Percorrer por autor "Maroco, João"
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- Dark triad psychopathy outperforms self-control in predicting antisocial outcomes: a structural equation modeling approachseabreamPublication . Pechorro, Pedro; Curtis, Shelby; DeLisi, Matt; Maroco, João; Nunes, CristinaDark Triad traits and self-control are considered viable causal precursors to antisocial and criminal outcomes in youth. The purpose of the present study is to concurrently compare how Dark Triad traits and self-control differ in terms of predicting self-reported juvenile delinquency, CD symptoms, proactive overt aggression, and crime seriousness. The sample consisted of 567 (M = 15.91 years, SD = 0.99 years, age range = 14–18 years) Southern European youth from Portugal. Structural-equation-modelling procedures revealed that the psychopathy factor of Dark Triad traits presented the strongest significant hypothetical causal associations with the antisocial/criminal outcomes, followed by self-control. Machiavellianism and narcissism presented the lowest causal associations. Our findings indicate that psychopathy, as operationalized in the Dark Triad, concurrently surpasses self-control and the remaining factors of the Dark Triad in terms of predicting antisocial/criminal outcomes in youth. This suggests that behavioral disinhibition, or a core incapacity to regulate one’s conduct, is central for understanding delinquency and externalizing psychopathology. Comparatively, the interpersonal component of dark personality features, such as Machiavellianism and narcissism, are secondary for understanding crime.
- The interplay of personality traits and early life experiences in predicting delinquent behaviorsPublication . Bonfá-Araujo, Bruno; Baptista, Makilim Nunes; Pechorro, Pedro; Maroco, João; Franco, Víthor Rosa; Nunes, Cristina; Jonason, Peter K.This study explores the interplay between family bonds, attachment styles, emotional regulation, dark personality traits, and delinquent behaviors. We assessed 336 Brazilians (M = 24.61, SD = 8.30), using network analysis. Participants were assessed using the Proposed Specifiers for Conduct Disorder, Parental Bonding Instrument, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, The Brazilian Adult Attachment Scale, The Short Dark Tetrad, and the Self-Report Delinquency Scale. Our findings suggest that attachment and family bonds influence emotional regulation, affecting delinquent behaviors. Dark personality traits are strong predictors of delinquent behaviors. We highlight the importance of early life experiences and personality in understanding delinquent and antisocial behaviors.
- Long-term predictive accuracy of the ‘mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease’ criteriaPublication . Cardoso, Sandra; Montalvo, Alexandre; Maroco, João; Silva, Dina; Alves, Luísa; Guerreiro, Manuela; Mendonça, Alexandre deBackground: The development and clinical use of biomarkers has dramatically changed the framework of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) management, allowing the diagnosis at the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage. In 2015 we compared the prevalence and prognosis of AD at the MCI stage according to different criteria available at that time, and we found that the National Institute of Aging-Alzheimer Association (NIA-AA) criteria provided higher predictive accuracy for AD dementia after 3 years. Since then, we adopted these criteria in clinical practice. Objective: To evaluate the long-term predictive accuracy of the ‘MCI due to AD - high likelihood’ criteria by taking advantage from an extended follow-up in a memory clinic setting. Methods: Patients were diagnosed according to the ‘MCI due to AD - high likelihood’ criteria and followed up until conversion to dementia. Results: One hundred and fourteen patients with ‘MCI due to AD - high likelihood’ were enrolled in the study and followed-up for 3.0±1.8 [0.4–8.3] years. During the follow-up 106 (93.0%) patients progressed to dementia, 2 (1.8%) had stroke, 6 (5.3%) died, and none remained in MCI or reverted to normal cognitive status. The average survival time remaining in MCI, analyzed with Kaplan-Meier curve, was 3.2 (95% CI 2.9–3.6) years. Using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model, patients with higher Mini-Mental State Examination kept the MCI status longer. Conclusions: The diagnostic criteria of NIA-AA ‘MCI due to AD - high likelihood’ have an excellent long-term predictive accuracy in a memory clinic setting.
- Memory awareness in patients with Major Depressive DisorderPublication . Mendes, Tiago; Cardoso, Sandra; Guerreiro, Manuela; Maroco, João; Silva, Dina; Alves, Luísa; Schmand, Ben; Simões do Couto, Frederico; Figueira, Maria Luísa; de Mendonça, AlexandreBackground: Subjective Memory Complaints (SMC) along with cognitive deficits are frequently observed in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The relationship between SMC and objective memory performance in patients with MDD was evaluated, in comparison with patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Alzheimer’s Disease (MCI-AD) and healthy controls (HC). Methods: Patients with MDD (n = 47), MCI-AD (n = 43) and HC (n = 45) were assessed with a self-report memory complaints scale (SMCS) and underwent a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological assessment. A discrepancy score between the Logical Memory delayed recall and the SMCS total score was calculated as a measure of memory awareness. Results: Patients with MDD (12.5 ± 4.4) and patients with MCI-AD (10.9 ± 4.1) had not significantly different SMCS total scores, whereas HC showed significantly lower scores (4.0 ± 3.0). As much as 74.5% of patients with MDD patients and 65.1% of patients with MCI-AD reported prominent memory complaints, whereas only 4.4% of HC did. Patients with MDD had relatively preserved memory tests, resulting in a higher discrepancy score than both patients with MCI-AD and HC. The SMCS total score correlated positively with depressive symptoms in the 3 groups of participants. Conclusions: Patients with MDD showed inaccurate memory self-awareness as they under-estimated their memory functioning, a pattern distinct from both patients with MCI-AD and HC.
- The Social anxiety scale for adolescents: Measurement invariance and psychometric properties among a school sample of portuguese youthsPublication . Pechorro, Pedro; Ayala-Nunes, Lara; Nunes, Cristina; Maroco, João; Gonçalves, Rui AbrunhosaOver the last decades there has been an increased interest in assessing social anxiety in adolescents. This study aims to validate the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) to Portuguese youth, and to examine its invariance across gender as well as its psychometric properties. The participants were 782 Portuguese youths (371 males, 411 females), with an average age of 15.87 years (SD = 1.72). The results support the original three-factor structure of the SAS-A, with measurement invariance being found across gender, with females scoring higher than males on two subscales. High levels of internal consistency were found. Positive associations with empathy demonstrated that high socially anxious adolescents have elevated empathy tendencies. Mostly null or low negative associations were found with measures of psychopathic traits, callous-unemotional traits and aggression. Study findings provide evidence that the SAS-A is a psychometrically sound instrument that shows measurement invariance between genders, good reliability and positive correlations with empathy.
- Time perception in mild cognitive impairment: interval length and subjective passage of timePublication . Coelho, Sara; Guerreiro, Manuela; Chester, Catarina; Silva, Dina; Maroco, João; Coelho, Miguel; Paglieri, Fabio; de Mendonça, AlexandreObjectives Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may have difficulties in time perception, which in turn might contribute to some of their symptoms, especially memory deficits. The aim of this study was to evaluate perception of interval length and subjective passage of time in MCI patients as compared to healthy controls. Methods Fifty-five MCI patients and 57 healthy controls underwent an experimental protocol for time perception on interval length, a questionnaire for the subjective passage of time and a neuropsychological evaluation. Results MCI patients presented no changes in the perception of interval length. However, for MCI patients, time seemed to pass more slowly than it did for controls. This experience was significantly correlated with memory deficits but not with performance in executive tests, nor with complaints of depression or anxiety. Conclusions Memory deficits do not affect the perception of interval length, but are associated with alterations in the subjective passage of time.