J Pais-Ribeiro

Publications of J Pais-Ribeiro

• Positive Psychosocial Variables and Outcome Variables in Persons with Epilepsy

  Authors: J. Pais-Ribeiro, R. F. Meneses

  09/2011;

  ISBN: 978-953-307-680-5

• Relationship between optimism, disease variables, and health perception and quality of life in individuals with epilepsy.

  Authors: 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 variablesEpilepsy 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.

  Authors: 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,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.

• Relationship between optimism, disease variables, and health perception and quality of life in individuals with epilepsy

  Authors: 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 variablesEpilepsy 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.