portugal and the U.A.E

(1) Background: Breast cancer (BC) shows significant epidemiological differences between Eastern and Western countries. These may arise from socio-cultural factors influencing how healthy young women perceive this condition, their risk of getting cancer, and the implications for preventive screening behaviors. In this study, the illness perceptions, individual risk perception, compared risk, and beliefs about preventive behaviors for BC of female university students were compared using an anonymous online survey between a European country (Portugal) and the United Arab Emirates. (2) Method: A structural equation model (SEM) was developed to investigate the hypothetical relationship between illness perceptions and compared risk as predictors of perceived risk for BC. (3) Results: There were significant differences between the study variables. The SEM was invariant, but the differences between regression coefficients in both countries were highly statistically significant. Mediation analyses revealed a significant indirect effect of compared risk on individual risk and a significantly stronger direct effect for the Emirati sample. (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest that cultural research may help to explain factors that may shape social comparison of individual risk characteristics and influence perceived risk. Moreover, providing culturally appropriate strategies to be designed and implemented can promote early detection behaviors for BC

Dark triad personalities, self-control, and antisocial/criminal outcomes in Youth

The Dark Triad composed of psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism, and also self-control are consistently related to antisocial and criminal externalizing outcomes. In the present study, we examined whether self-control mediates the relationships between the Dark Triad and delinquency, conduct disorder, and crime seriousness outcomes. The sample consisted of 567 adolescents (M = 15.91 years, SD = 0.99 years, range = 14– 18 years) from Portugal. Self-control mediated the association between psychopathy and Machiavellianism (but not narcissism) and self-reported juvenile delinquency, conduct disorder symptoms, and crime seriousness. One reason antisocial/criminal behaviors are common in those characterized by psychopathy and Machiavellianism relates to their deficits in selfcontrol as suggested by general theories. Within the nomological network of dark traits, narcissism appears to have enduring and unmediated associations with externalizing features and conduct problems. Our findings add to the literature modeling the Dark Triad along with self-control to elucidate its contributions to antisocial/criminal outcomes in youth.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The update of semantic memories in amnestic mild cognitive impairment

It is still controversial to what extent neocortical consolidated memories are susceptible of change by processes of reconsolidation and transformation throughout experience, and whether the medial temporal lobes are necessary for this update of semantic consolidated memories, as they are for episodic remembering. We hypothesize that patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) who have deficits in episodic memory may also have difficulties in updating information on added new features of objects. Sixteen participants with aMCI and 20 healthy control participants performed a semantic word-to-picture task, in which they were asked to identify as belonging to a given semantic category NEW objects, that have incorporated novel features, as well as OLD items, semantically and visually SIMILAR items and UNRELATED items. Patients with aMCI made a greater percentage of errors than healthy controls. Participants globally made greater percentages of errors in difficult types of items, namely NEW and SIMILAR, as compared to easier ones, OLD and UNRELATED. Importantly, an item by diagnostic group interaction effect was observed, and post hoc analysis showed that patients with aMCI made a higher percentage of errors than controls in NEW items only. In conclusion, patients with aMCI had a particular difficulty in identifying the NEW items of the word-to-picture task as compared to the control participants, supporting the concept of a flexible and dynamic conceptual knowledge system, involving the update of semantic memories and the integration of new attributes in a constant transformation process, which is impaired in these patients.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Levels of Trust in Information Sources as a Predictor of Protective Health Behaviors During COVID-19 Pandemic: A UAE Cross-Sectional Study

Health information sources and the level of trust in a particular source may influence the subsequent adoption of advocated health behaviors. Information source preference and levels of trust are also likely to be influenced by sociodemographic (culture, age, gender) variables. Understanding these source-trust-behavior relationships across various national and cultural contexts is integral to improved health messaging. The present study identified the sources most frequently consulted to obtain information about COVID-19 during the pandemic\u27s early stages in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study quantified levels of trust across an array of information sources, factoring in sociodemographic variables. Finally, the study explored the relationship between sociodemographic variables, levels of trust in information sources, and the adoption of COVID-19 related protective behaviors. Participants (n = 1585) were recruited during the first 2 weeks of April 2020 via announcements in the UAE media and through email networks. All participants completed a web-based survey presented in English or Arabic, as preferred. The most frequently consulted information sources were websites (health information websites), social media, government communications, and family and friends. The sources rated most trustworthy were: personal physicians, health care professionals, and government communications. There were differences in the use of sources and levels of trust according to age, gender, and education. The levels of trust in sources of information were associated with the adoption of protective behaviors, significantly so for citizens of the UAE. These findings may help inform the improvement of pandemic–related health messaging in multicultural contexts

Time perspective and amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Objective. We examined time perspective in patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Prior research has shown that aMCI is associated with difficulties in experiencing time duration and succession. However, this line of inquiry has not been extended to time perspective. We examined associations between aMCI and multiple dimensions of time perspective including perceived orientations and relationships among the past, present, and future. Method. Thirty aMCI patients and thirty-three healthy controls participated. Measures were the Time Orientation Scale (TOS), the Time Relation Scale (TRS), and the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI), as well as a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Results. The TRS was associated with aMCI. Patients with aMCI were more likely to perceive that time was unrelated than the healthy older adults. Among patients with aMCI, an unrelated time perspective was associated with poorer performance in executive function measures. However, aMCI was not associated with the TOS or the ZTPI. Conclusions. Patients with aMCI have difficulty in perceiving relationships among the past, present, and future. This could be the consequence of deficits in executive functions. This research suggests that patients with aMCI may have limited understanding for how their current behaviours are related to both their past and future.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Examination of Grasmick et al.’slow Self-control Scale and of a Short Version With Cross-Gender Measurement Invariance

Grasmick et al.’s Low Self-Control Scale (LSCS) is considered the gold-standard of self-control measures due to the frequency of its use in criminology. The aim of the present study is to examine the psychometric properties of the LSCS from a more modern psychometric perspective and develop a shorter version. Our sample consisted of young adults (N=610, M=21.33years, SD=3.09) from Portugal. The six-factor intercorrelated model of the LSCS showed an adequate fit, but models that would legitimate using a total score could not be confirmed. The subscales’ intercorrelations revealed some low non-significant correlations. The six subscales showed distinctive correlates with other measures, with three subscales presenting some problematic correlations. Confirmatory factor analysis was subsequently used to develop a three-factor shorter version with strong cross-gender measurement invariance and good reliability. Findings have implications for the validity of the general theory of crime specifically which components of self-control have the greatest empirical linkages to conduct problems and related deviance.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio