Three reasons why parental burnout is more prevalent in individualistic countries: a mediation study in 36 countries.

PURPOSE: The prevalence of parental burnout, a condition that has severe consequences for both parents and children, varies dramatically across countries and is highest in Western countries characterized by high individualism. METHOD: In this study, we examined the mediators of the relationship between individualism measured at the country level and parental burnout measured at the individual level in 36 countries (16,059 parents). RESULTS: The results revealed three mediating mechanisms, that is, self-discrepancies between socially prescribed and actual parental selves, high agency and self-directed socialization goals, and low parental task sharing, by which individualism leads to an increased risk of burnout among parents. CONCLUSION: The results confirm that the three mediators under consideration are all involved, and that mediation was higher for self-discrepancies between socially prescribed and actual parental selves, then parental task sharing, and lastly self-directed socialization goals. The results provide some important indications of how to prevent parental burnout at the societal level in Western countries.

Happiness of Older Adults in Haemodialysis: Findings from a Comparative Study.

Happiness is related to longevity and better health; nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge about the construct, understood as subjective well-being (SWB), of older adults undergoing hemodialysis. This cross-sectional study investigated the extent to which hemodialysis treatment affects the SWB of older adults, compared to non-dialysis older adults. Regarding this, a total of 126 participants have interviewed: all the older adults in the hemodialysis service, 42 patients, from a city in Brazil, and 84 older adults from the Community, age- and gender-matched, predominantly men (64.3%), aged between 60 and 81 years. Participants respond to pattern questionnaires about SWB (life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect), depressive symptoms, sociodemographic characteristics, and physical health status. Analysis of variance presented in hemodialysis had no effect on SWB and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, participants in the hemodialysis had fewer years of schooling, and those in the community presented more diseases. The high number of illnesses and low educational level demonstrate effects on SWB, as well the length of hemodialysis is negatively associated with SWB. Therefore, hemodialysis by itself does not make older adults unhappier and depressive, but some variables depending on the socioeconomical status and length of treatment are associated with depression and worst SWB.

COVID-19: Threat or Opportunity for the Portuguese Higher Education's Attractiveness for International Students?

The paper analyses the influence of COVID-19 on Portuguese institutions' intake of international students and their responses to the pandemic. Two dimensions are considered: quantitative impact on international enrolments and higher education institutions' strategies for the recruitment and support of international students. The first dimension is analysed through national statistics and comparison of enrolments over the past five years. Then, the institutional strategies implemented to encourage recruitment of new international students and to support existing ones during the lockdown are explored. Statistics show that COVID-19 had a negative impact on international enrolments, although less severe than expected. Growth has continued, but at a much slower pace than in the past few years. The slowdown in growth was much more pronounced in polytechnics than in universities. Additionally, the measures implemented by Portuguese higher education institutions suggest that these have coped with COVID-19 as an opportunity to rethink and redefine strategies.

Parental Burnout and the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Portuguese Parents Experienced Lockdown Measures.

Objective: This work aimed to analyze parental burnout (PB) and establish a comparison between the times before (Wave 1) and during (Wave 2) the COVID-19 pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought additional stress to families. The pandemic could be particularly difficult for parents experiencing parental burnout, a condition that involves four dimensions: an overwhelming sense of exhaustion, emotional distancing from the child, saturation or a loss of fulfillment with the parental role, and a sharp contrast between how parents used to be and how they see themselves now. Method: A quasi-longitudinal research design was adopted, comparing two cross-sectional studies among Portuguese parents (N = 995), with an interval of 2 years between each wave of data collection. Participants were surveyed voluntarily through an online questionnaire located on the institutional web platform of the universities involved in the study. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to take into account the associations among variables, alongside controlling the possible confounding effects. Results: Parents have overall higher parental burnout scores in Wave 2 than Wave 1, with increased exhaustion, emotional distancing, and contrast, but decreased saturation. Although parental burnout levels remain higher for mothers across the two Waves, the growth is greater for fathers than for mothers. Conclusion: Reconciling childcare with paid work is a stressful and new experience for many fathers. However, results suggest that even amid a crisis, some parents had the opportunity to deeply bond with their children. Implications: We expect this work to encourage stakeholders to consider proper intervention strategies to address potential parental burnout. Also, initiatives that strengthen gender equity within parenting context are needed.

