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Research demonstrates that young people value mental health support that is tailored to their needs and preferences, rather than a "one size fits all" offer, which is often not equitably accessible (National Children's Bureau, 2021). Understanding young people's lived experiences across different sociocultural contexts is important. The aim of this research was to conduct an international qualitative study on the views of young people with lived experience and professionals, on proposed aspects of personalised support for anxiety and/or depression. Participatory action focus groups were conducted with N = 120 young people with lived experience of anxiety and/or depression (14-24 years) and with N = 63 professionals in Brazil, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Portugal, South Africa, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Data were analysed using the rigorous and accelerated data reduction (RADaR) technique. Overall, although some country-specific differences were found in terms of what aspects of support young people found to be most important, individual preferences were considered stronger, furthering the view that support should be personalised to the needs of the individual young person. Young people experiencing anxiety and/or depression should be able to choose for themselves which aspects of support they would prefer in their own care and support plans, with families and mental health professionals providing guidance where appropriate, rather than removing the young person from the decision-making process altogether. It should also be ensured that the aspects of personalised support can be understood by young people and professionals from different contexts, including marginalised and minoritised groups and communities.

Children's motor competence (MC) levels tend to be low, and the investigation of variables that facilitate skillfulness is an important concern. The socioecological model is a useful framework to explore factors that influence MC and to inform the development of targeted interventions. This cross-sectional study aimed to perform an exploratory analysis of MC correlates among children. The sample comprised 267 second- and fourth-grade children (120 female; M[subscript age] = 102 months, SD = 14 months) from six primary schools. The children's legal guardian questionnaire collected sociodemographic, behavioral, and family variables. MC was assessed with the Motorische Basiskompetenzen battery. Data analysis involved simple and multiple regression models. The mean total Motorische Basiskompetenzen score was 8.9 (3.4) out of a maximum score of 16. Sex, age, body mass index, and physical activity and sports clubs were significantly related to total MC in all models (p < 0.05). The final model predicted a variance of 24.5%, adjusted R[superscript 2] = 0.245, F(20, 246) = 5.32, p < 0.001, with male sex (B = 2.03) and organized physical activity (B = 0.35) being positively associated with total MC. Fourth grade (B = -3.6) and body mass index (B = -0.23) were negatively associated with MC. The study provides provisional evidence for the role of some sociodemographic and behavioral factors in MC development, which are important to design future MC interventions.

Admission procedures to elementary school in Music Conservatoires in Portugal consist in the assessment of aural aptitude. This investigation aims at assessing the power of aural aptitude at predicting future musical achievement as well as the assessment of two other variables for the same purpose: motivation and intentions of parental support. For that matter, our sample includes the cohort of the admitted candidates and their parents to the 2019 to 2020 academic year. We used a longitudinal approach that followed the musical achievement of the sample during the 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 academic years. Questionnaires were administered to both children and parents to collect information on motivation to learn a musical instrument and anticipation of parental support provision. Our results point that, after 2 years of music education, neither of the tested variables were able to predict the students' musical achievement. These results suggest that the model of admission procedures to Music Conservatoires based on aural aptitude must be rethought and that this line of investigation could be revisited later when our sample enters middle school to assess again the predicting power of motivation and parental support.

The burnout syndrome is a public health problem and is considered a subjective experience, which depends on the interpretation and evaluation individuals make of their work. In the educational context, the causes and consequences of burnout in teachers are multiple. The aim of this study is to explore the profiles of teachers with burnout and teachers without burnout in terms of (1) cognitive appraisal, (2) perceived organizational justice, (3) perception of administrative tasks, (4) perception of students' misbehavior, and (5) perceived impact of parents' role on teachers' well-being. A total of 1878 Portuguese teachers from primary to secondary education, 81% women and 19% men, aged between 23 and 66 years (M = 48; SD = 7.67) participated in this study. The results indicate statistically significant differences between teachers with and without burnout, although the two groups show an identical response pattern (i.e., parallel). The results also suggest that administrative tasks, distributive justice of rewards, students' misbehavior, and parents, negatively impact the teachers' well-being, regardless of whether they are burned out or not. The threat and challenge perceptions are the variables with the most accentuated average differences between teachers of the two groups.

The quality of parental support is recognized as a crucial factor in the early stages of a student's development, and particularly in instrumental music education. At the start of 2020, the outbreak of a global pandemic crisis posed new and unprecedented challenges to education, forcing families to stay at home to prevent contagion. This investigation was conducted during the period of a COVID pandemic lockdown in Portugal. We explored whether parental support, provided during the lockdown period, was associated with their child's achievement as reported by their instrumental music teacher. For this study, 39 parent-teacher dyads of first-grade students of an instrument music course were recruited from two public music conservatories. Parents supplied information on the frequency in which they provided student-support-related attitudes and actions in the home context. Simultaneously, teachers provided information about the student's achievement during the lockdown compared with the previous in-person performance period. Results indicate a strong relationship between parental support and musical achievement, with students who received higher levels of supportive parental involvement performing better than before the pandemic crisis. The findings are discussed in relation to the importance of parental involvement in a child's instrumental music education.

