Portuguese University Students Research Articles

“I would be more creative if...”: Are there perceived barriers to college students’ creative expression according to gender?

Abstract Creativity has become essential to the innovation that is demanded today. In this context, the university is fundamental in promoting creative skills and, thus, meeting such demand. Despite the lack of research concerning what college students think about creativity, these students perceive barriers to their creative expression. A total of 582 Portuguese college students were analyzed in the present study regarding their perceived barriers to the expression of creativity, using an inventory concerning psychological and social dimensions. Gender differences were assessed, not only considering the inventory’s factors, but also items independently. Statistically significant differences were found in both analyses. These results are the starting point to a debate about the role of university in students’ development, which should be not only professional, but also social and personal, besides the importance of finding place to creativity in their daily academic lives.

Academic Expectations Questionnaire: A Proposal for a Short Version

Academic expectations play a significant role in the quality of student adaptation and academic success. Previous research suggests that expectations are a multidimensional construct, making it crucial to test the measures used for this important characteristic. Because assessment of student adaptation to higher education comprises a multitude of personal and contextual variables, including expectations, shortened versions of assessment instruments are critical. In this article, confirmatory factor analysis was used to obtain a short version of the Academic Perceptions Questionnaire–Expectations (APQ-E). Participants were 3,017 first-year Portuguese college students. The results support the use of a shorter version of 24 items, distributed over six dimensions, with good reliability and validity.

Influence of sustainability and innovation on the entrepreneurial intention of Brazilian and Portuguese university students

Abstract This study analyzes the influence of sustainable and innovative behavior on the entrepreneurial intention of Brazilian and Portuguese university students. It seeks to develop a model based on behavioral theory planned for entrepreneurial intention, an adaptive-innovation theory for innovative behavior and sustainability. An exploratory survey was conducted with university students from the Federal University of Ceará (Brazil) and the University of Algarve (Portugal). For data analysis, multivariate analysis techniques such as factorial analysis, logistic regression and classification and regression trees (CART) were used. The results confirm: (i) there is a positive relation between the entrepreneurial intention of the university students and the existence of their own businesses; (ii) there is no positive relationship between the professional experience of university students and their entrepreneurial intention; (iii) there is a positive relationship between the innovative behavior of university students and their entrepreneurial intention; (iv) there is a positive relationship between the sustainable behavior of university students and their entrepreneurial intention. In general, the results contribute to overcome the gap in the empirical literature that aligns phenomena such as entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability, giving this study an innovative character, which allows recommendations for future research.

Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness: Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version.

Interoceptive awareness involves several mind-body dimensions and can be evaluated by self-report with the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), which has been translated and validated in several countries and is being used in research and clinical contexts. This study systematically translated the MAIA with six additional items using a focus group and evaluated its psychometric properties in a respondent sample of 204 Portuguese university students (52% females; M = 21.3, SD = 3.9 years). Based on exploratory factor analysis, we refined the tool into a 33-item version and tested it in a separate sample ( n = 286; 63% females; M = 21.3, SD = 4.7 years). We then conducted confirmatory factor analysis and examined test-retest reliability and convergent and discriminant validity. We confirmed an acceptable model fit for this Portuguese version (MAIA-P) with 33 items and seven scales; it showed good construct validity and acceptable temporal reliability, The MAIA-P appears to be valuable for assessing self-reported interoceptive awareness in Portuguese healthy adults.

Ansiedad idiomática y motivación hacia el español como lengua extranjera en estudiantes universitarios portugueses: un estudio exploratorio

The aim of this study was to examine to what extent language anxiety and integrative motivation predict language achievement in Spanish as a second language in a sample of 249 Portuguese university students, using multiple and hierarchical linear regression models. Results showed negative relationships between language anxiety and course grade, and positive relationships between integrative motivation and course grade. Fear of negative evaluation was the only signifi - cant predictor on course grade. Activities that increase positive attitude towards Spanish and anxiety-free class climate facilitate the acquisition and learning of Spanish as a second language.

