Marina Carvalho

Psychosocial Factors of Different Health Behaviour Patterns in Adolescents: Association with Overweight and Weight Control Behaviours

Physical activity, nutrition, and sedentary behaviour combine to influence the risk of overweight among adolescents. This paper aims to identify psychosocial factors of different health behaviour patterns in adolescents and its association with overweight and weight control behaviours. The 3069 adolescents of both genders (average of 14.8 years old) from the 2010 Portuguese survey of Health Behaviour School-Aged Children (HBSC) answered the 2010 HBSC self-reported questionnaire. It used the cluster k-means (nonhierarchy method), qui-square, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression. Three clusters with different behavioural patterns (physical activity, sedentary, and eating) composed the results obtained. The sedentary group (34%) had lower self-regulation, body satisfaction, health and wellness, family and classmates relationships, communication with the father than the other two groups. The active gamers (25%) had a smaller BMI but used more unhealthy weight control strategies than the other two groups. The healthy group (41%) was more motivated and more satisfied with school but was not different than the active gamers in most psychosocial variables. Differences were found between clusters for weight control behaviours and psychosocial variables. Different strategies for different patterns were necessary in order to promote obesity prevention and, simultaneously, target healthy lifestyle and wellbeing in adolescents.

The Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness: Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version of the ISMI Scale

Abstract This study examined the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the ISMI scale in a sample of 253 adult psychiatric outpatients. The exploratory factor analysis replicated the five factor structure of the scale. The results revealed good internal consistency. Criterion-related validity supported the variability in response to stigma across clinical diagnoses. Thus, the Portuguese version of the ISMI scale can be considered appropriate to measure and differentiate between stigmatization experiences. Also, in order to design more focused approaches aimed to reduce the negative effects of internalized stigma, its use in institutional and in community-based mental health services is recommended.

Psychosocial Determinants of Mental Health and Risk Behaviours in Adolescents

This study aimed at identifying the prevalence of emotional problems among children and adolescents in Portugal. Gender, developmental aspects, their psychosocial determinants, and the time trends over 8 years were also explored. The three waves of a cross-sectional survey obtained from the HBSC nationally representative samples of 10-17 year old children and adolescents in 1998, 2002, and 2006, were used. Specific composite indexes included emotional and somatic symptoms, substances’ use, demographic and psychosocial factors. Girls reported more emotional symptoms, and boys reported more substances’ use. Emotional symptoms and substances’ use increased with age, in contrast school commitment and perception of safe neighbourhood decreased with age. With age, the communication with the family tends to become more difficult, while communication with the friends tends to become easier. Along the three waves, substances’ use and emotional symptoms have shown a general pattern of decrease. Results were discussed according to literature and their consequences for the understanding of emotional problems and substance use in childhood and adolescence. Mental health promotion includes both the prevention of emotional problems and risk behaviours; determinants include individual factors and a range of psychosocial factors. Mental health problems have a huge impact on adolescents’ well-being; however it is often a poorer area of intervention in school based interventions. Gender differences are highlighted.

Callous-Unemotional Traits in Children and Adolescents

The Inventory of Callous and Unemotional Traits (ICU) was developed to measure callous-unemotional (CU) psychopathic traits in children and adolescents. Studies that have examined the factor structure of ICU showed considerable controversy. The aim of this study was to examine the factor structure and psychometric proprieties of the Portuguese translation of the ICU. A total of 1,011 children and adolescents (495 boys and 516 girls), mean age of 13.36 years, participated in this study. Exploratory factor analysis produced two factors: uncaring and callousness; Cronbach’s &agr; for each of the factor was .83 and .79 for the total score. Significant main gender and interaction between gender and age effects were found; girls reported lower CU traits than boys; children reported higher CU traits compared to preadolescents and adolescents, particularly in boys. CU also correlated with emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and psychosocial impairment. Furthermore, CU traits related to conduct problems both in boys and in girls, although this relationship was higher for boys. To conclude, findings of the present study showed that the Portuguese version of the ICU seems to be a reliable and valid instrument to assess CU traits among children and adolescents in Portugal. However, the original 3-factor model was not supported.

Problemas emocionais e comportamentais em jovens: Relações com o temperamento, as estratégias de coping e de regulação emocional e a identificação de expressões faciais

With the main purpose of studying the relationships between temperament, coping and emotional regulation strategies with emotional and behavioral problems, a sample of 230 pre-adolescents was studied, 118 males and 112 females, mean age of 11 years old (SD= 0.81), in the 5th and 6th school grades. Results have shown sex differences in affiliation (temperament dimension), in the frequency and efficacy of active and acting-out coping strategies, and in behavior problems and prosocial behavior. Effortful control, negative affectivity and negative emotional regulation were found to be common predictor factors of the different types of difficulties. The results were, in general, according to as expected and were discussed, based on the literature, theoretical models and taking into account their implications to assessment, prevention and intervention on emotional and behavioral problems in childhood and adolescence.