Portuguese Students Research Articles

Comparative Study of Physical Activity, Leisure Preferences, and Sedentary Behavior among Portuguese, Italian, and Spanish University Students.

The objective of this study is to describe and compare the levels of physical activity, preferences for leisure-time physical activity, and the frequency of non-sedentary behaviors of Portuguese, Italian, and Spanish students attending higher education. A total of 1354 students (21.2 ± 2.9 years) participated in the study, with data collected through an online questionnaire for 6 months. The highest levels of sedentary behavior are found among Spanish students, followed by the Portuguese, and lastly the Italians. In relation to physical activity levels, Spanish students perform more low and moderate physical activity, while Italian students perform more vigorous activities and naturally have a lower level of sedentary behavior. However, it is worth highlighting that students from all three countries reach the minimum levels of physical activity recommended by the WHO.

Historical narratives: how Portuguese students aged 10 and 15 make use of national history

The main purpose of this study is to demonstrate how students make use of their knowledge about national history, while considering relevant perspectives in history education about the development of historical consciousness. A total of 103 students attending the sixth or the ninth grade in Portuguese schools were asked to ‘spontaneously’ write about the history of Portugal. This allowed the understanding of their historical literacy and the identification of the development of their historical consciousness. The data analysis was mainly based on a qualitative approach inspired by the grounded theory, carried out through a process of coding of the narrative elements in order to find meanings on conceptual trends. Generally, the results suggest the prevalence of similar schematic templates in the students’ narratives. At the same time, the research process highlighted two main categories: the assumption of a certain national identity and the understanding of intertemporal relations for personal orientation. Within the former, students either appear tied to fixed conceptions of the past, more often in the sixth grade, or to present a more historically balanced pattern, although still somewhat ethnocentric. In the latter, the idea of connecting the past and the present appears to be the overall trend, particularly in the ninth grade.

Scared, Bored or Happy? Latent Profile Analyses of Primary School Students’ Academic Emotions about Math

Emotions and motivation are central to learning. Control–value theory (CVT) and expectancy–value theory (EVT) explain how emotions and expectations of success affect students’ task engagement. Supported by these two frameworks, this study investigates the emotion profiles for maths among fourth- and fifth-grade students (N = 6778) from three European countries and their links to motivation and achievement. Methods: Using latent profile analysis (LPA), we analysed the emotional profiles in students, as well as their associations with gender, country, grade, motivation and maths achievement. Results: Five profiles emerged in the grade 4 data (Bored, Bored and Anxious, Moderate, Happy and Anxious). All five profiles were visible in the grade 5 data, coupled with an additional sixth profile, which appeared only in grade 5 (i.e., Apprehensive–Happy). Girls were found more commonly in the Anxious profile and were less likely to appear in the Happy profile. Norwegian students were more prominent in the Bored and Moderate profiles. Conversely, Portuguese students stood out more in the Anxious profile and were less present in the Bored and Moderate profiles. The Serbian dataset did not stand out, with a particular pattern observed in grade 4. Nevertheless, Serbian fifth graders were overly visible in the Bored and Anxious profile and less present in the Happy and Apprehensive–Happy groups. The Happy profile had higher scores for all task values except for cost and was, along with the Moderate profile, associated with higher achievement; the Bored and Anxious profile was associated with higher scores of cost value and lower achievement. Conclusions: A person-centred approach allowed for a more diverse view of how students experience emotions. These findings highlight the complex interplay between emotions, motivation and achievement, which is affected by cultural and educational contexts.

Antibiotic resistance: Assessing knowledge and misconceptions among Portuguese students and science teachers.

