The Use of Simulation in Self-Perception of Learning in Occupational Therapy Students Fabiana Rocha, Vitor Simões-Silva, Raquel Simões de Almeida, Maria João Trigueiro Open Education Studies, 2025 This study aimed to assess the self-perception of students’ learning in occupational therapy (OT) undergraduate students of the School of Health from Polytechnic of Porto after exposure to a simulated situation of an information collection interview for an occupational profile. A case study was conducted involving 33 second-year students of OT at the School of Health. Data were collected on the self-perception of learning from both the students involved in the simulation and those who participated as observers. The students revealed that they had learned through this method, which allowed them to put knowledge and communication skills into practice in a motivating way. However, students who had only observed were not as confident as those who had practiced the simulated situation in mastering the trained skills. The feedback phase was indicated as the one that most contributed to learning in both groups. Simulation proved to be an effective and motivating learning method for OT students, but it was not possible to see whether this learning was generalized when applied to a real context.
Assessing the efficacy of the ‘Bicho De 7 Cabeças’ B-learning school-based program in enhancing mental health literacy and reducing stigma Gislene Meilsmeidth, Maria João Trigueiro, Vítor Simões-Silva, Raquel Simões de Almeida, Paula Portugal, et al. BMC Psychology, 2024 The prevalence of mental disorders in adolescents has a considerable impact on daily life, restricting tasks and diminishing overall quality of life while potentially leading to stigmatization. This study aims to measure the impact of a mental health literacy intervention program, called “Bicho de 7 Cabeças” project, in b-learning format, on the increase of knowledge and the decrease of stigma in young people from Póvoa de Varzim, in Portugal. A quasi-experimental study was conducted, from November 2022 to May 2023, involving an experimental group (“Bicho de 7 Cabeças” protocol) and an active control group (informational brochures), utilizing a pre-test/post-test design. Mental Health Literacy Measure-MHLM, Mental Health Promoting Knowledge Scale-MHPK-10, Mental Illness Knowledge Schedule-MAKS, Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale-RIBS, and Community Attitudes toward People with Mental Illness-CAMI were used. A total of 504 young students from the 9th grade enroll in this study, with a mean age around 14 years old. There is a significant difference between stigma (p <.001) and knowledge (p <.001) scores at baseline and follow-up. The results of this study shows that interventions aimed at young people for the promotion of mental health literacy and stigma reduction are needed and more initiatives should be implemented in schools to address these problems.
Impact of VR-Based Cognitive Training on Working Memory and Inhibitory Control in IDD Young Adults Maria João Trigueiro, Joana Lopes, Vítor Simões-Silva, Bruno Bastos Vieira de Melo, Raquel Simões de Almeida, et al. Healthcare Switzerland, 2024 Background: Young people with intellectual developmental disabilities have a persistent delay in the development of executive functions. Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being used as a cognitive intervention tool, with significant effectiveness demonstrated in different types of populations. Methods: This pilot study aims to investigate the impact of a cognitive training program utilizing VR on young adults diagnosed with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDDs). The participants (N = 15) served as their own control group and were assessed three times: weeks 0, 8, and 16, with a rest period (0–8 weeks) and an intervention period (8–16 weeks). The assessments included measures of cognitive function provided by E-Prime® (Version 3). Results: Overall, an improvement in working memory and inhibitory control was found after the intervention, but not in sustained attention. Conclusions: These findings suggest that VR-based cognitive training holds promise as an effective intervention for enhancing cognitive abilities in young adults with intellectual developmental disabilities. This study provides a foundation for future investigations into VR’s role in cognitive rehabilitation and its potential to support daily living skills and overall quality of life for individuals with IDDs. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects and broader applicability of VR interventions.
