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The purpose of this paper is to compare the outcomes from the Portuguese Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) with those from other countries to see if they are equally effective despite the new context. SFP was selected for cultural adaptation because comparative effectiveness reviews find that SFP is the most effective parenting and family intervention (Foxcroft et al., 2003, 2012). Standardised cultural adaptations of SFP have resulted in successful outcomes in 35 countries.

The outcomes for the SFP six to 11 years Portuguese families (n=41) were compared to the SFP six to 11 years international norms (n=1,600) using a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control two group pre- and post-test design. A 2×2 ANOVA generated the outcome tables including p-values and Cohen’s d effect sizes. Standardised test scales were used and measured 21 parenting, family and child risk and protective factors.

Statistically significant positive results (p < 0.05) were found for 16 or 76.2 per cent of the 21 outcomes measured for Portuguese families. The Portuguese effect sizes were similar to the SFP international norms for improvements in the five parenting scales (d=0.61 vs 0.65), five family scales (d=0.68 vs 0.70) and seven children’s scales (d=0.48 vs 0.48) despite these norms having larger effect sizes than the USA norms. Hence, the cultural adaptation did not diminish the outcomes and SFP Portuguese families can benefit substantially from SFP participation.

A Portuguese culturally adapted version of SFP had never been developed or evaluated; hence, this paper reports original findings.

The purpose of this paper is to inductively develop a model of cross-cultural adaptation for emerging adult self-initiated expatriates (SIEs).

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 Portuguese emerging adult SIEs, aged between 18 and 29 years, residing in the UK from 5 months to 2 years. The analysis of these interviews through a grounded theory, using computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (Atlas.ti), allowed describing what constitutes participants’ cross-cultural adaptation and what are its determinants.

Five dimensions of cross-cultural adaptation emerged (cultural, emotional, social, practical and work), along with 18 determinants related with four different levels: personal, interpersonal, societal and situational. These determinants are related with the pre- and post-relocation phases of participants’ expatriation experience and some of them act as buffers, capturing a more integrative picture of the cross-cultural adaption process.

In order to enhance the validity of the inductively identified relationships between cross-cultural adaptation and its determinants, the authors consider that they could be empirically tested.

This study points to several contributions in the fields of cross-cultural adaptation, emerging adulthood and self-initiated expatriation. By considering this study’s sample, the authors contributed to Farcas and Gonçalves’ (2016) call for more research focusing on emerging adult SIEs. In doing so, the authors simultaneously addressed the gap in the emerging adulthood literature regarding the focus on non-university samples of emerging adults. The methodology of this study can also be considered a contribution. By conducting interviews with emerging adult SIEs and analyzing them through a grounded theory approach, the authors were able to develop a model of cross-cultural adaptation. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first model which was inductively developed, enabling a broad understanding of emerging adult SIEs’ cross-cultural adaptation, in terms of what constitutes and influences it.

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether cultural backgrounds of nations are expressed through the web design of their companies. Actually, it investigates whether, in countries characterized by the same cultural matrix and language but by different national backgrounds, the cultural specificities of a country are a critical success factor for web design and enablers of business excellence.

Starting from a deep literature review, four research hypotheses on the relationship between cultural background and web design are formulated. By employing both the content analysis and the cross-tabulation methodology, these hypotheses are tested.

Brazilian, Portuguese, Angolan and Macanese web sites show that companies operating in these countries are aware that cultural background is a necessary success factor to consider for improving cross-cultural management of computer-mediated communication. Indeed, the findings confirm that the internet is not a culturally neutral communication medium. By providing evidences of web site cultural adaptation, this study supports the use of a targeted approach to web site design and provides managerial guidelines for improving business excellence of companies’ online environment.

The paper offers insights into the topic of a culturally adapted computer-mediated communication for improving consumer experience.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of mental health among Angolan migrants living in Portugal. Three research questions guided this work: What is the influence of demographic factors on the mental health of Angolan migrants? What is the influence of acculturation factors on their mental health? What is the influence of adaptation factors on their mental health?

The sample consisted of 252 Angolan migrants living in Portugal (50.8 percent females) with a mean age of 36 years. The mean duration of stay in Portugal was 21 years.

