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Research Project
Research Center for Psychological Science
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Publications
Self-Regulated Learning and Working Memory Determine Problem-Solving Accuracy in Math
Publication . Ferreira, Paula; Ferreira, Aristides I.; Veiga Simão, Ana; Prada, Rui; Paulino, Paula; Rodrigues, Ricardo
This study aims to understand the role of self-regulated learning (SRL) and its different processes in the
relationship between working memory (WM) and problem-solving accuracy in math in primary school children. A sample
of 269 primary school children (Mage=8.84, SD =0.81, 58% boys) participated in this study. Tasks were used as intervention
resources to assess children’s WM (i.e., reading and computation span tasks), SRL (i.e., a digital game), and performance
(i.e., the performance in the game, as well as a traditional math problem). Through structural equation modeling, results
revealed that WM predicted children’s SRL and their problem-solving accuracy in math, such that those with higher
capability for temporary storage attained better accuracy. Accordingly, children’s SRL explained the relationship between
WM capacity and problem-solving accuracy in math; such that the indirect effect of WM capacity through SRL was lower
on problem-solving accuracy in math. Results indicated that the planning phase was a greater indicator of students’ SRL in
problem-solving accuracy in math. These results highlight the importance of SRL competencies in explaining children’s
performance in problem-solving in math.
Psychotic spectrum features in borderline and bipolar disorders within the scope of the DSM-5 section III personality traits: a case control study
Publication . Henriques-Calado, Joana; Pires, Rute; Paulino, Marco; Marques, João Gama; Gonçalves, Bruno
Background: Psychotic spectrum features in borderline personality disorder (PD) are a long-standing phenomenon, but remarkably, to date, they have not been the focus of many empirical studies. Moreover, the comparative studies that acknowledge their links to affective psychoses are even more scarce. Likewise, the contributions of empirical research on the DSM-5 dimensional approach to this topic are also uncommon. This study seeks to identify the best set of pathological personality traits and/or symptoms that are predictors of psychotic features (psychoticism and ideation paranoid symptoms) in borderline PD and in bipolar disorder, based on the framework of the DSM-5 section III personality traits.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of two clinical samples: 1) Borderline PD group of 63 participants; 2) Bipolar disorder group of 65 participants. Self-reported assessment: Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5); Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). A series of linear and logistic regression analyses were computed.
Results: Overall, the data emerging as common predictors are detachment, negative affectivity, psychoticism, depressivity, grandiosity, suspiciousness and interpersonal sensitivity symptoms. Borderline PD has the highest score in BSI paranoid ideation which emerges as its discriminating trait (Nagelkerke R2 = .58): cognitive and perceptual dysregulation (OR: 13.02), restricted affectivity (OR: 12.09), withdrawal (OR: 11.70), anhedonia (OR: 10.98) and emotional lability (OR: 6.69).
Conclusions: Besides the commonality that appears to overlap both disorders with a psychosis superspectrum, the patterns of the pathological personality-symptoms underlying the psychotic features appear to reinforce a position between schizophrenia and bipolar disorders that borderline PD may occupy, highlighting the possibility of its intersection with schizoaffective/psychosis spectra. The pathological personality nature of the psychotic features emerges as a potential comprehensive trait of the phenomenological dimensions.
Psychotic spectrum features in borderline and bipolar disorders within the scope of the DSM-5 section III personality traits: a case control study
Publication . Henriques-Calado, Joana; Pires, Rute; Paulino, Marco; Marques, João Gama; Gonçalves, Bruno
Background Psychotic spectrum features in borderline personality disorder (PD) are a long-standing phenomenon,
but remarkably, to date, they have not been the focus of many empirical studies. Moreover, the comparative studies
that acknowledge their links to afective psychoses are even more scarce. Likewise, the contributions of empirical
research on the DSM-5 dimensional approach to this topic are also uncommon. This study seeks to identify the best
set of pathological personality traits and/or symptoms that are predictors of psychotic features (psychoticism and
ideation paranoid symptoms) in borderline PD and in bipolar disorder, based on the framework of the DSM-5 section
III personality traits.
Methods A cross-sectional study of two clinical samples: 1) Borderline PD group of 63 participants; 2) Bipolar disorder
group of 65 participants. Self-reported assessment: Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5); Brief Symptom Inventory
(BSI). A series of linear and logistic regression analyses were computed.
