Coordinator of the Research Team on Positive Development and Optimal Functioning: This area of research is focused on the study of optimal functioning through the lens of Positive Psychology and developmental psychology. Our research projects have been aimed at studying the quality of subjective experience in daily life, crossing personal and contextual variables, in order to understand positive patterns of human functioning (through cognitive, affective, motivational and behavioral dimensions). Studies include mixed-method approaches, using traditional retrospective self-report (e.g., scales and questionnaires) and the innovative methodologies based in real time measures (e.g., Experience Sampling Method – ESM).
Topics of research include: well-being, happiness and optimal experience (flow) studied in different normative life contexts, such as leisure, family and school, and also in clinical contexts (individual and group interventions), mainly focused on adolescents’ lives. Currently, projects aim at studying positive developmental trajectories of adolescents using an integrated and equally weighted focus on both positive and negative functioning in adolescence. Following a positive clinical psychology approach, the study of these characteristics bases the elaboration and implementation of rigorous evaluated individual and/or group interventions to promote positive development and optimal functioning or to treat disorder and distress through positive variables. The main aim is to expand knowledge about contributors to negative outcomes in life and the onset of psychopathology, and how they can be buffered by well-being and optimal functioning variables.
Positive Development
Optimal Functioning
Children, Adolescents and Young Adults
Life contexts: Leisure, Family, School,
Selected publications
Freire, T. & Teixeira, A. (2018) The Influence of Leisure Attitudes and Leisure Satisfaction on Adolescents’ Positive Functioning: The Role of Emotion Regulation. Frontiers in Psychology. 9:1349. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01349
DOI
Silva, E. & Freire, T. (2018). The Emotion Regulation Strategies of Adolescents and their Parents:An Experience Sampling Study. Journal of Child and Family Studies. DOI:10.1007/s10826-018-1015-6 DOI
Verdugo, L., Freire, T. & Sanchez, I. (2018). Understanding the Connections between Self-perceptions and Future Expectations: A Study with Spanish and Portuguese Early Adolescents. Revista de Psicodidáctica 23(1):39-47. DOI10.1016/j.psicod.2017.07.005 DOI
Freire, T., Lima, I., Teixeira, A., Araújo, M., & Machado, A. (2018). Challenge: To Be+. A group intervention program to promote the positive development of adolescents, Children and Youth Services Review. DOI:10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.02.035 DOI
Gissubel, K., Beiramar, A., & Freire, T. (2018). The ego depletion effect on undergraduate university students: A systematic review. Motivation and Emotion. DOI : 10.1007/s11031-018-9686-2 DOI
Freire, T. (2017). Leisure and positive psychology: Contributions to optimal human functioning. The Journal of Positive Psychology. DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2017.1374445 DOI
Teixeira, A. & Freire, T. (2017). From therapy to daily life of a depressed adolescent: crossing psychopathology and optimal functioning. Current Psychology. DOI: 10.1007/s12144-017-9748-8 DOI
Carbonneau, H. & Freire, T. (Eds.) (2017). Leisure Experience, Health and Positive Development [Special issue]. Loisir et Societé/Leisure and Society, 40(3). DOI.org/10.1080/07053436.2017.1378507 DOI
Freire, T., Gomes, J., Fonte, C. (2017). Adolescents' positive and negative affect and relations with alcohol use: a weekly study. Child Indicators Research, 10 (2), 525-543. DOI: 10.1007/s12187-016-9394-y DOI
Delle Fave A., Brdar I., Wissing M.P., Araujo U., Castro Solano A., Freire T., Hernández-Pozo M.D.R., Jose P., Martos T., Nafstad H.E., Nakamura J., Singh K. and Soosai-Nathan L. (2016). Lay Definitions of Happiness across Nations: The Primacy of Inner Harmony and Relational Connectedness. Front. Psychol. 7:30. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00030 DOI
Tavares, D. & Freire, T. (2016). Flow experience, attentional control, and emotion regulation: contributions for a positive development in adolescents, Psicologia, Vol. 30 (2), 77-94. DOI: 10.17575/rpsicol.v30i2.1119 DOI
Freire, T. & Ferreira, G. (2016): Health-related quality of life of adolescents: Relations with positive and negative psychological dimensions, International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2016.1262268 DOI
