Maria Celeste Rocha Simoes

Scopus Publications

Implementation fidelity and outcomes of a psychomotor intervention program for preschool children on the autism spectrum and neurotypically developed peers
Adriana Frazão, Sofia Santos, Celeste Simões, Ester Pereira, Paula Lebre
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 2026
Research on psychomotor interventions that support the diverse developmental profiles of preschool children, including those on the autism spectrum (ASD) and their neurotypical peers (ND), in inclusive settings is still limited. This pilot study used a quasi‐experimental, pre‐ and post‐test design to evaluate the effects of a psychomotor intervention program on psychomotor functions, social skills and behavioural problems. The intervention group included six children with ASD and 38 ND peers, while the comparison group had seven children with ASD and 35 ND peers. Assessments used the Neuropsychomotor Function Evaluation Battery (NPmot.pt) and the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS‐2). The psychomotor intervention program, comprising 12 weekly sessions, was implemented in Portuguese preschool classrooms. After adjusting for age, sex, and baseline scores, the intervention significantly reduced teacher‐reported behavioural problems ( F (1, 57) = 5.53, p = 0.02), with a medium effect size ( η 2 = 0.09). Improvements in psychomotor functions and social skills were observed over time in intervention and comparison groups, although between‐group differences did not reach statistical significance. The program was implemented with high fidelity and with positive participant responsiveness. Practical and research implications are discussed, underscoring the need for longitudinal studies with larger samples, particularly among children with ASD.
Psychomotor intervention programme in an inclusive preschool setting: a pilot study
Adriana Frazão, Sofia Santos, Celeste Simões, Ester Pereira, Paula Lebre
Sportis Scientific Technical Journal of School Sport Physical Education and Psychomotricity, 2026
Social inclusion and behaviour challenges in naturalistic settings require targeted interventions when general support is insufficient. Psychomotor interventions have integrated features suitable for preschool children; however, further research is needed to establish their effectiveness. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and social validity of a selective psychomotor intervention programme on psychomotor and socio-emotional skills of preschool children (aged 4-6 years) with autism spectrum disorder (n=4) and neurotypical development (n=17). A sequential mixed-methods pre–post study without a control group investigates the preliminary effects on neuro-psychomotor functions, social skills, and problem behaviours. Data from focus groups and observations were also explored after a 12-session group-based intervention that included expressive and action-oriented bodily experiences. A significant improvement in neuro-psychomotor functions was found (z= –3.921, p<.001, r=.86), despite no considerable differences in the social and behavioural skills reported by parents and teachers. These findings provide an outlook on the psychomotor intervention programme’s validity and potential benefits for further study replication.
Students’ Socio-Emotional Skills and Academic Outcomes After the PROMEHS Program: A Longitudinal Study in Two European Countries
Baiba Martinsone, Celeste Simões, Liberato Camilleri, Elisabetta Conte, Paula Lebre
Behavioral Sciences, 2025
Previous research shows that better socio-emotional skills are associated with students’ behavioral adjustment and positive learning outcomes; however, the protective role of socio-emotional skills regarding academic learning during global crises has not been studied sufficiently. This research aims to evaluate longitudinal changes in students’ socio-emotional skills and learning outcomes during the implementation of a universal prevention program Promoting Mental Health at Schools (PROMEHS). The research coincided with lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore allowing an assessment of the protective role of socio-emotional learning even in the face of adverse circumstances. In total, 3166 students (aged 7–17 years) from Latvia and Portugal participated in the research, and a survey of their respective teachers was used to collect data. The SSIS-SEL teacher form and a three-item learning outcomes measure addressing academic motivation, engagement, and performance were applied in the study. It was found that growth in socio-emotional skills has a positive effect on academic outcomes, while a decline in socio-emotional learning has a detrimental effect on academic outcomes. This applies to both experimental and control groups, both genders, all educational levels, and both countries. Additionally, the increase in socio-emotional skills predicted better academic outcomes in upper secondary schools than in primary and lower secondary schools.
Do School and Family Well-being Mediate the relationship between Social and Emotional Learning and Subjective Happiness?
Margarida Frade Santos, Diego Gomez-Baya, Celeste Simões, Ilaria Grazzani, Paula Lebre
Child Indicators Research, 2025
The Factor Structure of the Self-Determination Inventory Portuguese Translation for Persons With and Without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Confirmatory Analysis
Clarissa Moreira, Celeste Simões, André Oliveira, Armanda Pereira, Pedro Rosário, et al.
