ULHT/HEI-Lab - Artigos de Revistas Internacionais com Arbitragem Científica

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    Perceptual reversals and time-response analyses within the scope of decoding a bistable image
    (Centro Interamericano de Investigaciones Psicologicas y Ciencias Afines, 2022) Rodríguez-Martínez, Guillermo; Marroquín-Ciendúa, Fernando; Rosa, Pedro J.; Castillo-Parra, Henry; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    A bistable image admits two possible interpretations, so that the observer can recognize the two percepts, but never at the same time. The alternations between percepts are called “perceptual reversals”. When the observer’s position is different from the upright position, the ability to make perceptual alternations may be impaired. Besides, the recognition of the percepts of a bistable image can be a complex reaction time visual task, if it involves recognizing two different conceptual units, added to the fact of having to make a subsequent report. A visual task was performed by 88 people in order to establish whether the perception of Boring’s bistable image My girlfriend or my mother-in-law is associated with areas that condition its interpretation. It was assumed that decoding the image and reporting the perceived percept implied a complex reaction time. The task itself was done in front of a fixed 120 Hz eye-tracker, in two opposite body positions. Analyses were made reviewing the association of the percepts with bottom-up modulation areas of the image, and considering ocular fixations made 200 and 250 milliseconds before the time of the report. The records of these fixations were obtained so as to establish which of the two reaction times (200 ms or 250 ms) was involved in the bottom-up modulation process from the moment of ocular fixation to the reports given by the participants. It was concluded that perceptual reversals decrease significantly when head idiotropic axis points in the gravity vector direction, in comparison to the upright position. Likewise, associations between visual percepts and bottom-up modulating areas of the image were found when analyses were done by considering ocular fixations made 250 ms before the moment of the report. Interpreting Boring’s bistable image implies a complex visual task in accordance with the results obtained.
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    Energy-saving behavior : the different roles of altruism and of environmentalism
    (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 2019) Loureiro, Ana; Lima, Maria Luísa; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    This experimental study, in which 118 university students participated, addresses how environmental and altruistic cues induce energy-saving behavior and intention, and their interaction with environmental and altruistic values, thus testing the influence of context or situational variables in energy-saving behavior and intention. Additionally, it does an empirical approach to the role that environmental and altruistic values may have as individual predictors of energy-saving. Environmental and altruistic situational cues are operationalized by environment and altruism conceptual priming. The results reveal an interaction between situational variables and personal values: environment priming induced more energysaving behavior among individuals with lower altruistic values. The same effect is not observed for energy-saving intention. When the environment and altruism priming were present, individuals with lower altruistic values had less energy-saving intentions. These results underline the importance of distinguishing environmental and altruistic frames and motives when explaining energy-saving behavior.
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    “In the same storm, but not on the same boat” : children grief during the COVID-19 pandemic
    (Frontiers Media SA, 2021-01-26) Albuquerque, Sara; Santos, Ana R.; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
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    Consolidación memoria implícita : efecto de la valencia emocional y tiempo de exposición mediante el uso de priming perceptual
    (2019) Polo, Javier; Castillo-Parra, Henry; Rosa, Pedro Joel; Oliveira, Jorge; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    Se estudió el efecto de la valencia emocional y los tiempos de exposición en la consolidación de la memoria implícita mediante el uso del paradigma de priming perceptual enmascarado modificado, con reconocimiento de emociones bajo condiciones de consciencia limitada. Se presentaron rostros priming con expresiones emocionales de felicidad, rabia y neutro, en tiempos de exposición de 17ms, 33ms y 83 ms; posteriormente, los sujetos ejecutaron la tarea de memoria implícita, la cual consistía en recordar la emoción del rostro target de la primera tarea. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas a nivel de la valencia emocional entre los diferentes tiempos de exposición en la tarea de procesamiento perceptual, en comparación con la tarea de consolidación de la memoria implícita a nivel de los tiempos de reacción. Igualmente, se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en los tiempos de exposición al comparar la tarea de procesamiento perceptual y la de consolidación de la memoria implícita. Los resultados obtenidos explican que existe una correlación entre las respuestas correctas de esta última tarea y las valencias emocionales, con cada uno de los tres tiempos de exposición. Estos resultados sugieren que las valencias emocionales influyen diferencialmente en las tareas de procesamiento perceptual y consolidación de la memoria implícita.
