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Linking Critical Thinking Dispositions to Well-Being in Higher Education: A Cross-Sectional Study

2026-02-20T00:00:00Z

Title: Linking Critical Thinking Dispositions to Well-Being in Higher Education: A Cross-Sectional Study Authors: Valentim, Olga; de Almeida, Raquel Simões; Marques, Rita; Lucas, Isabel; Sales, Leila; Payan Carreira, Rita; Lopes, José Abstract: Background/Objectives: Mental health challenges are increasingly prevalent among higher education students, with significant implications for academic success and personal development. Emerging research suggests that critical thinking dispositions may support psychological well-being by enhancing resilience and adaptive coping. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between critical thinking dispositions and psychological well-being and to identify key sociodemographic predictors in this context. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed from December 2024 to May 2025, recruiting 429 students from Portuguese higher education institutions via convenience sampling. Participants completed validated self-report measures: the Critical Thinking Dispositions Scale (CTDS) and the Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS), assessing seven critical thinking dispositions and six well-being dimensions, respectively. Sociodemographic data were also collected. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlations, and hierarchical multiple regression were used for data analysis. Results: Students demonstrated moderate to high levels of critical thinking and psychological well-being, with higher scores associated with increased age and academic progression. Significant positive correlations were identified between critical thinking dispositions and all well-being dimensions; personal growth, purpose in life, and autonomy exhibited the strongest associations. Regression analysis revealed that confidence in reasoning, cognitive maturity, and open-mindedness were significant predictors of psychological well-being, explaining 28.7% of the variance. Conversely, inquisitiveness showed a negative association with psychological well-being in the multivariate model, an unexpected finding that warrants cautious interpretation and further investigation. Conclusions: Critical thinking dispositions reflect affective tendencies and habitual ways of engaging with thinking. These dispositions appear to protect psychological well-being in higher education students. Integrating the development of emotional awareness and reflective thinking into curricula may therefore foster resilience and academic success. Further longitudinal research is needed to explore causal mechanisms and intervention efficacy in broader academic contexts.

Embryo developmental and morphokinetic patterns in the domestic cat (Felis catus): associations with maternal age and SRT1720 supplementation during oocyte in vitro maturation

2026-05-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Embryo developmental and morphokinetic patterns in the domestic cat (Felis catus): associations with maternal age and SRT1720 supplementation during oocyte in vitro maturation Authors: Meco, Michele; Payan Carreira, Rita; Ochota, Małgorzata; Wojciech, Niżański Abstract: This study describes embryo developmental progression and morphokinetic patterns in embryos derived from oocytes of young and aged domestic cats, a model for endangered felids, using a time-lapse monitoring system. Because maternal aging is associated with reduced oocyte competence, possibly linked to mitochondrial dysfunction that may impair fertilization and embryo development, the potential influence of the SIRT1 activator SRT1720 during in vitro maturation on embryo developmental progression was also evaluated under these conditions. Oocytes from young (1.13 ± 0.79 years) and old (7.0 ± 1.10) cats were matured in vitro with SRT1720 (1-μM, 0.1-μM, and 0.05-μM) and without, followed by in vitro fertilization. 8-Day embryo in vitro culture was noninvasively monitored using the MIRI® time-lapse system. Embryos from aged cats exhibited accelerated progression up to the morula stage; in contrast, embryos from young cats showed faster progression at later preimplantation stages and reached the hatched blastocyst stage. In young queens, embryos exposed to 0.1-μM showed numerically higher first cleavage and morula formation rates than controls, while 1-μM was associated with altered first cleavage timing and short cell cycles. In older queens, 0.1-μM maintained cleavage timing patterns comparable to untreated embryos but fail to produce hatched blastocysts, whereas 1-μM yielded a single hatched blastocyst despite signs of altered cell cycle dynamics. Overall, SRT1720 supplementation did not significantly influence embryo development under the tested conditions. Morphokinetic monitoring provided descriptive observations suggesting distinct age-related developmental profiles. These findings provide baseline information on feline developmental kinetics and may support further investigation of metabolic modulators in feline assisted reproduction.

Raman Spectroscopy for Differentiating High- and Low-Grade Canine Cutaneous Mast Cell Tumours

2026-06-22T23:00:00Z

Title: Raman Spectroscopy for Differentiating High- and Low-Grade Canine Cutaneous Mast Cell Tumours Authors: Catarino, José; Silva, Ssusana; Novais, Susana; Santos, Joana; Payan Carreira, R; Faísca, Pedro; Reis, Joana Abstract: Canine cutaneous mast cell tumours (MCTs) demonstrate variable clinical behaviour. Histological grading remains the primary prognostic approach, but some low-grade tumours behave aggressively, and interobserver variability persists. This underscores the need for complementary and objective biomarkers. Raman spectroscopy (RS) is a non-destructive optical technique based on the inelastic scattering of monochromatic light capable of detecting subtle biochemical changes in tissues. This exploratory study evaluates whether RS could differentiate low-grade from high-grade cutaneous MCTs based on characteristic vibrational signatures. Eighteen canine cutaneous mast cell tumours were graded according to the Kiupel two-tier system, comprising 10 low-grade and 8 high-grade cases. Formalin-fixed tumour samples were analysed, yielding a total of 68 Raman spectra. Spectra were acquired with a 785 nm laser, pre-processed using baseline correction, and normalized to the 1007 cm−1 phenylalanine band. Data normality was tested with the Shapiro–Wilk test, and group comparisons used the Mann–Whitney U test (α = 0.05). The 1007 cm−1 band showed no significant difference between Low- and High-Grade tumours (p = 0.068), validating its use for normalization. Conversely, the 860 cm−1 tyrosine-associated band was significantly higher in high-grade tumours (p = 0.033). Ratios normalized to the 1007 cm−1 peak consistently discriminated between grades, with significantly higher values in low-grade tumours across multiple spectral regions—particularly 1007/1299 and 1007/1301–1320 (all p < 0.05). Overall, RS identified distinct biochemical fingerprints between tumour grades in canine cutaneous MCTs, especially in spectral regions associated with amino acids, lipids, and nucleic acids. These findings support the potential of RS as a complementary tool for MCT characterization and encourage further validation in larger cohorts with clinical outcome data.

Adolescent’s views of positive and negative influences of family on wellbeing

2026-06-30T23:00:00Z

Title: Adolescent’s views of positive and negative influences of family on wellbeing Authors: Grácio, Luísa; Pires, Heldemerina; Alves, Sofia; Carapeto, Maria João Abstract: Psychological wellbeing is a central component of mental health during adolescence. A range of risk and protective factors influencing adolescents’ wellbeing and mental health have been systematically identified, with the family context frequently highlighted as a critical domain. This study aimed to examine the family-related factors that adolescents perceive as having either a positive or negative impact on their mental health. Data were collected via two open-ended questions in a paper-and-pencil questionnaire, in which 9th- to 12th-grade students were asked to describe how family influences adolescents’ wellbeing. Responses were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The findings indicate that parental support (emotional, advice, academic), a favorable family environment, and the promotion of autonomy balanced with appropriate monitoring were frequently perceived as protective/promotive factors. In contrast, perceived risk factors included the absence of parental support, inadequate parental control, and inappropriate family environment. These results underscore adolescents’ recognition of the dual role that family (particularly parents) can play as both a source of risk and a protective/promotive influence on their wellbeing and mental health. The findings point to valuable directions for preventive interventions targeting parental roles in adolescent mental health.