Capacidade para amar e bem-estar: um estudo comparativo entre adultos emergentes e adultos de meia-idade
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Data
2023
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O amor é um construto complexo e de incontestável importância para o ser humano, sendo
uma área de investigação que tem vindo a progredir no decorrer das últimas décadas. A
capacidade para amar, em específico, refere-se à capacidade para o envolvimento,
investimento e manutenção de um relacionamento romântico comprometido, resultando
de processos desenvolvimentais complexos que se iniciam na infância e continuam a ser
moldados ao longo do desenvolvimento. Por ser um construto ainda recente, existe pouca
evidência relativa às relações entre a capacidade para amar e indicadores de
funcionamento positivo. O presente estudo tem como objetivo central explorar as relações
entre as dimensões da capacidade para amar e o bem-estar emocional, psicológico e
social. Pretende-se ainda analisar as diferenças na capacidade para amar em função da
fase do ciclo vital (adultez emergente e meia-idade) e do género. Participaram neste
estudo 535 participantes, dos quais 282 (52.7%) são adultos emergentes com idades entre
os 18 e os 25 anos (M = 21.88, SD = 1.80), sendo 240 (85.1%) mulheres, e 253 (47.3%)
adultos de meia-idade com idades entre os 45 e os 65 anos (M = 52.24, SD = 5.39), sendo
196 (77.5%) mulheres. As análises de diferenças multivariadas indicam que os adultos
emergentes demonstram maior capacidade para amar em todas as dimensões, à exceção
da aceitação da perda, luto e ciúme. Em relação ao género, não se verificaram diferenças
significativas. Os modelos de predição indicam que a idade e a aceitação da perda, luto e
ciúme são preditores significativos e positivos de todos os tipos de bem-estar, sendo a
confiança básica um preditor significativo e positivo de bem-estar emocional. São
discutidas as implicações destes resultados para a intervenção.
Palavras-chave: Capacidade para Amar, Adultos Emergentes, Adultos de Meia-Idade,
Bem-Estar
Love is a complex construct of undeniable importance for human beings and an area of research that has progressed over the last decades. The capacity to love, specially, refers to the capacity for involvement, investment, and maintenance of a committed romantic relationship, resulting from complex developmental processes that begin in childhood and continue to be shaped throughout development. Since this is a recent construct, there is little evidence regarding the relationships between the capacity to love and indicators of positive functioning. The present study explores the associations between the capacity to love and emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It also aims to analyze differences in the capacity to love according to life cycle stage (emerging adulthood and midlife) and gender. A total of 535 participants participated in this study, of which 282 (52.7%) were emerging adults aged 18 to 25 years (M = 21.88, SD = 1.80), of which 240 (85.1%) were women, and 253 (47.3%) were middle-aged adults aged 45 to 65 years (M = 52.24, SD = 5.39), of which 196 (77.5%) were women. Multivariate difference analyses indicate that emerging adults demonstrate a greater capacity to love in all dimensions except acceptance of loss, grief, and jealousy. Concerning gender, there were no significant differences. Prediction models indicate that age and acceptance of loss, grief and jealousy are significant and positive predictors of all types of well-being, and basic trust is a significant and positive predictor of emotional well-being. Implications of these results for intervention are discussed. Keywords: Capacity to Love, Emerging Adults, Middle-Aged Adults, Well-being
Love is a complex construct of undeniable importance for human beings and an area of research that has progressed over the last decades. The capacity to love, specially, refers to the capacity for involvement, investment, and maintenance of a committed romantic relationship, resulting from complex developmental processes that begin in childhood and continue to be shaped throughout development. Since this is a recent construct, there is little evidence regarding the relationships between the capacity to love and indicators of positive functioning. The present study explores the associations between the capacity to love and emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It also aims to analyze differences in the capacity to love according to life cycle stage (emerging adulthood and midlife) and gender. A total of 535 participants participated in this study, of which 282 (52.7%) were emerging adults aged 18 to 25 years (M = 21.88, SD = 1.80), of which 240 (85.1%) were women, and 253 (47.3%) were middle-aged adults aged 45 to 65 years (M = 52.24, SD = 5.39), of which 196 (77.5%) were women. Multivariate difference analyses indicate that emerging adults demonstrate a greater capacity to love in all dimensions except acceptance of loss, grief, and jealousy. Concerning gender, there were no significant differences. Prediction models indicate that age and acceptance of loss, grief and jealousy are significant and positive predictors of all types of well-being, and basic trust is a significant and positive predictor of emotional well-being. Implications of these results for intervention are discussed. Keywords: Capacity to Love, Emerging Adults, Middle-Aged Adults, Well-being
Descrição
Orientação: Maria José Pereira Ferreira ; coorientação: Cláudia Noémia Soares de Sousa
Palavras-chave
MESTRADO EM PSICOLOGIA CLÍNICA E DA SAÚDE, PSICOLOGIA, PSYCHOLOGY, PSICOLOGIA CLÍNICA, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, AMOR, LOVE, BEM-ESTAR, WELL-BEING, ADULTOS, ADULTS, JOVENS ADULTOS, YOUNG ADULTS