Concluded Projects

2021 - 2023: Occurrence and variables associated with Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Description: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is characterized by the excessive concern regarding perceived flaws in one’s own physical appearance, and with clinically significant distress. This disorder often co-occurs with depressive and anxiety disorder, typically emerging during adolescence and early adulthood. Perfectionism is defined as setting extremely challenging goals and engaging in self-criticism when these objectives are not achieved. It is related to a range of mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, and is considered a risk factor for the development of BDD. The frustration intolerance consists of four factors: discomfort intolerance, entitlement, emotional intolerance, and frustration due to unmet achievement. Studies have shown the importance of considering these factors on the development of mental disorders. The current study’s objective is to investigate BDD in the university population and its relation with perfectionism, frustration intolerance, and common mental disorders. The study aims to conduct an integrative review of BDD, assess the impact of common mental disorders and cognitive variables on the occurrence of this disorder among university population, and ultimately contribute to the scientific progress in the field of Health Psychology.

2020 - 2022: Academic procrastination and anxiety in university students

Description: Academic procrastination is characterized by the voluntary delay of academic responsibilities, notable for its high frequency among university students and its associations with individuals’ irrational beliefs. Frustration intolerance appears to be associated with various psychological issues and is considered central to procrastination. Additionally, anxiety is an important factor associated with this behavior, indicating that better anxiety management is linked to reduced rates of procrastination. Furthermore, it should be noted that both frustration intolerance and academic procrastination are associated with increased psychological distress and negative academic results. The current study aims to investigate academic procrastination behavior in university students and its relation with beliefs about anxiety, perceived control, and frustration intolerance. The study aims to characterize a sociodemographic profile related to academic procrastination, investigate the relation between sociodemographic variables, perceived anxiety control, and frustration intolerance, and ultimately contribute to the literature in this field.

2019 - 2022: Suicide in university students: Beliefs and associated factors

Description: The present project aims to assess beliefs and factors associated with suicidal ideation in university students. Specifically, the project aims to I) Estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation in university students, II) Assess the beliefs about suicidal ideation in university students with and without suicidal ideation, III) Investigate factors associated to suicidal ideation in university students, and IV) Examine the prevalence of suicidal ideation in university students. For this purpose, two different work plans will be proposed, one will evaluate beliefs in young university students with and without suicidal ideation, and the other will estimate the prevalence and associated factors to suicidal ideation in young university student.

2019 - 2022: Anxiety disorders, Self-efficacy, and Self-esteem: A study with university students

Description: General: Examine the presence of symptoms of anxiety and phobic disorders in university students and their relation with psychological variables, including self-efficacy and self-esteem. Specifics: Conduct an integrative review of phobic-anxiety disorders; Investigate the relation between anxiety disorders and specific phobias with self-efficacy and self-esteem; Profile the sociodemographic factors related to the prevalence of anxiety and phobic symptoms; Investigate the connection between sociodemographic variables and anxiety and phobic disorders.

2019 - 2022: Anxiety and phobia in patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Description: The goal is to conduct two studies with the overarching objective of investigating anxiety and phobias in patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO). The objectives of each study are as follows: Study 1: Translate to Brazilian Portuguese and validate The Anxiety Control Questionnaire-Revised (Brown et al., 2004), The Credibility-Expectancy Questionnaire (Devilly & Borkovec, 2000) and The Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (Mishel, 1981) in a sample of Brazilians. Although these instruments are widely used in international research, to the best of our knowledge, they have not been translated and validated for the Brazilian context. The translation, adaptation, and validation of these scales will expand research opportunities and will enable comparisons between international studies. Study 2: Conduct empirical research with the aim of identifying anxiety and phobic symptoms during treatment in hyperbaric chamber; assess if the perceived anxiety management, uncertainty about illness, and credibility of treatment are related to this occurrence, and analyze the effects of an intervention protocol based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) on reducing anxiety and phobic symptom levels.