Adaptação e validação do Questionário Geral de Bem-Estar Psicológico: análise fatorial confirmatória da versão reduzida

Background: Psychological well-being is a personal perception which can impact students’ health behaviors. To evaluate psychological well-being, instruments should be preferably short and have adequate psychometric properties. Objective: To validate the Questionario Geral de Bem-Estar Psicologico, versao reduzida (QGBEP-R) and verify its psychometric properties, after translation of the 6-item short version of the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB-S). This Index was chosen because of the excellent psychometric properties of its original version. Methodology: The original factor structure was validated using confirmatory factor analysis through structural equation modeling and maximum likelihood estimation. A total of 300 students were randomly selected from a total sample of 1,400 Portuguese university students. Results: The confirmatory factor analysis revealed a fit 6-item one-factor model. Conclusion: The QGBEP-R has good psychometric properties and is valid for use in Portuguese university students

Campus climate: The role of teacher support and cultural issues

ABSTRACTThe literature on campus climate has mainly focused on diversity and demographic variables within single or multiple university campuses from one country. There is a need to investigate campus climate further with regard to cultural issues and the role of teachers. This study thus proposed to examine perceived teacher support as a mediator of the relation between institutional and psychosocial variables of the campus climate of two universities from two culturally distinct countries. To achieve this goal, 980 Brazilian and Portuguese university students answered the Institutional and Psychosocial Campus Climate Inventory. Findings showed significant differences in how students from two different countries described their campus climate and how both Brazilian and Portuguese students described their institutional climate more accurately than their psychosocial climate. Moreover, results from a mediation analysis revealed that perceived teacher support mediated the relationship between students’ perceptions of the institutional readiness of their university and their sense of well-being, as well as newcomer adjustment. A moderation analysis showed that the country of origin moderated the relationship between students’ perceived teacher support and newcomer adjustment. Implications for developing a positive campus climate are discussed.

678 Perceived addiction to online pornography and sexual attitudes in Portuguese college students

678 Perceived addiction to online pornography and sexual attitudes in Portuguese college students

Sexual self-esteem, sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction in Portuguese heterosexual university students

ABSTRACTSexual functioning plays a significant role in an individual’s sexual satisfaction; nevertheless, thus far little attention has been paid to the mediating role of sexual self-esteem. The current study aims to analyse sexual self-esteem effect on the relationship between sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction among Portuguese heterosexual university students. Data from 438 students were obtained via online sampling and analysed assessing sexual self-esteem, sexual functioning and satisfaction. The main findings indicated that sexual functioning was a significant predictor of sexual satisfaction. Moreover, sexual self-esteem appears to partially mediate the relationship between sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction. Practical implications for safe sex education programmes for universities are discussed.

Cooking skills and socio-demographics among Portuguese university students

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the reliability of a Portuguese version of the cooking skills scale (CSS) and to evaluate the association between cooking skills and socio-demographic, psychological and other cooking-related variables.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted as an online survey among 730 Portuguese university students. Translation and back-translation of the CSS were performed. Data were assessed in two stages (test and retest) and the psychometric properties of the CSS were analyzed. The effect of socio-demographic variables was assessed by binary logistic regression analysis. The odds ratios for upper tertile of the CSS score were calculated using the lower tertile as reference.FindingsCronbach’s α for the CSS was 0.90. In the analysis of test-retest reliability, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was 0.79 and Cohen’s κ (for tertiles) was 0.49. Cooking skills were higher in respondents cooking more often, feeling more confident, enjoying more and indicating the personal interest as the main motivation to learn how to cook. Cooking skills were significantly better in females, older students and those with more independent place of residence.Originality/valueVery good psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the CSS were found among university students, providing a proper and simple tool to measure cooking skills in future studies with similar populations. The interventions encouraging to acquire and improve cooking skills as part of promoting healthy eating should be targeted especially toward men and young adults.