Preface Handbook of Research on Advances in Digital Technologies to Promote Rehabilitation and Community Participation, 2023
Mental Health Literacy and Stigma in a Municipality in the North of Portugal: A Cross-Sectional Study Raquel Simões de Almeida, Maria João Trigueiro, Paula Portugal, Sara de Sousa, Vítor Simões-Silva, et al. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023 Portugal has Europe’s second-highest prevalence of psychiatric illnesses, and this is the reason why mental health literacy (MHL) and stigma should be addressed. This study aimed to investigate the mental health literacy and stigma levels among different groups of people from Póvoa de Varzim, a municipality in the north of Portugal. Students, retired people, and professionals (education, social, and healthcare fields) were recruited using a convenience sample from June to November 2022. Participants’ MHL levels were evaluated using the Mental Health Promoting Knowledge Scale (MHPK), Mental Health Literacy Measure (MHLM) and Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS). Stigma levels were evaluated using Community Attitudes towards Mental Illness (CAMI) and the Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS). A total of 928 questionnaires were filed. The respondents included 65.70% of women, a mean age of 43.63 (±26.71) years and 9.87 (±4.39) years of school education. MHL increased with age, education level and was higher in women (p < 0.001). A higher level of MHL was seen in health professionals (p < 0.001). Findings revealed that older people stigmatized people with mental illness more (p < 0.001), and the female gender stigmatize less (p < 0.001). In addition, results showed that stigma decreased with higher mental health literacy (r between 0.11 and 0.38; p < 0.001). To conclude, specific campaigns that promote mental health literacy should be tailored to specific profiles within this population to address those that have more stigma.
The effect of a virtual reality based intervention on processing speed and working memory in individuals with ADHD—A pilot-study Filipa Cunha, Sara Campos, Vitor Simões-Silva, Victòria Brugada-Ramentol, Bebiana Sá-Moura, et al. Frontiers in Virtual Reality, 2023 Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a virtual reality based intervention in processing speed and working memory in students with ADHD symptomatology.Methods: A randomized experimental study was conducted, with a sample consisting of 25 adult participants recruited from the Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico do Porto. The participants were allocated into two groups: a passive control group and an intervention group that completed 10 sessions using virtual reality-based games from the Enhance VR app. The intervention included 6 games: Whack-a-mole, Shuffled, Assembly, React, Memory Wall, and Maestro. The participants underwent pre- and post-intervention evaluations using the Southwestern Assessment of Processing Speed (SWAPS) and the Sequence of Letters and Numbers and Spatial Location of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - 3rd Edition - WAIS-III. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample and a mixed ANOVA was used to test the effectiveness of the intervention.Results: There was an improvement in the results of processing speed in the group exposed to the intervention (p &lt; 0.001) and the value of the interaction between intervention and time was also significant (p = 0.004). There were no statistically significant differences between the participants’ working memory in the different variables under study, except for the values of the Spatial location test in the experimental group that improved relative to the initial assessment (p = 0.034).Discussion: A virtual reality cognitive training intervention resulted in improvements in the processing speed measures, which were not found in the control group. Although we cannot make the same conclusions regarding working memory, these results suggest that the VR intervention resulted in progress in the experimental group, possibly influenced by the intervention, which should be verified in future studies with longer interventions.
The use of gamification in social phobia Vitor Simões-Silva, Vanessa Maravalhas, Ana Rafaela Cunha, Maria Inês Soares, António Marques Research Anthology on Game Design Development Usage and Social Impact, 2022 Social phobia usually starts in adolescence. Social situations that include meeting people, talking in groups, or in more specific situations are going to be avoided by individuals. Therefore, this condition has the consequence of significant impairment in different occupations. Recent studies show that gamification is commonly applied to interventions for the treatment of chronic diseases, and although there are interventions concerning mental health, these are few and there is evidence that these interventions have positive effects on mental health, particularly among young people. The desensitization therapy program using gamification consisted of 15 sessions: an initial assessment session, 13 biweekly exposure therapy sessions, and the last reevaluation session corresponding to a total duration of the program of seven weeks. Each session, lasting approximately 50 minutes, is followed a formal structure consisting of the following phases. The intervention focused on shaping appropriate approach behaviors through a process of successive approximations.
