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The novelty and uncertainty of the pandemic nourished a gener-alized fear of the COVID-19, which seems to have exacerbated the pan-demic’s negative impact. It is thus relevant to monitor fear of COVID-19 and its association with individuals’ mental health, well-being, and behav-iors. Valid and reliable measures of fear of COVID-19 are necessary for that purpose. This study aimed at assessing the psychometric properties of a European Portuguese version of the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S-P). A secondary aim was to assess FCV-19S-P’s multigroup measurement invariance (female vs. male). A sample of 572 Portuguese adults (72 % fe-male) completed the FCV-19S-P and measures of depression, anxiety, and stress. The study results supported this version validity and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = .84; Composite Reliability = .83), and a factorial struc-ture similar to the original version. Fear of COVID-19 was positively asso-ciated (.23 < r < .31) with depression, anxiety, and stress. Results of the multigroup invariance analysis supported the FCV-19S-P total scalar invar-iance and its partial residual invariance, suggesting that this measure may be used to reach valid conclusions in respect to gender comparisons in samples of Portuguese adults in regard to group observed composite means., Resumen: El miedo generalizado de la COVID-19 parece haber exacerbado el impacto negativo de la pandemia. Por eso, es relevante monitorear el miedo de la COVID-19 y su asociación con la salud mental, el bienestar y los comportamientos de las personas, siendo necesarias medidas válidas y fiables de miedo de la COVID-19. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar las propiedades psicométricas de una versión en portugués europeo de la escala Fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S-P). Un objetivo secundario fue evaluar la invariancia de medición transversal multigrupo de FCV-19S-P (mujeres vs. hombres). Una muestra de 572 adultos portugueses (72 % mujeres) completaron el FCV-19S-P y medidas de depresión, ansiedad y estrés. Los resultados del estudio respaldaron la validez de esta versión y fiabilidad (alfa de Cronbach = .84; confiabilidad compuesta = .83) y una estructura factorial similar a de la versión original. El miedo de la COVID-19 se asoció positivamente (.23 < r < .31) con depresión, ansiedad y estrés. Los resultados del análisis transversal de invariancia multigrupo respaldaron la invariancia escalar total de la FCV-19S-P y su invariancia residual parcial, lo que sugiere que esta medida puede usarse para llegar a conclusiones válidas con respecto a las comparaciones de género en muestras de adultos portugueses.

Purpose Research supports a role for coping responses in adjustment to chronic pain. However, it is likely that some coping responses play a larger role in adjustment to pain for some individuals than others. The identification of the factors that moderate the association between coping responses and pain-related outcomes has important clinical implications. This study sought to determine if musculoskeletal pain diagnosis moderates the associations between eight pain-coping responses and both pain and function. Patients and Methods A non-probabilistic sample of 323 persons with different chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions completed measures of pain intensity, physical function, psychological function, and pain-coping responses. Results With only one exception, the frequency of use of pain-coping responses was not associated with pain diagnosis. Statistically significant moderation effects of pain diagnosis on the association between coping and pain outcomes were found for two coping responses: 1) support seeking when predicting pain intensity, and 2) resting when predicting both physical and psychological function. Conclusion The findings indicate that coping responses tend to play a similar role in patients' pain and function across different musculoskeletal pain conditions, with some important exceptions. If the findings are found to replicate in other samples, they would have important implications for determining when psychosocial pain treatments might (and when they might not) need to be adapted for specific diagnostic groups.