Parental Burnout Around the Globe: a 42-Country Study.

High levels of stress in the parenting domain can lead to parental burnout, a condition that has severe consequences for both parents and children. It is not yet clear, however, whether parental burnout varies by culture, and if so, why it might do so. In this study, we examined the prevalence of parental burnout in 42 countries (17,409 parents; 71% mothers; Mage = 39.20) and showed that the prevalence of parental burnout varies dramatically across countries. Analyses of cultural values revealed that individualistic cultures, in particular, displayed a noticeably higher prevalence and mean level of parental burnout. Indeed, individualism plays a larger role in parental burnout than either economic inequalities across countries, or any other individual and family characteristic examined so far, including the number and age of children and the number of hours spent with them. These results suggest that cultural values in Western countries may put parents under heightened levels of stress. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42761-020-00028-4.

Envolvimentos no trabalho e na família: estudo de caso com mães trabalhadoras na função pública / Work and family involvements: case study with working mothers in the civil service

Neste estudo, abordamos os desafios da conciliação trabalho-família em três mulheres com diferentes jornadas de trabalho (parcial, integral e extensa) na função pública. Para isso, utilizou-se um guia para a avaliação das mudanças, dificuldades, estratégias e ajustes realizados desde o nascimento das crianças. Foram conduzidas entrevistas semiestruturadas, utilizando-se análise de conteúdo para interpretação dos dados. As participantes eram casadas, na faixa etária dos 30 anos, com filhos em idade pré-escolar e residiam no interior paulista. As jornadas variavam entre 25 a 55 horas por semana. A partir da análise das entrevistas, foram construídas seis categorias: qualidade de vida, casamento e filhos, trabalho, ajustes e estratégias, suportes sociais e jornada de trabalho. A gestão do tempo na conciliação trabalho-família pode ser estressante e cansativa, especialmente para aquelas que são recém-mães. No entanto, novas adaptações e os apoios familiar e organizacional contribuem para que o desempenho dos papéis profissionais e familiares seja satisfatório.

In this study, we address the challenges of work-family reconciliation in three women with different working hours (partial, full and extensive) in the civil service. For this, we used a guide for the assessment of changes, difficulties, strategies and adjustments made since the birth of children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using content analysis for data interpretation. The participants were married, aged 30 years, with preschool children and resided in São Paulo. Journeys ranged from 25 to 55 hours per week. From the analysis of the interviews, six categories were built: quality of life, marriage and children, work, adjustments and strategies, social support and working hours. Time management in work-family reconciliation can be stressful and tiring, especially for new mothers. However, new adaptations and family and organizational support contribute to the satisfactory performance of professional and family roles.

The Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Parental Burnout Assessment: Transcultural adaptation and initial validity evidence.

This study aimed to examine the validity of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA), the current gold-standard measure of parental burnout (PB). We surveyed parents in Portugal (N = 407) and Brazil (N = 301). We (a) compared the factor structure of the Brazilian-Portuguese version with the original structure of the PBA, (b) tested the adequacy of a second-order factor structure, (c) evaluated invariance across gender and countries, (d) examined reliability, and (e) evaluated whether PB levels are related to gender, satisfaction with life, and parental self-efficacy (PSE). Results provided evidence for the validity of the Brazilian-Portuguese PBA and its four facets. Factor models supported the use of both individual facet scores and a global PB score. The structures tested were invariant across countries and gender, and all factors had good reliability. Relations with PSE, life satisfaction, and gender provided initial evidence for validity, and suggested a possible influence of intensive motherhood models.

Stress among Portuguese Medical Students: the EuStress Solution.

There has been an increasing attention to the study of stress. Particularly, college students often experience high levels of stress that are linked to several negative outcomes concerning academic functioning, physical, and mental health. In this paper, we introduce the EuStress Solution, that aims to create an Information System to monitor and assess, continuously and in real-time, the stress levels of the students in order to predict burnout. The Information System will use a measuring instrument based on wearable device and machine learning techniques to collect and process stress-related data from the students without their explicit interaction. In the present study, we focus on heart rate and heart rate variability indices, by comparing baseline and stress condition. We performed different statistical tests in order to develop a complex and intelligent model. Results showed the neural network had the better model fit.