2019 - 2020: Health Psychology, diabetes and amputation: A study on psychological adjustment

Description: This study aims to analyze the coping process and the impacts on the lives of individuals who have undergone lower limb amputations related to type 1 or type 2 diabetes, aiming to identify the main coping strategies used by amputees and how the strategies influence their psychological adjustment. The research will employ semi-structured interviews, a Socio-Demographic and Clinical Questionnaire, as well as the SRQ-20 and Brief Cope scales. The instruments will be administered in the amputees’ homes and will take approximately sixty minutes to complete. The contact will be established with healthcare in the city of Estancia, SE, who have already been authorized by the city’s Health Department and agreed to collaborate with the research. Data analysis will be conducted using the Interface of R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires (IRAMUTEQ) software. The study’s premise is to understand the coping process and impacts of limb loss in psychosocial adaptation from the victims’ own reports, making it possible to contribute to the planning of future interventions to enhance the psychological adjustment of patients to this new condition.]

2018 - 2022: Anxiety Disorders in Adolescents

Description: Primary Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the presence of Anxiety Disorders (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Social Phobia) in adolescents in the city of Aracaju (SE). Secondary objective: It aims to identify the main symptoms of each of these disorders among individuals who meet diagnosis screening criteria for these clinical conditions. It also intends to analyze the findings related to gender and proximity to college entrance exams variables, aiming for a comprehensive understanding of the social distribution and clinical characteristics of these disorders in this population.

2018 - 2020: Beliefs of Psychology students regarding suicide

The current study aims to assess the beliefs of Psychology students at the Federal University of Sergipe regarding suicide and, more specifically, to correlate them with conceptions of death and the assessment of religiosity. We understand that by exploring conceptions of death and religiosity in relation to beliefs about suicide, we can gain insight into the potential motivations of individuals who either contemplate or have already attempted suicide. The lack of existing studies makes this research relevant, as it addresses possible ideological factors that, in conjunction with risk factors, may contribute to instances of self-extermination. The general objective of the study is to evaluate beliefs about suicide among Psychology students.

2017 - 2022: Health, Social Inequality, and Racism: Interfaces between Health Psychology and Social Psychology

Project certified by coordinator Marcus Eugenio Oliveira Lima on 02/21/2020.

Description: The project 'Inequities and Adaptive Processes from the Perspective of Social Psychology and Health Psychology' is being submitted in response to CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel)/FAPITEC (Sergipe State Foundation for Research and Innovation Support)/SE (Sergipe) Notice 10/2016 - Program for Encouraging Mobility and Increasing Academic Cooperation in Graduate Programs at Higher Education Institutions in Sergipe (PROMOB). The primary objective is to facilitate the development and progressive expansion of academic partnerships involving the Graduate Program in Psychology at the Federal University of Sergipe (PPGPSI-UFS) (the proposing institution), the Graduate Program in Psychology at the Federal University of Paraiba (PPGPS-UFPB) (the first associate), and the Graduate Program in Psychology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas (POSPSICO-PUCCAMP) (the second associate). The foundation of this proposal is the study of characterizing and understanding the consequences of social and health inequities within the fields of Social and Health Psychology, assessing how these factors influence the coping processes of individuals and groups.

2017-2020: Mental Health in dermatological patients

Description: Primary Objective: - Systematically Map patients from the Dermatology Lab at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Sergipe (HU/UFS), outlining the social, psychological, and clinic profile of individuals affected by Atopic Dermatitis, Psoriasis, and other dermatological conditions, as well as their caregivers. - Analyze the way psychological processes are related to the occurrence of common mental disorders, especially depression and anxiety. Secondary Objective: Study 1: - Evaluate how emotions, emotional regulation (suppression and cognitive reappraisal), obsessive-compulsive symptoms and subjective well-being are related to the occurrence of depressive and anxious disorders in adult patients affected by psoriasis, as well as how to relate these variables to the severity of the disease; Study 2: - Analyze how social support and emotional regulation influence the quality of life of primary family caregivers; - Evaluate how automatic thoughts and obsessive-compulsive symptoms influence the quality of life of children or adolescents affected by Atopics Dermatitis and other dermatoses; investigate the presence of depressive and anxious symptoms in these groups. - Study 3: - Analyze the main stressors, the level and characteristics of stress, the presence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and coping strategies, as well as treatment adherence in individuals with dermatological conditions treated by the Dermatology Lab of the University Hospital of the Federal University of Sergipe (HU/UFS), as well as outlining the occurrence of common mental disorders (Depression and Anxiety) in this group.