Antimicrobial resistance poses one of the most significant medical challenges for humanity. The current burden is overwhelming and is projected to escalate rapidly, with predictions for 2050 indicating 10 million deaths per year due to antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Enhancing public awareness and education on this topic is crucial in efforts to mitigate this issue. In our study, we translated an existing questionnaire on antimicrobial resistance into Portuguese, validated it, and applied it between December 2020 and March 2021 to a group of Portuguese students (n = 112) and science teachers (n = 95). A majority of the students surveyed (65.1%) incorrectly believed that antibiotics could treat colds/flus. As anticipated, the teachers outperformed the students in the questionnaire. However, difficulties with this topic were evident in both groups. Most notably, the misconception that the human body becomes resistant to antibiotics was prevalent among most participants (77.0% of students and 68.4% of teachers). Consistent with previous studies in other populations and geographic locations, our research reveals a worrying lack of knowledge about antimicrobial resistance among Portuguese students and science teachers. Consequently, it is deemed urgent to implement effective measures to raise awareness and educate on this topic.

Peer feedback and learning: a case study with 8th-grade Portuguese students

ABSTRACT This research explores the contributions of peer feedback to student learning, in the context of peer assessment. The study involved a class of 20 Portuguese middle school pupils and used document analysis, interviews, and a questionnaire to collect data. Peer feedback was identified as the key factor driving improvements in pupil performance, due mainly to its key role in identifying improvement points, but also because it is viewed as more open and understandable. Lower performance pupils seemed to benefit more from peer feedback, while high-achieving pupils demonstrated a more autonomous improvement through independent work and feedback exchange, fostering analytical skills, critical thinking, and autonomy. All pupils, however, exhibited improved feedback provision, indicating the overall development of analytical skills. Oral peer feedback was viewed positively by pupils, facilitating understanding, despite concerns about potentially harming peers’ work. Peer assessment emerges as a catalyst for personal development and autonomy, impacting self-regulation, motivation, responsibility, and resilience.

A latent class analysis of multiple health-risk behaviours among Portuguese college students

Traditionally, the prevalence of health-risk behaviours is high among university students. Although these behaviours are often analysed in isolation, there is likely evidence for the co-occurrence of multiple risk behaviours. In this study, a latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted with cross-sectional data from 840 Portuguese students (55.4% female) to explore patterns of multiple risk behaviours across seven behavioural dimensions (alcohol consumption, smoking, unhealthy eating, sedentary behaviour, risky sexual practices, illicit drug use, and self-medication). Additionally, a latent class regression was performed to explore predictors (perceived well-being and sociodemographic and academic characteristics) for each behavioural pattern. A three-class model emerged with different probabilities of risk: Low-risk behaviours (51.4%), Moderate-risk behaviors (14.9%), and High-risk behaviours (33.7%). Students with better perceptions of well-being and health were likelier to be in the healthier class. Students in the low- and moderate-risk classes were more likely to be in their first year of study, not in a romantic relationship and to be full-time students. Students who had not changed residence at the beginning of their studies and were female were more likely to be in the healthiest class. This study provides essential strategies for health promotion among university students, offering crucial insights for the design of effective health promotion interventions, especially targeted at specific groups of students with similar patterns of multiple risk behaviours.

ARPocketLab—A Mobile Augmented Reality System for Pedagogic Applications

The widespread adoption of digital technologies in educational systems has been globally reflecting a shift in pedagogic content delivery that seems to fit modern generations of students while tackling relevant challenges faced by the current scholar context, e.g., progress traceability, pedagogic content fair access and intuitive visual representativeness, mobility issue mitigation, and sustainability in crisis situations. Among these technologies, augmented reality (AR) emerges as a particularly promising approach, allowing the visualization of computer-generated interactive data on top of real-world elements, thus enhancing comprehension and intuition regarding educational content, often in mobile settings. While the application of AR to education has been widely addressed, issues related to performance interaction and cognitive performance are commonly addressed, with lesser attention paid to the limitations associated with setup complexity, mostly related to experiences configurating tools, or contextual range, i.e., technical/scientific domain targeting versatility. Therefore, this paper introduces ARPocketLab, a digital, mobile, flexible, and scalable solution designed for the dynamic needs of modern tutorship. With a dual-interface system, it allows both educators and students to interactively design and engage with AR content directly tied to educational outcomes. Moreover, ARPocketLab’s design, aimed at handheld operationalization using a minimal set of physical resources, is particularly relevant in environments where educational materials are scarce or in situations where remote learning becomes necessary. Its versatility stems from the fact that it only requires a marker or a surface (e.g., a table) to function at full capacity. To evaluate the solution, tests were conducted with 8th-grade Portuguese students within the context of Physics and Chemistry subject. Results demonstrate the application’s effectiveness in providing didactic assistance, with positive feedback not only in terms of usability but also regarding learning performance. The participants also reported openness for the adoption of AR in pedagogic contexts.