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    “Everything is gonna be alright with me” : the role of self-compassion, affect, and coping in negative emotional symptoms during Coronavirus quarantine
    (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2021-02-02) Beato, Ana Filipa; da Costa, Leonor Pereira; Nogueira, Rita; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    Self-compassion has been associated with less distress, particularly when people face stressful and negative events. This study analyzed the mediation role of coping and affect in the relation between self-compassion and negative emotional symptoms during the quarantine decreed by Portuguese Health Authorities in the first phase of the coronavirus outbreak. A total of 428 Portuguese adults (75% women; Mage = 40.8, SD = 11.6) completed an online survey comprised by the Self-Compassion Scale (predictor); Short Version of Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (out-comes); The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule; and Brief-COPE. These instruments were adapted to COVID 19’s epidemic. Parallel mediation analyses demonstrated that self-compassion-ate participants were at less risk of suffering from symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress during the quarantine. Plus, the relation between self-compassion and depressive, anxious, and stress symptoms were mediated by negative affect and dysfunctional coping style, but only for symptoms of depression. The findings support coping strategies and affect as links between self-compassion and distress but also the importance of separately analyzing the role of self-compassion, negative affect, and coping on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Low self-compassion might increase negative affect, maintaining stress responses to face demanding events during the COVID-19 epidemic. Results were discussed in the context of the pandemic outbreak.
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    Spiritual Intelligence Self-Assessment Inventory : Psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of SISRI-24
    (Routledge, 2018-01-02) Antunes, Roque R.; Silva, Ana Paula; Oliveira, Jorge; CeIED (FCT) - Centro de Estudos Interdisciplinares em Educação e Desenvolvimento; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    Spiritual intelligence has gained increasing importance as an academic construct in the field of psychology. We present the psychometric properties for the Portuguese adaptation of the Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory-24, SISRI-24. The exploratory analysis showed a factorial structure different from the original scale, comprising three factors instead of four as in the original version, in which “Transcendental Awareness” was removed. The confirmatory factorial analysis revealed adjustment to a three-factor model for the Portuguese version. The main indexes of adjustment are generally better than the original four-factor version, suggesting the adequacy of this solution for the Portuguese population. The analysis with the convergent measures (SWBQ and MPWQ) provides evidence of the construct’s validity and criterion. The results are promising, allowing us to proceed with the uses of this tool for measuring spiritual intelligence, which may, however, be improved in the future.
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    Is pupil activity associated with the strength of memory signal for words in a continuous recognition memory paradigm?
    (Frontiers Media SA, 2021-11-23) Oliveira, Jorge; Fernandes, Marta; Rosa, Pedro J.; Gamito, Pedro; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    Research on pupillometry provides an increasing evidence for associations between pupil activity and memory processing. The most consistent finding is related to an increase in pupil size for old items compared with novel items, suggesting that pupil activity is associated with the strength of memory signal. However, the time course of these changes is not completely known, specifically, when items are presented in a running recognition task maximizing interference by requiring the recognition of the most recent items from a sequence of old/new items. The sample comprised 42 healthy participants who performed a visual word recognition task under varying conditions of retention interval. Recognition responses were evaluated using behavioral variables for discrimination accuracy, reaction time, and confidence in recognition decisions. Pupil activity was recorded continuously during the entire experiment. The results suggest a decrease in recognition performance with increasing study-test retention interval. Pupil size decreased across retention intervals, while pupil old/new effects were found only for words recognized at the shortest retention interval. Pupillary responses consisted of a pronounced early pupil constriction at retrieval under longer study-test lags corresponding to weaker memory signals. However, the pupil size was also sensitive to the subjective feeling of familiarity as shown by pupil dilation to false alarms (new items judged as old). These results suggest that the pupil size is related not only to the strength of memory signal but also to subjective familiarity decisions in a continuous recognition memory paradigm.
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    The systems and methods of game design
    (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2021-12) Neves, Pedro Pinto; Zagalo, Nelson; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
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    Pupil dilation reflects the authenticity of received nonverbal vocalizations
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2021-12) Cosme, Gonçalo; Rosa, Pedro J.; Lima, César F.; Tavares, Vânia; Scott, Sophie; Chen, Sinead; Wilcockson, Thomas D.W.; Crawford, Trevor J.; Prata, Diana; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    The ability to infer the authenticity of other’s emotional expressions is a social cognitive process taking place in all human interactions. Although the neurocognitive correlates of authenticity recognition have been probed, its potential recruitment of the peripheral autonomic nervous system is not known. In this work, we asked participants to rate the authenticity of authentic and acted laughs and cries, while simultaneously recording their pupil size, taken as proxy of cognitive efort and arousal. We report, for the frst time, that acted laughs elicited higher pupil dilation than authentic ones and, reversely, authentic cries elicited higher pupil dilation than acted ones. We tentatively suggest the lack of authenticity in others’ laughs elicits increased pupil dilation through demanding higher cognitive efort; and that, reversely, authenticity in cries increases pupil dilation, through eliciting higher emotional arousal. We also show authentic vocalizations and laughs (i.e. main efects of authenticity and emotion) to be perceived as more authentic, arousing and contagious than acted vocalizations and cries, respectively. In conclusion, we show new evidence that the recognition of emotional authenticity can be manifested at the level of the autonomic nervous system in humans. Notwithstanding, given its novelty, further independent research is warranted to ascertain its psychological meaning.
