Martim Santos

Background/Objectives: Men who have sex with men (MSM) carry a disproportionate share of the HIV burden in Portugal, yet the psychosocial characteristics of MSM living with HIV remain insufficiently described. This cross-sectional study examined how compulsive sexual behavior, internalized homonegativity, psychological distress, emotion regulation difficulties, and substance use relate to HIV serostatus, independent of sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: A convenience sample of 480 cisgender MSM (66 living with HIV) completed validated self-report measures online. Because the measures departed from normality, group differences were tested with Mann–Whitney U tests, and associations with serostatus were estimated with a parsimonious binary logistic regression, re-estimated with Firth penalization and evaluated with discrimination diagnostics. Results: Participants living with HIV showed small but significant differences on four indicators: higher compulsive sexual behavior and internalized homonegativity and lower scores on one emotion regulation subscale; depression, anxiety, and stress did not differ. In the adjusted model, compulsive sexual behavior, internalized homonegativity, and problematic substance use were associated with higher odds and the emotion regulation subscale with lower odds of living with HIV. In sensitivity analyses, the substance use association depended on how the construct was defined and was specific to chemsex with core drugs. Model discrimination was limited. Conclusions: HIV serostatus was associated with a small set of psychosocial and behavioral correlates rather than sociodemographic characteristics. These group-level associations describe correlates of serostatus, not a clinical profile of men living with HIV; they cannot establish direction and generate hypotheses, for longitudinal and structurally informed research, about stigma and social context.

Loneliness has emerged as a significant public health concern among vulnerable populations, particularly gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), and is shaped by sociodemographic and sociocultural factors. This observational, cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of loneliness and examine its associations with sociodemographic and sociocultural factors among Brazilian MSM. A total of 1196 participants (mean age = 39.96 years, SD = 12.41) completed measures of loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale), sociodemographic characteristics, economic vulnerability, social and community capital, religiosity, and clinical–behavioral factors. More than half of the participants (52.7%) reported moderate or high levels of loneliness. A hierarchical multiple linear regression model was estimated and explained 23% of the variance in loneliness. Greater economic vulnerability and problematic substance use were linked to higher loneliness, whereas being in a romantic relationship, reporting a stronger sense of community belonging, and having social networks composed predominantly of LGBTQIA+ peers were linked to lower loneliness. The absence of formal religion was independently linked to higher loneliness, and HIV serostatus was not significantly related to loneliness after adjustment. These findings highlight the relevance of loneliness in this population and inform interventions targeting material vulnerability and community-based social support.

Burn injuries are a leading cause of preventable childhood trauma that threatens family functioning and well-being. This study aimed to analyze changes over time in parental psychosocial adjustment and child's burn-related outcomes, specifically burn scar quality and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), as well as the mediating role of family functioning. Data were collected at four different assessment moments: during the hospital stay (T0), 1 month (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months (T3) postdischarge. Parental coping and distress symptoms (anxiety, depression, and traumatic stress), family functioning, the child's burn scar quality and HRQoL were assessed. A total of 100 parents and their preschool-aged children were included. The results showed significant changes in all variables. In general, parental distress symptoms decreased over time, parental coping significantly increased from T1 to T2, and family functioning significantly decreased at all assessment moments compared to T0. The child's burn scar quality and HRQoL improved over time. In addition, family functioning fully mediated the relationship between parental distress and burn scar quality. The results suggested the importance of family functioning in the relationship between parental psychosocial adjustment and the child's physical recovery. Implementing an integrated care approach, including family-centered empowerment care and routine psychosocial screening for parents, is highly recommended. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Burns are a common cause of unintentional injuries in childhood and a significant global public health issue. Parents of paediatric burn patients are a vulnerable group for psychological distress. The present systematic review aimed to synthesise the existing evidence on the factors/predictors and consequences of parental distress following paediatric burn injuries. According to PRISMA guidelines, Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases were searched until November 2021. Of the thirty-eight articles included, only fourteen were longitudinal. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality using an established tool, and most were of fair quality. Twenty-eight studies explored factors/predictors of parental distress, twenty studies identified its consequences, and eleven studies reported subgroup differences. Parents' and children's sociodemographic, psychological, psychosocial, family, and burn-related variables were significantly associated and/or contributed to parental distress. Initial levels of parental distress were considered a strong predictor of long-term distress. Parental distress was a significant potential risk factor for children's traumatic symptoms, behaviour problems, and worse health outcomes, including quality of life, with mothers being the most affected. Most parental distress symptoms decreased over time. Our findings underlined the need for routine parent psychosocial screening and the implementation of trauma-informed multidisciplinary care.

Background: Somatic symptoms of stress are a major concern among the general population, given their severity and overall burden. Objectives: This pilot randomized controlled study (RCT) aimed to assess the effectiveness of frequency-specific microcurrent (FSM) therapy alone (experimental group 1 [EG1]) and combined with a relaxation intervention (experimental group 2 [EG2]), compared to a relaxation intervention alone (active control group [ACG]) and combined with placebo (passive control group [PCG]), to determine the need for a future definitive RCT. Methods: Participants with clinically significant levels of stress were recruited and assessed at three moments (i.e., baseline assessment [T0], at the end of six sessions [T1], and at the end of 12 sessions [T2]) on somatic symptoms and satisfaction with life (primary outcomes), perceived stress, emotional distress, emotional states, and emotion regulation (secondary outcomes). A total of 85 participants completed T0, of whom 58 were randomized into four groups. Results: Using linear mixed models, differences between groups revealed that the participants receiving FSM therapy reported fewer somatic symptoms and negative emotions than those who received relaxation, at T1. Within-group analysis showed that somatic symptoms and satisfaction with life significantly improved after six or twelve sessions of FSM therapy as well as after relaxation. There were also significant improvements in perceived stress, emotional distress, emotion regulation, and emotional states (negative emotions, self-efficacy, and serenity), after six and/or 12 sessions of FSM therapy or relaxation. Conclusions: The results suggest that FSM may be a promising treatment for addressing somatic complaints and negative emotional states, supporting the implementation of a definitive RCT.