Research on the Development and Construction of Confucius Institutes in Portugal under the Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed by President Xi Jinping during his visits to Central Asia and Southeast Asia in 2013, advocating for collaborative development with countries along the route. Spanning across the continents of Asia and Europe, the Indian Ocean, and the western Pacific, the BRI involves 64 countries with a total population of over 3 billion and a combined GDP accounting for nearly 20% of the global economy, holding significant strategic importance. Historically, the BRI serves not only as a platform for commercial trade but also as a medium for cultural exchanges among the countries along its route. In reality, embracing cultural diversity aligns with the collaborative development goals of the BRI, promoting cultural and civilizational exchanges among nations, achieving holistic cultural complementarity, and fostering social harmony and development. In recent years, Chinese language education has been included in the educational systems of European, Latin American, and African countries alongside languages such as French, Russian, and Spanish. In the context of increasingly integrated global interests, Chinese language education has gained more attention. To internationalize and diversify Chinese language education, the term Confucius Institute was coined. Drawing on international experience, the Chinese government has established numerous Confucius Institutes and classrooms overseas. Among them, Portugal is one of the European countries with the closest cooperation with China in education, language, and humanities. With the comprehensive development of Sino-Portuguese relations, more opportunities have arisen for Sino-Portuguese language and cultural exchanges, expanding the development prospects of Confucius Institutes. Currently, the four main Confucius Institutes jointly established by major universities in Portugal are: Minho University Confucius Institute, University of Lisbon Confucius Institute, University of Aveiro Confucius Institute, and University of Coimbra Confucius Institute. Each Confucius Institute has its own educational positioning, such as providing basic Chinese language teaching, training Chinese language teachers, improving Chinese language teaching resources, and organizing Chinese cultural exchange activities, providing Portuguese students with a platform for learning Chinese language and culture.

A Pilot Study on Dietary Choices at Universities: Vending Machines, Canteens, and Lunch from Home.

Commercial environments and food acquisition methods significantly shape dietary practices and impact health. This study assesses dietary choices among Portuguese university students regarding vending machines, canteens, and lunches from home. It also evaluates their use of the university canteen and their tendency to bring lunch from home. This pilot cross-sectional study used a self-administered electronic questionnaire, made available in early 2023. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling. The study included 137 students from Portuguese higher education institutions, mainly women (74.5%), pursuing degrees or integrated Master's degrees (83.2%), primarily in health-related fields (55.5%). The median age was 21 years (20 to 23.5 years). About 70.0% regularly consumed food from vending machines, while approximately 60.0% brought lunch from home, avoiding the canteen. Factors such as convenience (48.5%), price (47.5%), product availability (40.6%), and taste (39.6%) mainly influenced vending machine choices. Monthly, chocolates, water, coffee, cookies, treats, and soft drinks were the most commonly acquired items, with coffee being the most frequent daily purchase. These findings provide insights for creating policies and initiatives to promote healthier and more accessible food options for students and strategies to encourage positive eating behaviors.

Ecocentric and anthropocentric worldviews: are they incompatible?