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    Fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis : personality and psychopathology differences from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2
    (Elsevier B.V., 2019-05-01) Gonzalez, Bárbara Isabel Dinis; Novo, Rosa Ferreira; Peres, Rodrigo; Baptista, Telmo Ventura Mourinho; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    The fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) is a chronic widespread pain condition whose etiology remains unknown. Within a psychosocial approach to FM, personality may play a role as predisposing and/or maintaining factor. A meta-analytic study has identified a distinct Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) clinical profile between FM female patients and healthy controls, but the differences between FM and other chronic pain conditions with clear etiology are not established. This cross-sectional study compares the clinical MMPI-2 profile in FM and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, identifies typical groups of each pathology, and further characterizes these groups in the broad MMPI-2 personality and psychopathology dimensions. The MMPI-2 scales were assessed in a sample of 70 women (FM: n = 38, Mage = 46.03, SDage = 8.48; RA: n = 32, Mage = 45.31, SDage = 8.68). The FM group had clinically significant elevations on five clinical scales (Hypochondriasis, Depression, Hysteria, Psychasthenia and Schizophrenia), while RA group had none. A K-Means cluster analysis allowed the identification of a typical profile of each pathology, and subsequent MANCOVAs identified important features of FM patients on several MMPI-2 dimensions. We conclude there is specificity in the personality and psychopathology characteristics of FM patients
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    Game Design as an Autonomous Research Subject
    (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2021-09) Neves, Pedro Pinto; Zagalo, Nelson; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    This paper examines the methods and systems of game design from the standpoint of existing method proposals failing to establish a common basis for systematizing design knowledge, which this paper aims to help resolve. Game design has often been subsumed by game development and associated disciplines, and game design methodology has often been subsumed by game analysis. This paper reviews related work in defining game design as an autonomous research subject and then divides the methods and systems of game design into complementary methods and core methods, with only the latter, consisting chiefly of design patterns, attempting to systematize how game design knowledge is generated. Seminal game patterns have been descriptive rather than -prescriptive and so have failed to find the requisite practitioner adoption to fulfill their role as a living method. One recent pattern approach has sought to resolve this issue by promoting pattern usage generally over the adoption of a particular language. This paper outlines an alternate and possibly complementary approach of a novel, practical basis for game design literacy for helping core methods work as a basis for systematizing game design knowledge. The proposed basis sacrifices descriptiveness to prescriptiveness to shape methods in that direction
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    Exploring Hypersexuality Pathways From Eye Movements : The Role of (Sexual) Impulsivity
    (Oxford University Press, 2021-09) Carvalho, Joana; Rosa, Pedro J.; Štulhofer, Aleksandar; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    Background: Impulsivity is regarded as a key factor underpinning hypersexuality like-conditions. However, impulsivity is a multifaceted construct, and existing research has not been capturing such complexity, which includes the effects of domain-general and domain-specific impulsivity in hypersexuality. Aim: The aim of this study was to test the predictive role of specific impulsivity domains, ie, domain-general and domain-specific, in hypersexuality and its associated consequences. Methods: Fifty-five men and 58 women went through an emotional Go/-no-Go task (including sexual, high-valence positive, and neutral pictures), aimed at capturing domain-general and domain-specific impulsivity. Ocular metrics were further considered in order to increase the validity of the experimental task, and provide a metric of attention capturing. The study was carried out in a community sample. Outcomes: Self-reported (general)impulsivity and commission errors toward high-valence positive and sexual pictures (signaling domain-general and domain-specific impulsivity, respectively) were settled as independent variables, along with Time to First Fixation to stimuli, capturing early/uncontrolled attention. Scores on hypersexuality and negative consequences emerging from hypersexual behavior were settled as outcome variables. Results: Self-reported (general)impulsivity was the only predictor of hypersexuality scores, while negative consequences were best accounted by higher fixation time to sexual pictures. In all, findings did not support the role of domain-specific impulsivity (ie, sexual impulsivity) in hypersexuality. Clinical Translation: Findings tentatively suggest that hypersexuality, as captured at the community level, may be best positioned within the general spectrum of psychopathology, thus influencing educational and clinical intervention protocols aimed at addressing hypersexuality related complaints. Protocols would be expected to primarily target general psychopathology phenomena, rather than specific sexual aspects. Strengths & Limitations: This study implemented an innovative approach to capture different impulsivity domains, thus adding to previous literature in the field. However, the current study precludes the generalization of findings to clinical samples, where psychological comorbidities are expected to impact results. Further, findings must be read with caution given to limited effect sizes. Conclusion: While hypersexuality was related to self-reported (general) impulsivity, findings on the negative consequences associated with hypersexual behavior mirrored response patterns found in depression. Such evidence aligns with the assumption that hypersexuality related phenomena might be better positioned in the psychopathology domain, rather than simply framed as a specific sexual problem. Carvalho J, Rosa PJ, Štulhofer A. Exploring Hypersexuality Pathways From Eye Movements: The Role of (Sexual) Impulsivity. J Sex Med 2021;18:1607–1614.