The predictive factors – demographic, acculturation and adaptation factors – were significantly associated with Angolan migrants’ mental health. However, acculturation and adaptation factors accounted for a larger proportion of the explained variance in mental health problems than demographic factors. The major predictors of mental health problems were sociocultural adaptation, perceived discrimination and loneliness. Implications of the findings for future research and psychosocial interventions are discussed.

This study shed some light on the predictive factors of mental health problems among adult Angolan immigrants in Portugal, a previously neglected group of migrants in the research literature. Adding to existing knowledge on the mental health outcomes of migration, the findings suggest that, for this group, sociocultural adaptation, perceived discrimination and loneliness were the main predictors of psychological problems, rather than demographic factors. This evidence may be useful in the development of psychosocial interventions and policy to support Angolan migrants in their adaptation to Portuguese culture.

This paper aims to analyze the adjustment experience of Chinese expatriate managers in Portugal.

This exploratory study is based on the qualitative analysis of 12 semi-structured, open-ended interviews to Chinese expatriate managers in Portugal. Expatriates varied in terms of international experience, stage of career and industry. All expatriates had at least one-year working experience in Portugal. The coding process followed a reflexive approach between data and existing theory.

The process of adjustment of Chinese expatriate managers to the Portuguese context is arranged in five dimensions: perception: expatriates tend to perceive the differences between China and Portugal as not significant; guanxi replication: similarities between the two countries raised the question of whether the guanxi model could be replicated; resistance: although the two countries are perceived as close, there are significant differences, namely, in terms of some cultural aspects, the legal framework and the level of acceptance of the guanxi; adaptation: given these resistances, it is necessary for expatriates to change some practices that are commonly used in the Chinese context; and identity construction: Chinese expatriates are particularly concerned by their identity as foreigners and of the corresponding need to adjust.

This exploratory study revealed that guanxi should not be seen as a purely cultural product grounded in the Confucian tradition but instead should be taken as a business strategy that depends on the existence of specific factors, such as the relevance and quality of interpersonal relationships in a business context.

Higher education system has a critical role to play in educating environmentally aware and participant citizens about global climate change (CC). And, as shown by the 21st Conference of the Parties of the UN Convention on Climate Change – COP 21, held in Paris in December 2015, there is still a path to be followed regarding the role played by universities in the negotiations and in influencing decision-making on a matter of such global importance. The purpose of this first study conducted within Portuguese (Europe), Mexican (Spanish-speaking North America University) and Mozambican (Africa) universities is to investigate higher education system students’ perceptions on CC.

The data were collected through a questionnaire aiming at characterising students from the socio-demography, and from their perceptions, motivations, attitudes and knowledge relating to the topic of CC. Statistical analysis was used to compare and characterise the three national groups under study.

This study did not show significant perception differences among the analysed subsamples, although there was a tendency for Mexican students to express lesser belief that CC was happening, and for Mozambicans to show a greater belief in CC issues and motivation to mitigate its effects which may be related to the specifics contexts. The results show that relevant differences among nationalities mostly concerned the magnitude of choices (e.g. most respondents of each nationality expressed interest in CC issues, but the magnitude of this expression differed according to nationality). The principal component analysis (second and third components) clearly embodied nationality profiles (discussed in the context of different cultures, educational structures and CC impacts).

Further research is warranted to understand the integration of CC into higher education curriculum to improve and target educational efforts to suit students’ needs.

How CC perceptions vary cross-nationally and how research studies that examine the integration of CC into higher education curriculum are areas for which more research is needed.

The results highlight the importance of socio-cultural dimensions of each country in relation to the understanding or perception of CC issues, namely, in what concerns aspects related with gender roles, age, active learning and citizenship. This study’s data evidenced that despite the surveyed students being familiarized with CC phenomena, this knowledge does not translate necessarily into concrete mitigation practices and behaviours.

The Recovery Self-Assessment (RSA–R) in Revised Version is an instrument designed to assess the degree to which mental health programs and services implement recovery-oriented practices. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a cross-cultural adaptation of the RSA–R instrument for use in local mental health services in the city of Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil.