University students are at increased risk of developing burnout and psychological distress from high academic workloads and performance expectations. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between psychological and lifestyle variables and academic burnout, as well as to identify burnout risk profiles in psychology students. This study used a cross-sectional design and included 274 Portuguese psychology students, the majority being undergraduates (72.6%). Participants were assessed on psychological well-being, psychological distress, difficulties in emotional regulation, type of diet, physical activity, sleep quality, and burnout. The results showed that psychological distress, difficulties in emotional regulation, and sleep quality were positively associated with burnout, while psychological well-being was negatively associated. Using machine learning algorithms, two distinct profiles were found: “Burnout Risk” and “No Risk”. A total of 62 participants were identified as belonging to the burnout risk profile, showing higher levels of distress, emotional regulation difficulties, poor psychological well-being and sleep quality, pro-inflammatory diet, and less physical activity. The accuracy of the three machine learning models—Random Forest, XGBoost, and Support Vector Machine—was 95.06%, 93.82%, and 97.53%, respectively. These results suggest the importance of health promotion within university settings, together with mental health strategies focused on adaptive psychological functioning, to prevent the risk of burnout.

Parental burnout (PB) is characterised by parental exhaustion resulting from exposure to chronic parental stress. Due to the social and economic changes resulting from the COVID‐19 pandemic that impacted families, there is a significant scientific interest in identifying factors related to PB within the pandemic context. This study aimed to analyse the relationships between parental stress (parental concerns, parental satisfaction, lack of control, and fears and anxieties), family functioning, psychological morbidity (anxiety and depression), and burnout in parents. The sample consisted of 253 parents, legal guardians or primary caregivers of children aged between 0 and 6 years. Results revealed that the child's age, psychological morbidity (depression), and parental stress were significant predictors of PB. Anxiety and family functioning played a moderating role in the relationship between parental satisfaction and PB. According to the results, intervention programs should focus on anxiety symptoms and family functioning to mitigate the effects of parental stress on PB.

Pediatric burn injuries are a critical medical condition that triggers a series of ongoing multifactorial stressors that affect both children and their families. To inform healthcare research and clinical practice, this study aimed to understand and describe the perceptions and experiences of the parents of burn-injured children during hospital stay. Forty-six parents (thirty-eight mothers) of forty-six children (eighteen girls) with a mean age of 2.28 years (SD = 1.52) answered ten open-ended questions. This qualitative study was conducted in a referral hospital in the northern region of Portugal. Qualitative data were analyzed using an inductive content analysis. Five key themes emerged from the data analysis: diving into the crisis of the child burn injury, being together and in good hands, becoming aware of an uncertain future, enhancing supportive care and environment, and finding ways to guide parents. Qualitative findings underlined the pressing need for integrated care within this context. Parents were significantly burdened and distressed during the inpatient phase. These parents should be included in the integrated care plan starting from admission. Understanding and addressing parents’ healthcare needs and psychosocial adjustment difficulties is paramount to the development of future intervention programs and the delivery of suitable integrated healthcare.

In Portugal, there are few generic and specific instruments to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children, especially those of preschool age. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Portuguese version of the Preschool Children Quality of Life Questionnaire (TAPQoL) in a community and clinical sample of children aged 0–6 years. The parents of 409 healthy children and 137 children undergoing treatment for burns and acute lymphoblastic leukemia completed the TAPQoL and were assessed on psychological morbidity and family functioning. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed, as well as analysis of the psychometric properties as shown by internal consistency measures, convergent validity, and average variance extracted. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed an 11-factor structure with good psychometric properties. The current version of the TAPQoL is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing HRQoL in Portuguese preschool children in community and clinical settings.

The present study is a systematic review of factors and consequences of parental distress following their children's acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) diagnosis. PubMed, Web of Science, and APA PsycInfo databases were searched. Twenty-eight papers were included, with only three longitudinal studies. Fifteen studies explored factors of parental distress, including sociodemographic, psychosocial, psychological, family, health, and ALL-specific variables. Correlations were found between social support, illness cognitions, coping strategies, and parental distress, as well as contradictory results regarding sociodemographic variables. Family cohesion and the overall impact of illness were associated with parental distress. Resilience factors contributed negatively to parental distress symptoms, and perceived caregiver strain and negative child's emotional functioning contributed positively. Thirteen papers explored the consequences of parental distress, including psychological, family, health, and social/education factors. Distress was correlated with care burden and contributed to family strain, child's symptom burden, and parental protective behavior. Significant correlations were found between parental distress, at diagnosis, and further adjustment of parents and children. Most papers reported correlations between parental distress and psychological condition and quality of life; few studies reported no association. Correlations between maternal depression and child's participation in education and social life were found. Differences on distress were found regarding parents' gender, age, children's group risk, and treatment phases. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the phenomenon and its consequences. Future interventions should address parents' mental health needs in an early and ongoing assessment in order to promote healthier outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).