Teresa Freire

Influence of self-esteem and emotion regulation in subjective and psychological well-being of adolescents: contributions to clinical psychology

INTRODUCAO: A literatura cientifica tem evidenciado que a autoestima e a capacidade de regulacao emocional estao presentes em varios quadros psicopatologicos, contudo a influencia dessas variaveis no bem-estar tem sido pouco estudada teorica e empiricamente. OBJETIVO: Pretende-se analisar a relacao dessas variaveis com o bem-estar subjetivo (satisfacao com a vida) e com o bem-estar psicologico (felicidade e significado). Pretende-se, ainda, verificar a capacidade de predicao do genero, da autoestima e das estrategias de regulacao emocional (supressao emocional e reavaliacao cognitiva) nos diferentes componentes do bem-estar. METODOS: Participaram do estudo 216 adolescentes de uma populacao normativa de ambos os sexos. Foram administrados, a todos os participantes, quatro instrumentos para avaliar a autoestima, a capacidade de regulacao emocional, o bem-estar subjetivo e psicologico. RESULTADOS: A supressao emocional correlacionou-se negativamente com todas as medidas de bem-estar, enquanto a reavaliacao cognitiva evidenciou correlacao positiva mais significativa com os niveis de felicidade. A autoestima revelou correlacao positiva forte com a satisfacao com a vida e maior capacidade de predicao do bem-estar do que as estrategias de regulacao emocional. CONCLUSAO: A autoestima revela ser uma variavel importante na promocao do bem-estar dos adolescentes, assumindo-se como elemento fundamental numa intervencao clinica positiva e preventiva.

Solitude and cortisol: Associations with state and trait affect in daily life

The social context can impact psychological and physiological functioning. Being alone, in particular, is experienced as more negative on average than being with others, in both normative and pathological populations. This study investigates whether daily solitude is associated with changes in cortisol and, if so, whether momentary and trait affect can explain this relationship. Forty-four female college students used the Experience Sampling Method during a week, completing questionnaires and collecting saliva 8 times daily. Effects of current solitude, affect, and trait affectivity on cortisol were tested with multilevel regression. Cortisol levels were significantly higher when individuals were alone. Although momentary affective states changed during solitude and were also associated with cortisol, they did not fully explain the effects of solitude on cortisol. Trait affectivity moderated the association between solitude and cortisol. Findings may help clarify how daily experience may heighten risk of depression or other negative health outcomes in vulnerable individuals.

Leisure Experience and Positive Identity Development in Adolescents

The search for a balance between time for compulsory tasks and time for freedom and relaxation is one of the most important issues related to the role of leisure in achieving well-being. Leisure’s complexity and its relationship with so many life aspects make it an important issue in the study of optimal human functioning.

Escala de atitudes face ao lazer em adolescentes e jovens adultos

Nowadays, the leisure and its attitudes constitute an important issue in Social Psychology research. The aim of this study was to realize the adaptation of the Leisure Attitude Scale (Ragheb and Beard) for Portuguese individuals, including adolescents and young adults. This scale measures leisure attitude according to the three components (cognitive, affective and behavioural). A sample of 462 students (57.8% girls and 42.2% boys) with a mean age of 19.97 (standard deviation of 4.85). The results confirm the original scale. Validity measures of internal consistency and content validity in the total scale and in the three subscales (Cognitive, affective and behavioural). The scale is an adequate instrument to measure leisure attitudes in the Portuguese context.Nowadays, the leisure and its attitudes constitute an important issue in Social Psychology research. The aim of this study was to realize the adaptation of the Leisure Attitude Scale (Ragheb and Beard) for Portuguese individuals, including adolescents and young adults. This scale measures leisure attitude according to the three components (cognitive, affective and behavioural). A sample of 462 students (57.8% girls and 42.2% boys) with a mean age of 19.97 (standard deviation of 4.85). The results confirm the original scale. Validity measures of internal consistency and content validity in the total scale and in the three subscales (Cognitive, affective and behavioural). The scale is an adequate instrument to measure leisure attitudes in the Portuguese context.

From Flow to Optimal Experience: (Re)Searching the Quality of Subjective Experience Throughout Daily Life

In recent decades, flow and optimal experience has been a significant focus of research and theoretical development within the psychological field. But, the understanding of flow is still fragmented, and it remains far from being well understood in all its affective, motivational, cognitive, and physiological dimensions. The main purpose of this chapter is to present a synthesis of a series of Portuguese studies investigating flow and optimal experience in different life contexts and populations in order to contribute to a deep analysis of these concepts. Several on-going studies define research lines focused on four main life contexts (school, family, leisure, and therapy), with participants from four main populations (adolescents, young adults, adults and the elderly). Different methods have been used, including one-time self-report instruments and online measures (Experience Sampling Method). Methodological issues are considered in order to analyze how different methods affect the evaluation of flow and the experience per se and their pertinence for theoretical considerations. Results are shown in two directions: findings that reinforce the actual model and characteristics of the optimal experience, and findings that introduce new issues for theoretical discussion. Discussion highlights some main topics contributing to current research and sheds light on future directions, such as meanings and consciousness of flow state, fitness of physiological and psychological patterns of subjective experience, impact of the methods and characteristics of subjective experience, and the study of human complexity.

