Browsing by Author "Noronha, Catarina"
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- COVID-19, wellness and life satisfaction in adolescence: individual and contextual issuesPublication . Matos, Margarida Gaspar de; Carvalho, Marina; Branquinho, Cátia; Noronha, Catarina; Moraes, Bárbara; Gaspar, Tania; Guedes, Fábio Botelho; Cerqueira, Ana; Santos, Osvaldo; Rodrigues, Nuno NetoDuring and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, several works reflected on young people’s physical and psychological health. The Dual Factor Model, which we refer to as the quadripartite model, is useful for understanding children’s and adolescents’ psychological health and differentiating them regarding their attitude toward the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this investigation, students from the fifth to twelfth year of schooling enrolled in the DGEEC study “Psychological Health and Wellbeing in Portuguese schools” were considered. Four groups were created based on life satisfaction (low or high) and psychological distress (with or without symptoms). The study included 4444 students (M = 13.39 years ± 2.41), of whom 47.8% were male. Of the participants, 27.2% were in the second cycle of primary education, and 72.8% were in lower and upper secondary education. Differences in gender and education level (as a proxy for age) were observed. Additionally, when considering students’ perceptions of changes in their lives following the COVID-19 pandemic (stayed the same, became worse, became better), these three groups were compared concerning personal and contextual variables, revealing significant differences at both the individual and contextual levels. Finally, the study discusses the influence of education and health professionals and the need for friendly public policies.
- Insatisfeitos com a vida ou em risco de depressão? Um estudo com adolescentes do 3º ciclo do ensino básico e ensino secundárioPublication . Francisco, Rita; Branquinho, Cátia; Noronha, Catarina; Moraes, Bárbara; Rodrigues, Nuno Neto; Matos, Margarida Gaspar de
- "Learn to fly": nurturing child development, intergenerational connection, and social engagementPublication . Matos, Margarida Gaspar de; Branquinho, Cátia; Noronha, Catarina; Moraes, Bárbara; Gaspar, TaniaLearn to Fly was developed between February 2022 and March 2023 with the goal of fostering greater social participation and intergenerational dialogue around the recognition and solution of pertinent social issues through the development of psychological flexibility and socioemotional competences in children at the start of their academic careers. Based on a participatory methodology and the concepts of the third generation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (CBTs) and ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy), the target audience included children of ages 5 and 6 (pre-school and first grade), their teachers, and their families. The Learn to Fly pilot initiative was implemented in eight partner institutions on the Portuguese mainland with the participation of 289 children, their families, and 22 educators. Learn to Fly was evaluated after 12 weeks of implementation using a combination of methodologies, including interviews, focus groups, and pre- and post-tests. Teachers emphasized that the initiative brought families closer to the school, thereby strengthening connections between the school and the community, when analyzing the impact of the project on the school community. Positive changes were observed in the children’s behaviors, particularly with respect to hyperactivity, relationship problems with colleagues, prosocial behavior, socioemotional skills, their perceptions of their participation in various scenarios (their city and country), and intergenerational dialogue with their parents. In addition to the teachers’ preconceived notions about child participation, they became more aware of the possibility of children having a say in decision-making and discovered that the program promoted this aspect. Presently equipped with resources, it is envisaged that teachers trained to implement Learn to Fly will play a significant role in promoting positive child development and social engagement.
