José Tavares

Sleep and Academic Performance in Undergraduates: A Multi-measure, Multi-predictor Approach

The present study examined the associations of sleep patterns with multiple measures of academic achievement of undergraduate university students and tested whether sleep variables emerged as significant predictors of subsequent academic performance when other potential predictors, such as class attendance, time devoted to study, and substance use are considered. A sample of 1654 (55% female) full-time undergraduates 17 to 25 yrs of age responded to a self-response questionnaire on sleep, academics, lifestyle, and well-being that was administered at the middle of the semester. In addition to self-reported measures of academic performance, a final grade for each student was collected at the end of the semester. Univariate analyses found that sleep phase, morningness/eveningness preference, sleep deprivation, sleep quality, and sleep irregularity were significantly associated with at least two academic performance measures. Among 15 potential predictors, stepwise multiple regression analysis identified 5 significant predictors of end-of-semester marks: previous academic achievement, class attendance, sufficient sleep, night outings, and sleep quality (R2 = 0.14 and adjusted R2 = 0.14, F(5, 1234) = 40.99, p < .0001). Associations between academic achievement and the remaining sleep variables as well as the academic, well-being, and lifestyle variables lost significance in stepwise regression. Together with class attendance, night outings, and previous academic achievement, self-reported sleep quality and self-reported frequency of sufficient sleep were among the main predictors of academic performance, adding an independent and significant contribution, regardless of academic variables and lifestyles of the students. (Author correspondence: ana.allen@ua.pt)

Optimismo disposicional, sintomatologia psicopatológica, bem-estar e rendimento académico em estudantes do primeiro ano do ensino superior

Dispositional optimism, psychopathological symptomatology, well-being and academic performance among first year higher education students. The present ex post facto study investigates the relationship between dispositional optimism and psychopathological symptomatology, well-being and academic performance among first year higher education students. A total of 316 students of a Portuguese university completed the Life Orientation Test Revised, Brief Symptom Inventory, Echelle de Mesure des Manifestations du Bien-Etre Psychologique and gave indicators of academic performance. From the results, we can distinguish: (a) the negative and significant correlation between dispositional optimism and psychopathological symptomatology; (b) the positive and significant correlation between dispositional optimism and well-being; and, (c) the positive and significant correlation between dispositional optimism and academic success. Interpretation of the results and their implications for student counselling are discussed in the light of the relevant literature.

Leitura/compreensão, escrita e sucesso acadêmico: um estudo de diagnóstico em quatro universidades portuguesas

The present study is integrated in the research field of the specific reading, comprehension and writing in Higher Education. By using the “Reading, Comprehension and Writing in Higher Education Questionnaire” the study aimed: to point out the strategies more frequently used to determine competence levels; to analyze the difficulty level and students’ availability to receive specialized instruction; to point out the degree of importance attributed to these skills for their academic success, to determine the correlation level between these two skills and the success level of the students and to compare the students expectations of development reached in these fields after entering Higher Education. Results showed that these skills play an important role in the learning tasks of the students and tend to be associated with their academic success although the expectations of the students concerning the development of these skills in Higher Education are not satisfied.

Basic Scale on Insomnia complaints and Quality of Sleep (BaSIQS): reliability, initial validity and normative scores in higher education students.