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    Ocular fixations modulate audiovisual semantic congruency when standing in an upright position
    (Konrad Lorenz Editores, 2021-06-02) Rodríguez-Martínez, Guillermo; Castillo-Parra, Henry; Rosa, Pedro J.; Marroquín-Ciendúa, Fernando; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    Introduction: Multisensory audiovisual semantic congruency is the process by which visual information is perceived as integrated to auditory stimuli, because both coincide in terms of simultaneity and semantic correspondence. This study was aimed at establishing whether visual percepts, which semantically correspond to auditory stimuli, are associated with ocular fixations in modulating bottom-up areas while keeping a body posture alignment between the up-direction and the idiotropic axes, as well as in another orientation corresponding to a vectorial opposition between the up-direction and the head idiotropic axis. Method: Two groups (one for each position) were selected from a sample of 88 people. A bistable image was presented on a screen of a fixed 120 Hz eye-tracker device, providing background auditory stimuli so as to establish semantic congruencies and their relations to ocular fixations. Results: It was found that audiovisual semantic congruency is associated with fixations when idiotropic vectors are aligned with the up direction. Fixations manifested in bottom-up modulating areas are not associated with multisensory audiovisual semantic congruency when the head idiotropic vector is parallel with the gravity vector. Eye fixations decrease significantly if the head idiotropic axis is aligned with the gravity vector. Conclusion: It is concluded that body position can affect visual perceptual processes involved in the occurrence of semantic congruency.
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    Diagnostic precision of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test in assessing cognitive deficits in substance use disorders
    (Routledge, 2021-04-01) Faustino, B.; Oliveira, J.; Lopes, P.; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions; Escola de Psicologia e Ciências da Vida
    The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is a widely used neuropsychological instrument to assess executive functions related to cognitive flexibility and abstract reasoning. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the diagnostic precision of this instrument in substance use disorders. In this study, we aimed at assessing the sensitivity and specificity of the WCST in discriminating the performance of participants with substance use disorder with cognitive deficits and participants from the general population without cognitive deficits. The sample comprised three groups of participants with substance use disorders (opioid use disorder in harm reduction with methadone maintenance; opioid use disorder in treatment in a therapeutic community; alcohol use disorder in a therapeutic community) and a normative group of healthy adults. The total sample consisted of 587 participants that were assessed with cognitive tests for executive functions, general cognitive functioning, and self-reported depression. The results showed differences between groups in most WCST variables, providing evidence of discriminant validity for this test. Convergent validity was also established by weak to moderate correlations with general cognitive functioning. Cutoff points based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated for the WCST variables. Overall, the WCST was sensitive to changes in cognitive flexibility and abstract reasoning that are key features of substance use disorders.
