Margarida Pedroso de Lima

Perceptions of Aging across 26 Cultures and their Culture-Level Associates

College students (N=3,435) in 26 cultures reported their perceptions of age-related changes in physical, cognitive, and socioemotional areas of functioning and rated societal views of aging within their culture. There was widespread cross-cultural consensus regarding the expected direction of aging trajectories with (a) perceived declines in societal views of aging, physical attractiveness, the ability to perform everyday tasks, and new learning; (b) perceived increases in wisdom, knowledge, and received respect; and (c) perceived stability in family authority and life satisfaction. Cross-cultural variations in aging perceptions were associated with culture-level indicators of population aging, education levels, values, and national character stereotypes. These associations were stronger for societal views on aging and perceptions of socioemotional changes than for perceptions of physical and cognitive changes. A consideration of culture-level variables also suggested that previously reported differences in aging perceptions between Asian and Western countries may be related to differences in population structure.

Stereotypes of Age Differences in Personality Traits: Universal and Accurate?

Age trajectories for personality traits are known to be similar across cultures. To address whether stereotypes of age groups reflect these age-related changes in personality, we asked participants in 26 countries (N = 3,323) to rate typical adolescents, adults, and old persons in their own country. Raters across nations tended to share similar beliefs about different age groups; adolescents were seen as impulsive, rebellious, undisciplined, preferring excitement and novelty, whereas old people were consistently considered lower on impulsivity, activity, antagonism, and Openness. These consensual age group stereotypes correlated strongly with published age differences on the five major dimensions of personality and most of 30 specific traits, using as criteria of accuracy both self-reports and observer ratings, different survey methodologies, and data from up to 50 nations. However, personal stereotypes were considerably less accurate, and consensual stereotypes tended to exaggerate differences across age groups.

Gender Stereotypes of Personality: Universal and Accurate?

Numerous studies have documented subtle but consistent sex differences in self-reports and observer-ratings of five-factor personality traits, and such effects were found to show well-defined developmental trajectories and remarkable similarity across nations. In contrast, very little is known about perceived gender differences in five-factor traits in spite of their potential implications for gender biases at the interpersonal and societal level. In particular, it is not clear how perceived gender differences in five-factor personality vary across age groups and national contexts and to what extent they accurately reflect assessed sex differences in personality. To address these questions, we analyzed responses from 3,323 individuals across 26 nations (mean age = 22.3 years, 31% male) who were asked to rate the five-factor personality traits of typical men or women in three age groups (adolescent, adult, and older adult) in their respective nations. Raters perceived women as slightly higher in openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness as well as some aspects of extraversion and neuroticism. Perceived gender differences were fairly consistent across nations and target age groups and mapped closely onto assessed sex differences in self- and observer-rated personality. Associations between the average size of perceived gender differences and national variations in sociodemographic characteristics, value systems, or gender equality did not reach statistical significance. Findings contribute to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of gender stereotypes of personality and suggest that perceptions of actual sex differences may play a more important role than culturally based gender roles and socialization processes.

The inaccuracy of national character stereotypes

Consensual stereotypes of some groups are relatively accurate, whereas others are not. Previous work suggesting that national character stereotypes are inaccurate has been criticized on several grounds. In this article we (a) provide arguments for the validity of assessed national mean trait levels as criteria for evaluating stereotype accuracy; and (b) report new data on national character in 26 cultures from descriptions (N=3,323) of the typical male or female adolescent, adult, or old person in each. The average ratings were internally consistent and converged with independent stereotypes of the typical culture member, but were weakly related to objective assessments of personality. We argue that this conclusion is consistent with the broader literature on the inaccuracy of national character stereotypes.

NEO-FFI: Psychometric properties of a short personality inventory in Portuguese context

The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of the Portuguese adaptation of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and to compare the obtained structure to the original North American version. The methods of analysis used for cross-validation of the factorial structure were the Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) and the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). PAF reproduced the original structure of NEO-FFI and CFA revealed a satisfactory fit of single-factor models for the five dimensions. The reliability analysis showed high values of internal consistency which are congruent with previous international adaptations of the NEO-FFI. Multidimensional analysis showed significant main effects of gender and academic qualifications on personality using age as covariant. The findings suggest that the Portuguese version of the NEO-FFI is a reliable instrument to measure the five dimensions of personality.

PERSONALITY AND CULTURE

The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) is the best known operationalization of the Five-Factor Model. Its validity and comprehensiveness justify its translation into many different languages. In this chapter the author presents the results of a validation of the NEO-PI-R for the Portuguese population and analyzes and reflects about the characteristic features of Portuguese personality. Some qualitative data are presented and discussed. Finally, some theoretical comments are made about culture and its powerful relations to personality and trait expression.