Due to COVID-19, many countries implemented emergency plans, such as lockdown and school closures. This new situation has significantly affected families, namely, the involvement required to support children's learning at home. The current study aimed to analyze Portuguese parents' perceptions of their home-based parental involvement in their children's learning during the lockdown and school closures in 2020 due to COVID-19. An online survey, using a closed-ended questionnaire, was employed. Variables included parents' sociodemographic and COVID-19 related characteristics; students' sociodemographic characteristics; distance learning context; parental involvement; and students' autonomy. Data were collected from a sample of 21,333 parents with children from elementary school to secondary education, and statistical data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26. Findings revealed that Portuguese parents supported their children during the pandemic mainly through the monitoring of attention in classes and task realization. However, several variables appear to significantly determine parental involvement time, which is higher when students attend public schools, when they are less autonomous and younger, when parents' level of education is lower, when the child is a boy (except in secondary education where gender is not relevant), and when the online school time is higher. Findings highlight the need for a significant investment of time from parents, particularly of primary school children, making it difficult to cohere work or telework with school activities. Implications for policies, schools, families are discussed in order to promote children's learning and success.

Teachers are one of the professional classes most vulnerable to emotional instability and fatigue associated with their professional activity. The present study is a systematic review about burnout in Portuguese teachers and has two main objectives. The first is to understand the state of the art of the burnout phenomenon in Portuguese teachers from basic education to secondary education. The second is to analyze the types of variables considered in the exploration and understanding of the burnout phenomenon, from a three-dimensional structure: personal, organizational, and classroom. Results show that the set of personal and organizational variables are the most frequently analyzed in studies on burnout in teachers. Nevertheless, the results of the analyzed studies are unclear and inconsistent, highlighting the need for further studies that allow to clarify the role of different variables on burnout in Portuguese teachers. More studies are needed to determine the actual extent of burnout and, consequently, to design educational and psychological interventions to support teachers.

Teaching has been identified as an environment of extreme physical, mental, and cognitive demand for teachers and is one of the careers where burnout levels are the highest. This qualitative study aims to: (1) understand the importance of personal, organizational, and classroom dimensions concerning the Portuguese education system; and (2) and how these dimensions contribute to burnout in Portuguese teachers from different teaching levels. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-six primary and high school teachers. Results offer insights on the impact that different variables have on teachers' burnout. The content analysis suggests that organization is the most relevant dimension contributing to teachers' burnout. On the other hand, the classroom category appears to be the most challenging context for teachers to manage. The results highlight the need to consider the dynamics and interdependency between personal, organizational, and classroom dimensions in the development and prevalence of burnout.

The project "Multimedia in science teaching: five years of research and teaching in Portugal" was successful in featuring the national research on multimedia in science education and in providing the community with a simple reference tool--a repository of open access scientific texts. The current work aims to describe the theoretical background that may allow creating and sustainably developing an online community on science teaching. The community should be capable of appropriating and generating scientific peer review and validation processes, which would allow reflections on teaching practices in science areas using information and communication technologies (ICT) and improvements from a participatory science perspective. Through an action-research process, the current platform is being adjusted in the sense of implementing strategies able to attract and engage an interested public and progressively to create a community of peers. The project is particularly relevant with respect to the gap between academic production and pedagogical practice and the avenues that it opens for comparing affinity spaces across different locations and domains of interest.

This article examines the perspectives and feelings of children in the first two years of a music workshop developed with pupils from a state school in northern Portugal. The study followed a participatory action research design, with data including field notes, two group interviews with the children, children's artefacts, such as texts or paintings, and their musical compositions. The results detail how an informal, collaborative and creative approach to music learning seems to open the space for a 'pedagogy of interruption' (Biesta 2010), which, in turn, suggests the development of what O'Neill (2012a) terms 'transformative music engagement'. This article identifies this transformation process through the three major themes that emerge from data analysis: (a) the shifts the children report as occurring in their modes of connecting and relating with music and music education, (b) the deep engagement they began displaying towards collaborative music-making activities, and (c) their personal and social development.

The aim of this study was to describe the goals, activities, and methods of EUMOVE project in developing a set of resources targeting both primary and secondary schools that allow the entire educational community to promote healthy lifestyles (HL). The EUMOVE project is an Erasmus+ program based in the Creating Active Schools (CAS) framework. The project lasted 3 years and was developed by 14 academic and non-governmental institutions from Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and the UK. EUMOVE was divided into three phases. In the first phase, several work packages were carried out aimed to ensure the coordination/management of the project activities. In the second phase, seven educational resources strengthened by rigorous scientific research were developed to promote HL from schools. During the last phase, all the resources were disseminated through scientific seminars, workshops with families and teachers, and the online promotion by the non-governmental institutions of each country. The EUMOVE project developed and promoted a smartphone APP, video/activity repository of physically active lessons, active break virtual platform, learning units, and parent/teachers/school-leaders' guidelines to promote physical activity, active commuting, active school playgrounds, healthy diet, and sleep habits. To our knowledge, EUMOVE is the first European project to provide a set of practical tools based on scientific evidence to help schools or future school-wide interventions implement a paradigm shift based on the CAS framework for the promotion of HL. Future research will need to investigate the implementation, effectiveness, and scalability of this proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Findings: Traditional peer sociometric nominations, even at early ages, are not replaceable by teachers' classifications of children's sociometric popularity. The association between reports from the two sources, although not independent, was weak, with teachers perceiving more children as popular and fewer children as rejected. Teacher and peer classifications were similarly associated with social skills and behavior problems. Sociometric popularity obtained from teachers, but not from peers, was associated with children's age and verbal competence. Practice or policy: This study investigated the association between preschool children's sociometric popularity obtained from peer sociometric nominations and from teachers' classifications. A total of 1535 children (731 girls and 804 boys), aged between 34 and 89.6 months (M = 61.96, SD = 8.91), and 89 teachers participated in the study.