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 2025
BackgroundSelf‐determination has seen increasing interest in literature worldwide, in terms of its contextualisation, operationalisation and assessment. Developing sound and robust instruments will enable valid assessment both within individual countries and in cross‐cultural comparisons.MethodsThe new Self‐Determination Inventory (SDI) was translated and adapted into Portuguese, for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and our goal was to analyse the SDI Portuguese Translation's factorial structure. The inventory was administered to 408 participants, between 13 and 73 years old (27 ± 13.6), 246 females and 162 males, with (n = 146) and without IDD (n = 262). Factor structure, measurement invariance and latent difference between persons with and without IDD were analysed.ResultsThe confirmatory factor analysis supported the SDI Portuguese Translations' psychometric properties. The data fit a unidimensional model, indicating that the 21 items represent the construct better than a three‐factor model. The measurement invariance across groups confirms that the latent construct can be measured and the assessment used with both groups. However, participants with IDD experience greater variability in scores and tend to report lower levels of self‐determination.ConclusionsFindings provide support for the use of SDI Portuguese Translation for persons with and without IDD. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Promoting Mental Health at Schools - PROMEHS: impact of curriculum implementation in Portugal
Celeste Simões, Margarida Frade Santos, Paula Lebre, Lúcia Canha, Anabela Caetano Santos, et al.
Educacao E Pesquisa, 2025
Despite evidence of the positive impact of school-based mental health promotion interventions, there remains a need for robust studies, particularly to evaluate newly developed programs, in order to promote the adoption of best practices and identify effective intervention strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of implementing the PROMEHS curriculum in Portugal in a school setting, using a sample of children and adolescents (N=1,764). A longitudinal quasi-experimental design was adopted with an experimental group and a waitlist control group, assessed at the pre- and post-test phases of implementation. Data were collected from teachers, parents/guardians, and students using a set of instruments: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), the Social-Emotional Skills (SSIS-SEL Brief Scales), Academic Competence, Resilience (CD-RISC10), and PROMEHS impact. The results indicate a significant impact on students’ socioemotional competencies and academic outcomes, as well as a reduction in difficulties, according to teacher assessments. No statistically significant results were found in the assessments of parents/guardians or the students. However, the evaluation of the program impact across all three informant sources was highly positive. Overall, the findings demonstrate the effectiveness of PROMEHS in promoting students’ socioemotional development and highlight the importance of this type of program in Portuguese schools.
Creative Self-Efficacy and Social Skills in a Portuguese Sample of University Students: Links with Self-Esteem, Academic Achievement and Life Satisfaction
Alba González Moreno, Celeste Simões, Anabela Caetano Santos, María del Mar Molero Jurado
European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education, 2024
Creative self-efficacy and social skills are two elements that can significantly enhance personal and professional development. The main objective of this research is to analyze the relations established between creative self-efficacy and social skills with other variables such as self-esteem, academic performance, and life satisfaction. The participants included in the methodology of this study are a total of 238 Portuguese university students. The instruments used were the Creative Self-Efficacy Scale, the Social Skills Questionnaire (CHASO), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and a series of ad hoc questions to assess academic performance. The results obtained indicate the existence of significant relations between creative self-efficacy and social skills, with the latter also being positively associated with self-esteem and life satisfaction. Analyses indicate that there are significant differences according to gender, academic performance, and the level of self-esteem of the participants. In addition, variables such as self-esteem, academic performance, and fluency act as predictors of life satisfaction. The importance of further exploring and understanding the complex relationship between creative self-efficacy, social skills, and individual well-being in the university context is discussed.
Promoting mental health and well-being at school: Principles and challenges
Carmel Cefai, Celeste Simões, Simona C. S. Caravita
Handbook of Children and Youth Studies Second Edition, 2024
Youth with disabilities in residential care in the community: Perceptions and experiences in the transition period
Lúcia Canha, Laura Owens, Celeste Simões, Ricardo Rodrigues, Maria João Gonçalves
Children and Youth Services Review, 2024
Measurement Invariance of Children's SEL Competencies An Examination of the SSIS SEL Brief Scales with a Multi-Informant Sample from Six Countries
Christopher J. Anthony, Pui-Wa Lei, Stephen N. Elliott, James C. DiPerna, Carmel Cefai, et al.
