Validation of a Scale of Religious and Spiritual Coping (RCOPE) for the Portuguese Population

Validation of the Portuguese version of the Integration of Stressful Life Experiences Scale (ISLES) in a sample of bereaved individuals

The Integration of Stressful Life Experiences Scale (ISLES) evaluates the ability to integrate stressful experiences into one's meaning system. The present study developed and validated a version of this scale for a bereaved Portuguese-speaking population, utilizing a sample of 242 adults who had lost a significant other to diverse causes of death. The sample was predominantly female, educated, married, or in consensual unions, and actively employed. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure, consisting of 13 items, showing adequate local and global goodness-of-fit and supporting the proposed original structure. Convergent evidence based on internal structure was found for the two dimensions (Comprehensibility and Footing in the World). Regarding reliability, Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega computed for each factor showed good internal consistency and the average inter-item correlation was considered satisfactory. This psychometric support for ISLES underscores its relevance in enhancing the knowledge of meaning-making processes in the Portuguese context.

Psychometric Properties of the Sexually Aggressive Behaviors Scale: Factor Structure, Reliability, and Construct Validity in a Sample of Portuguese Female College Students

This study investigates the psychometric properties of the Sexually Aggressive Behaviors Scale (SABS) in a sample of 1,632 heterosexual Portuguese female college students, aged between 18 and 39 years old (M = 22.40; SD = 4.31). The internal structure of the scale was investigated, along with analyses of the internal consistency, and validity evidence in relation to external variables. Participants completed an online survey that was disseminated using Portuguese universities' mailing lists and social networks. Results supported a single factor solution consisting of 10 items. Evidence was gathered in favor of the internal consistency and convergent/discriminant validity in relation to other variables, such as rape myths, psychopathic traits, and perception of intimacy. This study adds to the evidence of the SABS being an appropriate evaluation tool with female college students, allowing the rigorous assessment of sexual violence as committed by community women against a reluctant male partner.

The Role of Dominant Spiritual and Religious Coping Modality on Psychological Predictors Among Nursing Students

Purpose: The current study aimed to examine the role of the dominant spiritual and religious coping modality on health-related variables and determinants, including stress overload, mindfulness, and impulsivity, among nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to achieve the study goal. The authors recruited 1199 nursing students. The results showed that the mean for positive spiritual and religious coping was higher compared to negative spiritual and religious coping. Results: In the current study, 73.3% of nursing students predominantly used positive spiritual and religious coping compared to 17.6% in the neutral group and 9.1% in the negative spiritual and religious coping group. Positive spiritual and religious coping was positively correlated with mindfulness and stress overload and negatively correlated with impulsivity. According to the ANOVA results, students with positive spiritual and religious coping tended to have a significantly higher stress overload, higher mindfulness, and lower impulsivity compared to the neutral and negative spiritual and coping groups. Negative spiritual and religious coping group significantly differed from the neutral groups only in terms of impulsivity. Conclusion: The current study's findings help nursing students by determining dominant spiritual and religious coping modalities and provide valuable information in directing counseling efforts. Results and implications were discussed.

Battles of the Soul: Validation of the Scale of Religious and Spiritual Struggles (RSS) for the Portuguese Population

This study aims to adapt and validate the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale for the Portuguese population. The sample consisted of 732 participants with various religious affiliations. The exploratory factor analysis showed that it consists of six dimensions, similar to the initial instrument. A KMO of 0.91 was obtained. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the existence of six factors and showed adequate fit indices. Internal consistency and construct reliability were above 0.70. The analysis of the psychometric qualities of this instrument indicates that it can be applied to the Portuguese population and is a valuable instrument for psychotherapeutic practice and studies in the psychology of religion and spirituality.

Measuring Sexual Motivation as a Trait Dimension: A multisample study of the Portuguese (European) Version of the Trait Sexual Motivation Questionnaire

The current study aimed at translating and validating the TSMQ into Portuguese-European (TSMQ-PT) and to investigate its psychometric properties. Three online studies were conducted with independent samples collected between September 2020 and March 2022. Study 1 tested the exploratory factorial structure (N = 325; 206 women); Study 2 explored the confirmatory factorial structure and construct validity (N = 450; 230 women); and Study 3 examined the temporal stability of the TSMQ-PT (N = 30; 15 women). Participants completed the TSMQ-PT for all three studies. In study 2, further completed the Sexual Compulsivity Scale, the Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale, and the Sexual Desire Inventory. Data revealed that the TSMQ-PT yielded a four-structure model, (i.e., Sexually Oriented, Comparison with Others, Seeking for Sexual Encounters, and Importance of Sex) comprising 13 items, with seven additional items for assessing existence and number of sexual partners, and frequency of sexual behaviors. The TSMQ-PT achieved good internal consistency levels (McDonald's omega ranged from .71 to .89) and construct validity, and temporal stability over 10-11 months (values ranged from .80 to .87) supporting the trait-dimension of sexual motivation. Current findings support a brief, valid, and reliable self-report instrument for assessing sexual motivation in the Portuguese context.

Dimensionality and Measurement Invariance of the Sexually Aggressive Behaviors Scale across Male and Female Portuguese College Students

There is growing interest on the topic of Sexual Violence (SV) perpetrated by community samples; movements, as the Me Too, have triggered such focus. Researching the validity of core SV measures is now fundamental. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess the structure of the Portuguese version of the Sexually Aggressive Behaviors Scale (SABS-PT) while testing for measurement invariance across gender. The SABS-PT was tested among a sample of 2540 Portuguese college students (48.5% males and 51.5% females). All participants identified as heterosexual, and their ages ranged between 18 and 39 years old. To assess the construct validity and test for measurement invariance across gender, single and multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analyses were performed. Results support the internal consistency and convergent/discriminant validity of the SABS-PT in relation to external variables. Overall, the findings suggest a good fit of data to the model. The partial scalar invariance of the measurement was obtained and further analyses on latent means differences indicated that men scored higher on SV compared to women. The SABS-PT may constitute a useful instrument for screening sexual initiation by aggressive means and associated risk factors and may play an important role as an outcome measure in programs preventing sexual violence.

Validation of the Brief RCOPE in Portuguese Family Caregivers of Adults with Health Conditions

Background: Coping is a multifactorial and individual process related to responding to stressful situations, such as being a caregiver of a relative with health conditions. Spiritual/religious coping is an important internal resource used by individuals enduring stressful situations. The 14-item Brief RCOPE is a widely used instrument but not available in European Portuguese. Objective: To translate, adapt and validate the 14-item Brief RCOPE in Portuguese caregivers of an adult relative with a health condition. Method: The methodological guideline provided by Sousa and Rojjanasrirat was used to examine the psychometric properties of the Brief RCOPE. Results: The linguistic and conceptual equivalence of the scale was determined. The internal consistency was acceptable (Cronbach’s α = 0.86). The Principal Axis Factor (PAF) analysis with varimax rotation identified two factors made up of 13 items, and one item was excluded from the scale. Conclusion: The European Portuguese version of the Brief RCOPE is a reliable and valid measure for assessing religious coping of family caregivers of adults with health conditions.