Ana Daniela Silva

Self de carreira: estudo longitudinal com estudantes universitários

O self de carreira constitui um subconjunto organizado do universo cognitivo de uma pessoa, responsavel pelo caracter subjetivo que a mesma confere a carreira. Este estudo pretende avaliar mudancas no conteudo do self de carreira de estudantes universitarios, do inicio para o final do ultimo ano de graduacao. Para tal, recorreu-se a medidas repetidas dos indices da Grelha de Repertorio da Carreira (Silva & Taveira, 2005; Silva, 2008). Na investigacao, participaram 80 estudantes, dos quais 49 sao mulheres (61,25%) e 31 sao homens (38,75%), com idades entre os 21 e os 45 anos (M= 23,9, DP= 4,31). Os resultados indicam que, no final da licenciatura, os estudantes diminuem a distância como se constroem em relacao aos outros e mantem uma construcao positiva do self de carreira.

Mudanças no self de carreira em estudantes universitários

This study aimed to assess changes in the career self of college students, from the beginning to the end of the last year of the program. For that, a study of repeated measures of the indices of a Career Repertory Grid (GRC), specially developed for this purpose, was conducted. This grid assesses the relationships established by students between vocational constructs, aspects of the self and determinant people in the construction of their identity. A total of 80 undergraduate students from the University of Minho, Northwest of Portugal, who where registered for the first time in the last year of the program participated in the study. Of these, 49 were women (61.25%) and 31 were men (38.75%) with ages ranging from 21 to 45 years old (M=23.9; SD=4.31). Results evidence intra-individual changes in cognitive flexibility and in the definition of the career self, which decreased in the second assessment.

Effects of aging on memory strategies: a validation of the Portuguese version of the Test of Memory Strategies

Abstract Objective: Previous literature has shown that executive functions (EF) are related to performance in memory tasks. The fact that there are no psychometric tests that evaluate these two constructs simultaneously led a group of researchers to develop the Test of Memory Strategies (TSM). Given the potential importance of this instrument for neuropsychological evaluation, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the TMS in Portuguese sample. We also examined the effect of aging by exploring profiles of performance on the TMS, comparing young and elderly healthy subjects. Method: Total of 135 healthy participants were submitted to a neuropsychological assessment and were divided into four age groups: a group of young adults (25–35 years) and three groups of older individuals (aged 60–69 years, 70–79 years, and 80 or more years). Results: Findings supported the reliability of the TMS scores, based on analyses of internal consistency. As expected, factor analysis of the TMS scores revealed that the test yielded two factors, one capturing EF and the other memory. Correlations with classic neuropsychological tests supported convergent and discriminant validity of the TMS scores. The elderly groups presented more difficulties in creating and mobilizing memory strategies when compared with a younger group, after controlling for the influence of education, although both groups presented increases in performance throughout the five TMS subscales. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the TMS is an adequate measure to assess memory and EF, simultaneously, presenting adequate psychometric properties for a Portuguese sample.

Effectiveness of a career intervention for empowerment of institutionalized youth

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effectiveness of a brief and structured career adaptability intervention for institutionalized youth. The intervention included six weekly 90-min sessions. Participants were 22 youths aged 14–18 years (Mage = 15.09; SD = 1.269, 81.8% boys). Participants were divided in two groups: an experimental group (n = 16) and a control group (n = 6). Both groups completed the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale, the Positive Affect Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale in two occurrences of measurement (pre- and posttest). The experimental group completed the Session’s Self-Evaluation Questionnaire to evaluate the intervention process. Results indicated statistically significant differences between the groups. The experimental group improved in the majority of the career adaptability and affective dimensions. This group also presented a high effect size in most career adaptability dimensions (>.70) but a lower one in the affective dimensions (<.20). The process evaluation indicated few negative session comments. These results sustain the promising role of this intervention, which should continue to be further investigated. This study highlights the need to advance career research and practice with institutionalized youths.

Cambios del self de carrera en estudiantes universitarios

This study aimed to assess changes in the career self of college students, from the beginning to the end of the last year of the program. For that, a study of repeated measures of the indices of a Career Repertory Grid (GRC), specially developed for this purpose, was conducted. This grid assesses the relationships established by students between vocational constructs, aspects of the self and determinant people in the construction of their identity. A total of 80 undergraduate students from the University of Minho, Northwest of Portugal, who where registered for the first time in the last year of the program participated in the study. Of these, 49 were women (61.25%) and 31 were men (38.75%) with ages ranging from 21 to 45 years old (M=23.9; SD=4.31). Results evidence intra-individual changes in cognitive flexibility and in the definition of the career self, which decreased in the second assessment.

Changes in the career self of college students

This study aimed to assess changes in the career self of college students, from the beginning to the end of the last year of the program. For that, a study of repeated measures of the indices of a Career Repertory Grid (GRC), specially developed for this purpose, was conducted. This grid assesses the relationships established by students between vocational constructs, aspects of the self and determinant people in the construction of their identity. A total of 80 undergraduate students from the University of Minho, Northwest of Portugal, who where registered for the first time in the last year of the program participated in the study. Of these, 49 were women (61.25%) and 31 were men (38.75%) with ages ranging from 21 to 45 years old (M=23.9; SD=4.31). Results evidence intra-individual changes in cognitive flexibility and in the definition of the career self, which decreased in the second assessment.