Based on successive samples totaling more than 5000 higher education students, we scrutinized the reliability, structure, initial validity and normative scores of a brief self-report seven-item scale to screen for the continuum of nighttime insomnia complaints/perceived sleep quality, used by our team for more than a decade, henceforth labeled the Basic Scale on Insomnia complaints and Quality of Sleep (BaSIQS). In study/sample 1 (n = 1654), the items were developed based on part of a larger survey on higher education sleep–wake patterns. The test–retest study was conducted in an independent small group (n = 33) with a 2–8 week gap. In study/sample 2 (n = 360), focused mainly on validity, the BaSIQS was completed together with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). In study 3, a large recent sample of students from universities all over the country (n = 2995) answered the BaSIQS items, based on which normative scores were determined, and an additional question on perceived sleep problems in order to further analyze the scale’s validity. Regarding reliability, Cronbach alpha coefficients were systematically higher than 0.7, and the test–retest correlation coefficient was greater than 0.8. Structure analyses revealed consistently satisfactory two-factor and single-factor solutions. Concerning validity analyses, BaSIQS scores were significantly correlated with PSQI component scores and overall score (r = 0.652 corresponding to a large association); mean scores were significantly higher in those students classifying themselves as having sleep problems (p < 0.0001, d = 0.99 corresponding to a large effect size). In conclusion, the BaSIQS is very easy to administer, and appears to be a reliable and valid scale in higher education students. It might be a convenient short tool in research and applied settings to rapidly assess sleep quality or screen for insomnia complaints, and it may be easily used in other populations with minor adaptations.

A Staff Development Program for Promoting Change in Higher Education Teaching and Learning Practices

This paper presents and discusses a faculty development program being carried out at the University of Aveiro, aiming at providing academics with essential skills in areas such as teaching best practices, student-centered curriculum design, collaborative learning and the adoption of ICT/Internet technologies.

Elearning in European Higher Education: An Analysis of Present Practice in Ireland, Portugal, and the UK, with Lessons for the Bologna Process

The Bologna Declaration has put in motion a series of reforms aimed at making European Higher Education more compatible and comparable, competitive and attractive for Europeans and for students and scholars from other continents. The result is to be a European Higher Education Area in which by the year 2010 students can choose from a wide and transparent range of high-quality courses. Reform, it is argued, was needed then, and it is still needed today, if Europe is to match the performance of the American and Asian systems. The European Commission was not directly involved in the initial work of the Bologna process though the Commission has since become directly involved in the process, through hosting meetings, providing consultations, and working documents as well as grant support for projects in the area of standardization of degree offerings, benchmarking, and quality assurance. As part of the Bologna process, the Commission now supports a large number of European projects (e.g. TEEP project) connected to quality assurance, standards, promotion of university offerings. The outcomes may make it easier for countries and institutions to recognize one another’s degrees and promote their own. The EU has also promoted a specific way of interacting with member states and institutions – the Open Method of Coordination (OMC). We argue in this chapter that the Commission should focus less on standardization and explore more ways of “communally constructing” knowledge in a European context. What the Bologna process is setting out to undertake, in our opinion, is to create limits on education, whereas the Open Method of Communication could, instead, liberate systems of education and move them forward. We look to three case studies of elearning experiments to provide lessons for learning across European borders.

Effects of curriculum adjustments on first-year programming courses: students performance and achievment

1 Isabel Huet e Silva, Science Education Department, University of Aveiro, iza@dce.ua.pt 2 Jose Tavares, Science Education Department, University of Aveiro, tavares@dce.ua.pt 3 Osvaldo Pacheco, Electronic and Telecommunication Department, University of Aveiro, osvaldo@det.ua.pt Abstract Researchers of the Science Education Department have been working together for the past two years with faculty from the Electronic and Telecommunication Department aiming to explain students’ failure and drop out rate in a first-year undergraduate programming course at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. Two main variables were significantly correlated with the students’ failure: the curriculum organization of the course and the teaching methods. In this paper we are concerned with analyzing the curriculum redesign in the area of Informatics, namely at a introductory programming course that took place in 2001/02 and whether it has influenced students’ achievement and motivation for the course.

Reliability and validity of the Composite Scale on Morningness: European Portuguese version, in adolescents and young adults [O160].

