Vagos, Paula
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Vagos
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Paula
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Paula Vagos
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Paula Vagos completed her Licenciatura in Psychology in 2006 by Universidade de Évora and PhD in Psychology in 2010 by Universidade de Aveiro. She is an Assistant Professor at Universidade de Aveiro, an integrated research member of the William James Center for Research and a collaborating research member of the CINEICC. She is also a certified psychologist with expertise in Clinical and Health Psychology by the Portuguese College of Psychology. She was part of the research team of 8 funded research projects, of which she was the principal investigator of two and the co-principal investigator of one; all were in the area of clinical psychology (or forensic clinical psychology) and are completed. She was co-supervisor of 2 completed doctoral dissertations and is supervisor or co-supervisor of 6 students with FCT doctoral scholarships. She supervised more than 60 master's theses, most of them in clinical psychology. She has authored/co-authored more than 60 articles in international scientific journals and 19 in national peer-reviewed scientific journals, as well as 9 books and book chapters. She is also the author/co-author of 10 structured intervention manuals, some of which have already been tested or are under investigation in various R&D projects. She has given more than 100 presentations at national and international conferences. She is a reviewer for several international scientific journals (75 reviews; https://publons.com/author/1215689/paula-vagos#profile). She mostly investigates social behaviors in adolescence, including social anxiety and avoidance, assertiveness, and aggression. She intends to address the psychological processes underlying psychopathology as well as develop, implement, and assess the efficacy of psychological interventions aimed at those processes, considering both second wave and third wave cognitive therapies. Her most recent interests concern mental health stigma and how to overcome it in diverse communities, and the principles of acceptance and commitment therapy as applied to parenthood.
C419-AFB7-1569
36487351300
AAC-3158-2020Research Projects
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CINTESIS.UPT - Centro de Investigação em Tecnologias e Serviços de Saúde
Centro de Investigação em Tecnologias e Serviços de Saúde (CINTESIS.UPT), former I2P, is an R&D unit devoted to the study of cognition and behaviour in context. With an interdisciplinary focus, namely on Education, Translational and Applied Psychology
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Publication Restricted Access Family matters: Social support, parental stress, and psychological symptoms2025-02-05 - Carvalhais, Lénia; Alho, Laura; Paulino, Mauro; Vagos, PaulaPurpose Social support has been suggested to reduce psychological symptomatology, especially when facing stressful events. However, less is known about the underlying mechanisms through each social support from different sources may interact with parental stress in protecting parents’ symptomatology. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional study was conducted online using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, the Parental Stress Scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support with 108 Portuguese parents of children attending Grades 1–9. Using a path analysis approach, we explored a mediating model with perceived social support as a factor that could reduce stress, anxiety, and depression directly, and indirectly by lessening perceived parental stress. Findings Social support, particularly from family, was the only significant predictor of lower levels of stress and depression. Alternatively, social support from family had only an indirect effect on anxiety connected with parental stress, particularly in the areas of fear and anguish. Originality/value These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between perceived social support, parental stress, and psychological symptomatology. They can also be used to develop relevant psychological intervention actions and to reinforce ways of strengthening social support—particularly from family—to make it continuously available to parents managing stressful situations.Publication Open Access The Brief Peer Conflict Scale: Psychometric characterization across Portuguese adolescents and young adults2023-03 - Pandeirada, Josefa N. S.; Rodrigues, Pedro F. S.; Vagos, PaulaIntroduction/Aims: The Brief Peer Conflict Scale (Brief PCS) measures aggressive behavior as a multidimensional construct associated with diverse forms (i.e., overt and relational) and functions (i.e., reactive and proactive). Its psychometric properties have been assessed in adolescent and young adult samples, but these groups have not been compared before. This work aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Brief PCS across Portuguese community samples of adolescents and young adults. Methods: A sample of 891 participants (54.9%) aged 12 to 25 years old (M=16.69, SD=2.97) responded to the Brief PCS. Of those, 477 composed the adolescent sample (50.7% female) aged 12 to 17 years old (M=14.30, SD=1.43) and 414 constituted the young adult sample (67.1% female) aged 18 to 25 years old (M=19.43, SD=1.5). Results: Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the four-factor measurement model (i.e., proactive overt, reactive overt, proactive relational, and reactive relational aggression) as a good fit for the adolescent and the young adult samples taken separately, though using only 16 of the original 20 items. Acceptable internal consistency values were found for all four measures. Strong measurement invariance based on age-groups (i.e., adolescents and young adults) was found. Adolescents were overall more aggressive than young adults. Conclusions: This work provides psychometric properties of the Brief PCS to measure the combinations of the forms and functions of aggression invariantly across adolescents and young adults. The Brief PCS was sensitive to detect age-based differences in the practice of aggression. Its use to explore developmental trajectories of aggression seems justifiable.Publication Open Access Dimensionality and gender-based measurement invariance of the Compassion Scale in a community sample2017-10-17 - Sousa, Rúben; Castilho, Paula; Vieira, Cláudia; Rijo, Daniel; Vagos, PaulaCompassion has been proposed as relevant to psychological functioning and mental health, involving being compassionate and caring towards others in times of difficulty. The Compassion Scale (CS) proposes to assess compassion for others considering its different dimensions (Kindness; Common humanity; Mindfulness; Indifference; Separation, and Disengagement) and also offers a total score. The current work investigated the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of this instrument in adults (N = 610). Results showed the acceptability of a two higher-order factor solution representing a negative and a positive valence of compassion (i.e., Compassion and Disconnectedness), with each higher-order factor comprising three different dimensions of compassion. Multi-group analyses established measurement invariance across gender; further mean comparison analyses showed that women presented higher levels of the positive dimensions of compassion, whereas men showed higher levels of the negative ones. The CS demonstrated good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and limited validity in relation to external variables. Overall, these findings contribute to the validation of the CS in a non-clinical adult sample, supporting a new measurement model that partially concurs with the original one. It thus provides the user with a new way of assessing and interpreting compassion that may be useful both in research and clinical settings.Publication Open Access The longitudinal impact of psychological flexibility and compassion on mother-baby bonding: Care4mmmies study protocol [comunicação oral]2023-03-30 - Mateus, Vera; Palmeira, Lara; Xavier, Ana; Silva, Joana Ribeiro da; Vagos, PaulaBecoming a mother is a life-changing event that is often experienced in a positive way, but may also encompass great vulnerability and uncertainty, with the potential to hinder the mother’s well-being and foster disorganization, particularly for women with attachment difficulties dealing with a difficult infant. Risk factors to the quality of mother-infant emotional bonding are well documented, whereas research into the mothers’ protective and modifiable factors is scarcer. Psychological flexibility and compassion are adaptive emotional regulation strategies that have been linked to the wellbeing and mental health in diverse populations. The current work intends to present the Care4mommies project, which aims to examine whether prenatal maternal compassion (towards others and the self) and psychological flexibility play a protective role in the development of postpartum mother-infant bonding over time and whether this effect remains relevant regardless of mothers’ attachment style and infant temperament. Participants will be pregnant women to be assessed between 22 and 30 weeks of gestation (T0) and when the infant is three (T1) and nine months old (T2). Participants will respond to an online survey that includes sociodemographic information and questionnaires about their compassion and psychological flexibility to be completed at all three assessments. In addition, mothers’ own attachment style will be reported during pregnancy, and infant temperament and mother-infant bonding questionnaires will be administered at T1 and T2. Recruitment will take place through social media advertising, colleagues and acquaintances of the research team members, and family health units attending pregnant women. Data will be analysed using a structural equation modelling approach. Overall, we expect that higher levels of mother’s compassion and psychological flexibility will predict higher quality of mother-infant bonding. In addition, we expect that the impact of less adaptive maternal attachment styles and infant difficult temperament on mother-infant bonding will be moderated by mother’s compassion and/or psychological flexibility. Finally, we expect mother-infant bonding at T2 to be predicted by mothers’ attachment style, compassion and psychological flexibility, infant temperament, and mother-infant bonding previously assessed. The study findings will clarify whether mothers’ compassion and psychological flexibility may be protective for mother-infant bonding, which can inform future studies in designing and testing specific parental interventions to promote a secure mother-infant bond in the postpartum period.Publication Open Access O eu e o nós das emoções: Um programa de promoção de competências socioemocionais em crianças no contexto escolar2021-04 - Mendes, Sofia; Rocha, Vanessa; Pereira, Sónia; Tavares, Marta; Menezes, Paulo; Patrão, Bruno; Silva, Rui; Xavier, Ana; Palmeira, Lara; Vagos, PaulaA literatura reconhece a importância de desenvolver esforços para promover as competências socioemocionais em contexto escolar, enquanto variável preditora da saúde mental, bem-estar e sucesso académico. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar o desenvolvimento de um programa de promoção de competências socioemocionais para crianças do 3º e 4º ano de escolaridade, integrado nas Academias Gulbenkian Conhecimento 2020. Este programa é constituído por 10 sessões em grupo incluídas no currículo escolar. Os objetivos gerais são: (i) promover o autoconhecimento, através da capacidade de identificação e expressão das emoções; (ii) treinar estratégias de autorregulação emocional focadas na tranquilização e compaixão; encorajar comportamentos de cooperação e conexão social. A promoção destas competências é auxiliada com recurso a tecnologias digitais (e.g., jogos interativos). Pretende-se ainda apresentar o design experimental deste estudo e as medidas de avaliação de eficácia, com base na perspetiva multi-informadores (crianças, pais e professores). Com a implementação do programa espera-se, nas crianças, um aumento nas competências de controlo emocional, empatia e cooperação, bem como uma perceção do clima emocional em sala de aula mais tranquilo e seguro. Espera-se ainda melhorias na perceção, por parte dos pais e professores, acerca das competências socioemocionais das crianças. Pretende-se promover o bem-estar psicológico das crianças e, de forma mais ampla, um ambiente mais positivo e compassivo nas escolas.Publication Open Access The Me and the Us of Emotions: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the feasibility and efficacy of a compassion-based social– emotional learning program for children2023-11-01 - Menezes, Paulo; Patrão, Bruno; Mendes, Sofia; Tavares, Marta; Xavier, Ana; Palmeira, Lara; Vagos, PaulaThere are well-established benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs for children within educational contexts. Combining social–emotional skills and compassion abilities has been seldomly done, and it may be valuable at individual and societal levels, for resilient, empathetic, and inclusive societies. This study explored the feasibility and efficacy of a program designed to promote socioemotional and compassion skills in children attending the 3rd and 4th grades, by using in-class dynamics complemented with serious games. This program, named “The Me and the Us of Emotions,” is part of the Gulbenkian Knowledge Academies 2020 and consists of 10 group sessions embedded in the school curriculum. Using a cluster-randomized controlled trial design, school classes were allocated to intervention (classes, n = 8; children, n = 163) and control groups (classes, n = 6; children, n = 132). During the program, facilitators assessed adherence to the sessions’ plan, attendance, dosage (i.e., how many sessions were delivered), and participant responsiveness. Children completed self-report measures of social–emotional skills and emotional climate at pre-, post-intervention, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups. Results indicate that the program is feasible, with high adherence, high attendance rate, and participant responsiveness. Results also indicate empathy, soothing, and drive feelings to change from pre-intervention to all other assessment moments, for the intervention group only. Moreover, cooperation and threat changed over time for participants in both the control and the intervention groups. The current study offers empirical support for the feasibility and utility of a compassion- based social–emotional learning program on promoting children’s empathy, and emotions of soothing and vitality in the school context. Thus, these findings contribute to recent research on the potential added value of compassion practices within an SEL program.Publication Open Access A different side of the COVID-19 pandemic: Narratives told by older adults2024-06-06 - Vagos, Paula; Tavares, Lúcia; Xavier, AnaThe present study investigated the nature and meaning of the experiences of older adults who lived through the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown periods in Portugal. Narrative Research was used to explore the lived stories of two community-resident female older adults, recruited through convenience sampling. Data was collected through a semi-structured interview and thematically analyzed. Participants’ testimonies revealed a somewhat positive experience and no overwhelming difficulties were expressed. A positive and close relationship with family and personality traits such as optimism and hope emerged as the main coping strategies and resources to overcome challenges. Participants’ stories also highlighted constructs still scarcely studied among older adults: acceptance, self-compassion, and event centrality. Our findings, therefore, highlight the importance of acknowledging the idiosyncrasies of this population, rather than envisioning them as a homogenous at-risk group. Future research should