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Publication
"À conversa com a Ansiedade Social": Resultados de um estudo piloto sobre uma Intervenção inovadora para o aumento da Literacia
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| 1.6 MB | Adobe PDF |
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Abstract(s)
A Perturbação de Ansiedade Social (PAS) é um dos quadros psicopatológicos mais prevalentes (4% - 12%) contudo, menos de 5% desta população procura ajuda profissional e aqueles que procuram, demoram cerca de 16 anos. Na base da reduzida procura de ajuda parecem encontrar-se baixos níveis de literacia. Torna-se assim necessário dispormos de intervenções viáveis e aceitáveis com demonstrada capacidade para aumentar os níveis de literacia das populações acerca desta perturbação. Uma vez testadas, estas intervenções poderão ser aplicadas com segurança evitando o desperdício de recursos, a desmotivação e saturação com eventual efeito contrário ao desejado nas comunidades alvo destes programas. Propusemo-nos, neste estudo, conceber e comparar a viabilidade e eficácia, num estudo piloto, de duas intervenções online inovadoras destinadas ao aumento da literacia na PAS. Participaram no estudo 104 indivíduos portugueses com idades compreendidas entre os 18 e 81 anos. Foi pedido aos participantes que escutassem um podcast de 5 episódios, em função da condição experimental: (a) Programa literacia PAS com episódio sobre barreiras à procura de ajuda na fase inicial; (b) Programa literacia PAS com episódio sobre barreiras à procura de ajuda na fase final; e (c) Controlo. Os resultados da comparação entre os programas revelaram que a apresentação progressiva e sequencial da informação, em que a reestruturação das barreiras se produz no fim foi mais eficaz para o aumento de conhecimento e intenção de procura de ajuda. A diminuição a curto e médio prazo do estigma pareceu beneficiar, no entanto, do programa em que a reestruturação das barreiras à procura de ajuda foi abordada na fase inicial da intervenção. Apesar da elevada mortalidade da amostra em especial dos participantes com menos intenções de procura de ajuda no pré-teste, a aceitabilidade e compreensão de ambos os programas foram excelentes. Concluímos que, num programa de aumento de literacia em PAS, a seleção e progressão de conteúdos, poderá ser realizada em função das variáveis, que integram o construto da literacia (conhecimento, estigma, atitudes, intenção e comportamento de procura de ajuda) e se propõe alterar. Os resultados do nosso estudo poderão ser replicados em ensaios clínicos controlados.
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) one of the most prevalent diagnoses (4% - 12%), however, less than 5% of this population seeks professional help and those who seek, take about 16 years to do so. The basis for the reduced demand for help appears to be low levels of literacy. It is, therefore, necessary to have viable and acceptable interventions with proven capacity to increase the literacy levels of populations regarding this disorder. Once tested, these interventions can be applied safely, avoiding waste of resources, demotivation, and saturation potential counterproductive effects in the target communities of these programs. In this study, we aimed to design and compare the feasibility and effectiveness, in a pilot study, of two innovative online interventions aimed at increasing literacy in SAD. A total of 104 Portuguese individuals aged 18 to 81 participated in the study. Participants were asked to listen to a 5-episode podcast based on the experimental condition: (a) SAD literacy program with an episode on barriers to help-seeking in the early phase; (b) SAD literacy program with an episode on barriers to help-seeking in the final phase; (c) Control. The results of the comparison between the programs revealed that the progressive and sequential presentation of information, where the restructuring of barriers occurs at the end, was more effective in increasing knowledge and intention to seek help. The shortand medium-term reduction in stigma seemed to benefit, however, from the program in which the restructuring of barriers to help-seeking was addressed in the early phase of the intervention. Despite the high mortality rate in the sample, especially among participants with less intention to seek help in the pre-test, the acceptability and understanding of both programs were excellent. We conclude that, in a SAD literacy enhancement program, the selection and progression of content can be tailored based on variables that comprise the literacy construct (knowledge, stigma, attitudes, intention, and help-seeking behavior) that are intended to be altered. The results of our study could be replicated in controlled clinical trials.
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) one of the most prevalent diagnoses (4% - 12%), however, less than 5% of this population seeks professional help and those who seek, take about 16 years to do so. The basis for the reduced demand for help appears to be low levels of literacy. It is, therefore, necessary to have viable and acceptable interventions with proven capacity to increase the literacy levels of populations regarding this disorder. Once tested, these interventions can be applied safely, avoiding waste of resources, demotivation, and saturation potential counterproductive effects in the target communities of these programs. In this study, we aimed to design and compare the feasibility and effectiveness, in a pilot study, of two innovative online interventions aimed at increasing literacy in SAD. A total of 104 Portuguese individuals aged 18 to 81 participated in the study. Participants were asked to listen to a 5-episode podcast based on the experimental condition: (a) SAD literacy program with an episode on barriers to help-seeking in the early phase; (b) SAD literacy program with an episode on barriers to help-seeking in the final phase; (c) Control. The results of the comparison between the programs revealed that the progressive and sequential presentation of information, where the restructuring of barriers occurs at the end, was more effective in increasing knowledge and intention to seek help. The shortand medium-term reduction in stigma seemed to benefit, however, from the program in which the restructuring of barriers to help-seeking was addressed in the early phase of the intervention. Despite the high mortality rate in the sample, especially among participants with less intention to seek help in the pre-test, the acceptability and understanding of both programs were excellent. We conclude that, in a SAD literacy enhancement program, the selection and progression of content can be tailored based on variables that comprise the literacy construct (knowledge, stigma, attitudes, intention, and help-seeking behavior) that are intended to be altered. The results of our study could be replicated in controlled clinical trials.
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Keywords
Perturbação da Ansiedade Social Literacia em Saúde Mental (LSM) Estigma Procura de Ajuda.