Rasch Analysis on the Academic Motivation Scale in Portuguese University Students

Academic motivation has been associated with important outcomes in different education contexts. The goal of the current study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) based on the assumptions of the Rating Scale Model (RSM) to provide an effective instrument in assessing academic motivation in Portuguese students. The sample comprised 360 Portuguese university students that were assessed with the AMS adapted for online data collection. The results showed that the original version of the AMS with seven-category response scale might not work properly with Portuguese university students. Different alternatives were tested by collapsing anchors in the endpoints and midpoint of the original response scale. This analysis revealed that the most suitable solution relies on a five-category response system with midpoint anchors collapsed. This final solution showed good overall fit according to the guidelines proposed for the RSM.

Sources of information in health education: A cross-sectional study in Portuguese university students

Sources of information in health education: A cross-sectional study in Portuguese university students

Psychological intervention needs: validation of a survey with Portuguese university students

This work presents and discusses the psychometric characteristics of the Portuguese version of The Survey of Student Needs (SSN), a self-report questionnaire that assesses psychological intervention needs. A total of 659 university students participated, 76.5% women, with a mean age of 21.96 years. The results of Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) report a factorial solution of three factors explaining 38.49% of the variance. Considering the internal consistency of this factorial structure, Cronbach’s alpha values of .88 were found in factor 1, .81 in factor 2, and .84 in factor 3. The results of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) suggest that the factorial solution proposed by the EFA presents better fit indices to the empirical data when compared to three alternative models (X2/df=3.096, CFI=.842, GFI=.851, RMSEA=.056, P[rmsea≤.05]<.000). In conclusion, this study indicates that the SSN is a valid and reliable instrument applicable to the research and intervention contexts of this field.

Is the Association Between Multicultural Personality and Ethnic Tolerance Explained by Cross-Group Friendship?

ABSTRACTThe present study reports on the relations between multicultural personality and ethnic tolerance via associations with cross-group friendship in a sample of Portuguese university students (n = 270). It was found that the multicultural personality dimensions, particularly cultural empathy, open-mindedness, social initiative, and flexibility, were significantly correlated with ethnic tolerance. At the same time, a mediation model demonstrated that the relationship between open-mindedness and ethnic tolerance was partially mediated by cross-group friendship. In addition, emotional stability was found to be indirectly related to ethnic tolerance via its association with cross-group friendship. These findings highlight the importance of considering individual and contact variables in promoting tolerance toward representatives of diverse ethnic and cultural groups.

Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college students.

: The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale has been presented as a reliable and valid measure to assess generalized anxiety symptoms in several clinical settings and among the general population. However, some researches did not support the original one-dimensional structure of the GAD-7 tool. Our main aim was to examine the factor structure of GAD-7 comparing the one-factor model fit with a two-factor model (3 somatic nature symptoms and 4 cognitive-emotional nature symptoms) in a sample of college students. This validation study with data collected cross-sectionally included 1,031 Portuguese college students attending courses in the six schools of the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. Measures included the GAD-7, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the University Student Risk Behaviors Questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) procedures confirmed that neither factor structure was well fitting. Thus, a modified single factor model allowing the error terms of items associated with relaxing difficulties and irritability to covary was an appropriate solution. Additionally, this factor structure revealed configural and metric invariance across gender. A good convergent validity was found by correlating global anxiety and depression. However, this measure showed a weak association with consumption behaviors. Our results are relevant to clinical practice, since the comprehensive approach to GAD-7 contributes to knowing generalized anxiety symptoms trajectory and their correlates within the university setting.

MON-P223: Eating Behavior of Brazilian and Portuguese University Students

MON-P223: Eating Behavior of Brazilian and Portuguese University Students

Jealousy, Gender, and Culture of Honor: A Study in Portugal and Brazil

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to examine whether gender and culture of honor were associated with the type of infidelity (sexual or emotional) that affected our subjects more. Samples of 192 Portuguese university students (119 women and 73 men) and 415 Brazilian university students (214 men and 201 women) participated in this research. Participants responded to six dilemmas reflecting a type of infidelity (sexual or emotional), a gender scale, and a culture of honor scale. The results of both samples are compatible with the cultural theses about jealousy. Both men and women were more affected by emotional infidelity. In addition, it was found that the relationship between the sex of the participants and the type of infidelity that induced stress in them was affected by sociocultural variables, such as culture of honor, masculinity, and femininity. Some differences in the response patterns in the case of an infidelity, in both samples (Portuguese and Brazilian), are shown and discussed.