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    The effects of temporal discounting on perceived seriousness of environmental behavior : Exploring the moderator role of consumer attitudes regarding green purchasing
    (MDPI, 2021-07-01) Farias, Ana Rita Boino Godinho Alves; Coruk, Seray; Simão, Cláudia; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    Emerging issues related to climate change have been explored in recent years as the need for appropriate behavioral solutions grows. However, one of the main problems raised and yet to be solved is the challenge to encourage people to act against climate change. One of the identified barriers is the mental indirect link between the influence of human activities in the present and their future consequences. This psychological distance could be investigated by examining temporal discounting—the overvaluation of benefits in the present compared to benefits in the future—and its relationship to environmental behavior on consumers’ attitudes toward green purchasing. In this research, we conducted a survey (n = 337) to examine the relationship between temporal discounting and perceived seriousness of environmental behavior and investigated the moderating effect of consumers’ attitudes regarding green purchasing. The results show a moderating effect of these consumers’ attitudes on the relationship between temporal discounting and perceived seriousness of environmental behavior. These findings make important contributions to environmental policies by rethinking and adapting new solutions that promote behavioral change, namely by exploring psychological variables and identifying green consumption profiles
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    Do parents of children with cancer want to participate in treatment decision-making?
    (Springer Verlag, 2020) Salvador, Ágata; Crespo, Carla Alexandra Mesquita; Roberto, Magda Sofia; Barros, Luísa; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    Purpose: This study aimed to describe parents’ preferences regarding their role in treatment decision-making when a child has cancer and examines whether their preferences were related to the parents (sex and education level), patients’ characteristics (age group and treatment status), and healthcare context features (parents’ perception of family-centered care). Methods: Two-hundred and twenty-eight parents of children/adolescents with cancer were recruited from two Portuguese pediatric oncology wards. Participants provided sociodemographic and clinical information. The Control Preferences Scale for Pediatrics was used to assess the parents’ preferred role in treatment decision-making. The Measure of Process of Care assessed the parents’ perception of family-centered care (family-centered services and providing general information subscales). Results: Results showed that parents preferred a passive-collaborative role (44.8%), followed by collaborative (27.8%), passive (20.9%) and active-collaborative (6.5%). None preferred an active role. Chi-square test showed that most of the parents preferring an active-collaborative role had higher education degrees, while those preferring a passive role had lower education degrees. Additionally, groups did not differ according to the parents’ sex, patients’ age and treatment status. A multivariate analysis of variance showed that parents preferring an active-collaborative role reported lower scores on family-centered services compared to those preferring passive-collaborative and passive roles. Finally, no differences were found concerning providing general information scores. Conclusions: This study’s findings may guide professionals in identifying parents’ preferences regarding their participation in treatment decision-making process. Mapping their preferences may support professionals in promoting desirable levels of parental involvement when decisions are necessary in pediatric oncology context.
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    Assessing the unidimensionality of Clayton's Environmental Identity Scale using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (bifactor-ESEM)
    (University of California Press, 2021-10-14) Moreira, Paulo; Loureiro, Ana; Inman, Richard; Olivos-Jara, Pablo; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    A relevant intrapersonal characteristic for understanding intentions and behavior toward environmental sustainability is the degree to which nature is important for a person's self-definition. Clayton's Environmental Identity (EID) scale purports to measure this construct. However, a limited number of prior exploratory studies of this measure have supported different factor structures. Hence, our initial aim was to develop an understanding of the dimensionality of Clayton's 24-item EID scale by testing competing latent structures using confirmatory factor analysis. We analyzed self-reported data from 458 adults (Mage = 26.7 years; 81% female). Four a priori models (a first-order model, a second-order model, a unidimensional model, and a bifactor model) did not show satisfactory fit to the data. An ancillary analysis using bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor-ESEM) indicated a bifactor model with three specific factors had a good fit to the data. The factor loadings of this model and values for bifactor indices (Omega Hierarchical and Explained Common Variance [ECV]) indicated a single mean score across all EID scale items taps into an essentially unidimensional construct and is therefore appropriate to interpret. In sum, our study provides a critical insight into the dimensionality of Clayton's EID scale that will be valuable when applying this measure for research and intervention purposes.