2017 - 2019: Depression and Coping with Adversities in Individuals under Conditions of deprivation of liberty

Description: The current research aimed to investigate the occurrence of depressive symptomatology and the use of coping strategies in people incarcerated for the first time in the prison system. Additionally, it sought to comprehend, from the perspective of the person deprived of liberty, the impact of their first experience in prison and their expectations for the future. To achieve this, three studies were conducted. The aim of the first study was to conduct an integrative literature review on depression and factors associated with its occurrence in incarcerated people within the prison environment. In the results, it was noticed that the occurrence of depression was evident in all the analyzed articles. Sociodemographic factors, institutional aspects, and received social support also maintained a significant relationship with depression symptoms in the prison. In the second study, the aim was to analyze, through free word evocation technique, using the inductive terms ‘prison’ and ‘future’, how individuals who were already sentenced (G2) and those in provisional detention (G1) perceived confinement. The results indicated that both groups perceived prison as a place of physical and mental illness. The third study, aimed to investigate the occurrence of depressive symptomatology and analyze coping strategies used by the individual in their adaptation process to the first incarceration. Regarding the results found, it was noticed that the majority of the participants were identified by the CESD-R tracking scale with the presence of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, it was found that the participants who used the Planning strategy had approximately two and a half times more chances of presenting positive symptoms of depression in prison. Finally, it is expected that these studies may contribute to assisting in the development of initiatives aimed at increasing protective factors and reducing the risk factors for depression in the prison environment.

2017 - 2019: Depressive symptoms, Locus of Control, Emotional Regulation, and Disability in Chronic Low Back Pain

Description: Primary Objective: Investigate the relationship between depression, locus of control, emotional regulation, and disability in patients with chronic low back pain. Secondary Objective: Analyze how the relationship between depression and low back pain has been studied in scientific literature through an integrative literature review. Assess the impact of psychosocial context on the manifestation of depressive symptoms in individuals.

2017 - 2019: Emotional Regulation, Anxiety and/or Depressive Disorders in Patients with and without a Diagnosis of Migraine

Description: The purpose of this work was to study the relation between Emotional Regulation (ER), anxiety disorders (AD), and/or depressive disorders (DD) in migraine patients. Two studies were conducted to accomplish this objective. The aim of Study 1 was to conduct an integrative review of national and international literature regarding studies focusing on the relation between migraine, ED and/or DD in scientific journals within the fields of health and psychology. At the end of the research, it was confirmed that anxiety and depressive disorders commonly co-occur with migraine, and that migraine is more prevalent in females. The aim of Study 2 was to analyze the relation between ER, anxiety, and/or depressive symptoms and the presence of a migraine complaint. Afterward, we sought to understand the occurrence of symptoms related to anxiety and/or depression, both with and without migraine complaint. Subsequently, we examined the ER strategies used by the participants, and finally, analyzed the relation between ER and symptoms related to anxiety and/or depression, comparing two groups: individuals with and without migraine complaints. The results showed that 57% of the tested individuals were positive for migraine according to the ID-Migraine?. Regarding the association between gender and migraine, it was found that women were more likely to experience migraines than men, and they were 2 times more likely to suffer from migraines. Regarding the relation between migraine and anxiety, it was found that among those who received a positive diagnosis on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the majority were in the migraine group and were almost 4 times more likely to be in the migraine group. Finally, the comparison of emotional regulation variables (cognitive reappraisal and emotional suppression) with migraine showed no statistically significant difference between the groups.