An initial study of the Internal Validity of the Portuguese Adaptation of the Marital Social-Skills Inventory / Adaptação do Inventário de Habilidades Sociais Conjugais em Portugal: estudo preliminar de validação

In this study, we evaluated the internal structure of the Portuguese version of the Marital Social-Skills Inventory. After adapting the language of the inventory from Brazilian to European Portuguese, it was tested with 540 Portuguese respondents (20 to 70 years of age), who had been in a stable relationship for at least one year. A principal components analysis (n = 310) suggested that the internal structure includes four dimensions: Expressiveness, Self-affirmation, Self-control and Assertive Conversation. This structure was tested using a confirmatory analysis (n = 230), yielding satisfactory indicators of overall adjustment. Cronbach's alpha values for the first three dimensions indicated good internal consistency. The internal structure of the Portuguese version of the Marital Social-Skills Inventory-Villa & Del-Prette is coherent with the original structure, and psychometrically sound for the evaluation of marital social-skills among Portuguese couples. Thus, this instrument can be a useful tool in assessment and intervention work with couples.

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a estrutura fatorial de uma versão portuguesa do Inventário de Habilidades Sociais Conjugais. Após adaptação do idioma português do Brasil para o português europeu, o inventário foi aplicado em 540 portugueses (com idades entre 20 a 70 anos), que estavam a viver em conjugalidade há pelo menos um ano. A análise dos componentes principais (n = 310) sugeriu uma estrutura de quatro dimensões, denominadas Expressividade, Autoafirmação, Autocontrolo e Conversação Assertiva. A testagem do modelo na análise fatorial confirmatória (n = 230) indicou um ajustamento global aceitável. O alfa de Cronbach das três primeiras dimensões demonstrou boa consistência interna. Conclui-se que a estrutura interna da versão portuguesa do Inventário de Habilidades Sociais Conjugais-Villa & Del-Prette é coerente com a estrutura original e psicometricamente adequada à avaliação de habilidades sociais conjugais em portugueses. Assim, o instrumento poderá ser uma útil ferramenta na avaliação e intervenção com casais.

Efeitos do desemprego sobre o casal: uma revisão sistemática / The effect of unemployment on the couple: a systematic review

Apesar dos diversos estudos acerca das repercussões psicossociais do desemprego, grande parte evidencia essa situação somente no plano individual. Assim, este estudo objetivou realizar uma revisão sistemática sobre o impacto do desemprego no relacionamento conjugal. Fez-se a pesquisa bibliográfica nas bases Academic Search Complete, PsycArticles, PsycInfo, Scopus e SocIndex. Após exclusão de duplicados, três juízes avaliaram 335 artigos de modo consensual e cegado, com base nos seguintes critérios de elegibilidade: a) artigos indexados; b) redigidos em inglês, francês, espanhol ou português; c) disponíveis on-line; d) com metodologia quantitativa ou mista. Restaram 22 artigos, cuja análise de conteúdo gerou a elaboração de cinco categorias: divórcio; saúde mental, bem-estar e satisfação com a vida; satisfação conjugal; stress e coping; trabalho doméstico. Observou-se que no geral os efeitos sobre a relação parecem ser mais negativos do que positivos e o gênero é uma importante variável na análise da dinâmica conjugal face ao desemprego.

Despite the number of studies about the psychosocial factors associated with unemployment, most examine the effect on the individual level. In this study, our objective was to conduct a systematic review of the impact of unemployment on the marital relationship. The bibliographic research was performed on the Academic Search Complete, PsycArticles, PsycInfo, Scopus and SocIndex databases. After excluding duplicate results, three judges evaluated 335 articles in a consensual and blinded review, based on the following eligibility criteria: a) indexed articles; b) written in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese; c) available online; d) using quantitative or mixed methodology. As a result, we analyzed 22 articles, whose content analysis originated five categories: divorce; mental health, well-being and satisfaction with life; marital satisfaction; stress and coping; housework. The effect of unemployment on the relationship seems to be more negative than positive, and gender is an important variable in the analysis of marital dynamics in face of unemployment.

