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Depressive symptoms are a risk factor for loneliness, while sources of perceived social support from family and friends are protective factors; however, the complex mechanisms behind these factors have not been examined among health-care employees in Portugal. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the indirect effect of perceived social support from family and friends on the association between depressive symptoms and loneliness.

Health-care employees (n = 279; 242 female and 37 male) from 12 health-care institutions in Portugal participated in this cross-sectional study. The SPSS program with PROCESS macro (Model 6) was used to test the hypothesis regarding the indirect effect analysis.

Bootstrap analysis found that family as a source of social support had an indirect effect in the relationship between depressive symptoms and loneliness. Similarly, depressive symptoms had a significant indirect effect on loneliness through the indirect role of social support from friends. Moreover, it was found that the relationship of family and friends as sources of social support mediated the association of the aforementioned variables.

The findings of this study underscore the important role of depressive symptoms on perceived social support from family and friends, leading to loneliness, which is a public health concern among health-care employees in Portugal.

This study aims to examine the impact that diagnostic factors such as duration of diagnostic period, number of professionals consulted and perceived social support have on parental stress during the diagnostic process of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Forty parents of 2–18 year-old children/adolescents with a formal ASD diagnosis recruited from five specialized private clinics in Lisbon completed a survey which included diagnostic questionnaire, parental stress scale and social support scale from April to December 2022.

Data analysis indicated that the mean age of the diagnosis was 5.6 years with a delay of 3.95 years from first concern until final diagnosis. On average, parents consulted a mean of 3.62 professionals. Other findings indicated that as age of parents increased, levels of parental stress decreased. Parents with higher levels of social support had lower levels of parental stress. Furthermore, higher age of child at first concern predicted higher affective social support.

This study reflects on the experience of obtaining the ASD diagnosis in Portugal, raising awareness on the importance of providing early detection and social support for distressed parents.

This paper aims to propose a model studying the relationship of authentic leadership (AL), structural empowerment (SE) and civility in the palliative care sector. This model proposes SE as a mediator between AL and civility.

Data was collected from 213 employees working in five major public palliative care hospitals in central Portugal. The study sample was predominantly female (80.3%) and the response rate was 42.6%. Variables were measured using the Authentic Leadership Inventory, Workplace Civility Scale and Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire II scales. Hayes’ PROCESS macro for mediation analysis in SPSS was used to test the hypothesized model.

Results suggest that AL has a significant positive direct relationship with both SE and civility. Furthermore, SE demonstrated to play a partial mediation effect between AL and civility.

This study may be of use for healthcare administration encouraging the development of AL, suggesting that the more leaders are seen as authentic, the more employees will perceive they have access to workplace empowerment structures and a civil environment.

Considering the mainstream literature in healthcare management, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to date to integrate the relation of AL, SE and civility in the palliative care sector. Further, the research model has not previously been introduced when considering the mediating role structural empowerment can play between AL and civility.

This paper aims to explore how nurses stay engaged in their work with the impact of structural empowerment and civility. It delves deeper into how kind, empathetic and respectful behaviours (civility) among colleagues influence the link between structural empowerment and nurses’ engagement.

Data was collected from 580 nurses working in a Public Hospital in the metropolitan area of Lisbon. Self-report questionnaires measuring civility, structural empowerment and engagement were administered. Hayes’ PROCESS macro for mediation analysis in SPSS was used to test the hypothesised model.

Results demonstrated that civility and structural empowerment were positively associated (r = 0.491, p < 0.01) also showing a positive influence on nurses’ engagement (r = 0.492, p < 0.01; r = 0.485, p < 0.01, respectively). Civility was found to partially mediate the association between structural empowerment and engagement (ß = 0.315, 95% CI [0.222, 0.417], 5,000 bootstrap resamples).

Findings from this study may be used for health-care employees and organisations, implying that when nurses perceive themselves as structurally empowered at work within a respectful environment, they experience an enhanced sense of community and involvement in their organization.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt in exploring the relationship of combined workplace civility, structural empowerment and engagement in a sample of Portuguese nurses. Future research could substantially increase our understanding of how civility contributes to a positive workplace.

Este artículo explora cómo las enfermeras se mantienen comprometidas (work engagement) en su trabajo con el impacto del empoderamiento estructural y la civilidad. Profundiza en cómo los comportamientos amables, empáticos y respetuosos (civilidad) entre colegas influyen en el vínculo entre el empoderamiento estructural y el work engagement de las enfermeras/os.

