Rute Meneses

PhD


Research interests

  • Interests
    Health Psychology, Positive Psychology, Quality of Life, Self-efficacy, Spirituality, Communication in Health Care, Life Skills

Other

  • Languages
    Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish, French
  • Scientific Memberships
    2009/- – Sociedade Portuguesa de Qualidade de Vida (SPQdV);

    2009/- – Evidence in Research and Action (EIRA) Network;

    2008/- – tEACH committee of EACH (European Association of Communication in Health Care);

    2008/- – European Association for Communication in Healthcare (EACH);

    2008/- – Associação Científica para a Promoção e Educação para a Saúde (ACPES);

    2008/- – International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA);

    2007/- – Sociedade Portuguesa de Saúde e Comportamento;

    2007/- – Associação para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento Sócio-cultural (AGIR);

    2006/- – European Network for Positive Psychology;

    2005/- – Australian Centre on Quality of Life (ACQOL);

    2004/2005 – Stress and Anxiety Research Society (STAR);

    2003/2005 – Associação Portuguesa de Hipnose Clínica e Experimental (IMAGINAL);

    2002/2005- – International Neuropsychological Society (INS);

    2002/- – International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE);

    2000/- – Liga Portuguesa Contra a Epilepsia (LPCE);

    1999/- – Associação Psicológica Iberoamericana de Clínica e Saúde (APICSA);

    1997/- – Associação de Língua Portuguesa para o Estudo do Stress Traumático;

    1996/- – Sociedade Portuguesa de Psicologia da Saúde (SPPS);

    1995/- – Associação dos Psicólogos Portugueses (APPORT).
  • Journal Referee
    2010/- – Cadernos de Comunicação e Linguagem;

    2007/- – Revista da Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade Fernando Pessoa;

    2006/- – Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Psicologia Hospitalar (Member of the Editorial Board);

    2006/- – “Cons-Ciências”;

    2005/- – “Quality of Life Research”;

    2003/- – “Psicologia, Saúde & Doenças” (Member of the Editorial Board).
  • Other Interests
    Sociedade Portuguesa de Qualidade de Vida (SPQdV);
    tEACH committee of EACH (European Association of Communication in Health Care);
    Associação Psicológica Iberoamericana de Clínica e Saúde (APICSA);
    Sociedade Portuguesa de Psicologia da Saúde (SPPS).

Publications

  • Social technologies: An important aid in psychologists’ training

    Rute F. Meneses

    Social Technologies '11: ICT for Social transformations; 11/2011

  • Development of a group intervention focusing anxiety and depression: The experience of a university clinic

    Rute F. Meneses et al.

    4th Regional Mediterranean and Atlantic Congress of the IAGP, http://www.iagp2011spp.org/img_upload/IAGP2011_PROCEEDINGS_BOOK.pdf; Porto, Portugal; 01/2011

  • Spiritual needs of Portuguese university Students and teachers

    Rute F. Meneses, Cristina Miyazaki, José Pais-Ribeiro

    4th Regional Mediterranean and Atlantic Congress of the IAGP, http://www.iagp2011spp.org/img_upload/IAGP2011_PROCEEDINGS_BOOK.pdf; Porto, Portugal; 01/2011

  • 2.23
    Impact points
    Neuropsychological predictors of quality of life in focal epilepsy.

    Rute F Meneses, J L Pais-Ribeiro, António Martins da Silva, Anna Rita Giovagnoli

    Seizure : the journal of the British Epilepsy Association. 02/2009;