For some time now, images in science have been an object of study in the history of science. The multiple roles that images play in scientific practice have been recognised and discussed. However, little attention has been given to science related images in educational contexts. The case of geology is all the more relevant because it is considered that it has a specific visual language that is intrinsic to its own constitution as a science. This work aims to contribute to counter this situation through the analysis of geology-related images present in textbooks for Portuguese secondary education in the period between 1836 and 1974. Temporal limits correspond to the creation of secondary education in Portugal and to the end of the Estado Novo. For this period, five textbooks were chosen and their images analysed. The place of geological subjects in the context of science teaching in Portuguese secondary education was also traced. The interpretation of the results shows that images present in textbooks had other purposes besides introducing students to the typical visual language of geology. In fact, one of their main intentions was to "shape" the student's mind into a "rational way of thinking".

This research aimed to analyze the perception of tourism stakeholders regarding the potential of gastronomy to revitalize tourism in the Mirandela region. The sample consisted of 95 stakeholders (e.g., managers, team leaders, directors, entrepreneurs) operating in the tourism sector. The study was operationalized using a qualitative methodology, and the data were analyzed using MAXQDA software. The results demonstrated that food quality, identity gastronomy, and food heritage are considered differentiating factors of the local cuisine. Additionally, it was found that diversification of tourism offerings, variety of traditional dishes, and multiplier effect are considered essential elements to enhance local gastronomy and boost tourism in the region. It was possible to ascertain that the promotion of local gastronomy as a tourist product depends on the organization of gastronomic events, preservation of culture, investment in digital marketing, and immersive experiences. Finally, it was observed that among the main measures to position the region as a gastronomic tourist destination are support from the private sector, synergies among local stakeholders, investment in infrastructure, and integration of local gastronomy with other tourism activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pines are the most economically important trees in the world and, together with eucalyptus, they dominate commercial forests. But the success of a relatively small number of widely planted species, such as Pinus pinaster, the maritime pine, comes at a price. Pines are attractive to damaging pathogens and insect pests, including the pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causal agent of pine wilt disease (PWD). Originally described in Japan, PWD has caused widespread destruction to forests in countries such as China, Taiwan, Portugal, Spain and the United States. PWN causes irreparable damage to the vascular system of its pine hosts, leading to mortality within 3 months. Pine sawyer beetles (Monochamus spp.) are key vectors of PWD, introducing the PWN to healthy trees during feeding. Other organisms contribute to PWD spread and development, including bacteria, fungi and bark beetles. Control measures include tree felling to prevent vector transmission of PWN, insecticide treatments, trapping of Monochamus spp. and tree breeding for plant resistance. The PWN is a quarantine pathogen and subject to regular legislation and phytosanitary measures aimed at restricting movement and preventing introduction to new areas. Current research is investigating the use of biopesticides against PWN and Monochamus spp. This review examines the biology, epidemiology, impact and management of PWD through published research, grey literature and interviews with people directly involved in the management of the disease in Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the attachment theory, early experiences with primary caregivers are the foundation of the expectations and beliefs about the self, others, and the world. It becomes particularly relevant in youth living in Residential Care (RC) settings, due to their past adversities. In this context, care workers can provide emotional healing experiences by acting as secure base figures and fostering conditions for youth's revision of their internal working models. The main aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between youth attachment dimensions and satisfaction with the residential caregiving environment, as well as, to analyze the potential mediator effect of the relationship quality with care workers in RC settings in the prior association. The sample was composed of youth, aged 12 to 18 (M = 15.54; SD = 1.66) living in RC settings in Porto district, Portugal (N = 248), that responded to three self-report measures. Results showed that attachment dimensions were associated with youth satisfaction with their caregiving environment, being this association mediated by the relationship quality with care workers. This study highlights the importance of investing in good relational experiences for youth satisfaction with the RC caregiving environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality of attachment relationships developed within an institutional environment may be a risk or protective factor for the creation of life aspirations and for emotion regulation abilities among adolescents in residential care contexts. The present study aims to analyze the predictive role of attachment on life aspirations for adolescents in a residential care context, as well as to test the mediating effect of emotion regulation difficulties in this association. The sample included 296 adolescents living in Residential Care facilities in Portugal, with ages raging between 12 and 18 (M = 15.30, SD = 1.76), being 71.6% female. Self-report measures included the Experiences in Close Relationships, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Aspiration Index, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Attachment figure negatively predicts the importance of life aspirations, while difficulties in emotional regulation mediate the association between attachment and life aspirations. Associations of length of institutionalization and age of entrance on residential care were tested and discussed. Practical implications were considered highlighting the importance of