2016 - 2021: Prevalence of Depression, Structural and Invariance Analysis with the BDI-II in a Household Sample of Adults from Sergipe

Description: The Beck Depression Inventory (2nd version, BDI-II) is one of the most used tools for assessing depression, serving as an important instrument for diagnosing this disorder in the general adult population. However, only a few studies have conducted a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of the BDI-II in a non-clinical, randomized, and household sample. There are also no studies that have compared different theoretical models of the BDI-II in an adult sample with these characteristics, either in Brazil or internationally. This gap extends to analysing the bifactor structural format for this scale, which has recently been suggested as the best approach for interpreting its dimensionality. In this project we aim to identify the BDI-II theoretical model that demonstrates the best-fitting indicators in a non-clinical, randomized sample of adults surveyed in their homes in the State of Sergipe (SE). In addition, we will establish a depression diagnosis tracking in a representative and probabilistic sample of the Sergipe population, also providing insight into the prevalence and social distribution of this disorder. Finally, we will assess measurement and structural equivalence by gender, socioeconomic status and clinical condition to ensure the reliability of comparing BDI-II scores according to these variables. It is intended that, given the proposed sample characteristics, the results of this research will serve as a benchmark for comparing BDI-II analyses with specific groups and other populations. In addition, considering the proposal to carry out CFA and invariance analyses of the BDI-II, new validity evidence will be produced, deepening knowledge of the instrument’s psychometric qualities.

2016 - 2017: Psychological Aspects related to the Ability to Adapt to Adversities, Treatment Adherence, and Chronic Kidney Disease

Description: Objectives: Investigate the relationship between the psychological constructs of coping and optimism, and their influence on the level of adherence to hemodialysis treatment in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease. Secondary Objectives: Identify optimism indicators; Identify the most commonly used coping strategies used in a sample of chronic renal patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment; Measure the level of treatment adherence and verify if it is influenced by sociodemographic variables.

2016 - 2017: Mental Health and Adaptation Capacity of Patients with Chronic and Inflammatory Gastrointestinal Tract Diseases

Description: Primary Objective: Investigate the occurrence and relationships between emotions (positive and negative) and the emotional regulation process (suppression and cognitive reappraisal) in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis), Colon’s Diverticular Disease, and Hemorrhoidal Disease. Secondary objective: 1. Analyze whether psychological factors (emotions and emotional regulation), sociodemographic factors, and clinical variables influence the occurrence of inflammation and crises. 2. Investigate if there are differences in the occurrence of positive and negative emotions in the researched groups. 3. Investigate the presence of emotional regulation and identify which of two types (cognitive reappraisal and emotional suppression) is the most frequent in the researched groups. 4. Compare which emotions (positive and negative) are related to which type of emotional regulation (cognitive reappraisal or emotional suppression) among the patients with the researched diseases.

2015 - 2016: Psychological Aspects, Treatment Adherence, and Hypertension

Description: Objectives: General: - Compare the psychological constructs of distress and locus of control in groups of hypertensive individuals, with the aim of understanding how treatment adherence, or lack thereof, may mediate adaptation to the disease. Specific: - Identify whether there are differences in the levels of distress and locus of control among hypertensive groups; - Determine if treatment adherence is influenced by psychological, sociodemographic, clinical constructs, and health habits, and if it is, identify the predictor variables; - Analyze the relationship between sociodemographic, clinical factors, and health habits in relation to distress and locus of control; - Identify the clinical, sociodemographic, and health habits determinants that influence treatment adherence.

2015 - 2016: Preferences, Expectations, and Birth Experiences in Women from Aracaju: A "Normal vs. Cesarean" Discussion

Description: Primary Objective: Identify the perception of expectant mothers regarding the pregnancy/delivery process based on delivery modalities, using two research groups: mothers (pre-delivery) and mothers (post-delivery). Secondary Objective: Capture initial preferences of these pregnant women/mothers, as well as the determining factors for the preference and the experience of those who have already gone through the process.

2014 - 2017: Sexuality and Gender in Contemporary Brazilian Society: Psychosocial Aspects and Impacts on Health

Description: The project SEXUALITY AND GENDER IN CONTEMPORARY BRAZILIAN SOCIETY: PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS AND IMPACTS ON HEALTH submitted in response to CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel)/FAPITEC (Sergipe State Foundation for Research and Innovation Support)/SE (Sergipe) NOTICE 08/2013 - PROGRAM FOR ENCOURAGING MOBILITY FOR ENCOURAGING MOBILITY AND INCREASING ACADEMIC COOPERATION IN GRADUATE PROGRAMS AT HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN SERGIPE (PROMOB), seeks to implement and consolidate a network of scientific-academic interaction that brings together the Graduate Program in Social Psychology at the Federal University of Sergipe (the proposing institution of higher education), the Graduate Program in Development Psychology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (the first associate) and the Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology at the University of Sao Paulo (the second associate). The central focus of this network is the investigation of psychosocial aspects in gender and affective-sexual experiences in contemporary Brazilian society, with an emphasis on youth and their impact on individual and collective health, especially within socially vulnerable groups.