    Spontaneous complaints of outpatients with focal epilepsy often stress the relationship between cognitive deficits and Quality of Life (QOL). Consequently, the aim of the present study was to find the best neuropsychological predictors of QOL in individuals with focal epilepsy, in order to guide the... [more] Spontaneous complaints of outpatients with focal epilepsy often stress the relationship between cognitive deficits and Quality of Life (QOL). Consequently, the aim of the present study was to find the best neuropsychological predictors of QOL in individuals with focal epilepsy, in order to guide their ambulatory health care. A sample of 71 Portuguese patients was studied: 40 female, 47 married, with a mean age of 37.48 years (S.D.=11.79, 16-62), mean education of 7.93 (S.D.=4.05, 3-17), and focal epilepsy of moderate severity. A Socio-demographic and Clinical Questionnaire, the SF-36 v1, the Cognitive Functioning Scale from the ESI-55, a Seizure Control scale (items from the Liverpool Seizure Severity Scale), and several neuropsychological tests were used. Semantic Fluency was the only predictor of Physical Functioning, Role Functioning - Physical, and Mental Health; I.A. Test predicted Bodily Pain; and Attentive Matrices predicted General Health, Vitality, and Role Functioning - Emotional. The Mental Component of the SF-36 v1 was predicted by Attentive Matrices, and the Physical Component was predicted by Semantic Fluency. Cognitive Functioning was predicted by the Token Test. Social Functioning and Seizure Control presented no statistically significant correlation with the neuropsychological indicators used. These results underscore the importance of cognitive performance to the QOL of individuals with focal epilepsy, supporting the systematic screening of cognitive performance in this population. Additionally, they suggest cognitive rehabilitation has the potential to improve these individuals' QOL.
  • Portuguese Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS): Usefulness in Focal Epilepsy

    Rute F. Meneses, Pais-Ribeiro José, A. Martins da Silva, Anna R Giovagnoli

    The Internet Journal of Mental Health. 01/2008;

    Objective: To explore the usefulness of the Portuguese HADS for outpatients with focal epilepsy. Methods: Ninety-nine outpatients were assessed using a socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire, the MHI-5, and the HADS (individual interview). Results: HADS proved to be understandable and well acc... [more] Objective: To explore the usefulness of the Portuguese HADS for outpatients with focal epilepsy. Methods: Ninety-nine outpatients were assessed using a socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire, the MHI-5, and the HADS (individual interview). Results: HADS proved to be understandable and well accepted by patients, with alpha ranges from 0.72 to 0.82. It also correlated with MHI-5 and some demographic and clinical variables. Conclusions: The results support the use of the Portuguese HADS as a screening tool for these patients (facial validity; internal consistency; construct validity), though the associations between HADS scores and some demographic and clinical variables question its validity. The results underscore the importance of assessing patient affective status, as anxiety and depression are common and provide additional insight into the association of anxiety/depression with certain demographic and clinical variables. The reasons for the inconsistencies between these results and published literature should be explored in future studies.
  • 2.61
    Impact points
    Relationship between optimism, disease variables, and health perception and quality of life in individuals with epilepsy.

    J Pais-Ribeiro, A Martins da Silva, R F Meneses, C Falco

    Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 09/2007; 11(1):33-8.

    Epilepsy is a relatively frequent chronic condition with an important impact on the health perception and quality of life (QOL) of patients. The aim of the present study was to identify variables related to health status perception and QOL in persons with epilepsy. Participants were 200 persons with... [more] Epilepsy is a relatively frequent chronic condition with an important impact on the health perception and quality of life (QOL) of patients. The aim of the present study was to identify variables related to health status perception and QOL in persons with epilepsy. Participants were 200 persons with epilepsy, 53.5% of whom were males. The mean age was 39.6; 95% had seizures, and 99% were taking antiepileptic medication. The self-report questionnaire administered assessed four types of variables: demographic, disease, epilepsy-specific optimistic attitude, and outcome variables. Results demonstrated that an optimistic orientation is related to better perception of physical and mental health status and better perception of QOL. The variables that best predict positive outcomes are optimistic orientation, perception of cognitive functioning, and perception of seizure control. These results question the importance attributed to seizure characteristics for everyday functioning and everyday life of individuals with epilepsy, and stress the importance of facilitating an epilepsy-specific optimistic orientation.
  • Validation study of a Portuguese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

    J Pais-Ribeiro, I. Silva, T Ferreira, A Martins, R. Meneses, M Baltar

    Psychology, health & medicine. 04/2007; 12(2):225-35; quiz 235-7.