intervention with young people, the family, and caregivers in residential care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socially responsible investments, also referred to as ethical or sustainable investments, have experienced rapid global growth in recent years. They represent an investment approach that incorporates social, environmental, and ethical considerations into decision-making processes. Consequently, the significance of socially responsible investments has captured the attention of academics, prompting inquiries into the impact of integrating social criteria on portfolio performance. The primary objective of this work was to conduct a comparative study of the performance between socially responsible and non-socially responsible investment funds, using funds domiciled in Portugal and Spain. Various multi-factor models, including the three-factor model of Fama and French, the four-factor model of Carhart, and the five-factor model of Fama and French, were employed to assess performance. The sample comprised 125 investment funds, with 43 identified as socially responsible and 82 as non-socially responsible. The study's findings indicate that there are no significant differences between socially responsible funds and their conventional counterparts. The majority of funds experience performance alterations during periods of crisis compared to crisis-free periods. Additionally, when comparing non-conditional models with conditional models, an improvement in the explanatory power of the latter is observed. This suggests that the inclusion of the dummy variable enhances the quality of fit for the models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Wildfire behaviour depends on complex interactions between fuels, topography, and weather over a wide range of scales, being important for fire research and management applications. To allow for significant progress towards better fire management, the operational and research communities require detailed open data on observed wildfire behaviour. Here, we present the Portuguese Large Wildfire Spread database (PT-FireSprd) that includes the reconstruction of the spread of 80 large wildfires that occurred in Portugal between 2015 and 2021. It includes a detailed set of fire behaviour descriptors, such as rate of spread (ROS), fire growth rate (FGR), and fire radiative energy (FRE). The wildfires were reconstructed by converging evidence from complementary data sources, such as satellite imagery and products, airborne and ground data collected by fire personnel, and official fire data and information in external reports. We then implemented a digraph-based algorithm to estimate the fire behaviour descriptors and combined it with the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) fire radiative power estimates. A total of 1197 ROS and FGR estimates were calculated along with 609 FRE estimates. The extreme fires of 2017 were responsible for the maximum observed values of ROS (8900 m h -1) and FGR (4400 ha h -1). Combining both descriptors, we describe the fire behaviour distribution using six percentile intervals that can be easily communicated to both research and management communities. Analysis of the database showed that burned extent is mostly determined by FGR rather than by ROS. Finally, we explored a practical example to show how the PT-FireSprd database can be used to study the dynamics of individual wildfires and to build robust case studies for training and capacity building. The PT-FireSprd is the first open-access fire progression and behaviour database in Mediterranean Europe, dramatically expanding the extant information. Updating the PT-FireSprd database will require a continuous joint effort by researchers and fire personnel. PT-FireSprd data are publicly available through 10.5281/zenodo.7495506 (Benali et al., 2022) and have large potential to improve current knowledge on wildfire behaviour and to support better decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research on relationships between lifestyle behaviors and adiposity in school youth is potentially important for identifying subgroups at risk. This study evaluates the associations between waist circumference (WC) and objective measures of sedentary behavior (SB) in a sample of rural school adolescents. Methods: The sample included 254 students (114 boys, 140 girls), 13-16 years of age, from rural regions of the Portuguese midlands. Height, weight, and WC were measured. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was assessed with the 20-m shuttle-run test. An uniaxial GT1M accelerometer was used to obtain 5 consecutive days of physically activity (PA) and SB. Multiple linear regression was used to test associations between WC and SB, adjusted for several potential confounders (age, sex, PA, CRF, parental education). Results: SB was not significantly associated with the WC, neither in the unadjusted model nor after adjustment for all potential confounders. In the final model, the unique significant predictor of the WC was cardiorespiratory fitness (ß = -0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.02 to -0.62). Conclusion: WC was not independently associated with SB time in rural school adolescents. Future research is claimed among rural adolescents in different geographic contexts to try to clarify recent findings of less studied communities.

The purpose of this study was to examine youth physical activity (PA) in free-time periods during high school days and their contribution to total PA. Differences in terms of sex, age, body mass index and school level were assessed in a sample of Portuguese adolescents. Participants totalled 213 (135 girls), aged 14.6 ± 1.7, from two different Portuguese schools, 69 attending an urban school and 144 attending a rural school. Activity levels of five free-time periods were assessed with an accelerometry-based activity monitor (ActiGraph). The results indicated that boys had significantly higher levels of PA (counts min[superscript-1]) than girls for two of the five periods (afternoon recess and after-school time). Activity levels were higher among younger students during three periods (before school, morning recess and afternoon recess). Significant differences in activity levels (p < 0.001) between the two schools were also found. Despite being older the rural students were more active than urban. In conclusion, free-time periods in high school are a relevant context for PA promotion. In this study they contributed significantly for total daily PA in both sexes, with 37.7-42.7% for girls and 40.1-42.1% for boys.

