The effectiveness of narrative therapy on sexual function and couple burnout

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of narrative therapy on sexual function and couple burnout in women with skin cancer. Method: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test–post-test design with a control group. Among married women with skin cancer in Mashhad (Iran), 30 available individuals were selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Narrative therapy was performed in a group of 15 people in nine sessions (experimental group). The Female Sexual Function Index and Couple Burnout Measure were used to collect pre-test and post-test data. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. Results: Group narrative therapy significantly improved reported sexual function (F = 40.90; p = .001) and decreased couple burnout (F = 59.03; p = .001) in women with skin cancer. Conclusions: Narrative therapy seems to effectively improve sexual function and couple burnout in women with skin cancer.

O impacto dos media no medo de contrair COVID-19

Objective: The current study sought out to assess the mass media impact on the fear of contracting COVID-19. We focused on people's trust in information associated with media type, worry regarding daily reports of statistics, concerns about prevention measures and warnings in the media, news consumption frequency, evaluation of the media in explaining and informing about the pandemic, and the fear of contracting the disease. Methods: The sample comprised 349 participants who completed online a Sociodemographic Questionnaire, a Mass Media Opinion Questionnaire, and the Fear of Contracting Covid-19 Scale (FCCS). Results: Fear of contracting COVID-19 was higher in women compared to men. Participants with higher fear of contracting the disease trusted more in the information provided by television, newspapers, and radio, but not social media. Higher scores on the FCCS were associated with higher scores on clarification, awareness, and information conveyed by media. Trust in newspapers, feelings regarding daily reports of COVID-19, news frequency consumption, and media evaluation in explaining and informing about the pandemic were predictors of fear of contracting COVID-19. Conclusions: Mass media proved to be fundamental in raising awareness and sensitization of the population.

O papel da inflexibilidade psicológica na relação entre o stress relacionado com a infertilidade e os sintomas depressivos em mulheres com um diagnóstico de infertilidade

Background and Aim: Introduction: Infertility is a medical and social condition that impacts people’s lives at the marital, family, social and financial levels. Several studies point to comorbidity between psychopathology and infertility, and people facing the demands of infertility may use maladaptive mechanisms of emotion regulation translated into psychological inflexibility. Objectives: This current study aimed to explore the mediating role of infertility-related psychological inflexibility in the relationship between infertility-related stress and depressive symptoms in women presenting an infertility diagnosis and pursuing infertility medical treatment. In addition, as a secondary aim, the associations between the time since diagnosis and the study variables were examined. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 96 women recruited with the support of the Portuguese Fertility Association. Participants filled in online a set of self-report instruments. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, and standardized measures of infertility-related stress, depressive symptoms, and infertility-related psychological inflexibility were used. Results: The results demonstrated that the effect of infertility-related stress on depressive symptoms was .46, being totally mediated by infertility-related psychological inflexibility. Discussion: Difficulty in achieving a pregnancy is a painful life event that interferes with the goals and plans for building a family, which can lead to stress and depressive symptoms. The relationship between these symptoms seems to be influenced by the mechanism of infertility-related psychological inflexibility. Therefore, interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and the Mindfulness-Based Program for Infertility may be particularly suitable for this population by integrating psychological inflexibility as a therapeutic target.

Two-stage cluster analysis in distance learning: A way to reduce gaps in the scientific literature on open and distance education

Background: Dropout rates are often very high in distance education. A plethora of research has been conducted to identify the contributing factors; however, the majority of the findings are inconclusive and point to the fact that it is difficult to isolate a single explanatory factor. While frequently examined factors are personal and environmental, there is less research on the relationship between course design and retention or dropout. Method: This paper presents a study involving two-stage cluster analysis of 623 variables from 19 university courses at one open and distance education (ODE) institution. To this end, the current study grouped the courses into five types based on 22 variables. Results: The results indicate that certain sociodemographic variables become a risk factor for course dropout depending on their distribution in the standard courses. Conclusions: This result highlights the importance of instructional design in the ODE retention and dropout equation and helps explain, in part, why previous studies have not reached a consensus on which variables should be considered to explain dropout rates.

Agradecimentos aos revisores 2020-2021

The high scientific standards maintained by the Portuguese Journal of Behavioral and Social Research in its papers owe much to the effort of the reviewers, who gave their time and knowledge freely. Thus, the Editors of the Portuguese Journal of Behavioral and Social Research acknowledge with particular gratitude the following reviewers who have reviewed papers during the period November 2020–November 2021.