This method for cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument included a series of iterative steps including preparation, translation, back translation, harmonization, expert evaluation, focus groups, in-depth interviews, expert opinion and pilot study.

A multi-rater assessment of the equivalence of content between the original RSA–R and the translated version revealed that each of the 32 items achieved at least 88% agreement in terms of equivalency. A multi-step harmonization process revealed additional suggestions for improvements in readability, comprehension and applicability to Brazilian context. An expert in youth and adult education provided additional stylistic recommendations. Combined, this iterative approach to cross-cultural translation resulted in an adapted version of the instrument that was well understood, culturally appropriate and adequate for further verification of psychometric properties.

The recovery process in Brazil and in the USA has culturally determined differences in terms of the way mental disorders are understood, diagnosed and treated. Moreover, there are different notions of what constitutes desirable results of recovery, health care and welfare. At the present time, there are few, if any, available cross-cultural instruments to assess the recovery-orientation of services between Brazil and the USA.

For Lusophones, saudade is a common psychological experience related with the physical separation from loved ones and/or familiar locations. This study aims to examine the relationships between perception of discrimination, adaptation and saudade.

The sample consisted of 655 African migrants from Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique living in Portugal with a mean age of 38 years. The average duration of stay in Portugal was 22 years.

Results indicated that length of residence impacted the difficulties experienced with saudade: respondents with longer lengths of stay in the society of settlement experienced less difficulty with saudade. As predicted, the results indicated that higher perceptions of discrimination and loneliness correlated positively with experienced saudade, while sociocultural adaptation correlated negatively with experienced saudade.

Path analysis was conducted to investigate mediation impacts of sociocultural adjustment and loneliness on the relationship between perception of discriminatory events and difficulty with saudade. This study suggests that sociocultural adaptation and loneliness partially mediated the relation between perception of discrimination and saudade. Notwithstanding the low level of perceived discrimination found in this African background sample, this antecedent plays a relevant role in the saudade experienced. This evidence may be useful in targeting programs to improve sociocultural adjustment and to reduce loneliness which may help to alleviate the difficulty with feeling saudade among African migrants.

In an increasingly competitive global market, firms try to conquer a special place in customers’ minds and – when possible – in their hearts and spirits in order to succeed. Hence, through a competitive strategy based on differentiation, companies tend to focus their efforts in creating the right value proposition for consumers. They also establish upstream and/or downstream partnerships based on win–win relationships for the parties that constitute their value chain. The particular characteristics of ethnic products influence these strategies and the brand crossover. How can the ethnic-national identity of a product be employed successfully – regarding its liabilities and assets – in international sales? This case study¹ focuses on Nata Pura, a rather young Portuguese firm that has built its internationalization strategy based on exporting a traditional product pastel de nata using innovative solutions, which include the development of partnerships to produce and promote this as an organic pastry made with high-quality-adapted ingredients. Earlier, the traditional product was mainly sold and distributed within Portuguese Diaspora. Nata Pura company markets and distributes the re-invented product, originally a traditional Portuguese food product, and bridges cultural and administrative distances by combining the traditional with global tendencies and tastes.

Identifying and assessing social skills has been a powerful way of linking human behaviour and human interaction with their consequences at significant developmental levels. There are some data connecting social skills with interpersonal violence but not yet with elder abuse. The reason might be the scarcity of quick and easy-to-apply measures of social skills. This study aims to adapt and validate the social skills inventory (SSI) (Del Prette and Del Prette, 2001) to the Portuguese population.

The authors conducted two studies. In Study 1, the authors gathered the psychometric characteristics of the SSI-Del-Prette through exploratoryfactor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In Study 2, the authors correlated the new measure with measures of depression and empathy to test for divergent and concurrent validity.

The obtained version of the SSI-Del-Prette showed a good model fit and internal consistency. This measure presented six factors: conversation and social confidence, easiness of self-exposure, self-expression of positive affect, coping assertively with risk, defending interests and opinions and giving and receiving praise. The indicators of convergent and divergent validity supported the integrity of the measure.

The adaptation of this measure of social skills opens new possibilities for studying these skills.

This paper provides an adaptation of a measure of six social skills expanded to the older adult population.