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    Virtual Reality Cognitive Training Among Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorder Undergoing Residential Treatment
    (JMIR Publications Inc., 2021-01-01) Gamito, Pedro; Oliveira, Jorge; Matias, Marcelo Alexandre Cabaça; Cunha, Elsa Alexandra Pinto Ribeiro da; Brito, Rodrigo; Lopes, Paulo Jorge Ferreira; Deus, Alberto; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    Background: Alcoholusedisorder(AUD)hasbeenassociatedwithdiversephysicalandmentalmorbidities.Amongthemain consequences of chronic and excessive alcohol use are cognitive and executive deficits. Some of these deficits may be reversed in specific cognitive and executive domains with behavioral approaches consisting of cognitive training. The advent of computer-based interventions may leverage these improvements, but randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of digital interactive-based interventions are still scarce. Objective: The aim of this study is to explore whether a cognitive training approach using VR exercises based on activities of daily living is feasible for improving the cognitive function of patients with AUD undergoing residential treatment, as well as to estimate the effect size for this intervention to power future definitive RCTs. Methods: This study consisted of a two-arm pilot RCT with a sample of 36 individuals recovering from AUD in a therapeutic community; experimental group participants received a therapist-guided, VR-based cognitive training intervention combined with treatment as usual, and control group participants received treatment as usual without cognitive training. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery of tests was used both at pre- and postassessments, including measurement of global cognition, executive functions, attention, visual memory, and cognitive flexibility. Results: In order to control for potential effects of global cognition and executive functions at baseline, these domains were controlled for in the statistical analysis for each individual outcome. Results indicate intervention effects on attention in two out of five outcomes and on cognitive flexibility in two out of six outcomes, with effect sizes in significant comparisons being larger for attention than for cognitive flexibility. Patient retention in cognitive training was high, in line with previous studies. Conclusions: Overall, the data suggest that VR-based cognitive training results in specific contributions to improving attention ability and cognitive flexibility of patients recovering from AUD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04505345; https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT04505345
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    Validation of a new tool for evaluating subjects’ satisfaction with medicine package leaflets : a cross-sectional descriptive study
    (Associacao Paulista de Medicina, 2019-09-01) Pires, Carla; Rosa, Pedro Joel; Vigário, Marina; Cavaco, Afonso; CBIOS (FCT) - Centro de Investigação em Biociências e Tecnologias da Saúde; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    BACKGROUND: Package leaflets of medicines need to be intelligible, but tools for their evaluation are scarce. OBJECTIVE: To validate a new tool for assessing subjects’ satisfaction with medicine package leaflets (LiS-RPL). DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in two regions of Portugal (Lisbon and Centre). METHODS: 503 participants (53.1% male) were selected according to convenience and homogenously distributed into three groups: 1 to 6; 7 to 12; and > 12 years of schooling. LiS-RPL was developed based on international regulation guidelines and was initially composed of 14 items. Twelve package leaflets were tested. Dimensionality calculations included: exploratory factor analysis and minimum rank factor analysis; Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index and Bartlett’s sphericity test to assess matrix adequacy for exploratory factor analysis; exploratory bifactor analysis with Schmid-Leiman solution to detect possible existence of a broad second-order factor; and Bentler’s Simplicity Index and Loading Simplicity Index to assess factor simplicity. Diverse coefficients were calculated to assess reliability. RESULTS: Minimum rank factor analysis detected a two-factor or single-factor structure. Exploratory factor analysis with 12 items showed a two-factor structure, explaining 69.11% of the variance. These items were strongly correlated with each other (r = 0.80). Schmid-Leiman: all items seemed to represent the general factor (loadings above 0.50), which was 76.4% of the extracted variance. Simplicity indices were good (percentile 99): Bentler’s Simplicity Index of 0.99 and Loading Simplicity Index of 0.48. Internal consistency indexes indicated good reliability. LiS-RPL was shown to be homogenous. CONCLUSION: LiS-RPL is a validated tool for evaluating subjects’ satisfaction with medicine package leaflets.
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    Does caffeine matter for arousal? Affective and autonomic responses induced by caffeine in coffee intake: evidence from a double-blind tasting task
    (Edições Universitárias Lusófonas, 2021-03-26) Rodrigues, Fernando; Diogo, Julien; Rodrigues, Carla; Figueira, Cláudia; Rosa, Pedro Joel; HEI-LAB (FCT) - Digital Laboratories for Environments and Human Interactions
    Coffee is consumed worldwide, but there are different types of espresso blends, each with its unique concentration of caffeine, which can have different effects on the human being. The aim of this study was to understand the effect of the impact of caffeine on the autonomic nervous system, evaluating the physiological changes and subjective responses due to different levels of caffeine intake. A double-blind tasting task consisting of one within-subject factor design (caffeine level: high / double caffeine mixture (blend A) vs single-charge caffeine mixture (blend B) vs low-caffeine mixture (blend c) allowed us to assess participants’ autonomic responses using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Pupillary Reactivity (PR). Arousal was also assessed through the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM). Results revealed statistically significant differences in HRV and PR between coffee blends, showing the blend A,a more pronounced autonomic response that blend C. However, no significant differences were found in arousal level among coffee blends. These results are similar to previous research that pointed out to a discordance between subjective and objective measures when caffeine is consumed.