Se recogieron datos de 580 enfermeras que trabajaban en un hospital público del área metropolitana de Lisboa. Se administraron cuestionarios de autoinforme que medían la civilidad, el empoderamiento estructural y el work engagement. Se utilizó la macro PROCESS de Hayes para el análisis de mediación en SPSS con el fin de probar el modelo hipotetizado.

Los resultados demostraron que la civilidad y el empoderamiento estructural estaban positivamente asociados (r = 0.491, p < 0.01) mostrando también una influencia positiva en el work engagement de las enfermeras (r = 0.492, p < 0.01; r = 0.485, p < 0.01, respectivamente). Se observó que la civilidad mediaba parcialmente la asociación entre el empoderamiento estructural y el work engagement (β = 0.315, 95% CI [0.222, 0.417], 5,000 resamples bootstrap).

Los resultados de este estudio pueden ser utilizados por los empleados y las organizaciones sanitarias, ya que implican que cuando las enfermeras se perciben a sí mismas como estructuralmente empoderadas en el trabajo dentro de un entorno respetuoso, experimentan un mayor sentido de comunidad e implicación en su organización.

Hasta donde sabemos, este es el primer intento de explorar la relación entre la civilidad en el lugar de trabajo, el empoderamiento estructural y el work engagement en una muestra de enfermeras portuguesas. Futuras investigaciones podrían aumentar sustancialmente nuestra comprensión de cómo el civismo contribuye a un lugar de trabajo positivo.

Este documento explora a forma como os enfermeiras/os se mantêm empenhados e envolvidos (work engagement) no seu trabalho, tendo em conta o impacto do empoderamento estrutural e da civilidade. Aprofunda a forma como os comportamentos de gentileza, empatia e respeito (civilidade) entre colegas influenciam a relação entre o empoderamento estrutural e o work engagement dos enfermeiros.

Foram recolhidos dados de 580 enfermeiros de um Hospital Público da área metropolitana de Lisboa. Foram aplicados questionários de auto-relato para avaliar a civilidade, o empoderamento estrutural e o work engagement. A macro PROCESS de Hayes para análise de mediação no SPSS foi utilizada para testar o modelo hipotético.

Os resultados demonstraram que a civilidade e o empoderamento estrutural estavam positivamente associados (r = 0.491, p < 0.01), mostrando também uma influência positiva no work engagement dos enfermeiros (r = 0.492, p < 0.01; r = 0.485, p < 0.01, respetivamente). Verificou-se que a civilidade medeia, parcialmente, a associação entre a empoderamento estrutural e o work engagement (β = 0.315, 95% CI [0.222, 0.417], 5,000 resamples bootstrap).

Os resultados deste estudo podem ser uteis para os trabalhadores e organizações de cuidados de saúde, implicando que, quando os enfermeiros se consideram estruturalmente capacitados no trabalho num ambiente de respeito, experimentam um maior sentido de comunidade e envolvimento na sua organização.

Até à data, esta é a primeira tentativa de explorar a relação entre civilidade no local de trabalho, empoderamento estrutural e work engagement numa amostra de enfermeiros portugueses. Futuras investigações poderão aumentar substancialmente a nossa compreensão de como a civilidade contribui para um ambiente laboral positivo.

The present study aimed to examine the mediation role of loneliness in the relationship between perceived social support and depressive symptoms among university students in Portugal. The study also investigated the moderation role of age on the mediation model.

Survey data sample consisted of 755 participants (aged 18–55 years) attending university in Lisbon, Portugal, from February through May 2023. Participants completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale. The SPSS Program with PROCESS macro (Model 4 and Model 8) was used to test the hypotheses regarding the mediation and the moderated mediation effects.

The bootstrap result for indirect effect loneliness (β = −0.083, p < 0.0001) was significant, indicating that loneliness mediated the relationship between perceived social support and depressive symptoms. Moreover, the interaction term (perceived social support x age) had a significant positive effect on the direct negative association between perceived social support and depressive symptoms (B = 0.0312; p < 0.05), showing that age moderated the direct relationship between the aforementioned variables. Importantly, the results showed that age moderated the indirect association (via loneliness) between perceived social support and depressive symptoms.

This research advances our understanding of loneliness among university students of different age ranges while providing empirical data on the effect of loneliness in the relation of social support and depressive symptoms. Moreover, the study delves on possible strategies to combat the expression of loneliness and further depressive symptoms.

The purpose of this study is to analyse the mediating effect of friends and family as sources of perceived social support in the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms.

Survey data sample consisted of 733 university students from January to May 2023. Participants completed the UCLA loneliness scales, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MPSS) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). The SPSS programme with PROCESS macro (Model 6) was used to test the hypothesis regarding the mediation effect.