Desemprego, satisfação com a vida e satisfação conjugal em portugueses e brasileiros / Unemployment, satisfaction with life and marital satisfaction in portuguese and brazilian / Desempleo, satisfacción con la vida y satisfacción marital en portugueses y brasileños

Portugal e Brasil têm apresentado elevadas taxas de desemprego, embora a economia portuguesa esteja a crescer nos últimos anos. Neste estudo, comparamos os níveis de satisfação com a vida e satisfação conjugal entre casais portugueses e brasileiros, em diferentes configurações de desemprego (somente o marido, somente a esposa ou ambos). Participaram no estudo 186 casais portugueses e 159 casais brasileiros, com média de idade de 41 anos e numa relação há 16 anos, em média. Os resultados indicaram efeito significativo da configuração de desemprego sobre a satisfação com a vida, sendo menor quando ambos os cônjuges estão sem emprego. Neste caso, as esposas apresentam menor satisfação com a vida que seus maridos. Relativamente à satisfação conjugal, as esposas tendem a estar menos satisfeitas do que os maridos, em particular no grupo de duplo desemprego. Este estudo contribui para a compreensão da análise do fenómeno do desemprego sob a perspetiva conjugal.

Portugal and Brazil have presented high levels of unemployment, although the Portuguese economy is growing in recent years. In this study, we compared satisfaction with life and marital satisfaction between Portuguese and Brazilian couples. Differences were examined between countries and according to unemployment configurations, it means, the gender of the unemployed spouse (husband, wife or both). Participants were 186 Portuguese and 159 Brazilian couples, with a mean age of 41 years and a mean relationship length of 16 years. Our results indicated a significant effect of the unemployment configuration on life satisfaction, which is lower when both spouses are unemployed. In this case, wives are less satisfied with life than their husbands. Concerning marital satisfaction, wives tend to be less satisfied than husbands, particularly in the double unemployment configuration. Our findings contribute to a couple understanding of the unemployment phenomenon.

Portugal y Brasil han presentado elevados niveles de desempleo, aunque la economía portuguesa está creciendo en los últimos años. En este estudio, comparamos los niveles de satisfacción con la vida y satisfacción conyugal entre parejas portuguesas y brasileñas, en diferentes configuraciones de desempleo (solamente el marido, la mujer o ambos). Participaron en el estudio 186 parejas portuguesas y 159 parejas brasileñas, con una media de 41 años y en una relación desde hace 16 años, en promedio. Los resultados indicaron un efecto significativo de la configuración del desempleo sobre la satisfacción con la vida, que es menor cuando ambos los cónyuges están desempleados. En este caso, las mujeres estaban menos satisfechas que sus maridos. En cuanto a la satisfacción conyugal, las mujeres presentaron menores niveles que sus maridos, en particular en el grupo de doble desempleo. Este estudio contribuye a una comprensión del fenómeno del desempleo bajo un análisis de perspectiva conyugal.

Entre o conflito e o equilíbrio: ferramentas para examinar a relação trabalho-família / Between conflict and balance: reflections on work-family reconciliation

Introdução: A conciliação entre o trabalho e a família é uma das principais questões da sociedade, diante de um cenário de profundas transformações tanto no mundo do trabalho quanto na instituição familiar. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi examinar a integração entre teorias, instrumentos e estratégias de conciliação relatadas na literatura visando apontar caminhos para pesquisas futuras. Método: A pesquisa bibliográfica foi realizada nos portais eletrônicos Scielo e Lilacs utilizando os descritores “equilíbrio trabalho família” e “conflito trabalho família”. Os critérios utilizados foram: estudos em português, inglês e espanhol publicados entre 2011 e 2016 cujos objetivos eram a descrição, avaliação ou reflexão sobre a questão do equilíbrio ou do conflito na conciliação trabalho-família. Resultados: Os 23 artigos selecionados abordaram: a) conceitos sobre trabalho e família, b) efeitos pessoais e familiares, c) efeitos no trabalho, d) avaliação e e) estratégias e políticas de conciliação entre o trabalho e a família. Discussão: Infere-se que: a) as teorias atuais unem aspectos positivos e negativos da interface trabalho-família; b) a redução de conflitos trabalho-família traz benefícios para o bem-estar; c) trabalhadores que relatam menos conflitos apresentam maior comprometimento e satisfação no trabalho; d) há dois instrumentos para avaliar a relação trabalho-família, validados para o Brasil; e) estratégias individuais, familiares e organizacionais contribuem para melhorar a integração entre estes dois papéis. Considerações Finais: Em investigações futuras, recomenda-se a realização de trabalhos em contextos de vulnerabilidade social, visando aumentar a abrangência de acesso às estratégias que permitem melhorar o equilíbrio entre o trabalho remunerado e familiar.(AU)