Results Overall, the data emerging as common predictors are detachment, negative afectivity, psychoticism,
depressivity, grandiosity, suspiciousness and interpersonal sensitivity symptoms. Borderline PD has the highest score
in BSI paranoid ideation which emerges as its discriminating trait (Nagelkerke R2=.58): cognitive and perceptual dys‑
regulation (OR: 13.02), restricted afectivity (OR: 12.09), withdrawal (OR: 11.70), anhedonia (OR: 10.98) and emotional
lability (OR: 6.69).
Conclusions Besides the commonality that appears to overlap both disorders with a psychosis superspectrum, the
patterns of the pathological personality-symptoms underlying the psychotic features appear to reinforce a position
between schizophrenia and bipolar disorders that borderline PD may occupy, highlighting the possibility of its inter‑
section with schizoafective/psychosis spectra. The pathological personality nature of the psychotic features emerges
as a potential comprehensive trait of the phenomenological dimensions.
Parental attitudes in child maltreatment
Publication . Camilo, Cláudia; Garrido, M. V.; Calheros, M. M.
An information-processing approach to maladaptive parenting suggests that
high-risk and maltreating parents are likely to hold inaccurate and biased
preexisting cognitive schemata about child development and child rearing.
Importantly, these schemas, which may include values, beliefs, expectations, and
attitudes, are known to influence the way parents perceive and subsequently
act toward their children. However, the few studies specifically addressing
parental attitudes only considered global maltreatment, not distinguishing
abuse from neglect. Moreover, few have considered dual-process models
of cognition, relying mostly on the explicit level of parental attitudes that
can be prone to various biases. Based on the Social Information Processing
(SIP) model of child abuse and neglect, this study examines the association
of parents preexisting cognitive schemata, namely explicit and implicit
parental attitudes, and child abuse and neglect. A convenience sample of 201
mothers (half with at least one child referred to child protection services)
completed a measure of explicit parental attitudes and a speed-accuracy task
related to parenting. Abuse and neglect were measured with self-report and
professionals-report instruments. Overall, the results support the hypothesis
that maladaptive parenting is related with more biased preexisting cognitive
schemas, namely attitudes related to parenting, but only for neglect and
particularly when reported by professionals. Moreover, the results observed with both the explicit and implicit measures of attitudes were convergent,
with mothers presenting more inadequate explicit attitudes also exhibiting an
overall lower performance in the implicit attitudes task. This study is likely to
contribute to the SIP framework of child abuse and neglect, particularly for
the elucidation of the sociocognitive factors underlying maladaptive parenting,
while also providing relevant cues for prevention and intervention programs.
Intake of added sugar, fruits, vegetables, and legumes of Portuguese preschool children: baseline data from SmartFeeding4Kids randomized controlled trial participants
Publication . Charneca, Sofia; Gomes, Ana Isabel; Branco, Diogo; Guerreiro, Tiago; Barros, Luísa; Sousa, Joana
Introduction: The SmartFeeding4Kids (SF4K) program is an online self-guided intervention for parents with the propose of changing parental feeding practices and children's dietary intake, focusing on the intake of added sugars, fruit, vegetables, and legumes. This paper aims to describe children's dietary pattern at baseline through a 24-h food recall, the SmartKidsDiet24.
Methods: Overall, 89 participants recorded at least one meal of the 3-day food recall. Mean age was 36.22 ± 6.05 years and 53.09 ± 15.42 months old for parents and children, respectively. Of these, 22 participants were considered to have 2 days of near complete 24-h food recalls. Children's dietary intake are reported for these 22 participants based on parents reports and, thus, represent estimations only, as it remains unknown whether children consumed other non-reported foods.
Results: Fruit was the group with the highest daily intake among children (mean 1.77 ± 1.10 portions/day), followed by added sugar foods (mean 1.48 ± 0.89 portions/day), vegetables [median 1.27 (1.64) portions/day] and legumes [median 0.12 (0.39) portions/day]. Fruit intake was positively correlated with vegetable intake (p = 0.008). Regarding Dietary Reference Values accomplishment, 13.6% of children exceeded the daily safe and adequate intake of sodium, 77.3% did not meet potassium and fiber recommendations, and 31.8% did not meet vitamin C recommendations.
Discussion: All children did not meet calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D intake recommendations. Our findings further justify the need for dietary interventions in this field, to improve young children's diets.
Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04591496.
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Funders
Funding agency
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Funding programme
6817 - DCRRNI ID
Funding Award Number
UIDP/04527/2020