Percorrer por autor "Cruz, Ana Rita"

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    Attitudes of Police recruits towards offenders : the impact of the Police training on attitudinal change
    (Springer Verlag, 2022-03) Cunha, Olga; Carvalho, Filipa; de Castro Rodrigues, Andreia; Cruz, Ana Rita; Gonçalves, Rui Abrunhosa; HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab
    The traditional prevailing perspectives on attitudes assume that attitudes, once formed, are relatively stable over time. However, research has revealed that attitudes may be influenced by different factors that may change them. The present pre-post-test study aims to understand if the police recruits’ attitudes towards offenders change after police training and analyse the impact of sociodemographic and personality variables on recruits’ attitudes towards offenders. The Attitude Scale towards Offenders (ATO) and the NEO-FFI Personality Inventory were used in a sample of 74 recruits of a Portuguese Police Force at the beginning and the end of the police training program. Results revealed that, at the end of the training, recruits hold more negative attitudes towards offenders. Those who had previous professional experience in the army hold more positive attitudes, but only at the beginning of the training. Only attitudes towards offenders at the beginning of the police training program predict recruits’ attitudes towards offenders at the end of the training. These results emphasize the importance of initial and continuous training of recruits and police officers.
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    Community sanctions : offenders’ perceptions about their appropriateness
    (SAGE Publications Ltd, 2021-08) Andrade, Joana; Cruz, Ana Rita; Cunha, Olga; Gonçalves, Rui Abrunhosa; Rodrigues, Andreia Castro; HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab
    This study analyzed offenders’ perceptions about distinct sanctions and their adequacy for different crimes, checking if these ideas apply to their crime. We covered a total of 163 adult offenders who were sanctioned with a non-custodial order. The results show that participants tended to express a punitive attitude toward crime, apart from their offenses. Participants who committed driving or drug trafficking offenses were those that revealed congruence regarding the adequacy of the sentence and the usefulness of the sanction imposed. Regarding sentences’ purposes, we noticed most participants considered punishment and general deterrence as the primary purposes. The main contribution of this study lies in its educational value about the cognitive particularities and specific needs of each type of offender. Not attending to offenders’ perceptions regarding sanctions may function as an obstacle for an efficient implementation of the Justice, in terms of their adherence to the sanctions, and consequently their rehabilitation.
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    A home-based individual cognitive stimulation program for older adults with cognitive impairment : a randomized controlled trial
    (Frontiers Media SA, 2021-11-22) Silva, Rosa; Bobrowicz-Campos, Elzbieta; Santos-Costa, Paulo; Cruz, Ana Rita; Apóstolo, João; HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab
    Objective: This study aims to assess the feasibility and meaningfulness of a home-based individual cognitive stimulation (iCS) program delivered by caregivers to persons with cognitive impairment (PwCIs). It also aims to assess whether the older adults receiving this program improved their cognitive, neuropsychiatric, and depressive symptoms and quality of life and whether their caregivers improved their mental and physical health. Methods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with PwCI-caregiver dyads recruited from the community. Participants were allocated to two groups: intervention (n = 28) and control (n = 24). The intervention group received the European Portuguese version of the Individual Cognitive Stimulation Program—Making a Difference 3 (MD3-P). The control group received usual care. The iCS therapy program was implemented three times a week for 12 weeks. Caregivers were supported by the researchers to deliver the sessions at home. Participants were assessed at baseline and at the end of the intervention (week 13). Feasibility and meaningfulness were assessed through the attrition rate, adherence, and degree of satisfaction with the sessions. Four interviews were conducted (after week 13) to understand participants’ experiences. Results: The attrition rate was 23.1%. The dyads reported that they did not have high expectations about the iCS program before starting the study. Nevertheless, as the program evolved, caregivers noted that their family members had improved some areas of functioning. Intention-to-treat analysis based on group differences revealed a significant improvement in PwCIs’ cognition, specifically in their orientation and ability to follow commands. The intervention had no impact on other variables such as caregivers’ physical and mental health. Conclusion: The iCS program implemented by caregivers showed promising results in improving PwCIs’ cognition. The participants who completed the intervention attributed a positive meaning to the MD3-P, confirming it as a valid non-pharmacological therapeutic approach to reducing frailty in PwCIs in community settings. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier [NCT03514095].
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    Intimate partner violence : perceptions and attributions of male perpetrators
    (Routledge, 2024) Cunha, Olga; Pereira, Bárbara; Cruz, Ana Rita; Gonçalves, Rui; de Castro Rodrigues, Andreia; HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab
    There are many reasons to perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV). This study analyzes the attributions and perceptions of Portuguese men who perpetrate IPV to understand their justifications for violence against their female partners. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven male perpetrators. Through thematic analysis, three main categories emerged: self, partner, and situational factors. Perpetrators identified self attributes as justifications to abuse, such as individual characteristics, emotional disturbances, and jealousy; partner attributes, such as partners’ characteristics and the use of violence against them; and situational factors, such as alcohol abuse and relational stressors. Perpetrators’ narratives evidenced a tendency to conceive violence as an unintentional and unplanned action, attributing violence to uncontrollable factors, and an attitude of non-accountability for their behaviors/actions. A deeper understanding of perpetrators’ perceptions and attributions for IPV will help to develop more effective intervention programs with offenders or to improve the existent ones, for example, in terms of dropout prevention, to reduce violence against women.