- Life satisfaction and risk of depression: the role of adolescents’ social and emotional skillsPublication . Francisco, Rita; Branquinho, Cátia; Noronha, Catarina; Moraes, Bárbara; Rodrigues, Nuno Neto; Matos, Margarida Gaspar deThe absence of mental illness does not necessarily mean the presence of mental health or well-being. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to identify the risk and prevent the development of mental illness. The present study aimed to: a) characterize the levels of well-being and life satisfaction of adolescents; b) identify the risk of depression; c) analyze differences in the three dimensions of mental health considering sociodemographic characteristics (gender and level of education); and d) analyze predictors of life satisfaction and risk of depression, considering the sociodemographic characteristics and social-emotional skills. Participated in the study 3235 adolescents (50% female), aged between 11 and 20 years (M=14.47, SD=1.91). Participants attend public schools in the 3rd cycle of basic education (47.9%) and secondary education (52.1%), and responded to self-report measures. The results revealed that most adolescents (58.5%) have an average level of life satisfaction. However, 51.1% of participants have a low level of well-being and 19.6% are at risk of depression. All the social-emotional skills included in the models proved to be significant predictors of life satisfaction and lower risk of depression, especially optimism (besides emotional control, stress resistance and sociability). The results reinforce the existence of a double continuum of mental health and mental illness. The results also support the relevance of implementing school-based interventions to promote social-emotional skills that help adolescents deal with the challenges of a changing world, and to prevent depression. From a public health perspective, it is essential to implement universal prevention programs that are part of the paradigm of health-promoting schools.
- No-risk, at-risk, and high-risk middle school and high school students: contributions of the quadripartite model for psychological distress prevention programsPublication . Carvalho, Marina; Branquinho, Cátia; Noronha, Catarina; Rodrigues, Nuno Neto; Gaspar, Tânia; Matos, Margarida Gaspar deHighlights: What are the main findings? The quadripartite model is a useful tool for assessing psychological health in young people, considering psychological symptoms along with well-being. Young people with complete psychological health were distinguished from young people with complete psychological distress by having more socio-emotional skills. What is the implication of the main finding? Prevention programs directed to the promotion of psychological health should consider the promotion of socio-emotional skills along with the modification of psychological symptoms. Public policies involving young people’s health and education would benefit from including both targeted and indicated school and community prevention programs. Background/Objectives: Students’ psychological health problems have been widely studied for a long time. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic and due to the additional challenges related to the need for individual and contextual adjustment, a more comprehensive approach to psychological health and well-being is needed. The main goal of the present study was to identify the individual and contextual factors that could discriminate middle school and high school students based on well-being and psychological symptoms. Methods: In this study, carried out within the scope of the second wave of the study “Psychological Health and Wellbeing | School Observatory”, promoted by the Ministry of Education, 3037 students from different regions and levels of public education in Portugal, 49.5% female, aged between 9 and 18 years, participated by completing a research protocol after informed consent was given. Results: Cluster analysis allowed the identification of four groups based on the scores of well-being and psychological symptoms: complete psychological health, incomplete psychological distress, incomplete psychological health and complete psychological distress. The analysis of discriminant variables additionally showed relevant differences between the two extreme groups: complete psychological health students reported higher socio-emotional skills, whereas complete psychological distress students reported higher stress and anxiety scores and low life satisfaction. Conclusions: The obtained results highlight the need for early identification of psychological distress using effective measures to prevent psychological symptoms and to promote socio-emotional skills in the school context.
- Perceived quality of life and life satisfaction: does the role of gender, age, skills, and psychological factors remain relevant after the COVID-19 pandemic?Publication . Branquinho, Cátia; Moraes, Bárbara; Noronha, Catarina; Ferreira, Tomás; Rodrigues, Nuno Neto; Matos, Margarida Gaspar deBackground: After two years of psychological, physical, social, economic, environmental, and societal challenges, this paper examines the psychological health and well-being of Portuguese students based on their socioemotional skills (SSES), positive youth development (PYD), depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS), as well as the relationship between these variables and their influence on perceived quality of life and life satisfaction. Methods: This study examined 3235 students from lower to upper secondary, half of whom were female (M = 14.46 ± 1.883 years old). Using SPSS software, descriptive statistics were determined for all variables; mean differences between age and gender were found using ANOVA and the post hoc Scheffe test. Linear regressions with the Enter method were used to study how to predict perceived quality of life and satisfaction with life. Results: Males had scores indicating more SSES|optimism, emotional control, resilience, confidence, sociability, creativity, energy, a sense of belonging to school, and PYD. Girls had better skills for cooperating and relating to teachers but more test anxiety and DASS. Younger adolescents had better psychological health, greater skills, and a better perception of quality of life and life satisfaction when compared to older adolescents. Age, gender, SSES, PYD, and the DASS variables can explain 69% of the variance in life satisfaction, while these variables can explain 60.5% of the variance in perceived quality of life. Conclusions: These results point to the relevance of SSES for psychological health and well-being, suggesting that interventions should focus on promoting these variables, paying special attention to female gender and age-related challenges.