The Lack of Teaching/Study of Religiosity/Spirituality in Psychology Degree Courses in Brazil: The Need for Reflection

This study investigated the existence/non-existence of subjects on the theme of religion/spirituality, in psychology degree courses in Brazil. Data were collected from university websites and through e-mail. The data include 301 (84.6%) of all existing courses; the subject of religiosity/spirituality is incorporated into 13% of public institutions and in 16% of private institutions; 84% of the courses do not have this subject incorporated into their curricula. Actually, few programs provide formal training in religion/spirituality. We present the definition of some terms, conclusions from publications within the theme of religion/spirituality, and a brief background on the place that religion holds in the culture of the Brazilians.

Health-related quality of life of adolescents: Relations with positive and negative psychological dimensions

Abstract This study aims to analyse: the relationship between socio-demographic variables and overall HRQoL and its domains; the predictor role of negative psychological dimensions (anxiety, depression and stress) and positive ones (subjective happiness, self-esteem and life satisfaction) on overall HRQoL and its domains. The sample consisted of 465 Portuguese students (53.5% girls), aged 13–18 years (M = 15.20, SD = 1.16). The students answered to the following measures: Kidscreen-27, Subjective Happiness Scale, Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale, Self-Esteem Rosenberg Scale and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-Children. Gender, age and chronic disease predicted perceptions of some HRQoL domains. The results showed that both negative and positive psychological dimensions predicted HRQoL and its domains. Depressive symptoms were a negative predictor and self-esteem a positive predictor of overall HRQoL and all of its domains. These results create opportunities for new insights into health and optimal functioning of adolescents from an ecological perspective.

Flow, Leisure, and Positive Youth Development

Leisure has been associated with several developmental opportunities that foster adolescents’ optimal growth. Considering leisure as a context, activity or experience, researchers have focused on its role in the study of flow experience. Both leisure and flow experiences, and the way they interrelate, emerge as relevant to promoting positive youth development, daily and along life trajectories. This chapter aims to present and analyze conceptual and empirical evidence about the connection between positive youth development, leisure, and flow experience. Among the empirical evidence, we highlight studies from our Portuguese research team, the Research Group on Optimal Functioning – GIFOp, aimed at studying adolescents’ optimal functioning. Specifically, we illustrate results according to different aims and methodologies. In this sense, we discuss adolescents’ daily life perceptions of activities and quality of experiences, and future life goals, measured by retrospective self-report questionnaires; and flow, optimal experience and motivational aspects of subjective experience, by real-time measures, specifically the Experience Sampling Method (ESM). The conclusion sheds light on the importance of a psycho-social-ecological approach when studying adolescents’ flow and leisure experiences and how these enhance positive youth development. Future research directions will consider the importance of merging school and leisure contexts, highlighting the role of leisure structured activities to promote flow and optimal experiences, when considered as different components of subjective experience. In addition, the use of different methodologies based on both retrospective and real-time measures, are addressed as being equally important and relevant to continue the main conceptual discussion around flow and optimal experiences in adolescence.

Leisure and positive psychology: Contributions to optimal human functioning

Abstract This article highlights key issues and specific authors understood as milestones in leisure and positive psychology. Following a brief history of leisure within both psychology and positive psychology, the author proposes a new positive leisure science and discusses the impact it could have on our understanding of optimal human functioning.

The Flow Experience in Clinical Settings: Applications in Psychotherapy and Mental Health Rehabilitation

In mental health care settings, the positive psychology approach has been widely incorporated in traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy aiming to foster change in individuals’ behavior and approach to life. The aim of this chapter is to integrate findings stemming from three lines of research focusing on the use of flow in psychotherapy and mental health rehabilitation. We will present studies in which the ability to find flow in everyday life was connected with individuals’ well-being and reduced symptomatology. Results also suggested a relationship between flow and psychotherapeutic intervention: finding flow fosters positive and meaningful changes both inside and outside the therapeutic and rehabilitation processes. Finally, we will present a new psychotherapeutic model in which flow is part and parcel in facing daily life challenges and in promoting clients’ integration and active involvement in society.