Background: Attachment theory states the importance of secure relationships with significant figures for the development of resilience and well-being. The institutional care context represents a particular environment where relationships beyond the family should be attended for. Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between significant figures (teachers, school and institution staff), resilience and well-being in a sample of 246 Portuguese adolescents, aged 12-18, from both genders and under institutional care. Method: The mediational role of resilience in the association between relationship to significant figures and well-being was tested through structural equations modelling. Results: Results showed that resilience plays a mediational role in the association between quality of relationship to significant figures and well-being. Results were discussed according to attachment theory that stresses the importance of safe haven and secure base provided by significant figures for the individual's adaptation and development. Results pointed also to the importance of preparing caregivers and other significant adults to face demands and challenges of adolescents in institutional care. Conclusion: An investment on caregivers' developing competences and attitudes is required, in order to overcome contingencies and vicissitudes of working with this population.

Background: Diagnosis delay contributes to increased tuberculosis (TB) transmission and morbimortality. TB incidence has been decreasing in Portugal, but median patient delay (PD) has risen. Symptom valorisation may determine PD by influencing help-seeking behaviour. We aimed to analyse the association between symptom valorisation and PD, while characterising individuals who disregarded their symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among TB patients in Lisbon and Oporto in 2019 – 2021. Subjects who delayed seeking care because they did not value their symptoms or thought these would go away on their own were considered to have disregarded their symptoms. PD was categorised using a 21-day cut-off, and a 30-day cut-off for sensitivity analysis. We estimated the effect of symptom valorisation on PD through a directed acyclic graph. Then, a multivariable regression analysis characterised patients that disregarded their symptoms, adjusting for relevant variables. We fitted Poisson regression models to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR). Results: The study included 75 patients. Median PD was 25 days (IQR 11.5–63.5), and 56.0% of participants had PD exceeding 21 days. Symptom disregard was reported by 38.7% of patients. Patients who did not value their symptoms had higher prevalence of PD exceeding 21 days compared to those who valued their symptoms [PR 1.59 (95% CI 1.05–2.42)]. The sensitivity analysis showed consistent point estimates but wider confidence intervals [PR 1.39 (95% CI 0.77–2.55)]. Being a smoker was a risk factor for symptom disregard [PR 2.35 (95% CI 1.14–4.82)], while living in Oporto [PR 0.35 (95% CI 0.16–0.75)] and having higher household incomes [PR 0.39 (95% CI 0.17–0.94)] were protective factors. Conclusions: These findings emphasise the importance of symptom valorisation in timely TB diagnosis. Patients who did not value their symptoms had longer PD, indicating a need for interventions to improve symptom recognition. Our findings also corroborate the importance of the socioeconomic determinants of health, highlighting tobacco as a risk factor both for TB and for PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint (SATMJ) is an uncommon bacterial or fungal infection of the joint space. A 68-year-old man with underlying diabetes mellitus and a history of liver transplant, who was on immunosuppressants, presented to the oral and maxillofacial surgery department of the authors´ institution in Portugal. His main symptoms were arthralgia in the right temporomandibular joint, malocclusion, pre-auricular swelling and erythema. After clinical, laboratory, and imaging evaluations, diagnoses of chronic suppurative otitis media and SATMJ were made. The patient was managed with arthroscopy of the right temporomandibular joint, which allowed joint fluid collection for microbiological examination, lavage, and biopsy. The biopsy sample was positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. After surgery, targeted intravenous antibiotic treatment (amikacin) was given for 30 days. No recurrence of any complaints was reported after 12 months of follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore data on objectively measured physical activity from a sample of adults and older adults and to investigate the achievement of the minimum physical activity required for health benefits. Participants, 257 women (age 58.99 ± 18.93 years, BMI 26.75 ± 4.57 kg·m−2) and 178 men (age 49.22 ± 20.39 years, BMI 26.81 ± 3.51 kg·m−2), wore an accelerometer for 4 to 7 days. Approximately 40% of the time was spent daily in sedentary behaviors during waking hours. Our results do not sustain the suggestion that adult men are more physically active than women. The results indicated a decrease in intensity of physical activity with age, in men and women, but not in successive age groups. Around 75% of adults and 30% of older adults accumulated the minimum daily physical activity for health benefits, in periods shorter than 10 min, above moderate intensity. The number of steps taken per day revealed that most men and women (except the oldest) attained or exceeded the lower threshold for deriving health benefits. To obtain relevant health benefits, future physical activity interventions should aim at reversing the amount of sedentary behaviors, emphasizing increments in, at least, the lower levels of PA, and maintaining walking habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study analyzed university students' purpose in life in the context of service-learning (SL) courses developed in a university in Portugal. Briefly, 112 graduation and master students, from different areas, involved in 15 SL courses (82 female; 73.2%; age ranging from 18 to 51; M = 23; SD = 6.51) participated in this study. Questionnaires included an open-ended question about students' purpose in life. Four closed-ended questions were included to understand student's perceptions of change in their purpose in life arising from the SL courses and other perceptions about their SL course. Qualitative data were analyzed via content analysis with NVivo. Results indicated that students' purpose in life ranged from social-related goals, such as helping or caring for others, to personal-related goals, including personal growth and well-being. Most of the students (71.4%) reported that their purpose in life changed moderately or a lot after participating in a SL course. Findings are discussed in light of the literature, identifying implications for the development of SL courses in higher education, considering the contribution of this pedagogic methodology to the definition and reconfiguration of young people's purpose in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation aimed to describe the current physical fitness (PF) status of Portuguese youth, compare secular trends from 2008 and 2018, and establish updated age‐ and sex‐specific percentile values for distinct PF tests. In 2008 and 2018, 22 048 and 8960 children and adolescents (10–18 years) were included in two national cross‐sectional investigations. PF was evaluated using the FITESCOLA® battery tests and the handgrip strength test. Independent sample t‐tests and chi‐squared tests were used to model the results. Weight smoothed percentile values were calculated using Cole's Lambda‐Mu‐Sigma (LMS) method. All analyses were weighted according to age, sex, and geographic region. In 2018, boys surpassed girls in the 20‐m shuttle run, curl‐ups, push‐ups, standing long, and vertical jump tests, while girls performed better in the sit‐and‐reach (p < 0.05). The percentage of boys and girls meeting the healthy zone in the 20‐min shuttle run test did not differ between 2008 and 2018 (p ≥ 0.05). In boys, a higher percentage fell in the healthy zone for the curl‐up and push‐up tests in 2018 compared to 2008 (85.8% vs. 83.4%, and 57.8% vs. 53.8%; p < 0.05). Girls improved their flexibility component (sit‐and‐reach test), with a higher percentage meeting the healthy zone in 2018 (32.6% vs. 36.9%; p < 0.05); an opposite trend was seen for boys (65.5% vs. 50.1%; p < 0.05). The present investigation provides new and updated PF percentile curves for Portuguese youth, which can be used as a general overview of the current PF state among the Portuguese young population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and identify its clinical characterization, and medical conditions in a paediatric population in Portugal. A school survey was conducted in elementary schools, targeting 332 808 school-aged children in the mainland and 10 910 in the Azores islands. Referred children were directly assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edn), the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Clinical history and a laboratory investigation was performed. In parallel, a systematic multi-source search of children known to have autism was carried out in a restricted region. The global prevalence of ASD per 10 000 was 9.2 in mainland, and 15.6 in the Azores, with intriguing regional differences. A diversity of associated medical conditions was documented in 20%, with an unexpectedly high rate of mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders. (Contains 3 tables, 1 figure and 1 footnote.)

