Teresa Fagulha

The Portuguese Version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)

Summary: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a depression scale designed to measure depressive symptomatology in the general population. The authors developed a Portuguese version of this scale. This article presents the results of the three studies carried out with this version. These results support the reliability and the validity of the scale. The CES-D proved to be sensitive to variations in the intensity of depressive symptomatology and can be used in epidemiological studies or as a screening instrument in a clinical setting. Sex does have some influence on the values of sensitivity and specificity but the educational level has a greater influence on scores: Subjects with a lower education level tend to obtain higher scores with the same level of depressive symptomatology as evaluated by the clinical interview.

A Population-Based Assessment of Midlife Portuguese Women's Experience of Perimenopause and Menopause

The frequency of changes experienced by menopausal women is variable in different cultures. It is our purpose to identify the symptoms that Portuguese women consider to be related to menopause. We also wish to evaluate the relations between these symptoms and menopausal status, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, and medication—menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and psychotropics. In women with a low educational level, the frequency of symptoms and the consumption of psychotropic medication is higher, and the practice of exercise is lower, as is the use of MHT. Our results may be useful in providing guidance to health care professionals.

PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY IN PORTUGAL

This paper describes the history and current status of professional psychology in Portugal where a unique perspective combines training, research, and practical contributions from Europe and the Americas with their own history of psychological tradition and expertise. Training in professional psychology includes Social Psychology and Educational and Vocational Guidance specializations in addition to Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy and Counseling for the professional degree, Licenciatura. Advanced degrees are offered in Environmental Psychology, Career Development, Social Cognition, and other areas, primarily for academic positions. Research in all of these areas is expected to have applied outcomes that contribute to individual well being and an improved quality of life for the entire population. The result has been a rapid development of an indigenous professional psychology to address mental health, social, and environmental concerns that compel psychological attention and resources worldwide as well as those problems of local and national origins.

A Population-Based Assessment of the Relationship Between Menopausal and Depressive Symptoms in Portuguese Women

Empirical research on the relationship between menopause and depression has found contradictory results. Some authors suggest that depression is related to menopausal symptoms and not to menopausal status per se. Our aim is to study the relationship between menopausal status and depressive symptoms in a sample (n = 728) of middle-aged Portuguese women, taking into account the presence of menopausal symptoms. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). There is a relatively high significant correlation between depressive and menopausal symptomatology (rs = .47). The increase of depressive symptomatology in perimenopause is still significant, even when adjusting for the presence of menopausal symptomatology.

Depressive Symptoms and Pain Complaints as Predictors of Later Development of Depression in Portuguese Middle-Aged Women

Pain complaints and depressive symptoms seem to be risk factors for future depressive episodes. We present a one-year follow-up study on Portuguese women and primary health care (initial sample: n = 503). We used the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), a short questionnaire on pain, and clinical interviews. We used forward stepwise logistic regression analysis to define models that enable the prediction of developing a major depressive episode in the one-year follow-up. We concluded that nondepressed women with (a) high scores (≥28) at the CES-D, (b) a high severity of pain index, and (c) fatigue complaints at the baseline were particularly at risk.

Intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientation in Portuguese Catholics

ABSTRACT The opposition between intrinsic (I) and extrinsic (E) religious motivation was operationalised by Allport and Ross through a Religious Orientation Scale (ROS). However, empirical studies using the ROS or other derived instruments have not always been able to confirm this clear opposition. This study presents the results of the Portuguese version of the Age-Universal I/E Scale and of a Current Religious Practice Scale in four convenience community samples of the Portuguese population (global N = 932). Exploratory factor analysis enables the definition of three factors. Factor 1 groups I and Extrinsic Personal (Ep) items and is similar to the first factor obtained in studies on European non-Protestant populations. However, confirmatory analysis suggests that the I and Ep dimensions can be distinguished from each other, although they are very closely related. The difference between these two dimensions was clearer in the subgroup of practising Catholics.

A Brief Psychotherapeutic Intervention with Depressed Middle-Aged Portuguese Women

The line of research on middle-aged womens depression that we have been developing for over a decade has pointed to the frequency and severity of this disorder among Portuguese women, particularly less educated women. These women are more vulnerable and often receive a strictly medical response, which leaves little room for the elaboration of their complaints. We present a general overview of the results of this research line on depression in middle-aged women and the positive effect of a group intervention carried out in a health center where part of this research took place.