Table of contentsS1 Health literacy and health education in adolescenceCatarina Cardoso TomásS2 The effect of a walking program on the quality of life and well-being of people with schizophreniaEmanuel Oliveira, D. Sousa, M. Uba-Chupel, G. Furtado, C. Rocha, A. Teixeira, P. FerreiraS3 Diagnosis and innovative treatments - the way to a better medical practiceCeleste AlvesS4 Simulation-based learning and how it is a high contributionStefan GisinS5 Formative research about acceptability, utilization and promotion of a home fortification programme with micronutrient powders (MNP) in the Autonomous Region of Príncipe, São Tomé and PríncipeElisabete Catarino, Nelma Carvalho, Tiago Coucelo, Luís Bonfim, Carina SilvaS6 Safety culture of the patient: a reflexion about the therapeutic approach on the patient with vocal pathologyDébora FrancoS7 About wine, fortune cookies and patient experienceJesús Alcoba GonzálezO1 The psychological impact on the emergency crews after the disaster event on February 20, 2010Helena G. Jardim, Rita SilvaO2 Musculoskeletal disorders in midwivesCristina L. Baixinho, Mª Helena Presado, Mª Fátima Marques, Mário E. CardosoO3 Negative childhood experiences and fears of compassion: Implications for psychological difficulties in adolescenceMarina Cunha, Joana Mendes, Ana Xavier, Ana Galhardo, Margarida CoutoO4 Optimal age to give the first dose of measles vaccine in PortugalJoão G. Frade, Carla Nunes, João R. Mesquita, Maria S. Nascimento, Guilherme GonçalvesO5 Functional assessment of elderly in primary careConceição Castro, Alice Mártires, Mª João Monteiro, Conceição RainhoO6 Smoking and coronary events in a population of Spanish health-care centre: An observational studyFrancisco P. Caballero, Fatima M. Monago, Jose T. Guerrero, Rocio M. Monago, Africa P. Trigo, Milagros L. Gutierrez, Gemma M. Milanés, Mercedes G. Reina, Ana G. Villanueva, Ana S. Piñero, Isabel R. Aliseda, Francisco B. RamirezO7 Prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in Portuguese musiciansAndrea Ribeiro, Ana Quelhas, Conceição MansoO8 Hip fractures, psychotropic drug consumption and comorbidity in patients of a primary care practice in SpainFrancisco P. Caballero, Jose T. Guerrero, Fatima M. Monago, Rafael B. Santos, Nuria R. Jimenez, Cristina G. Nuñez, Inmaculada R. Gomez, Mª Jose L. Fernandez, Laura A. Marquez, Ana L. Moreno, Mª Jesus Tena Huertas, Francisco B. RamirezO9 The role of self-criticism and shame in social anxiety in a clinical SAD sampleDaniel Seabra, Mª Céu SalvadorO10 Obstruction and infiltration: a proposal of a quality indicatorLuciene Braga, Pedro Parreira, Anabela Salgueiro-Oliveira, Cristina Arreguy-Sena, Bibiana F. Oliveira, Mª Adriana HenriquesO11 Balance and anxiety and depression symptoms in old age peopleJoana Santos, Sara Lebre, Alda MarquesO12 Prevalence of postural changes and risk factors in school children and adolescents in a northern region (Porto)Clarinda Festas, Sandra Rodrigues, Andrea Ribeiro, José LuminiO13 Ischemic stroke vs. haemorrhagic stroke survival rateAna G. FigueiredoO14 Chronobiological factors as responsible for the appearance of locomotor pathology in adolescentsFrancisco J. Hernandez-Martinez, Liliana Campi, Mª Pino Quintana-Montesdeoca, Juan F. Jimenez-Diaz, Bienvenida C. Rodriguez-De-VeraO15 Risk of malnutrition in the elderly of BragançaAlexandra Parente, Mª Augusta Mata, Ana Mª Pereira, Adília Fernandes, Manuel BrásO16 A Lifestyle Educational Programme for primary care diabetic patients: the design of a complex nursing interventionMª Rosário Pinto, Pedro Parreira, Marta L. Basto, Ana C. Rei, Lisete M. MónicoO17 Medication adherence in elderly peopleGilberta Sousa, Clementina Morna, Otília Freitas, Gregório Freitas, Ana Jardim, Rita VasconcelosO18 Hospitalization for cervical cancer of residents in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, 2012 to 2014Lina G. Horta, Roger S. Rosa, Luís F. Kranz, Rita C. Nugem, Mariana S. Siqueira, Ronaldo BordinO19 Oncologic assistance of high complexity: evaluation of regulating accessesRosiane Kniess, Josimari T. LacerdaO20 Perceived barriers for using