The dialectic between ecocentrism and anthropocentrism has become the central discussion around the growing ecological crisis we live and the purpose of environmental education. This study seeks to clarify the compatibility between these two worldviews and reflect on the extent to which they are in opposing camps on the concern about the ecological crisis. The New Ecological Paradigm Scale was applied to two independent samples of Portuguese students (9th grade and higher education students’) with which subscales for ecocentrism and anthropocentrism worldviews were selected through factor analysis. Our results show that more than 40% of those that agree with ecocentrism does not rejects anthropocentrism, being mostly neutral to that worldview and some even agreeing with it. In face of this, we purpose further studies on the different anthropocentric facets to selected those that may be included in environmental education effort to help, together with ecocentrism, to fight back ecological crisis.

Psychometric properties of the positive mental health questionnaire: short form (PMHQ-SF18) in young adults.

Positive Mental Health (PMH) plays a pivotal role in the promoting of mental health. Assessing this phenomenon is essential for early recognition and intervention in mental health. To date, only one tool was validated with 39 items to assess PMH among Portuguese young adults. This study sought to examine the psychometric properties of the short version of the Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (PMHQ) among Portuguese university students. The PMHQ Short Form was administered to a sample of 3,647 university students via an online platform. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. The principal factor solution was employed because some items showed higher levels of kurtosis. Multivariate analysis was tested using the Mardia's Test, Henze-Zirkler, and Royston. Findings of content, construct validity tests, and Cronbach's alfa demonstrated the satisfactory validity and suitable reliability of the PMHQ-Short Form (PMHQ-SF). The exploratory factor analysis produced six dimensions of the PMHQ-SF with three items in each factor demonstrating adequate internal reliability. The global internal consistency was 0.92, with factors ranging between 0.60 to 0.82. The results suggest that the PMHQ-SF is reliable, easier, and more practical to complete by university students due to the shortening of the number of items. The PMHQ-SF is useful for assessing positive mental health in young adults. The final version of the instrument contains from 32 to 18 items.

The Effects of Implementing the Strategy of Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) in Promoting Vocabulary in School-Aged Portuguese Children in Inclusive Schools

Background: The purpose of this study was to apply and analyze the impact of the semantic feature analysis (SFA) strategy on vocabulary development and comprehension of texts and theoretical concepts in Portuguese school-age students with and without special educational needs (SEN) attending inclusive schools. Method: The research design was quasi-experimental. The SFA was administered in ten sessions of approximately 60 min each. The sample was a convenience sample and consisted of selecting three classes in each school: (i) in the first cycle of basic education, 65 students were divided into a control group, an experimental group and a structured teaching group; (ii) in the second cycle of basic education, 55 students were divided into an experimental group, an online virtual school and a control group. Results: (1) The SFA strategy is motivating, appealing, inexpensive, flexible and easy to implement; (2) learning the SFA strategy is easy and can be successfully taught in any classroom; (3) the performance of the students assigned to the experimental groups was significantly higher in both cycles compared to all the other groups; (4) the effect sizes were 0.87 in the first cycle and 0.88 in the second cycle. Conclusion: The SFA strategy effectively promotes the development of vocabulary, concept knowledge and text comprehension in school-age children, being more effective than regular teaching.

Getting by with a little help from friends and family: mediation model between loneliness and depressive symptoms amongst Portuguese students

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyse the mediating effect of friends and family as sources of perceived social support in the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data sample consisted of 733 university students from January to May 2023. Participants completed the UCLA loneliness scales, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MPSS) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). The SPSS programme with PROCESS macro (Model 6) was used to test the hypothesis regarding the mediation effect.FindingsThe bootstrap analysis found that friends as a source of social support mediated the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms. Similarly, loneliness had a significant indirect effect on depressive symptoms through the mediation of family as a source of social support. Moreover, it was found that the relationships of friends and family as sources of social support mediated the association of the aforementioned variables.Originality/valueThis research advances our understanding of social support sources from friends and family amongst university students whilst providing suggestions for interventions tackling loneliness and depressive symptoms in a university setting.

