Ana Isabel Sani

Background/Objectives: Femicide-related orphanhood exposes children and adolescents to psychological distress and may disrupt their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study examined the relationships between anxiety, depression, and HRQoL among children and adolescents orphaned by femicide and tested whether depressive symptoms mediate the association between anxiety and HRQoL. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 57 children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years who had been orphaned by femicide and were residing in the Federal District of Brazil. Participants completed the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-25) to assess anxiety and depressive symptoms and the KIDSCREEN-27 to evaluate HRQoL. Data were analyzed using Spearman correlation coefficients, linear regression models with bootstrap procedures, and mediation analyses to explore direct and indirect relationships among variables. Results: Depressive symptoms were negatively associated with HRQoL, while anxiety symptoms showed a weaker negative association with HRQoL. In the regression analysis, depression emerged as the only significant predictor of HRQoL. Mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between anxiety and HRQoL was largely explained by depressive symptoms, suggesting a partial indirect effect of anxiety through depression. Conclusions: The findings indicate that depressive symptoms may play a central role in the relationship between anxiety and perceived quality of life among children and adolescents orphaned by femicide. These results highlight the importance of assessing both anxiety and depression in this population and suggest that interventions addressing depressive symptomatology may contribute to improving psychosocial well-being and HRQoL following exposure to severe family violence.

Background: The study of cyberbullying has been growing worldwide; however, the literature is still scarce regarding risk and protection factors. Objectives: Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to analyze cyberbullying from the perspective of the aggressors and their association with authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles and with the two components of empathy. Methods: The sample consisted of 422 participants, students of the 2nd and 3rd cycles in schools and Secondary Education in the North region of Portugal, aged 12 to 17 years. For data collection, the Sociodemographic Questionnaire, the Cyberbullying Questionnaire (CBQ), the Parenting Styles & Dimensions Questionnaire: Short Version (PSDQ), and the Short Version of the Basic Empathy Scale (BES-A) were used. Results: It was found that positive associations were identified between cyberbullying behaviours and authoritarian style in the father figure and the mother figure. Low positive associations were also identified between the father figure’s authoritative parenting style and cognitive empathy, and moderate positive associations between the mother figure’s authoritative parenting style and cognitive empathy. There were differences between males and females in both empathy components, with females showing higher levels of affective and cognitive empathy than males. Regarding parental styles, the authoritarian style of the father figure stood out as the only predictor of cyberbullying behaviors. Conclusions: It is considered important to educate parents towards healthier family functioning and encourage the abandonment of punitive discipline to promote a reduction in the perpetration of cyberbullying and an increase in empathy levels in the younger generation. It will also be important to raise awareness among adolescents about the consequences of internet misuse.

Cyberstalking in intimate relationships is a growing concern. This study aimed to investigate the association between Dark Triad personality traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and cyberstalking behaviors in a Brazilian sample. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study with 215 Brazilian adults, recruited via social media. Participants completed the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen and the Intimate Partner Cyberstalking Scale. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlations and hierarchical linear regression. All Dark Triad traits were positively correlated with cyberstalking. In the regression analysis, psychopathy was a significant and unique predictor of cyberstalking in all models. Narcissism also emerged as a significant predictor after controlling for sociodemographic variables. However, Machiavellianism did not show a unique predictive effect. Additionally, men reported lower levels of cyberstalking perpetration than women. The findings suggest that psychopathy and narcissism are key predictors of cyberstalking perpetration in intimate relationships, highlighting the role of personality in understanding online antisocial behaviors. Psychopathic traits, in particular, stand out as the most robust factor.

This scoping review systematically maps the literature on police victimization. Searches across EBSCO, PubMed, and Web of Science yielded 41 articles, with 11 included after selection and manual searching. The review identified working conditions, inadequate protective equipment, and exposure to violence as key contributors to aggression against police officers. It explored aspects such as prevalence, firearm attacks, organizational structure impact, and the effectiveness of Body-Worn Cameras (BWCs), which were linked to reduced assaults. Findings revealed troubling statistics on threats, assaults, and psychological impacts on officers, along with demographic patterns of perpetrators and victims. Studies emphasized the role of organizational structure in assaults and highlighted the cultural and contextual influences on police safety. Longitudinal and comparative analyses underscored effective measures and trends in reducing police victimization globally. These findings stress the need for addressing diverse factors to enhance law enforcement safety and well-being.