health care services by the older population as seen by the social sector: findings from the Vila Nova de Gaia Gerontological PlanJoana Guedes, Idalina Machado, Sidalina Almeida, Adriano Zilhão, Helder Alves, Óscar RibeiroO21 Sleep difficulties and depressive symptoms in college studentsAna P. Amaral, Ana Santos, Joana Monteiro, Mª Clara Rocha, Rui CruzO22 Psychopathological symptoms and medication use in higher educationAna P. Amaral, Marina Lourenço, Mª Clara Rocha, Rui CruzO23 Sexually transmitted diseases in higher education institutionsSandra Antunes, Verónica Mendonça, Isabel Andrade, Nádia Osório, Ana Valado, Armando Caseiro, António Gabriel, Anabela C. Martins, Fernando MendesO24 Alcohol consumption and suicide ideation in higher education studentsLídia Cabral, Manuela Ferreira, Amadeu GonçalvesO25 Quality of life in university studentsTatiana D. Luz, Leonardo Luz, Raul MartinsO26 Male and female adolescent antisocial behaviour: characterizing vulnerabilities in a Portuguese sampleAlice Morgado, Maria L. Vale-DiasO27 Risk factors for mental health in higher education students of health sciencesRui Porta-NovaO28 International classification of functioning disability and health as reflexive reasoning in primary attention in healthTânia C. Fleig, Éboni M. Reuter, Miriam B. Froemming, Sabrina L. Guerreiro, Lisiane L. CarvalhoO29 Risk factors and cardiovascular disease in PortalegreDaniel Guedelha, P. Coelho, A. PereiraO30 Health status of the elderly population living in Portalegre historic city centre: A longitudinal studyAntónio Calha, Raul CordeiroO31 Student’s sleep in higher education: sleep quality among students of the IPBAna Gonçalves, Ana Certo, Ana Galvão, Mª Augusta MataO32 Trend in mortality from cervical cancer in the metropolitan area of Florianópolis, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, 2000 to 2013Aline Welter, Elayne Pereira, Sandra Ribeiro, Marcia KretzerO33 Adherence to treatment in the elderly in an urban environment in SpainJuan-Fernando Jiménez-Díaz, Carla Jiménez-Rodríguez, Francisco-José Hernández-Martínez, Bienvenida-Del-Carmen Rodríguez-De-Vera, Alexandre Marques-RodriguesO34 Beira Baixa Blood Pressure Study (Study PABB)Patrícia Coelho, Tiago Bernardes, Alexandre PereiraO35 Trends in cervical cancer mortality statistics in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, by age group and macro-region, from 2000 to 2013Patrícia Sousa, João G. Filho, Nazare Nazario, Marcia KretzerO36 Sleep problems among Portuguese adolescents: a public health issueOdete Amaral, António Garrido, Nélio Veiga, Carla Nunes, Ana R. Pedro, Carlos PereiraO37 Association between body fat and health-related quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetesAntónio Almeia, Helder M. Fernandes, Carlos Vasconcelos, Nelson Sousa, Victor M. Reis, M. João Monteiro, Romeu MendesO38 Therapy adherence and polypharmacy in non-institutionalized elderly from Amares county, PortugalIsabel C. Pinto, Tânia Pires, João GamaO39 Prevalence of surgical site infection in adults at a hospital unit in the North of PortugalVera Preto, Norberto Silva, Carlos Magalhães, Matilde MartinsO40 Frailty phenotype in old age: implications to interventionMafalda Duarte, Constança Paúl, Ignácio MartínO41 Portuguese women: sexual symptoms in perimenopauseArminda A. PinheiroO42 Predictive ability of the Perinatal Depression Screening and Prevention Tool – preliminary results of the categorical approachSandra Xavier, Julieta Azevedo, Elisabete Bento, Cristiana Marques, Mariana Marques, António Macedo, Ana T. PereiraO43 Aging and muscle strength in patients with type 2 diabetes: cross sectional analysisJosé P. Almeida, António Almeida, Josiane Alves, Nelson Sousa, Francisco Saavedra, Romeu MendesO44 Accessibility of the elderly in the prevention of hypertension in a family health unitAna S. Maia, Michelle T. Oliveira, Anderson R. Sousa, Paulo P. Ferreira, Luci S. Lopes, Eujcely C. SantiagoO45 Community Health screenings and self-reported chronic diseasesSílvia Monteiro, Ângelo Jesus, Armanda Colaço, António Carvalho, Rita P. Silva, Agostinho CruzO46 Evaluation