European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 2024
Although children use social and emotional learning skills (SEL) across the world, the expression of these skills may vary across cultures and developmental levels. Such variability complicates the process of assessing SEL competencies with consequences for understanding differences in SEL skills and developing interventions. To address these challenges, the current study examined the measurement invariance of translated versions of a brief, multi-informant (Teacher, Parent, Student) measure of SEL skills developed in the US with data from six European countries (Croatia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, and Romania; n = 10,602; 8,520; 6,611, for the SSIS SEL b – Teacher, Parent, and Student versions, respectively). In addition to cross-country invariance testing, we conducted measurement invariance testing across ages (Primary and Secondary students) for the Teacher and Student forms of the measure. Results revealed a high degree of measurement invariance across countries (Scalar for the Teacher form and Partial Scalar for the Parent and Student form) and developmental levels (Scalar for the Teacher form and Partial Scalar for the Student form), supporting the use of translated versions of the SSIS SEL b for international research across these countries and developmental levels. Implications are discussed for assessment and promoting children’s SEL competencies globally.
Assessing teachers’ social and emotional competence: The validation of SECTRS in Italy, Latvia, and Portugal
Ilaria Grazzani, Baiba Martinsone, Celeste Simoes, Valeria Cavioni, Elisabetta Conte, et al.
International Journal of Emotional Education, 2024
Psychosocial Factors and Quality of Life of Portuguese Adolescents With Chronic Conditions – Increased Risk for Victims of Bullying
Ana Cerqueira, Fábio Botelho Guedes, Tania Gaspar, Emmanuelle Godeau, Celeste Simões, et al.
Continuity in Education, 2024
Promoting health behavior change across different environments: Universal principles of behavior modification at individual and community level
Nuno Loureiro, Adilson Marques, Celeste Simões, Filipa Coelhoso, Susana Gaspar, et al.
Environmental Health Behavior Concepts Determinants and Impacts, 2024
Truancy: The relevance of resilience-related internal assets, student engagement and perception of school success in youth living with parents and in residential care
Anabela Caetano Santos, Celeste Simões, Cátia Branquinho, Patrícia Arriaga
Child Abuse and Neglect, 2023
Supporting Preschoolers’ Mental Health and Academic Learning through the PROMEHS Program: A Training Study
Elisabetta Conte, Valeria Cavioni, Veronica Ornaghi, Alessia Agliati, Sabina Gandellini, et al.
Children, 2023
Exposure to Intimate-Partner Violence and Resilience Trajectories of Adolescents: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Latent Transition Analysis
Dilan Aksoy, Celeste Simões, Céline Favre
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023
A systematic review of the association between social and emotional competencies and student engagement in youth
Anabela Caetano Santos, Celeste Simões, Márcia H.S. Melo, Margarida F. Santos, Iara Freitas, et al.
Educational Research Review, 2023
A multi-component curriculum to promote teachers’ mental health: Findings from the PROMEHS program
Valeria Cavioni, Ilaria Grazzani, Veronica Ornaghi, Alessia Agliati, Sabina Gandellinia, et al.
International Journal of Emotional Education, 2023
The impact of a Curriculum for Resilience Promotion in Deaf Children and Adolescents
Eunice Freitas, Celeste Simões, Ana Mineiro, Pedro J. Rosa, Anabela C. Santos
British Journal of Special Education, 2023
Portuguese validation of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire short version in youth: Validity, reliability and invariance across gender and age
Anabela C. Santos, Celeste Simões, João R. Daniel, Patrícia Arriaga
European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 2023
Perception of nursing students on pedagogical training in the prevention of musculoskeletal symptomatology: qualitative study
Cristiana Furtado Firmino, Luís Manuel Mota Sousa, Lídia Moutinho, Olga Valentim, Fátima Mendes Marques, et al.
Cultura De Los Cuidados, 2023
Social and emotional competencies as predictors of student engagement in youth: a cross-cultural multilevel study
Anabela Caetano Santos, Patrícia Arriaga, João R. Daniel, Carmel Cefai, Márcia H. S. Melo, et al.
Studies in Higher Education, 2023
RESCUR implementation with deaf children and adolescents: Perception of teachers, parents and students about the impact regarding well-being and learnings
Eunice Freitas, Celeste Simões
Revista Portuguesa De Educacao, 2022
Does Online Implementation Make a Difference in the Effects of a Mental Health Curriculum at Schools?
Margarida Frade dos Santos, Celeste Simões, Anabela Caetano Santos, Paula Lebre, Ilaria Grazzani
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022
Consensus on the Best Practice Guidelines for Psychomotor Intervention in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Adriana Frazão, Sofia Santos, Ana Rodrigues, Teresa Brandão, Celeste Simões, et al.
Children, 2022