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  • The influence of planning and response inhibition on cognitive functioning of Non-Psychotic unipolar depressed suicide attempters
    Publication . Moniz, Marco; Jesus, Saul Neves de; Pacheco, Andreia; Gonçalves, Eduardo; Viseu, J.; Brás, Marta; Silva, Dina; Batista, Silvia
    Depression is one of the main risk factors for suicide. However, little is known about the intricate relationships among depressive symptomatology in unipolar depression, suicide risk, and the characteristics of executive dysfunction in depressed patients. We compared 20 non-psychotic unipolar depressed suicide attempters to 20 matching depressed non-attempters and to 20 healthy controls to further investigate the possible differences in neuropsychological performance. Depressed subjects were controlled for current suicidal ideation, and their neuropsychological profile was assessed using a range of measures of executive functioning, attention, verbal memory, processing speed, and psychomotor speed. Depressed groups were outperformed by healthy controls. Depressed attempters presented more cognitive impairment than depressed non-attempters on a simple Go/No-go response inhibition task and performed better than non-attempters on the Tower of London planning task. Depressed attempters were clearly distinguished by a deficit in response inhibition (Go/No-go commission errors). The normative planning performance (Tower of London extra moves) of the suicide attempters was unexpected, and this unanticipated finding calls for further research. Normative planning may indicate an increased risk of suicidal behavior.
  • Validity and reliability evidence of the psychological capital questionnaire-12 in a sample of Mexican workers
    Publication . Santana-Cardenas, Soraya; Viseu, João; Lopez Nunez, Maria Inmaculada; Neves de Jesus, Saul
    Psychological capital is a construct that is included in the positive organizational behavior framework, which is based on positive psychology principles. This concept is composed by four dimensions, self-efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism, which have a synergistic action. The aim of this study was to report the psychometric properties of one of the measures of psychological capital, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire-12 (PCQ-12), in a sample of 396 Mexican workers. This instruments' factor structure was analyzed through a confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was assessed with the Cronbach's Alpha and Composite Reliability coefficients. Furthermore, convergent and discriminant validity were also evaluated. Based on three concurrent models, it was observed that the model which possessed a better fit was composed by four-correlated factors. The implications of these results are discussed, and recommendations are provided for future researches. This paper, which presents a different factor structure than the usual of psychological capital, suggests that cultural differences may play a crucial role on the way the assessed construct behaves.
  • Psychological Capital of Spanish Workers: Confirmatory Factor Analysis of PCQ-12
    Publication . Inmaculada Lopez-Nunez, Ma; Neves de Jesus, Saul; Viseu, João; Santana-Cardenas, Soraya
    Background: The concept of positive psychological capital draws from the study of positive organizational behavior and refers to a psychological state characterized by self-efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism that can be developed and related to job performance. Methods: This paper analyzed the reliability and factorial structure of the Psychological Capital Questionnaire-12 (PCQ-12) in a sample composed by Spanish workers (N = 339), from different professional sectors, through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: The analysis assessed a model with four-correlated factors competing with a second-order model proposed by the authors of this instrument. The results of the adjustment and reliability values of the dimensions are discussed in light of various studies which differ from our model or support it along with its limitations and contributes. Conclusion: Our results indicate the need to contemplate this instrument's sensitivity towards cultural differences, both geographical and organizational.