use qualitative methodologies to give voice to older adults with different life stories.Publication Restricted Access Willingness and Acceptance of Delusions Scale: early findings on a new instrument for psychological flexibility2018 - Martins, Maria João; Castilho, Paula; Macedo, António; Pereira, Ana Telma; Carvalho, Diana; Bajouco, Miguel; Madeira, Nuno; Nogueira, Vasco; Carvalho, Célia Barreto; Vagos, PaulaAcceptance and Commitment Therapy and related constructs (experiential avoidance, cognitive defusion and committed action) have recently been applied to psychosis. However, with a few exceptions, this application has not resulted in symptom-specific assessment instruments. The current work intends to develop a measure for assessing experiential acceptance regarding delusions (the Willingness and Acceptance for Delusions Scale) and to conduct a preliminary study of its psychometric properties in a sample of 91 patients with a psychotic disorder, mostly male (87%), single (86%), unemployed (44%), presenting with a schizophrenia diagnosis (71%), and currently with delusions (last week – 52%). Exploratory factor analysis yielded a three-factor structure (Acceptance and Action, Non-entanglement and Non-struggling), which adequately fitted the data and reflected the intended constructs within an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy framework. Scores from all factors achieved adequate reliability and were associated with mindfulness and satisfaction with life. These early findings point to the internal and construct validity and reliability of the scores of the WADS. Although further research into the scale’s psychometric properties, particularly construct validity, is needed, its use in research and clinical practice with psychosis populations seems substantiated.Publication Restricted Access The role of self-compassion in the psychological (mal)adjustment of older adults: a scoping review2020-07 - Tavares, Lúcia; Xavier, Ana; Vagos, PaulaBackground: The identification of protection factors regarding older adults’ mental health is essential. Self-compassion, the capacity to be kind towards the self during challenging times, may be one such factor. Although still scarce, some research in this field has already been conducted with older adults. Our research question was the following: what is currently known about the role of self-compassion in the psychological (mal)adjustment of older adults? Objectives: To review any study designs, in any setting, where self-compassion and any indicators of psychological (mal)adjustment were assessed in participants aged ≥60 years. Design: A scoping review of English, Portuguese, and Spanish published and unpublished materials, using the EBSCOhost Research and PubMed databases and reference lists. Search terms included self-compassion, self compassion, older adults, elderly, seniors, and geriatrics. After screening and selection of the studies, we charted the relevant data. Results: Eleven published studies (2012–2018) were reviewed. Self-compassion was associated with, and a predictor of, diverse mental health indicators in older adults. Self-compassion was also associated with indicators of physical health, moderated the relationship between physical health indicators and mental health indicators, and mediated the relationship between diverse mental health indicators. Results were obtained with participants of different nationalities and age. All studies had a cross-sectional design, and most studies recruited well-functioning community residents. Conclusions: Self-compassion is beneficial for the psychological adjustment of older adults and may also benefit their biological functioning. Self-compassion seems particularly relevant for those experiencing more negative life events. Studies with more robust methodologies are needed in order to replicate these findings.Publication Open Access A qualitative study of social anxiety and impairment amid the COVID-19 pandemic for adolescents and young adults in Portugal and the US2022-11-24 - Coyle, Samantha; Masia, Carrie; Martin, Grace; Wimmer, Jessica; Kalvera, Avi; Jeyanayagam, Britney; Lekas, Helen-Maria; Ganho-Ávila, Ana; Lima, Luiza; Xavier, Ana; Vagos, Paula; Silva, Joana Ribeiro daThis qualitative investigation explored the social and academic experiences of socially anxious adolescents and young adults in Portugal and the US as they lived through the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 10 Portuguese adolescents (mean age = 16.9 years; 50% female) and 7 young adults in the US (mean age = 19.67 years; 71% female; racially/ethnically diverse). Participants completed a semi-structured interview evaluating how the pandemic and social restrictions impacted social anxiety symptoms and associated functional impairment in social and academic domains. Thematic analysis was used to categorize responses across developmental stages and countries. Findings show consistent patterns across cultures, with symptoms of SAD extending to virtual contexts. Participants reported avoidance behaviors that were reinforced by social distancing mandates and declines in academic engagement during remote learning. Anticipatory anxiety about the return to normal social routines was also evident. Schools should be aware of the impact of social confinement on socially anxious students as they return to in person school schedules and social demands.