of indoor air quality in KindergartensAna Ferreira, Catarina Marques, João P. Figueiredo, Susana PaixãoO47 Atmospheric exposure to chemical agents under the occupational activity of pathology techniciansAna Ferreira, Carla Lopes, Fernando Moreira, João P. FigueiredoO48 Occupational exposure to air pollutants in night entertainment venues workersAna Ferreira, Diana Ribeiro, Fernando Moreira, João P. Figueiredo, Susana PaixãoO49 Beliefs and attitudes of young people towards breastfeedingTelma Fernandes, Diogo Amado, Jéssica Leal, Marcelo Azevedo, Sónia RamalhoO50 Profiling informal caregivers: surveying needs in the care of the elderlyCatarina Mangas, Jaime Ribeiro, Rita GonçalvesO51 Visual health in teenagersAmélia F Nunes, Ana R. Tuna, Carlos R. Martins, Henriqueta D. ForteO52 Amenable mortality and the geographic accessibility to healthcare in PortugalCláudia Costa, José A. Tenedório, Paula SantanaO53 Bacterial contamination of door handles in a São Paulo See Metropolitan Cathedral public restrooms in BrazilJ. A. Andrade, J. L. Pinto, C. Campofiorito, S. Nunes, A. Carmo, A. Kaliniczenco, B. Alves, F. Mendes, C. Jesus, F. Fonseca, F. GehrkeO54 Adherence of patients to rehabilitation programmesCarlos Albuquerque, Rita Batista, Madalena Cunha, António Madureira, Olivério Ribeiro, Rosa MartinsO55 Prevalence of malnutrition among Portuguese elderly living in nursing homes: preliminary results of the PEN-3S projectTeresa Madeira, Catarina Peixoto-Plácido, Nuno Santos, Osvaldo Santos, Astrid Bergland, Asta Bye, Carla Lopes, Violeta Alarcão, Beatriz Goulão, Nuno Mendonça, Paulo Nicola, João G. ClaraO56 Relation between emotional intelligence and mental illness in health studentsJoão Gomes, Ana Querido, Catarina Tomás, Daniel Carvalho, Marina CordeiroP1 Fall risk factors in people olObjectives: Dietary restraint, the intentional restriction of caloric intake for the purpose of weight loss, is linked to maladaptive eating and lower mental and physical health. This study aimed to validate for the Portuguese population the Dietary Intent Scale (DIS), a measure of dietary restraint. Methods The sample comprised 1077 participants (415 males), aged between 14 and 34 years old. Males presented a mean age of 18.09 (SD=3.32) and a mean BMI of 22.03 (SD=3.28), and females showed a mean age of 17.73 (SD=3.38) and a mean BMI of 21.32 (SD=2.86). No differences were found between genders regarding age. Results A reliability analysis revealed that DIS presented a Cronbach’s alpha of .92 and that three items did not contribute for the scale’s internal consistency. Therefore, and since their content was similar to other items, these three items were excluded. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed the adequacy of the final 6-item DIS, showing good local (SRWs between .64 and .94) and global adjustments (X(8)=12.07, p=.148; CFI=1.00; TLI=1.00; RMSEA=.03, p=.876). Furthermore, the model showed invariance between genders. Finally, DIS revealed a good convergent validity (eating psychopathology, eating restraint, inflexible eating, body image-related experiential avoidance, body imagerelated cognitive fusion, depression, anxiety, and stress) and temporal validity (r = .82) Discussion DIS seems to be a short and valid measure of eating restraint, highly correlated with an important measure of eating psychopathology (EDE-Q). The DIS may represent an advantage in relation to other existing measures, particularly for research and community interventions regarding eating difficulties.Introduction: Continuous blood pressure (BP) monitoring provides important information about the cardiovascular system condition. Invasive methods are accurate but denote increased risk. Non-invasive methods are safe but less reliable and don ́t provide continuous information. An alternative approach for a continuous, non-invasive measurement of BP is based on changes in pulse transit time (PTT). PTT is defined as the time delay between the R-wave of the electrocardiogram (ECG) and the peak value of the photoplethysmogram (PPG) signal acquired in the patient finger on the same cardiac cycle.