    The study aims to develop and assess metric proprieties of the Portuguese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A sequential sample includes 1322 participants diagnosed with cancer, stroke, epilepsy, coronary heart disease, diabetes, myotonic dystrophy, obstructive sleep apnoea, depr... [more] The study aims to develop and assess metric proprieties of the Portuguese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A sequential sample includes 1322 participants diagnosed with cancer, stroke, epilepsy, coronary heart disease, diabetes, myotonic dystrophy, obstructive sleep apnoea, depression and a non-disease group, which completed the HADS. The first step includes translation, retroversion, inspection for lexical equivalence and content validity, and cognitive debriefing. Then we reproduce oblique exploratory factor analysis and use confirmatory factor analysis. We explore the sensibility of the questionnaire. The validation process of the Portuguese HADS version shows metric properties similar to those in international studies, suggesting that it measures the same constructs, in the same way, as the original HADS form.
  • Self-concept of obese and non-obese children / Auto-conceito em crianças com e sem obesidade

    Simões Daniela, Rute F. Meneses

    Psicologia : Reflexão e Crítica. 01/2007;

    The present study was motivated by the concern and interest for childhood obesity and the psychological aspects associated with it. This transversal study aimed to compare the self-concept of obese and non-obese children. A socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire and the Portuguese version by M... [more] The present study was motivated by the concern and interest for childhood obesity and the psychological aspects associated with it. This transversal study aimed to compare the self-concept of obese and non-obese children. A socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire and the Portuguese version by Martins, Peixoto, Mata and Monteiro (1995) of the Self-Perception Profile of Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Children (1986) were administered to a sample of 100 children (n=58 female), between 8 and 12 years of age (M=10,19; SD=1,26), mainly living in a urban context (n=54) and of median Socio-Economical Level (n=78), 45 of which were obese. Non-obese children had significantly higher mean scores in the subscales Athletic Competence and Physical Appearance. Obese children had significantly higher mean scores in the subscale Behavioural Attitude. The results partially support the literature, emphasizing the need to replicate this study with a bigger sample.
  • 2.61
    Impact points
    The contribution of spirituality to quality of life in focal epilepsy.

    Anna R Giovagnoli, Rute F. Meneses, Antonio Martins da Silva

    Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 09/2006; 9(1):133-9.

    People with epilepsy of comparable severity may differ widely in quality of life (QOL), suggesting a role for unexplored individual aspects. This study considered the possible role of spirituality. Thirty-two patients with focal epilepsy completed scales for QOL (World Heath Organization QOL, WHOQOL... [more] People with epilepsy of comparable severity may differ widely in quality of life (QOL), suggesting a role for unexplored individual aspects. This study considered the possible role of spirituality. Thirty-two patients with focal epilepsy completed scales for QOL (World Heath Organization QOL, WHOQOL 100), spirituality (WHO Spirituality, Religiousness, and Personal Beliefs), depression, anxiety, and cognitive efficiency, as well as neuropsychological testing. The QOL and spirituality scales exhibited satisfactory internal consistency. Factor analyses of the scale and test scores yielded separate spiritual (Personal Meaning, Inner Energy, Awe and Transcendence, and Openness), affective (Mood), and cognitive (Cognition, Memory, and Perceived Cognitive Efficiency) factors. The total WHOQOL 100 score was significantly predicted by the Awe and Transcendence and Mood factors. The spiritual, Mood, and Cognition factors significantly predicted single QOL domains. These preliminary results highlight the contribution of spirituality to QOL in epilepsy, encouraging future studies. This could influence the conceptualization and assessment of QOL in these patients.
  • Relationship between optimism, disease variables, and health perception and quality of life in individuals with epilepsy

    J. Pais-Ribeiro, A. Martins da Silva, R.F. Meneses, C. Falco

    Epilepsy & Behavior.

    Epilepsy is a relatively frequent chronic condition with an important impact on the health perception and quality of life (QOL) of patients. The aim of the present study was to identify variables related to health status perception and QOL in persons with epilepsy. Participants were 200 persons with... [more] Epilepsy is a relatively frequent chronic condition with an important impact on the health perception and quality of life (QOL) of patients. The aim of the present study was to identify variables related to health status perception and QOL in persons with epilepsy. Participants were 200 persons with epilepsy, 53.5% of whom were males. The mean age was 39.6; 95% had seizures, and 99% were taking antiepileptic medication. The self-report questionnaire administered assessed four types of variables: demographic, disease, epilepsy-specific optimistic attitude, and outcome variables. Results demonstrated that an optimistic orientation is related to better perception of physical and mental health status and better perception of QOL. The variables that best predict positive outcomes are optimistic orientation, perception of cognitive functioning, and perception of seizure control. These results question the importance attributed to seizure characteristics for everyday functioning and everyday life of individuals with epilepsy, and stress the importance of facilitating an epilepsy-specific optimistic orientation.

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