Eficácia de um programa de literacia em saúde mental na redução do estigma em jovens da Póvoa de Varzim AL Moura, B Monteiro, MJ Trigueiro, VS Silva, RS Almeida, P Portugal, ... RACS , 2025 2025
The use of simulation in self-perception of learning in occupational therapy students F Rocha, V Simões-Silva, R Simões de Almeida, MJ Trigueiro Open Education Studies 7 (1), 20240054 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
A practical case of mentoring in higher education at a health school R Ferraz, V Silva, J Barreto, P Portugal, J Santos, M Vieira, JF Barreto, ... P. Porto , 2025 2025
Adaptação cultural, tradução e avaliação psicométrica do questionário de estigma sobre a perturbação de hiperatividade e défice de atenção para países de língua portuguesa B Couto, MJ Trigueiro, V Simões-Silva, RS Almeida, V Simões-Silva, ... RACS , 2024 2024
Translation, cultural adaptation, and psychometric evaluation of the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Stigma Questionnaire for Portuguese speaking countries MJ Trigueiro, B Couto, V Simões-Silva, RS de Almeida RevSALUS-Revista Científica Internacional da Rede Académica das Ciências da … , 2024 2024
Impact of VR-based cognitive training on working memory and inhibitory control in IDD young adults MJ Trigueiro, J Lopes, V Simões-Silva, BB Vieira de Melo, ... Healthcare 12 (17), 1705 , 2024 2024 Citations: 8
Assessing the efficacy of the ‘Bicho De 7 Cabeças’ B-learning school-based program in enhancing mental health literacy and reducing stigma G Meilsmeidth, MJ Trigueiro, V Simões-Silva, R Simões de Almeida, ... BMC psychology 12 (1), 93 , 2024 2024 Citations: 8
Use of socially assistive robots in mental health: barriers and facilitators ARR Ferreira, MGMMDS Silva, MO Correia, R Simões De Almeida, ... IGI Global , 2024 2024
Use of Socially Assistive Robots in Mental Health: Barriers and Facilitators AR da Rocha Ferreira, MGMM De Sousa, M de Oliveira Correia, ... Handbook of Research on Advances in Digital Technologies to Promote … , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Enter the virtual forest: Exploring the benefits of forest therapy in a digital world AP Soutelo, AR Sousa, ML Monteiro, RS de Almeida, V Simões-Silva, ... Handbook of research on advances in digital technologies to promote … , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Handbook of research on advances in digital technologies to promote rehabilitation and community participation R Simões de Almeida, V Simões-Silva, MJ Trigueiro IGI Global , 2023 2023 Citations: 7
Mental health literacy and stigma in a municipality in the North of Portugal: a cross-sectional study R Simões de Almeida, MJ Trigueiro, P Portugal, S de Sousa, ... International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20 (4), 3318 , 2023 2023 Citations: 69
Ies we can: web-based gamified learning for social entrepreneurship and innovation T Coelho, C Campos, V Simões-Silva, R Simões De Almeida, ... Politécnico do Porto , 2023 2023
Inovação e Empreendedorismo Social em Terapia Ocupacional MJ Trigueiro, T Coelho, RS Almeida, C Campos, V Simões-Silva, ... 2023
The effect of a virtual reality based intervention on processing speed and working memory in individuals with ADHD–A pilot-study F Cunha, S Campos, V Simões-Silva, V Brugada-Ramentol, B Sá-Moura, ... Frontiers in Virtual Reality 4, 21 , 2023 2023 Citations: 27
The Use of Gamification in Social Phobia V Simões-Silva, V Maravalhas, AR Cunha, MI Soares, A Marques Research Anthology on Game Design, Development, Usage, and Social Impact … , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
Caraterização do nível de literacia em saúde mental dos jovens na área metropolitana do Porto MJ Trigueiro, V Simões-Silva, S Lucas, A Marques RevSALUS-Revista Científica Internacional da Rede Académica das Ciências da … , 2022 2022 Citations: 1
Literacia em Saúde Mental na perturbação de hiperatividade e défice de atenção: estudo piloto V Simões-Silva, AR Gonçalves, C Oliveira, MJ Trigueiro RevSALUS-Revista Científica Internacional da Rede Académica das Ciências da … , 2022 2022 Citations: 1
Validação do Mental Health Promoting Knowledge Scale (MHPK-10) para a população portuguesa AC Guimarães, MJ Trigueiro, T Coelho, I Maia, RS de Almeida, ... RevSALUS-Revista Científica Internacional da Rede Académica das Ciências da … , 2022 2022 Citations: 12
Validação do Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI) para a população portuguesa IT Maia, T Coelho, AC Guimarães, RS de Almeida, V Simões-Silva, ... RevSALUS-Revista Científica Internacional da Rede Académica das Ciências da … , 2022 2022 Citations: 2