Resiliência e equilíbrio emocional na escola

Neste artigo, centrarei o questionamento, a analise e a reflexao nos termos e respectivos conceitos que integram o titulo escolhido, a saber: “resiliencia”, “equilibrio”, “emocional” e “escola”. Ou seja, e um pequeno ensaio de cariz argumentativo, baseado em situacoes experienciadas e experimentadas na minha vida profissional de professor e investigador universitario, dispensando numeros e dados estatisticos que o tempo e a vida desactualizam muito rapidamente. O artigo pretende ter tambem uma abordagem mais livre, decorrente da condicao de Professor Emerito em que me encontro. Procurarei tambem manter uma certa “avidez e loucura”, como recomendava Steve Jobs, sobre um tema que se apresenta tao desafiador na sociedade emergente, em que a resiliencia se assume como um novo modo de ser, de estar e de tornar-se humano e o equilibrio emocional, como uma condicao imprescindivel para qualquer profissao e para a vida. Por isso, na formacao do novo cidadao que o mundo precisa e exige, a escola nao podera passar ao lado dessa realidade. Na maquina trituradora do tempo, tudo e sereno e normal, talvez, um pouco mais acelerado e exigente, hoje, em que apenas se tem tempo para prevenir e preparar o futuro pela simples razao de que, para o presente, nunca ha tempo e o passado permanece mas com pouca relevância e se desvanece rapidamente na espuma e na curta e passageira memoria dos homens e do mundo. Palavras-chave: Resiliencia. Equilibrio emocional. Escola. Profissao.Tempo. Vida. Resilience and emotionalbalance in school Abstract In this paper the focus will be on the questioning, analyzis and reflection on the terms and concepts that constitute the theme, namely “resilience”,“balance”, “emotional” and “school”. This is to say, a short essay based on the argumentative nature of situations experienced and experimented in my professional life as a faculty member and university researcher leavingaside the numbers and statistics that time and life very quickly transform inout-of-date data. It is also meant to be a more free view that comes naturally from my condition of Professor Emeritus. I will also seek to maintain acertain “eagerness and madness,” as recommended Steve Jobs, on a subjectwhich presents it self as a challenge in the emerging society in which resilienceis assumed to be a new way of being and becoming human, and emotionis assumed as a precondition for any profession and life. Therefore, inthe formation of the new citizens that the world needs and demands, school cannot ignore this reality. Keywords: Resilience. Emotional balance. School. Profession. Time. Life.