A dor crónica é um problema de saúde com elevado impacto pessoal, económico e social, influenciado por fatores biológicos, psicológicos e sociais. O coping é um dos fatores psicológicos frequentemente apontados pela literatura como relevante para o ajustamento em pessoas com dor crónica. Experiência de dor, o seu significado e o coping com a dor são porém, cultural e situacionalmente determinados. Por isso, espera-se que a mesma pessoa lide com a dor de forma diferente em diferentes circunstâncias, e pessoas de diferentes culturas lidem com a dor de forma distinta. Este estudo exploratório tem como objetivo conhecer semelhanças e diferenças na forma de lidar com a dor crónica entre pessoas portuguesas e norte americanas com dor crónica. A amostra foi constituída por 21 (12 portugueses e 9 norte americanos) adultos com dor há mais de 12 meses, participantes em 4 grupos focais (2 por nacionalidade). As transcrições dos grupos focais foram sujeitas a análise temática. Existem muitas comunalidades (e.g. estratégias biomédicas e movimento físico), mas também algumas diferenças (e.g. recurso a substâncias psicoativas, yoga e meditação apenas pelos participantes norte americanos) na forma de lidar com a dor em pessoas com dor crónica de ambas as nacionalidades. Os resultados sugerem que a cultura pode influenciar a forma como as pessoas lidam com a dor. Os resultados serão discutidos quanto às suas implicações clínicas e para a investigação. Chronic pain is a relevant health problem, with great personal and socialeconomic negative impact. Both chronic pain and its impact is influenced by biopsychosocial factors. Coping is one of the psychosocial factors most strongly associated with pain experience and with adjustment to chronic pain. In turn, both pain experience, and its meaning and pain coping strategies are known to be situationand culturally-determined. Thus, it is expectable that the way a person copes with pain varies from one circumstance to another, and across individuals with different cultural backgrounds. This exploratory study aims at exploring the similarities and differences between chronic pain patients from Portugal and from the USA in regards to their pain coping strategies. The study sample was composed by 21 (12 from Portugal, 9 from the USA) adults experiencing pain for at least 12 months, that participated in 4 focus groups (2 per country). The focus groups recording were transcribed and the transcriptions submitted to thematic analysis. There are many similarities (e.g. biomedical strategies, strategies related to physical movement), but also a few differences (e.g. use of psychoactive substances, yoga and meditation by participants from the USA only) in the way participants from both countries copied with pain. The results support the role of culture in influencing pain coping strategies of adults with chronic pain. Findings will be discussed in regards to their clinical and research implications.

Background and aims: Chronic pain is a multidimensional experience associated with psychosocial (e.g. pain-related beliefs and pain coping responses), spiritual and religious factors. Spirituality and religiosity are universal aspects of human experience that are thought to influence pain experience via its effect on pain, physical/psychological function, resilience, pain-related beliefs and pain coping responses. However, research aiming at assessing the association between religious and spiritual beliefs, and with pain-related beliefs and pain-coping responses in individuals with chronic pain is limited. This study seeks to address this gap. Methods: Eighteen community-dwelling adults with chronic low back pain or chronic pain due to osteoarthrosis participated in four focus groups. Participants were asked open-ended questions about pain-coping responses, pain-related beliefs and the perceived association between spiritual and religious beliefs with pain-coping responses and pain-related beliefs. Data were submitted to content and thematic analysis. Results: Results of qualitative analysis suggested three major themes related to the association between spirituality/religiosity and coping responses and pain-related beliefs: (1) Spirituality and religiosity as source of reframing of pain experience; (2) Organizational religiosity as inducing a sense belonging to a community, and community involvement as a source of social support and sense of purpose; (3) Using own pain experience as a way to help others in the religious community. Conclusions: The findings suggest that participants perceive pain-related beliefs and pain-coping responses as associated with spiritual and religious beliefs. Spirituality and religiosity may have an indirect effect on pain experience via its effects on coping responses and pain-related beliefs.

Nas últimas décadas têm-se vindo a multiplicar estudos sobre as formas de gestão dos orçamentos conjugais, com particular ênfase para a relação entre a gestão financeira, as desigualdades de género, e a variabilidade daquela gestão em diferentes épocas e culturas. Em Portugal conhece-se ainda pouco acerca desta realidade. Este estudo visa analisar os modos de gestão das finanças dos casais portugueses e fatores seus correlacionados em tempos de crise económica, bem como o poder marital e os papéis de género. Cerca de 1000 membros de casais heterossexuais, em idade activa, com filhos dependentes, completaram o questionário do estudo. Este texto apresenta resultados daquele estudo, recorrendo à tipologia de Jan Pahl aplicada ao caso português. Analisam-se eventuais consequências da atual crise económica sobre os referidos padrões de gestão.