Male body dissatisfaction scale (MBDS): proposal for a reduced model.

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the male body dissatisfaction scale (MBDS) in Brazilian and Portuguese university students; to present a reduced model of the scale; to compare two methods of computing global scores for participants' body dissatisfaction; and to estimate the prevalence of participants' body dissatisfaction. A total of 932 male students participated in this study. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to assess the scale's psychometric properties. Multi-group analysis was used to test transnational invariance and invariance in independent samples. The body dissatisfaction score was calculated using two methods (mean and matrix of weights in the CFA), which were compared. Finally, individuals were classified according to level of body dissatisfaction, using the best method. The MBDS model did not show adequate fit for the sample and was, therefore, refined. Thirteen items were excluded and two factors were combined. A reduced model of 12 items and 2 factors was proposed and shown to have adequate psychometric properties. There was a significant difference (p<0.001) between the methods for calculating the score for body dissatisfaction, since the mean overestimated the scores. Among student participants, the prevalence of body dissatisfaction with musculature and general appearance was 11.2 and 5.3%, respectively. The reduced bi-factorial model of the MBDS showed adequate validity, reliability, and transnational invariance and invariance in independent samples for Brazilian and Portuguese students. The new proposal for calculating the global score was able to more accurately show their body dissatisfaction. No level of evidence Basic Science.

On "Hearing" Voices and "Seeing" Things: Probing Hallucination Predisposition in a Portuguese Nonclinical Sample with the Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale-Revised.

The experience of hallucinations is a hallmark of psychotic disorders, but they are also present in other psychiatric and medical conditions, and may be reported in nonclinical individuals. Despite the increased number of studies probing the incidence of nonclinical hallucinations, the underlying phenomenological characteristics are still poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the psychometrics proprieties of the Portuguese adaptation of the 16-item Launay-Slade Hallucinations Scale (LSHS), the phenomenological characteristics of nonclinical hallucinatory experiences in a Portuguese sample, and the relationship between clinical symptoms and hallucination predisposition. Three-hundred-and-fifty-four European Portuguese college students completed the LSHS. Of those, 16 participants with high LSHS scores and 14 with low LSHS scores were further screened for clinical symptoms. A three-factor solution for the LSHS Portuguese version proved to be the most adequate. Intrusive or vivid thoughts and sleep-related hallucinations were the most common. Although, fundamentally perceived as positive experiences, all types of hallucinations were described as uncontrollable and dominating. However, the more pleasant they were perceived, the more controllable they were assessed. In addition, hallucination predisposition was associated with increased clinical symptoms. These results corroborate the lower severity of hallucinations in the general population compared to psychotic individuals. Further, they support an association between clinical symptoms and increased vulnerability to hallucinations. Specifically, increased schizotypal tendencies and negative mood (anxiety and depression) may be related to increased psychotic risk.

Risk factors that influence sexual and reproductive health in Portuguese university students.

University students have unprotected sex and associate alcohol and/or drugs with sexual practices. These behaviours are risk factors for influencing sexual and reproductive health that can be targeted by nursing interventions. The aim of this study was to determine the risk and protective factors influencing sexual and reproductive risk-taking behaviours in university students. We conducted a cross-sectional and correlational study in a sample of 1946 students. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire on the individual, environmental, cognitive and psychosocial factors related to knowledge of sexually transmitted infections, attitude for sexual and reproductive health, subjective norms, Condom Use Self-Efficacy and Sexual Sensation Seeking scales. Older male students were at higher risk for all risk behaviours studied. Students involved in committed relationships were at risk because of decreased condom use. Individuals who placed high importance on sexual sensation seeking were at increased risk. The higher the importance students placed on peers' opinion, the more protective their behaviours were. The results of this study showed that university students are exposed to sexual risks. Individual, cognitive and psychosocial factors influence the risk-taking behaviours. The findings of this study should be further incorporated into health care with nurses' leadership, adapting healthcare services to the specific needs of this population and promoting educational programmes.