The bootstrap analysis found that friends as a source of social support mediated the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms. Similarly, loneliness had a significant indirect effect on depressive symptoms through the mediation of family as a source of social support. Moreover, it was found that the relationships of friends and family as sources of social support mediated the association of the aforementioned variables.

This research advances our understanding of social support sources from friends and family amongst university students whilst providing suggestions for interventions tackling loneliness and depressive symptoms in a university setting.

This study aims to propose a model to examine the relationship between authentic leadership (AL), civility and burnout among health-care employees. This model proposes that civility mediates the relationship between AL and burnout.

Data were collected from 360 (72% response rate) registered health-care employees working in two large public hospital centers in Lisbon, Portugal. The sample was predominantly female (79.4%). The instruments used to measure the variables were the AL inventory, workplace civility scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey. Hayes’ PROCESS macro for mediation analysis in SPSS was used to test the hypothesized model.

The results suggest that AL has a positive direct effect on civility, adding to the negative effect of the aforementioned variables on burnout. Furthermore, civility was found to have a mediating effect on AL and burnout.

This study may be useful for hospital management and the health-care sector as a whole, underlining the importance of AL and civility in preventing detrimental effects of burnout among health-care employees.

Considering that mainstream literature on AL mainly focuses on nurses, there is a scarcity of literature integrating the relationship between AL, civility and burnout among a wide range of occupational groups in the health-care sector. Furthermore, the research model has not been previously introduced when considering the mediating role of civility in the relationship between AL and burnout.

Este estudio propone un modelo para examinar la relación entre el liderazgo auténtico, la civilidad y el burnout entre los trabajadores de la salud. Este modelo plantea que la civilidad media la relación entre el liderazgo auténtico y el burnout.

Se recopilaron datos de 360 trabajadores de salud registrados (tasa de respuesta del 72%) que trabajan en dos grandes centros hospitalarios públicos en Lisboa, Portugal. La muestra fue predominantemente femenina (79,4%). Los instrumentos utilizados para medir las variables fueron el Inventario de Liderazgo Auténtico, la Escala de Civilidad de Trabajo y el Inventario de Burnout de Maslach. Se utilizó el macroproceso de Hayes para el análisis de mediación en SPSS para probar el modelo hipotetizado.

Los resultados sugieren que el liderazgo auténtico tiene un efecto directo positivo en la civilidad, sumándose al efecto negativo de las variables mencionadas anteriormente en el burnout. Además, se encontró que la civilidad tiene un efecto mediador en el liderazgo auténtico y el burnout.

Este estudio puede ser útil para la gestión hospitalaria y el sector de la salud en su conjunto, destacando la importancia del liderazgo auténtico y la civilidad para prevenir los efectos perjudiciales del burnout entre los trabajadores de la salud.

Dado que la literatura predominante sobre el liderazgo auténtico se centra principalmente en las enfermeras, existe una escasez de literatura que integre la relación entre el liderazgo auténtico, civilidad y el burnout en una amplia gama de grupos ocupacionales en el sector de la salud. Además, el modelo de investigación no se ha presentado previamente al considerar el papel mediador de la civilidad en la relación entre el liderazgo auténtico y el burnout.

O presente estudo propõe um modelo para análise da relação entre liderança autêntica, civilidade e burnout entre profissionais de saúde. O modelo propõe civilidade como mediadora na relação entre liderança autêntica e burnout.

Os dados foram recolhidos de 360 (com taxa de resposta de 72%) funcionários registados do sistema de saúde em dois centros hospitalares de Lisboa, Portugal. A amostra foi predominantemente feminina (79,4%). Os instrumentos usados para medir as variáveis foram Authentic Leadership Inventory, Escala de Civilidade no Trabalho e Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey. O modelo proposto foi testado fazendo uso da macro Hayes PROCESS para análise de mediação no SPSS.

Os resultados sugerem que a liderança autêntica tem um efeito positivo direto na civilidade, além do efeito negativo no burnout. Adicionalmente, verificou-se um efeito mediador da variável civilidade nas variáveis liderança autêntica e burnout.

Este estudo pode ser útil a administradores hospitalares e gestores no sector da saúde em geral, sublinhando a importância da liderança autêntica e civilidade na prevenção dos efeitos prejudiciais do burnout em profissionais de saúde.

Considerando que a literatura prevalente sobre liderança autêntica foca maioritariamente enfermeiros, existe uma escassez de estudos que integram liderança autêntica, civilidade e burnout num amplo espetro de grupos profissionais no setor da saúde. Adicionalmente, o modelo de investigação considerando o papel mediador da civilidade na relação entre liderança autêntica e burnout não foi introduzido.