Introduction: The reconciliation between work and family is one of the main issues of society, facing a scenario of profound changes in both the work and the family. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the integration between theories, instruments and conciliation strategies reported in the literature aiming to point the way to future research. Method: The bibliographic research was carried out on the electronic portals Scielo and Lilacs using the descriptors "work family balance" and "work family conflict". The criteria used were: studies in Portuguese, English and Spanish published between 2011 and 2016 whose objectives were to describe, evaluate or reflect on the issue of balance or conflict in work-family conciliation. Results: The 23 articles selected addressed: a) concepts about work and family, b) personal and family effects, c) effects on work, d) evaluation and e) strategies and policies for reconciling work and family. Discussion: It is inferred that: a) current theories link positive and negative aspects of the work-family interface; b) the reduction of work-family conflicts brings benefits to the well-being; c) workers who report fewer conflicts present greater commitment and job satisfaction; d) there are two instruments to evaluate the work-family relationship, validated for Brazil; e) individual, family and organizational strategies contribute to improving integration between these two roles. Final Considerations: In future research, it is recommended to carry out work in contexts of social vulnerability, in order to increase the scope of access to strategies to improve the balance between paid and family work.(AU)

Entre o conflito e o equilíbrio: ferramentas para examinar a relação trabalho-família / Between conflict and balance: reflections on work-family reconciliation

Introdução: A conciliação entre o trabalho e a família é uma das principais questões da sociedade, diante de um cenário de profundas transformações tanto no mundo do trabalho quanto na instituição familiar. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi examinar a integração entre teorias, instrumentos e estratégias de conciliação relatadas na literatura visando apontar caminhos para pesquisas futuras. Método: A pesquisa bibliográfica foi realizada nos portais eletrônicos Scielo e Lilacs utilizando os descritores “equilíbrio trabalho família” e “conflito trabalho família”. Os critérios utilizados foram: estudos em português, inglês e espanhol publicados entre 2011 e 2016 cujos objetivos eram a descrição, avaliação ou reflexão sobre a questão do equilíbrio ou do conflito na conciliação trabalho-família. Resultados: Os 23 artigos selecionados abordaram: a) conceitos sobre trabalho e família, b) efeitos pessoais e familiares, c) efeitos no trabalho, d) avaliação e e) estratégias e políticas de conciliação entre o trabalho e a família. Discussão: Infere-se que: a) as teorias atuais unem aspectos positivos e negativos da interface trabalho-família; b) a redução de conflitos trabalho-família traz benefícios para o bem-estar; c) trabalhadores que relatam menos conflitos apresentam maior comprometimento e satisfação no trabalho; d) há dois instrumentos para avaliar a relação trabalho-família, validados para o Brasil; e) estratégias individuais, familiares e organizacionais contribuem para melhorar a integração entre estes dois papéis. Considerações Finais: Em investigações futuras, recomenda-se a realização de trabalhos em contextos de vulnerabilidade social, visando aumentar a abrangência de acesso às estratégias que permitem melhorar o equilíbrio entre o trabalho remunerado e familiar.

Introduction: The reconciliation between work and family is one of the main issues of society, facing a scenario of profound changes in both the work and the family. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the integration between theories, instruments and conciliation strategies reported in the literature aiming to point the way to future research. Method: The bibliographic research was carried out on the electronic portals Scielo and Lilacs using the descriptors "work family balance" and "work family conflict". The criteria used were: studies in Portuguese, English and Spanish published between 2011 and 2016 whose objectives were to describe, evaluate or reflect on the issue of balance or conflict in work-family conciliation. Results: The 23 articles selected addressed: a) concepts about work and family, b) personal and family effects, c) effects on work, d) evaluation and e) strategies and policies for reconciling work and family. Discussion: It is inferred that: a) current theories link positive and negative aspects of the work-family interface; b) the reduction of work-family conflicts brings benefits to the well-being; c) workers who report fewer conflicts present greater commitment and job satisfaction; d) there are two instruments to evaluate the work-family relationship, validated for Brazil; e) individual, family and organizational strategies contribute to improving integration between these two roles. Final Considerations: In future research, it is recommended to carry out work in contexts of social vulnerability, in order to increase the scope of access to strategies to improve the balance between paid and family work.