Xavier, Ana
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Xavier
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Ana
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Ana Xavier
Biography
Ana Xavier. Doutorada em Psicologia, especialidade em Psicologia Clínica, pela Faculdade de Psicologia e Ciências da Educação da Universidade de Coimbra. Professora Auxiliar na Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique (UPT, Porto). É investigadora no CINTESIS – pólo UPT, e investigadora colaboradora no Centro de Investigação em Neuropsicologia e Intervenção Cognitivo-Comportamental (CINEICC) da Universidade de Coimbra. É Psicóloga Clínica, com experiência na prática privada, exercendo atualmente funções no PIN – Partners in Neuroscience, Porto.
Afiliação:
I2P - Instituto Portucalense de Psicologia.
DPE - Departamento de Psicologia e Educação.
I2P Instituto Portucalense de Psicologia.
Centro de Investigação em Neuropsicologia e Intervenção Cognitivo-Comportamental (CINEICC), Universidade de Coimbra.
A61A-1289-D92D
55252745900
JRW-7948-2023Research Projects
Organizational Units
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
31 results
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Publication Restricted Access The role of self-compassion in the psychological (mal)adjustment of older adults: A repeated- measures study protocol2022-07-14 - Tavares, Lúcia; Xavier, Ana; Vagos, PaulaPurpose: Self-compassion is associated with healthy age- ing and may be a protection factor of older adults' mental health in face of negative life events and other factors such as insecure attachment. However, fear of self-compassion may constitute an obstacle to promoting self-compassion. The role of self-compassion on the psychological (mal) adjustment of older adults requires further research with robust designs, and fear of self-compassion has not been studied in this population. We will test the moderator and mediator role, respectively, of self-compassion and fear of self-compassion, and we will analyse the longitudinal devel- opmental trajectories of these variables.Methods: A repeated-measures design with three data col- lection moments across 6 months, using a sample (180–200 participants) of community residents aged ≥65years. Data will be collected using traditional (i.e. pencil-and-paper questionnaires) and online (i.e. Google Forms) methods. Path analyses will be conducted to test moderation and mediation models. Latent growth curve analyses will be conducted to study the within-person change and between- person differences in change over time of self-compassion and fear of self-compassion. Conclusions: We expect that participants with higher self- compassion will show better psychological adjustment, regardless of attachment quality and negative life events.We expect that insecure attachment and more negative life events will increase the participants' fear of self-compassion, which will decrease their psychological adjustment. Additionally, we expect that self-compassion and fear of self-compassion will show stable developmental trajectories during 6 months. Our results will contribute to better un- derstand protection factors of older adults' mental health, which may guide future psychological interventions.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 Validation of the risk-taking and self-harm inventory for adolescents in a Portuguese community sample2019 - Cunha, Marina; Pinto-Gouveia, José; Xavier, AnaThis paper aims to adapt and validate the Risk-taking and Self-harm Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA) in Portuguese language. Results confirm the two-factor structure originally proposed (Risk-taking; Self-harm). Both dimensions presented an adequate internal reliability and temporal stability. Convergent validity and socio-demographic differences are analyzed. Preventive and clinical implications are discussed.Publication Open Access Rumination and valued living in women with chronic pain: how they relate to the link between mindfulness and depressive symptoms2021 - Carvalho, Sérgio A.; Gillanders, David; Pinto-Gouveia, José; Castilho, Paula; Xavier, AnaThis study explores the mediating role of rumination and valued living in the relationship between mindfulness and depressive symptoms in a sample of women with chronic pain. Women with musculoskeletal chronic pain (N = 124) were recruited online through the advertisement of the study in several national associations for individuals with chronic pain. Participants responded a set of questionnaires that aimed to assess mindfulness, rumination, obstructions to and progress in valued living, and depressive symptoms. All variables were significantly associated in the expected directions. Results showed the relationship between mindfulness and depressive symptoms was fully mediated by rumination and experiencing obstructions in valued living, but not by difficulties in moving forward towards valued living. Clinical implications are discussed. Results seem to suggest the potential benefits of explicitly targeting general rumination and internal obstructions to living congruently to personal values, when conducting mindfulness-based interventions for reducing depression in chronic pain.Publication Open Access The forms of self-criticising and self-reassuring scale: Short form for adolescents: Psychometric properties in clinical and non-clinical portuguese samples2023-07-31 - Cunha, Marina; Salvador, Maria Céu; Castilho, Paula; Xavier, AnaBACKGROUND: Self-criticism is a psychological process largely studied as a vulnerability factor for several psychological difficulties in the adult population and, to a lower extent, in adolescent samples. Thus, the availability of instruments to effectively capture this construct is important, especially for younger populations. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the factor structure, measurement invariance to group samples, and psychometric properties of the short version of the Forms of Self-criticism and Self-reassuring Scale (FSCRS-SF) in Portuguese adolescents in non-clinical and clinical samples. METHODS: Two non-clinical samples (N = 1224 and N = 140) and a clinical sample (N = 103) were used. Participants' ages ranged between 12 and 18 years old for both genders. Participants voluntarily completed a set of self-report questionnaires in the classroom. 