Cross-national comparison of gender discrepancies in distance education

This research focused on gender discrepancies regarding students’ opinions about distance education (DE). Data was gathered from Emirati, Portuguese, and Ukrainian university students through an online survey during the first term of the 2020/21 academic year before the war in Ukraine. A qualitative content analysis was used to understand gender discrepancies among the participants. Results show that greater gender discrepancies occurred in the categories of overall opinions and usefulness of DE. Men found DE more helpful and had a more positive opinion about DE overall. The discrepancies between males and females were smaller in several other categories, such as distractions and time management issues. Interestingly, the comments made by men and women focused on different aspects of these categories.

(O-31) ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SEXUAL AGENCY AND SEXUAL SATISFACTION IN BRAZILIAN AND PORTUGUESE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract Aim This study aimed to verify the association between sexual agency and sexual satisfaction in Portuguese and Brazilian university students. Method 322 university students, 161 Brazilian and 161 Portuguese, aged between 18 and 29, took part in this cross-sectional study by answering an online questionnaire. The measures used were a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Sexual Attitudes Scale, the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale and the Sexual Assertiveness Scale. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation. Ethical procedures were met. Results The measures of individual sexual satisfaction (BR 0.446/PT 0.499), relational sexual satisfaction and in sexual satisfaction of sexual activity (BR 0.375/PT 0.363), and total sexual satisfaction (BR 0.454/PT 0.458), showed significant (p<0.01) moderate positive associations with the dimension of sexual assertiveness initiation, related to sexual agency to initiate sexual relations and communicate desires to the partner in both groups. This is a finding that contradicts the rules associated with traditional sexual scripts, which advocate that women tend to behave passively in relation to their partner's desires. Conclusion The association between initiative and sexual satisfaction demonstrates the need to go against traditional sexual scripts, encouraging women to recognize and communicate their desires, and to validate the right to pleasure and sexual satisfaction. Expanding communication and listening to desires, opening up to different ways of giving and receiving physical pleasure, can increase the feeling of desire and the possibility of feeling desired, favoring the possibility of individual and shared pleasure and satisfaction. Financing No conflict.

Digital Humanities at the Service of Remembrance: The Creation of Digital Archive-based Activities within the Project ‘Remembering the Past, Learning for the Future’

This article explores the usage of testimonies in the Visual History Archive of the University of Southern California's Shoah Foundation to create learner-centred activities on the history of the Holocaust targeted at Portuguese students. We describe the project ‘Remembering the Past, Learning for the Future: Research-Based Digital Learning from Testimonies of Survivors and Rescuers of the Holocaust’, housed at the University of Lisbon Centre for English Studies (ULICES). Via the international partnership (USC Shoah Foundation, Zachor Foundation, and the University of Eötvös Loránd), the ULICES team developed materials using testimony from witnesses and survivors of the Holocaust through digital tools with an innovative pedagogical methodology. We introduce the constructivist theory of learning, stressing the powerful impact of survival testimonies on raising student awareness and developing a wide range of skills. We also describe the methodological process that underlay this project, namely the creation of the six learning activities for the IWitness educational platform and the IWalk visits, focusing on the translation tasks of the written materials and the audiovisual translation of the videos. We also report on how students received the activities by retrieving information from teachers’ and students’ reports, and an onsite experience with two groups of students.

Validation of the Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire in Croatian and Portuguese samples using exploratory graph analysis

This study aimed to validate the Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire (ESCQ-42, Takšić et al., 2009) in Croatian and Portuguese samples using exploratory graph analysis (EGA). The ESCQ, rooted in the Mayer and Salovey emotional intelligence model (Mayer & Salovey, 1997), was administered to 627 Portuguese students (Mage = 15.5; SD = 0.76) and 562 Croatian students (Mage = 16.3; SD = 1.07). This questionnaire, featuring three subscales for perceiving, expressing, and managing emotions, has shown strong psychometric reliability across various studies and countries. Despite its widespread use and validation, item-level inconsistencies in cross-cultural research motivated the use of EGA.The EGA revealed that the Croatian sample exhibited a five-dimensional structure, while the Portuguese sample presented a four-dimensional structure, thus challenging the conventional three-factor model. Additional analyses of item stability, replicability, and network loadings provided deeper insights into item placements and contributions. Model fit comparisons between EGA-identified structures and the theoretical three-factor model were conducted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Furthermore, EGA confirmed the three-factor structure on an abbreviated scale, achieving both configural and partial metric invariance across cultures. These findings underscore the necessity for ongoing refinement of the ESCQ-42 to enhance its cross-cultural applicability and reliability.

