General and mental health of poor and multiproblematic families

The main feature of the so called multiproblem families is the persistence along time of a set of problems in various areas of the individual’s functioning in several family members.This research study aims: a) To identify and characterise the major health problems faced by the members of these families; b) To explore the perceived relevance of these problems; c) To explore the perceived effectiveness of health care interventions received by respondents; d) To explore the level of control perceived over these problems.

Stress, cognitive appraisal, and psychological health: testing instruments for health professionals

The job of health professionals, including nurses, is considered inherently stressful (Lee & Wang, 2002; Rutledge et al., 2009), and thus it is important to improve and develop specific measures that are sensitive to the demands that health professionals face. This study analysed the psychometric properties of three instruments that focus on the professional experiences of nurses in aspects related to occupational stress, cognitive appraisal, and mental health issues. The evaluation protocol included the Stress Questionnaire for Health Professionals (SQHP; Gomes, 2014), the Cognitive Appraisal Scale (CAS; Gomes, Faria, & Gonçalves, 2013), and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12; Goldberg, 1972). Validity and reliability issues were considered with statistical analysis (i.e. confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, and composite reliability) that revealed adequate values for all of the instruments, namely, a six-factor structure for the SQHP, a five-factor structure for the CAS, and a two-factor structure for the GHQ-12. In conclusion, this study proposes three consistent instruments that may be useful for analysing nurses’ adaptation to work contexts.