Medo de contrair COVID-19: Estudo de validação da Fear of Contracting COVID-19 Scale em adolescentes portugueses

Introduction: Given the pandemic circumstances, fear may emerge due to uncertainty, the possibility of being infected by SARS-Cov 2 or infecting others. It may also be associated with psychopathological symptoms and impact quality of life resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: The current study aimed to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Fear of Contracting COVID-19 Scale (FCCS) in Portuguese adolescents and analyze the relationship between fear of contracting COVID-19 and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, and with the quality of life of this age group. Method: The sample comprised 269 adolescents (137 boys and 132 girls), aged between 11 and 16 years old, attending the 3rd cycle of basic education. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the FCCS, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21), and the KIDSCREEN-10, as a measure of the quality of life in adolescents. Results: The FCCS revealed, as in its original version for adults, a one-dimensional structure, with good adjustment indicators and good reliability. The fear of contracting COVID-19 was associated with anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms, but it did not show a relationship with the adolescents’ quality of life. Gender differences showed that the girls present higher levels of fear of contracting COVID-19, more anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms, and a worse perception of their quality of life. Conclusions: The Fear of Contracting COVID-19 Scale showed to be suitable for use with adolescents. The fear of contracting COVID-19, although associated with psychopathological symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, does not seem to be related to the quality of life of adolescents.

O ping-pong da pessoa mais velha: (Re)pensar a integração de Cuidados

Contexto e Objetivo: Este estudo visou perceber e analisar as experiências e o conhecimento de vários profissionais de saúde, da área social e de um cuidador informal sobre a integração de cuidados à pessoa mais velha num contexto pandémico. Método: realizou-se uma investigação de caráter qualitativo na qual participaram sete participantes com funções distintas, mas complementares na essência do cuidado. A recolha de dados foi feita através das comunicações dos participantes do seminário “O ping-pong dos nossos idosos – (Re)pensar, (re)construir e Integrar Cuidados” promovido pela Portuguese Association of Integrated Care (PAFIC) no âmbito da VIII Conferência de Valor da Associação Portuguesa de Administradores Hospitalares (APAH). Resultados: Na perspetiva dos participantes, a integração de cuidados no percurso da pessoa é fundamental e para isso é necessário estreitar a articulação entre Serviço Nacional de Saúde e o social. Bem como, centrar os cuidados na pessoa, aliada à matriz comunitária que leve à transformação do modelo organizativo vigente de cuidados e à mudança nos modelos de gestão que se mantém inalterados há muitos anos. A integração de cuidados das pessoas não depende só da atividade da área da saúde, mas também é condicionada por outros setores de atividade, e por isso importa avaliar o papel que a sociedade civil pode assumir na prestação de cuidados. Conclusões: A pandemia COVID-19 trouxe a oportunidade de reflexão sobre o cuidado à pessoa mais velha e como se podem potenciar parcerias e estratégias de articulação entre os diferentes níveis de cuidados, saúde, sociais e comunitários.

O ping-pong da pessoa mais velha: (Re)pensar a integração de Cuidados

Background and Aim: This study aimed to understand and analyze the experiences and knowledge of various health professionals, the social area, and an informal caregiver on the integration of care for the elderly in a pandemic context. Method: a qualitative investigation was carried out in which seven participants with distinct but complementary roles in the essence of care participated. Data collection was carried out through the communications of the participants of the seminar “The ping-pong of our elderly – (Re)think, (re)build and Integrate Care” promoted by the Portuguese Association of Integrated Care (PAFIC) within the scope of the VIII Value Conference of the Portuguese Association of Hospital Administrators (APAH). Results: From the participants' perspective, the integration of care in the person's path is fundamental, and for this, it is necessary to strengthen the articulation between the National Health Service and the social. As well as centering care on the person, allied to the community matrix that leads to the transformation of the current organizational model of care, to the change in management models that have remained unchanged for many years. The integration of people's care depends not only on the activity in the health area but is also conditioned by other sectors of activity, and therefore it is important to assess the role that civil society can play in providing care. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic allowed the reflection on the care of older people and how partnerships and articulation strategies between the different levels of care, health, social, and community could be enhanced.