Promover o bem-estar de idosos institucionalizados: Um estudo exploratório com treino em mindfulness

O objectivo do presente artigo e apresentar os resultados da aplicacao de uma intervencao baseada nos principios do mindfulness, a qual visou promover o bem-estar de idosos institucionalizados. A amostra e constituida por sete idosos residentes na Unidade de Saude de Coimbra – Fernao Mendes Pinto – com uma media de idades de 75.1 anos, alfabetizados, com ausencia de defices sensoriais e de declinio cognitivo. As investigadoras usaram um design pre-experimental e os instrumentos aplicados no pre e pos teste foram o Exame do Estado Mental (MMSE), a Escala de Afectividade Positiva e Negativa (PANAS), a Escala de Satisfacao com a Vida (SWLS), a Escala COOP/WONCA Charts, a Escala de Faces para a avaliacao da intensidade da dor e a Escala de Depressao Geriatrica (GDS). A nivel do pos teste utilizou-se tambem o Questionario para Idosos Pos-Treino em Mindfulness A intervencao teve uma duracao de 9 semanas, tendo sido realizadas 27 sessoes (3 por semana de 50 minutos de duracao). Foram usadas tecnicas de meditacao, de respiracao e de movimento mindfulness, no sentido de aumentar o bem-estar e o controlo da dor dos participantes. Os resultados indicaram ganhos significativos nos niveis de depressao, entre o pre e pos teste, bem como mudancas positivas nas dimensoes cognitiva, emocional, fisica e comportamental, avaliadas atraves do Questionario para Idosos Pos-Treino em Mindfulness. Nao se verificaram outras mudancas significativas nos restantes instrumentos referidos.

O ageism e os maus-tratos contra a pessoa idosa

Com este estudo pretendeu-se averiguar se a discriminacao social com base na idade (Ageism) se relaciona com o risco de abuso, maus-tratos e/ou negligencia contra as pessoas idosas. Participaram 54 sujeitos, distribuidos por dois grupos: Pessoas Idosas (N=33) e Prestadores de cuidados/assistencia pontual a pessoas idosas (N=21), a quem foram administrados, para alem duma entrevista sociodemografica, um instrumento relativo aos indicios de abuso (QEEA – Questions to Elicit Elder Abuse) e instrumentos referentes ao Ageism (Ageism Survey no caso das pessoas idosas e ARPI – Relacionamento com Pessoas Idosas - no grupo de prestadores de cuidados). Os resultados apurados a nivel dos indices gerais dos questionarios, nao permitiram encontrar nenhuma correlacao entre os dois fenomenos. Contudo, uma analise mais fina a nivel dos itens dos instrumentos respeitantes a discriminacao social permitiu verificar a existencia de correlacoes entre alguns desses itens e os indicios de abuso.

Studying the Efficacy of Psychodrama With the Hermeneutic Single Case Efficacy Design: Results From a Longitudinal Study

Throughout the last decades, scientific and therapeutic communities have made common efforts to collect reliable information concerning the efficacy of psychotherapies. One of these initiatives has, recently, involved the psychodrama community and its desire to achieve progress in the validation of this therapy. Based on Robert Elliott’s Hermeneutic Single Case Efficacy Design, we followed five participants (three women, two men, aged 27–48 years) of a psychodrama group over the course of their therapeutic process, which ranged from 24 months to 5 years. For the single case study, we selected the participant who had the longest data collecting record, including one follow-up. Participants generally reported improvement in their personal therapeutic goals, decrease in symptoms and life problems, and some showed a marked increase in spontaneity levels. In the single case, these results are confirmed, and following decision criteria it is possible to assert that the participant improved in all the variables assessed and that therapy is the main cause of these changes. Furthermore, the participant frequently rated psychodrama sessions as being helpful and stated they had a transformational impact on his life. This research contributes toward validating psychodrama as an efficient therapeutic method, hopefully stimulating practitioners to integrate therapy and research—which, for years, were considered independent and incompatible—and to facilitate their use in a complementary way.

Neuropsychological assessment of older adults with virtual reality: Association of age, schooling, and general cognitive status

The development of neuropsychological assessment methods using virtual reality (VR) is a valid and promising option for the detection of cognitive impairment in the older people, focusing on activities composed of tasks of multiple demands. This study verified the association of age, schooling, and general cognitive status on the performance of neurologically healthy older adults in ECO-VR, a VR task of multiple demands for neuropsychological assessment. A total of 111 older adults answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Mini Mental State Examination, the Vocabulary subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults (third edition), and the ECO-VR. Correlation analyses, multiple linear regression, and comparisons between groups (effects by age and schooling groups) were used to evaluate the results. The ECO-VR total score was significantly associated with age, years of education, MMSE, and Vocabulary subtest. The linear regression models identified that age was the main predictor for total score and rule breaking of ECO-VR. According to the univariate analysis, it was identified the main effect of age group and schooling group in the total ECO-VR score, but there was no interaction effect. The results are discussed in order to understand the role of sociodemographic characteristics in the performance of older adults in a VR task of multiple demands. It was also verified the possibility use of VR for neuropsychological assessment of older adults.