418 adolescents completed the FSCRS 6-weeks after the first administration. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the factor structure of the FSCRS-SF was similar to the one found in the adults’ version, with three factors (inadequate self, hated self, and reassured self). The measurement invariance was established for both samples. The FSCRS-SF revealed adequate to good construct validity, reliability, and temporal stability. Gender differences were found for the three subscales. Similarly, adolescents from the clinical sample reported higher levels of inadequate self and hated self and lower levels of reassured self in comparison with the non-clinical sample, as expected. CONCLUSIONS: The FSCRS-SF was revealed to be a valid and reliable measure of self-criticism and self-reassurance for adolescents and seems to be a useful tool for research and clinical purposes.Publication Restricted Access Rumination in adolescence: The distinctive impact of brooding and reflection on psychopathology2016-06-20 - Cunha, Marina; Pinto-Gouveia, José; Xavier, AnaRumination has a crucial role in the onset, severity and maintenance of depression in adolescent and adult populations. The Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS) is the most widely self-report instrument used to assess individual differences in the tendency to engage in ruminative responses style. This paper aims to test the factor structure of the 10-item RRS and the gender-based measurement invariance, in a community sample of adolescents, using a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Participants were 542 adolescents (53% females) with a mean age of 14 years old (SD = 1.75) from middle and secondary schools (years of education’s mean = 9.46, SD = 1.60) in Portugal. Results confirm the two-factor structure of the RRS composed by brooding and reflection dimensions (GFI = .93, CFI = .90, TLI = .87, SRMR = .05, RMSEA = .11, 90% C.I. [0.092 to 0.121]) and the invariance across gender (GFI = .91, CFI = .89, TLI = .85, RMSEA = .08, 90% C.I. [0.069 to 0.090], p < .001). RRS and their dimensions presented a good internal reliability (Brooding: α = .80; Reflection: α = .75; RRS total: α = .85). Brooding and reflection dimensions revealed moderate correlations with depression, anxiety and stress symptoms (p < .001). Multiple Regression Analysis through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) showed that brooding is significantly and strongly associated with internalizing symptoms (p < .001). Female adolescents reported more levels of rumination than male adolescents. Overall, these findings support the usefulness of the Portuguese version of RRS and suggest that this short version is an economical, valid and reliable measure to assess ruminative response styles in adolescence.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 Longitudinal pathways for the maintenance of non-suicidal self-injury in adolescence: The pernicious blend of depressive symptoms and self-criticism2017-05-22 - Pinto-Gouveia, José; Cunha, Marina; Dinis, Alexandra; Xavier, AnaNon-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a serious and alarming phenomenon during adolescence. There is a need for understanding the intrapersonal variables that might contribute to the maintenance of these self-injurious behaviors. This study aims to concurrently compare intrapersonal variables between adolescents with and without a lifetime history of NSSI, and to longitudinally test whether NSSI over lifetime history predicts 6-months NSSI through self-criticism and depressive symptoms among Portuguese adolescents with a self-reported history of NSSI. Adolescents (N = 418, 12–19 years-old) from middle and secondary schools completed self-report questionnaires to assess self-criticism (particularly, the most severe form: hated self), depressive symptoms, and the frequency of NSSI in two points in time over the 6-months interval. Adolescents who reported a lifetime history of NSSI tend to experience greater harsh and persecutory criticism towards themselves and elevated depressive symptoms than adolescents without a history of NSSI. Results from path analysis showed that lifetime NSSI predicts subsequent NSSI, and this association is mediated by self-hatred and depressive symptoms among adolescents with lifetime NSSI. Findings suggest that NSSI is maintained through a sense of self-focused on hatred and disgust feelings and depressive symptoms.Publication Restricted Access Daily peer hassles and non-suicidal self-injury in adolescence: Gender differences in avoidance-focused emotion regulation processes2018-01-01 - Cunha, Marina; Pinto-Gouveia, José; Xavier, AnaThis study aimed to examine the mediating role of rumination, experiential avoidance, dissociation and depressive symptoms in the association between daily peer hassles and non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents. Additionally, this study explored gender differences in these associations and tested whether the proposed model was invariant across genders. The sample consisted of 776 adolescents, of them 369 are males (47.6%) and 407 are females (52.4%), aged between 12 and 18 years old from middle and high schools in Portugal. Participants completed self-report questionnaires to assess daily peer hassles, rumination in its severe component (i.e., brooding), experiential avoidance, dissociation, depressive symptoms and non-suicidal self-injury. Path analysis showed that daily peer hassles indirectly impact on non-suicidal self-injury through increased levels of brooding, experiential avoidance, dissociation, and depressive symptoms. Results indicated significant gender differences in mean scores and path analysis. Male adolescents were more likely to engage in brooding and experiential avoidance in response to external distress (particularly, daily peer hassles), whereas female adolescents were more likely to engage in non-suicidal self-injury in response to internal distress (particularly, depressive symptoms). These findings suggest relevant preventive and intervention actions to address emotion dysregulation in adolescence, by teaching them acceptance and mindfulness skills as a way of coping with stressful experiences and internal distress.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.