In this paper we give an overview of relevant findings of a three years long case study that was carried out in the Madeira Island, Portugal. It addresses a thirty years old project in music and drama education in primary schools, which involves all children within the school curriculum, but also in extra-curriculum activities. The study used mainly qualitative methodologies for the case study approach, and statistical analysis concerning the questionnaires that were sent out to classroom teachers, supporting teachers, and parents. Findings indicate the magnitude of the project, its educational relevance, and a strong sense of ownership and leadership as revealed both by results from the questionnaires and emerging themes in the interviews. Taking into account the contributions of activity theory, critical points were identified that may bring about a qualitative transformation capable of fostering good practices in music and drama education in primary schools in Madeira.

A three-year-case study funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) from the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education was designed to study a 30-year project of music and drama in primary schools in Madeira. This article reports on the narratives of the three main figures in the project as they elaborate on its construction according to the following themes: innovation, philosophies of music education and teacher education. Through the lens of a narrative inquiry, the discourses produced are analysed, taking into account the emerging concepts of ownership and leadership.

Although literature states that individual, relational, and contextual factors contribute to adolescents' sense of agency, more research is needed to clarify and understand how adolescents develop this belief over time. The current study examined the stability/change trajectories of the sense of agency during adolescence, specifically across high school, analyzing whether attachment to parents over time, adolescents' sex, cumulative risk in baseline, and pandemic-related stress explained these trajectories. The sample included 467 Portuguese adolescents (40.7% were males; Mage = 15.58 years, SD = 0.80), evaluated three times across 18 months. This work yielded three significant findings. First, adolescents' sense of agency significantly increased over time, with significant between-subject variance at the initial levels but not at the growth rate. Second, attachment to parents consistently links to adolescents' sense of agency across time, despite the differential contributions from attachment to mothers and fathers. Third, boys reported greater growth in the sense of agency than girls. Adolescents' cumulative risk at T1 predicted lower initial levels of sense of agency, whereas higher pandemic-related stress predicted less growth of the sense of agency. These findings emphasize the contributions of individual and family characteristics and the role of the broader social context in shaping the development of adolescents' sense of agency. The findings underline the need to consider further the differential influences of adolescents' relationships with mothers and fathers to understand changes in adolescents' sense of agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To identify attitudes and barriers to evidence-based practice from the perspective of Portuguese nurses specialized in medical-surgical nursing. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods: Data collection in 2022, via a digital form comprising a questionnaire on socio-professional characterization and the Portuguese version of the “Barriers to Evidence-Based Practice in Primary Care”. Non-probability convenience sampling. Data analysis performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 24. The checklist used was “Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology”. Results: The final sample consisted of 218 specialist medical-surgical nurses working in clinical practice settings in Portugal, who showed a generally positive attitude towards evidence-based practice. The barriers to evidence-based practice highlighted were lack of incentives, support from expert colleagues, training, financing, and time. Conclusion: Specialist medical-surgical nurses value evidence-based practice and recognized its benefits, but also identified barriers that make its practical implementation a challenge. The identification of the attitudes and barriers allows for the identification of shortcomings and the making of tailored training plans, thereby increasing the integration of evidence into the practice of these renowned professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a report of a pedagogic experience carried out in a Portuguese 6th-grade music education class during the 2008-2009 school year. A podcast was created (www.podomatic.com) and several activities were developed, in classroom context, taking advantage of the tool's potential for teaching and learning. Although the podcast was managed by the teacher, the published contents were developed mostly by the students, therefore becoming themselves producers of the information on the Web and having an active role in the construction of the global society of the 21st century. The informal learning activity was evaluated at the end of the year, using both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. Results show that the podcast activity involved students in the learning process, making them aware of the new roles they will play in the global information society. (Contains 2 tables and 7 figures.)

