TITLE:
Stress, Executive Function, Resilience and Quality of Life in Portuguese Subjects in Situations of Economic Insufficiency and Unemployment
AUTHORS:
Eduardo Gonçalves, Saul Neves de Jesus
KEYWORDS:
Stress, Economic Insufficiency, Unemployment, Coping, Resilience, Quality of Life, Executive Function
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.5 No.4,
October
15,
2015
ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is the
investigation of the impact of stress of Portuguese subjects in situations of
economic insufficiency and unemployment on executive function and quality of life
and the coping strategies and resilience skills used. The sample consists of 41
participants. The psychometric instruments used are validated for Portuguese
population, measure (perceived) stress, coping, material deprivation,
resilience and quality of life, defined by World Health Organization. Executive
function has been evaluated through performances at Stroop and Berg tasks. It
has been concluded that, in this population, resilience skills and active
coping strategies are positively correlated with quality of life. Quality of
life is negatively correlated with material deprivation. Active coping
strategies are supported by adequate executive function, which neurobiological
substrate is dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex. Not active coping strategies correlate
negatively with cognitive flexibility, suggesting the presence of a deficit at
infero-lateral prefrontal cortex.