Assessment of physical activity levels and back pain among poles and Portuguese in the further year of the COVID-19 pandemic - a pilot study

BackgroundThe vast majority of people have experienced the problem of back pain at least once in their lives for a variety of reasons. It is well known that regular physical activity at a moderate level has a number of health benefits regardless of age or gender with positive effects on the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory or nervous systems improving fitness levels. During the pandemic, Poland experienced one of the longest periods of school lockdown in Europe. In Portugal, this period was considerably shorter. The aim of this study was to determine the level of physical activity and back pain as well as relationship between physical activity and back pain in a group of Polish and Portuguese students in the following year the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThe study was conducted via the Internet among students from Poland and Portugal (398 respondents − 229 from Poland and 169 from Portugal) in October 2022. In the pilot study, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and The Oswestry Disability Index and Neck Disability Index questionnaires were used to assess the level of back pain.ResultsThere are no statistically significant differences in the level of physical activity and pain complaints of respondents from the two countries. At least half of the students do not report any pain complaints (median in some groups being 0). In the Portuguese men, there is a correlation between the level of physical activity and the Neck Disability Index score (p = 0.0304).ConclusionsThe following year, after the pandemic COVID-19 was declared, the prevalence of back pain among students in Poland and Portugal is still significant.

Analysis of determining factors in the thermal comfort of university students. A comparative study between Spain and Portugal

The quality of the indoor thermal environment is essential because of its impact on the energy efficiency of buildings and on the health and well-being of those who occupy them. This is particularly important in educational buildings because of the direct impact on student performance. Various factors, such as natural ventilation, have become particularly relevant since COVID-19. Although this measure is no longer mandatory, its usefulness has been proven, and it is therefore interesting to evaluate it to understand its impact on thermal comfort in classrooms. In addition to ventilation, other aspects such as clothing, gender and habits can also influence the thermal perception of the occupants. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of these factors on thermal comfort in university buildings in Spain and Portugal through a campaign of measurements and questionnaires. The results showed that, according to CO2 concentrations, natural ventilation strategies have been maintained more in Spain than in Portugal. Also, these protocols did not have a negative effect on the thermal comfort of the occupants. On the other hand, there were significant differences between the student's responses in the two countries. In fact, Portuguese students showed warmer preferences (Tn = 26.40 °C) than Spanish students (Tn = 24.70 °C). Finally, clothing habits were a crucial factor in the perception of thermal comfort, with differences by country and by gender.

Validity and Reliability of the Portuguese Version of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale of 10 Elements for Young University Students

Background: Resilience is an important aspect of mental health in young people, which has become more relevant after the COVID-19 pandemic. It is therefore of paramount importance to have valid and reliable instruments that measure the globality of this aspect. One of the instruments that has been shown to have good psychometric properties and which has been widely adapted in several languages is the Connor–Davidson resilience scale, composed of 10 elements (10-item CD-RISC). Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Portuguese version of the 10-item CD-RISC among young university students. Methods: a cross-sectional observational study of psychometric validation was conducted with a sample of 206 university students. Results: Good and adequate fit indices were obtained for the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA): Standardized Root-Mean-Square Residual [SRMR] = 0. 056; comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.958; and the Tucker–Lewis index [TLI] = 0.946. It also showed an average degree of convergent validity with the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the General Health Scale (SF-36), and its internal consistency was good (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.842) with a range of factor loadings between 0.42 and 0.77. Conclusions: the results show that the 10-item CD-RISC is a valid, reliable scale to measure resilience among young Portuguese university students.