2014 - 2015: Coping Strategies and the Suffering of Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy

Description: Objectives: GENERAL: Analyze the coping process related to the caregiving challenges faced by mothers caring for individuals with Cerebral Palsy. SPECIFIC: Identify the impacts caused by the caregiving routine in Cerebral Palsy; Understand the coping strategies developed by the mothers; Map the social support network perceived by the mothers.

2014 - 2015: The meaning of anabolic steroids for adolescents

Description: The current research aims to understand the meaning of anabolic steroids for adolescents, as well as their relation to respondents’ gender. Based on conceptions and representations extracted from their speeches, it is believed that it will be possible to assess how they interpret the issue and, therefore, implement more effective interventions and preventive measures.

2011 - 2013: Depersonalization of black individuals in healthcare services: dehumanization and racism

Description: In this project, we will analyse a phenomenon that is still understudied in Psychology but has a significant social impact, the depersonalization of black individuals. The fundamental theoretical assumption used is that there are varying degrees of personalization, with some individuals being perceived as more like people than others. We considered the existence of two types of depersonalization: a general one and a specific one. The general depersonalization is theoretically related to classical notions of dehumanization or infra-humanization because it involves denying typical characteristics or necessary conditions for others to be seen as human beings, i.e., rationality, expression of feelings, intelligence, language, the ability to relate to others through symbolic mediation, etc. The specific depersonalization consists of perceiving an individual as scarcely differentiated from other individuals, denying them individuation. Evidence, especially from medical and psychological literature, has been demonstrating that these two forms of depersonalization facilitate and even legitimize violent actions and emotional indifference towards victims or patients. Our main research hypothesis is that black individuals will experience depersonalization in healthcare services, and this depersonalization will be a significant predictor of racism and diagnostic errors among resident doctors. The methodology will employ response time and content procedures in decision-making and impression-forming tasks based on videos and photos presented on a computer in an experimental design. The data will be discussed based on theories of depersonalization, racism, and dehumanization.

2010 - 2013: Development of the Psychosocial Adaptation Scale and Construction of the Psychosocial Vulnerability Index for the Assessment of Social Distribution of the Common Mental Disorders Prevalence in Aracaju (Sergipe) (ESCAPSI Project)

Description: Although the current mental health situation in Brazil reaffirms the progress achieved with the anti-asylum movement, with transformative and inclusive policies among for patients with severe mental disorders, there is an open field in what concerns actions directed to the support of individuals with Common Mental Disorders (CMDs). CMDs are characterized by symptoms of high prevalence, such as insomnia, irritability, and somatic complaints, and are typically associated with conditions of depression, anxiety, and stress; mental illnesses that indicate difficulties in psychosocial adjustment. Because they affect a significant population portion, CMDs are recognized as an important aspect to be considered in primary care for psychosocial determinants of health. However, despite its clear relevance and extensive social reach, there remains a need for investigations focused on the functioning of psychosocial adaptation in the CMDs occurrence, what can be considered a key-element to comprehend how these mental illnesses are developed and installed, both in individuals and in groups. It is important to highlight that in Social Psychology, in conjunction with health, there is currently no instrument to measure psychosocial adaptation. Furthermore, as a criterion for understanding the prevalence of these disorders, it is considered important to establish a parameter that can demonstrate the extent to which the individuals and groups are more vulnerable to CMDs. Therefore, it is possible to pursue the development of the psychosocial vulnerability index, which aims to make the social stratification of these diseases clear. Thus, the proposals of this project aim to show the current importance of developing the psychosocial adaptation scale and the psychosocial vulnerability index, using, for this purpose, the analysis of the social distribution of anxiety, depression, and stress in the population of Aracaju.