Other publications
Freire, T. & Teixeira, A. (2018) The Influence of Leisure Attitudes and Leisure Satisfaction on Adolescents’ Positive Functioning: The Role of Emotion Regulation. Frontiers in Psychology. 9:1349. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01349
DOI
Silva, E. & Freire, T. (2018). The Emotion Regulation Strategies of Adolescents and their Parents:An Experience Sampling Study. Journal of Child and Family Studies. DOI:10.1007/s10826-018-1015-6 DOI
Verdugo, L., Freire, T. & Sanchez, I. (2018). Understanding the Connections between Self-perceptions and Future Expectations: A Study with Spanish and Portuguese Early Adolescents. Revista de Psicodidáctica 23(1):39-47. DOI10.1016/j.psicod.2017.07.005 DOI
Freire, T., Lima, I., Teixeira, A., Araújo, M., & Machado, A. (2018). Challenge: To Be+. A group intervention program to promote the positive development of adolescents, Children and Youth Services Review. DOI:10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.02.035 DOI
Gissubel, K., Beiramar, A., & Freire, T. (2018). The ego depletion effect on undergraduate university students: A systematic review. Motivation and Emotion. DOI : 10.1007/s11031-018-9686-2 DOI
Freire, T. (2017). Leisure and positive psychology: Contributions to optimal human functioning. The Journal of Positive Psychology. DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2017.1374445 DOI
Teixeira, A. & Freire, T. (2017). From therapy to daily life of a depressed adolescent: crossing psychopathology and optimal functioning. Current Psychology. DOI: 10.1007/s12144-017-9748-8 DOI
Carbonneau, H. & Freire, T. (Eds.) (2017). Leisure Experience, Health and Positive Development [Special issue]. Loisir et Societé/Leisure and Society, 40(3). DOI.org/10.1080/07053436.2017.1378507 DOI
Freire, T., Gomes, J., Fonte, C. (2017). Adolescents' positive and negative affect and relations with alcohol use: a weekly study. Child Indicators Research, 10 (2), 525-543. DOI: 10.1007/s12187-016-9394-y DOI
Delle Fave A., Brdar I., Wissing M.P., Araujo U., Castro Solano A., Freire T., Hernández-Pozo M.D.R., Jose P., Martos T., Nafstad H.E., Nakamura J., Singh K. and Soosai-Nathan L. (2016). Lay Definitions of Happiness across Nations: The Primacy of Inner Harmony and Relational Connectedness. Front. Psychol. 7:30. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00030 DOI
Tavares, D. & Freire, T. (2016). Flow experience, attentional control, and emotion regulation: contributions for a positive development in adolescents, Psicologia, Vol. 30 (2), 77-94. DOI: 10.17575/rpsicol.v30i2.1119 DOI
Freire, T. & Ferreira, G. (2016): Health-related quality of life of adolescents: Relations with positive and negative psychological dimensions, International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2016.1262268 DOI
Teixeira, A., Silva, E., Tavares, D., & Freire, T. (2015). Portuguese validation of the Emotion
Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA): Relations with self-esteem and life
satisfaction. Child Indicators Research, 8(3), 605-621. DOI
Freire, T., Teixeira, A., Silva, E., Matias, G. P. (2015). Interventions for youth depression: from symptom reduction to well-being and optimal functioning. Journal of Behavior, Health & Social Issues, vol. 6(2), 9-19. DOI.org/10.5460/jbhsi.v6.2.50816 DOI
Freire, T. (2013). Positive leisure science: From subjective experience to social contexts. Dordrecht, NL:
Springer. DOI
2023/2024
Estágio em Psicologia Clínica na Infância e na Adolescência
Master
Estudos Avançados em Psicologia
Doctoral Program
Intervenção Psicológica na Adolescência
Master
Modelos de Intervenção Psicológica Individual I
Bachelor
Modelos de Intervenção Psicológica Individual I
Bachelor
Modelos de Intervenção Psicológica Individual I
Bachelor
Modelos de Intervenção Psicológica Individual I
Bachelor
Projeto de Investigação em Psicologia Clínica da Infância e da Adolescência
Master
Psicologia do Desenvolvimento da Infância e da Adolescência
Bachelor
Psicologia do Desenvolvimento da Infância e da Adolescência
Bachelor
Psicologia do Desenvolvimento da Infância e da Adolescência
Bachelor
Psicologia do Desenvolvimento da Infância e da Adolescência
Bachelor
Psicopatologia do Desenvolvimento e Desenvolvimento Positivo
Master
Psicopatologia e Avaliação Psicológica na Adolescência
Master
Temas Avançados em Desenvolvimento e Psicopatologia
Doctoral Program