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Wii‐based exercise program to improve physical fitness, motor proficiency and functional mobility in adults with Down syndrome V Silva, C Campos, A Sá, M Cavadas, J Pinto, P Simões, S Machado, ... Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 61 (8), 755-765 , 2017 2017 Citations: 158
Effects of aerobic exercise on anxiety disorders: a systematic review A Marcos de Souza Moura, M Khede Lamego, F Paes, NB Ferreira Rocha, ... CNS & Neurological Disorders-Drug Targets-CNS & Neurological Disorders) 14 … , 2015 2015 Citations: 71
Mental health literacy and stigma in a municipality in the North of Portugal: a cross-sectional study R Simões de Almeida, MJ Trigueiro, P Portugal, S de Sousa, ... International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20 (4), 3318 , 2023 2023 Citations: 69
Comparison among aerobic exercise and other types of interventions to treat depression: a systematic review A Marcos de Souza Moura, M Khede Lamego, F Paes, ... CNS & Neurological Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets-CNS … , 2015 2015 Citations: 65
The effect of a virtual reality based intervention on processing speed and working memory in individuals with ADHD–A pilot-study F Cunha, S Campos, V Simões-Silva, V Brugada-Ramentol, B Sá-Moura, ... Frontiers in Virtual Reality 4, 21 , 2023 2023 Citations: 27
Tradução, adaptação e contributo para a validação da escala Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale para a população portuguesa S Figueiredo, MJ Trigueiro, A Marques, R Almeida, T Coelho, S Sousa, ... RACS , 2022 2022 Citations: 13
Gamification applied to autism spectrum disorder V Simões-Silva, A Marques, C Pinho, DG Pereira, JF Oliveira, ML Barros Digital therapies in psychosocial rehabilitation and mental health, 163-186 , 2022 2022 Citations: 13
Validação do Mental Health Promoting Knowledge Scale (MHPK-10) para a população portuguesa AC Guimarães, MJ Trigueiro, T Coelho, I Maia, RS de Almeida, ... RevSALUS-Revista Científica Internacional da Rede Académica das Ciências da … , 2022 2022 Citations: 12
Impact of VR-based cognitive training on working memory and inhibitory control in IDD young adults MJ Trigueiro, J Lopes, V Simões-Silva, BB Vieira de Melo, ... Healthcare 12 (17), 1705 , 2024 2024 Citations: 8
Assessing the efficacy of the ‘Bicho De 7 Cabeças’ B-learning school-based program in enhancing mental health literacy and reducing stigma G Meilsmeidth, MJ Trigueiro, V Simões-Silva, R Simões de Almeida, ... BMC psychology 12 (1), 93 , 2024 2024 Citations: 8
Handbook of research on advances in digital technologies to promote rehabilitation and community participation R Simões de Almeida, V Simões-Silva, MJ Trigueiro IGI Global , 2023 2023 Citations: 7
Gamification in stroke rehabilitation AJPS Marques, HMM Caldas, MC Barbosa, LMB Soares, MID Ribeiro, ... Digital Therapies in Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Mental Health, 187-199 , 2022 2022 Citations: 6
Enter the virtual forest: Exploring the benefits of forest therapy in a digital world AP Soutelo, AR Sousa, ML Monteiro, RS de Almeida, V Simões-Silva, ... Handbook of research on advances in digital technologies to promote … , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Use of Socially Assistive Robots in Mental Health: Barriers and Facilitators AR da Rocha Ferreira, MGMM De Sousa, M de Oliveira Correia, ... Handbook of Research on Advances in Digital Technologies to Promote … , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Validação do Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI) para a população portuguesa IT Maia, T Coelho, AC Guimarães, RS de Almeida, V Simões-Silva, ... RevSALUS-Revista Científica Internacional da Rede Académica das Ciências da … , 2022 2022 Citations: 2
Gamification in dementia and mild cognitive impairment V Simões-Silva, SAM Gregório, TTM Luz, AFCC Lapa, A Marques Handbook of Research on Solving Modern Healthcare Challenges With … , 2021 2021 Citations: 2
A autodeterminação de jovens com necessidades educativas especiais V Simões-Silva Instituto Politécnico do Porto. Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto , 2012 2012 Citations: 2
The use of simulation in self-perception of learning in occupational therapy students F Rocha, V Simões-Silva, R Simões de Almeida, MJ Trigueiro Open Education Studies 7 (1), 20240054 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
The Use of Gamification in Social Phobia V Simões-Silva, V Maravalhas, AR Cunha, MI Soares, A Marques Research Anthology on Game Design, Development, Usage, and Social Impact … , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
Caraterização do nível de literacia em saúde mental dos jovens na área metropolitana do Porto MJ Trigueiro, V Simões-Silva, S Lucas, A Marques RevSALUS-Revista Científica Internacional da Rede Académica das Ciências da … , 2022 2022 Citations: 1