In Portugal, two sports systems exist, one through schools and the other in community clubs. The purpose was to determine the impact of extra-curricular sports (EC sports) on boys' and girls' moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). 208 adolescents (79 boys and 129 girls), between 12 and 18 years old, wore an accelerometer over seven days. Four EC sport categories based on reported involvement were: no sports, school sports, club sports, both sports. Multivariable logistic regression was used to study the association of EC sports, age, gender and BMI on the adolescent's MVPA. The school sport context was more relevant for girls than clubs sport; however the opposite pattern emerged for boys. BMI was not related to adolescent's MVPA. EC sports increase the likelihood of achieving PA guidelines. The unique social and environmental contexts of school and club sports deserve additional attention in youth activity research. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

The purpose of this study was to develop a teaching quality assessment questionnaire and assess its reliability by using it with a sample of first-year medical students. Principal components analysis with varimax orthogonal rotation resulted in the development of a 12-item, two-component tool, adequate for use in lectures and small-group sessions. The two components were named "curriculum" and "relationship". The Cronbach coefficient alpha values indicated high reliability and internal consistency. According to the results obtained this teaching quality scale is a reliable measure and may be useful in identifying themes in disciplines and among teachers that may benefit from some professional development. Amongst its advantages is that it can be used with an optical reading tool. (Contains 4 tables.)

The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to examine the effects of specific cut-off scoring points (on the estimated prevalence of meeting health-related guidelines for physical activity in youth) and, second, to document the differences in gender physical activity patterns according to two different cut-off points. The sample comprised 62 children (boys n = 23; girls n = 39) aged 8-16 years old. Children wore accelerometers for three consecutive weekdays. The daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was calculated using an equation regression developed for youth according to different cut-points. The data analysis from Freedson's cut points showed that both sexes engaged in significantly (p [less than or equal to] 0.01) more MVPA when compared with Puyau's cut points. Boys engaged in significantly (p [less than or equal to] 0.01) more MVPA activities than girls regardless of the cut-off point used. Our data also showed that the percentage of students that reach the physical activity/health related guidelines was significantly higher in both boys (77.3 vs 6.9 percent; p less than 0.001) and girls (60 vs 2.3 percent; p less than 0.001) when Freedson's cut-off point was used. Our data showed that for preventive strategies youth specific cut-off points still need to be refined and, as a result, health-related criteria for young people need to be based on further research evidence. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