This qualitative study explores the perceptions of mothers who are victims of domestic violence regarding their children’s interactions during animal-assisted activities conducted over three months in a residential shelter. Utilizing a semi-structured interview approach, six mothers from diverse national backgrounds, aged 24 to 48 years, participated in the research. The study identifies perceived benefits, behavioral changes, and challenges encountered during the sessions. Content analysis revealed four main categories: (A) Parents’ perceptions of their children’s previous contact with pets; (B) initial expectations of parents regarding their children’s participation in the intervention; (C) mothers’ observations during the intervention sessions with the animals; and (D) mothers’ reflections after the intervention. Findings indicate benefits for children’s behavior and development, perceived improvements in socio-emotional skills and communication, as well as a positive emotional experience for the mothers throughout the process. The results underscore the significance of animal-assisted activities in promoting the well-being of children and their families. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating family perspectives in evaluating therapeutic interventions and offers insights for structuring more inclusive and effective animal-assisted intervention programs.

The term BDSM is used to describe a wide range of sexual practices, with previously negotiated and mutually consented rules, which take place through a carefully dramatized exercise of roles and powers in the context of erotic and/or sexual interaction. This qualitative study explores the paths and discourses of 14 Portuguese men who practice BDSM and self-identify as submissive. In-depth online interviews were conducted to contextualize the emergence, development, and self-assessment of their practices. The thematic analysis of the results identified three themes: (1) between the awakening and consolidation of interest in the BDSM universe, (2) contacts, encounters, and (dis)continuities, and (3) erotic and sexual experiences (un)blindfolded. The reading of the results is based on a non-pathologizing perspective and highlights a positive evaluation of the sexual experiences reported, motivated by an intentional and collaborative search for pleasure and eroticism that violates traditional gender boundaries. It is recommended that future empirical studies are carried out using non-pathological models associated with BDSM, which could expand knowledge and legitimize different ways of experiencing sexuality.

Workplace bullying is a violent, devastating social phenomenon that affects professionals from various fields. The present study aimed to map the bullying behaviors suffered by Portuguese healthcare professionals in the workplace and the coping strategies they used. In this quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational study, 208 Portuguese healthcare professionals participated by completing an online survey consisting of a sociodemographic questionnaire and two instruments, the Negative Acts Questionnaire—Revised and the Brief COPE. The association between sociodemographic characteristics and victimization, patterns of coping strategy frequency, and the relationship between negative work experiences and coping strategies were analyzed. It was found that only 35 participants self-identified as victims of bullying, and there was no association between victimization and any sociodemographic characteristics. However, it was observed that nurses are more frequently victims of bullying than doctors. Regarding coping strategies, participants on average used more planning and active coping. Moreover, women more frequently used social and emotional support as a coping strategy. Additionally, an association was observed between negative work experiences and coping strategies, with a higher frequency of coping strategies among those who reported more negative experiences. Finally, victims of workplace bullying reported higher use of coping strategies such as venting, distraction, and behavioral disengagement. The results are discussed based on the empirical literature on the topic, and they support reflection on the practical and scientific implications of research on workplace violence, emphasize the potential benefits of our research beyond the individual level, highlight how it could inform policies, improve institutional practices, and foster a healthier work environment for healthcare professionals.

Resumo: Neste estudo, analisamos as crenças sobre a violência doméstica e a ligação a campanhas publicitárias institucionais. No inquérito participaram 507 residentes em Portugal que responderam a uma escala de crenças, a questões acerca do fenômeno e sobre campanhas publicitárias. Os resultados revelaram um baixo nível de legitimação da violência doméstica, havendo diferenças de acordo com a experiência de vitimação. As pessoas que afirmaram ter vivenciado o fenômeno possuíam um nível menos legitimador de violência doméstica. As campanhas mais assinaladas tinham imagens de mulheres feridas. A revolta e a vontade de denunciar foram os sentimentos mais suscitados pelas campanhas.

Bullying and cyberbullying share in their definition the pattern of aggressive and intentional conduct, characterized by a perceived or observed imbalance and repeated over time. Empathy and emotional intelligence are fundamental individual skills that can enable adolescents to develop less aggressive and more empathetic behaviors. The aim of this study is to explore the frequency of bullying and cyberbullying (victimization and/or aggression), the association of bullying, cyberbullying, empathy, and emotional intelligence, and to explore whether sex, age, educational level, and online recreational time are related to bullying and cyberbullying behaviors. A sample of 599 adolescents, aged between 13 and 21 years old, from basic and secondary schools located in the north of Portugal, participated in the study. The instruments used in the study were the Sociodemographic Questionnaire; the Bullying and Cyberbullying Behavior Questionnaire; the Basic Empathy Scale; and the Self-Perception of Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. The main results indicated that victims demonstrate greater empathy and emotional intelligence. The results also showed that male adolescents take on more of the role of aggressors in bullying and cyberbullying, while female adolescents take on more of the role of victims. The study underscores the importance of developing and implementing prevention and intervention programs for bullying and cyberbullying, with a focus on promoting empathy and emotional intelligence among adolescents.