- Positive youth development, mental stress and life satisfaction in middle school and high school students in Portugal: outcomes on stress, anxiety and depressionPublication . Carvalho, Marina; Branquinho, Cátia; Moraes, Barbara; Cerqueira, Ana; Tomé, Gina; Noronha, Catarina; Gaspar, Tânia; Rodrigues, Nuno; Matos, Margarida Gaspar deThe relation between positive youth development and stress, anxiety and depression was studied considering the mediator role of psychological symptoms and life satisfaction. A total of 3109 students included in the “Psychological Health and Well-being” study of the School Observatory participated, including 1618 females and 1491 males aged between 11 and 18 years old (M = 14.45; SD = 1.88), belonging to different school groups in different regions of the country. Adolescents with higher stress, depression and anxiety levels reported lower levels of competence, confidence and connection, as well as more psychological symptoms and lower life satisfaction. The results also showed that adolescents with higher levels of competence, confidence and connection reported less psychological symptoms and more life satisfaction. Two separate mediation analyses were performed to analyse the role of mental distress and life satisfaction on the relationship between positive youth development indicators and stress, anxiety and depression. These analyses confirmed the predicted relationships and partial mediations between mental distress and life satisfaction. These results should be taken into account in public policies concerning young people’s health and education that should involve both targeted and indicated prevention strategies, including school and community-based interventions, in order to be effective.
- Understanding academic evaluation anxiety in Portuguese adolescents: a psychosocial and educational perspectivePublication . Reis, Marta; Noronha, Catarina; Tomé, Gina; Carvalho, Marina; Rodrigues, Nuno Neto; Matos, Margarida Gaspar deObjectives: Academic Evaluation Anxiety is a significant psychological concern among adolescents, with well-documented impacts on academic performance, emotional well-being, and school engagement. In Portugal, recent evidence suggests growing pressure on students to achieve high academic standards, with psychosocial variables such as resilience, perceived support, and school environment playing a crucial role. This study aims to examine the prevalence and psychosocial predictors of Academic Evaluation Anxiety in Portuguese students, and to identify risk and protective factors that inform educational practice. Methods: This cross-sectional, quantitative study analysed data from 3083 students (5th to 12th grade) from the 2024 National Study by the Observatory of Psychological Health and Well-Being. Validated instruments were used, including the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 items (DASS-21), the Social and Emotional Skills Scale (SSES), the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) psychological symptoms and well-being indices, the Positive Youth Development (PYD) scale, and the School Environment Scale. Statistical analyses included descriptive measures, one-way ANOVAs, and multivariate linear regression. Results: Academic Evaluation Anxiety was significantly higher among female students (Mean = 2.80, SD = 0.93) compared to male students (Mean = 2.16, SD = 1.10), representing approximately 30% higher mean levels of anxiety in girls (F = 306.206, p < 0.001). Resilience (β = −0.38, p < 0.001), self-confidence (β = −0.07, p = 0.02), and creativity (β = −0.06, p = 0.01) emerged as protective factors, whereas cooperation (β = 0.23, p < 0.001), teacher relationships (β = 0.08, p < 0.001), bullying (β = 0.07, p < 0.001), and school environment (β = 0.05, p = 0.03) were positively associated with anxiety levels. Conclusions: Academic Evaluation Anxiety is highly prevalent among Portuguese adolescents, with girls reporting significantly higher levels than boys. Resilience, self-confidence, and creativity act as protective factors, while bullying, teacher relationships, cooperation, and negative school climate increase vulnerability. These findings highlight the need for whole-school strategies that strengthen socio-emotional competencies and create psychologically safe learning environments to support both well-being and academic success.