We examined the construct validity and reliability of the previously developed Psychological and Social modules of the Portuguese Physical Literacy Assessment Questionnaire (PPLA-Q) using Mokken Scale Analysis in a sample of 508 Portuguese adolescents in public schools in Lisbon. We used a retest subsample (n = 73) to calculate the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Eight PPLA-Q scales can be interpreted as moderate-to-strong Mokken scales (H =.47–.66) with good total-score reliability (ρ =.83–.94), and moderate-to-excellent test-retest reliability (ICC95%CI =.51–.95); four scales had an interpretable invariant item ordering. All but the Physical Regulation scale functioned similarly across sex. Scale-scores correlated as expected, with low-to-moderate correlations across domains supporting convergent and discriminant validity. These results support the construct validity and reliability of the PPLA-Q to assess the psychological and social domains of physical literacy in Portuguese adolescents (15–18 years) enrolled in physical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local governance networks are increasingly seen as the big idea to cope with issues that are complex enough in scope and scale to require a diversity of expertise and resources. While conventional narrative has posited that local networks are optimal for addressing a range of policy problems, and enhancing democratic participation, scarce attention has been devoted to understanding their inner working. A relevant gap in the literature pertains to the impact of central government intervention in igniting such arrangements on the diversity of actors, the intensity of interactions among actors, or their coordination practices. Such assessment is particularly relevant in centralized contexts. This article seeks to map and characterize the inner working of local networks in such a context—Portugal. The empirical analysis highlights the crucial role of central government in igniting local networks and in ensuring higher levels of formal intensity of collaboration to reduce transaction costs. Keeping such arrangements under the radar of central government, however, may curtail the diversity of actors, policy areas, and curb stakeholders' commitment in local governance arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study aims to identify the Portuguese curricular contents related to the theme "Education for Health", focusing on the 1st and 2nd cycles of Basic Education. The research question is: which areas of health are being addressed in Portuguese curriculum documents? For this purpose, a document analysis was carried out focusing on the Portuguese curriculum documents concerning the Essential Learning (2018 and 2021) of all curriculum areas (47 documents). The document analysis method involves skimming (superficial examination), reading (thorough examination), and interpretation. The results indicate the presence of Education for Health in Portuguese curriculum documents, but without interconnecting the different areas of knowledge and with little exploration of certain categories defined in international documents guiding Health Education. Consequently, it seems that Portugal considers Health Education as an integral part of the curriculum, but it can still improve the approach and distribution of its areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study describes levels of self-reported physical activity, frequency of selected opportunistic nonsedentary behaviors, and preferences of leisure-time activities in a representative sample of Portuguese adults, using data from a national survey on diet and activity behaviors (National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, IAN-AF, 2015–2016). Methods: Participants were 3873 Portuguese adults (1827 men). They were interviewed face to face, and the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used. Regular leisure-time programmed activities, and 6 additional items, forming the activity choice index questionnaire, were used to assess 6 discrete nonsedentary behaviors. Results: Using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire categories, 42.3% of the sample were classified as low active, 30.6% as moderately active, and 27.1% as highly active. Walking, health/fitness activities, running, group gymnastics classes, swimming/pool activities, football/futsal, and cycling were the most popular leisure-time activities. Between 15% (parking further away from destinations) and 48% (using the stairs instead of elevators) of participants reported that they frequently adopted commonly recommended nonsedentary activities. Conclusions: This study updates self-reported physical activity prevalence for Portugal adults, including older adults. In addition, it uniquely describes leisure-time activity preferences in the population and also the relative frequency of several nonsedentary activities of daily living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the link among music content and teaching style and the changes in children's ratings of musical self-competence and their motivation to continue in music. Tested 100 Portuguese children over three years. Finds that declines in both motivation and evaluation of self-competence may be explained by excessive emphasis on aural skills and music notation. (CMK)

This paper aims to analyze how Brazil and Portugal, countries with historical relations, positioned themselves to face the pandemic of the coronavirus in the educational context. Comparing the strategies adopted by the two countries, we seek to answer the following question: were the strategies adopted by the Brazilian educational managers efficient to face the moment of crisis? Could another path have been taken? To carry out this analysis, a bibliographical survey was adopted, detailing the actions implemented by the two countries to face the greatest educational challenge of the 21st century. The results of the analysis show that Brazil, in a mistaken way, bet only on Emergency Remote Learning, since there was no adequate infrastructure to do so, which harmed millions of students in the country. Portugal mixed formats and got better results, which led to very visible consequences, such as a shorter time of closure of the schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attachment theory (AT) is one of the most popular theories used among professionals working in children and family welfare worldwide. An important contribution relies on the central role of professionals in creating an emotional environment for children and youth psychosocial adaptation and development. Nevertheless, little research has been focused on comprehending caregiving challenges in such complex contexts as RC settings from an attachment theoretical framework. This study will focus on caregivers' narratives on major processes involved when supporting young people, problematizing professional caregiving and relational challenges. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 22 professionals working on four RC facilities in Portugal. Three major themes emerged during the analysis: "it is life we are dealing with, it's not work," "unfortunately (or not) we are human beings" and "someone to listen when you have a monkey on your back." By acknowledging the complex dynamics involved in the caregiving process in out-of-home contexts, this study stresses the need for an important change in the relational paradigm in child welfare, advocating for the role of reflexive practice and self-knowledge as important premises for secure base behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. HIV infects more than 2.6 million people/year, reaching 38.0 million by 2019. WHO recognized the disease as a major threat to humanity. Objective. To assess the level of knowledge of HIV-AIDS and associated factors in students during popular events, Évora-Portugal. Methods. Quantitative cross-sectional study, convenience sample, 313 students who visited the institutional pavilion, South Portugal. Sociodemographic data were collected, the HIV Knowledge Questionnaire (HIV-KQ-18) was applied. The Kuder-Richardson test yielded a coefficient of 0.847. Data analysis SPSS version 24.0. Results. 56.9% were female (16 and 30 years). Except for 5 items, where the percentage of correct responses exceeded 50%, subjects answered incorrectly about HIV transmission. Mann-Whitney and Kruskall-Walis tests detected no differences in male/female knowledge, age groups and condom availability. Cluster analysis showed two profiles: 1) higher university knowledge, being female, 19-21 years old, low or very high use. 2) low/very low knowledge with associated factors moderate alcohol consumption, represented by males (22-24 years). Conclusion. Conducting this type of survey allows education programmes to address specific HIV/AIDS gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]