Carlos Freire

Dr. Carlos Freire

University of A Coruña
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

19Years (2008-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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13 October 2016 in Frontiers in Psychology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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Carlos FreireCarlos Freire
Carlos Freire
MFMaría del Mar Ferradás
María del Mar Ferradás
Antonio ValleAntonio Valle
Antonio Valle
JNJosé C. Núñez
José C. Núñez
GVGuillermo Vallejo
Guillermo Vallejo
In the transactional model of stress, coping responses are the key to preventing the stress response. In this study, the possible role of psychological well-being as a personal determinant of coping strategies in the academic context was analyzed. Specifically, the study has two objectives: (a) to identify different profiles of students according to their level of psychological well-being; and (b) to analyze the differences between these profiles in the use of three coping strategies (positive reappraisal, support-seeking, and planning). Age, gender, and degree were estimated as covariables. A total of 1,072 university students participated in the study. Latent profile analysis was applied to four indices of psychological well-being: self-acceptance, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and personal growth. An optimal four-profile solution, reflecting significant incremental shifts from low to very high psychological well-being, was obtained. As predicted, the profile membership distinguished between participants in positive reappraisal, support-seeking, and planning. Importantly, the higher the profile of psychological well-being was, the higher the use of the three coping strategies. Gender differences in coping strategies were observed, but no interaction effects with psychological well-being were found. Age and degree were not relevant in explaining the use of coping strategies. These results suggest that psychological well-being stands as an important personal resource to favor adaptive coping strategies for academic stress.

Carlos FreireCarlos Freire
Carlos Freire
MFMaría del Mar Ferradás
María del Mar Ferradás
José NúñezJosé Núñez
José Núñez
Antonio ValleAntonio Valle
Antonio Valle
GVGuillermo Vallejo
Guillermo Vallejo
The importance of personal psychological resources in preventing academic stress has enjoyed little attention to date, despite the high rates of stress that exist among university students. This article analyzes the effect of eudaimonic well-being on the use of adaptive strategies for coping with academic stress. Moreover, it analyzes the role of self-efficacy as a mediator and moderator of this relationship. In the mediation model, gender is included as a co-variable; in the moderation model, gender is included as a moderator. A total of 1402 university students participated in the study. The data were gathered through validated self-report instruments. The mediation analyses were performed using the PROCESS module of the statistical package, SPSS. The moderating effects of self-efficacy and gender were analyzed through hierarchical regression analysis. The results indicate that self-efficacy partially mediates but does not moderate the relationship between eudaimonic well-being and adaptive coping strategies. This finding reveals the benefits of using these two personal resources to enhance effective coping with academic stress while attending university.

Carlos FreireCarlos Freire
Carlos Freire
MFMaría del Mar Ferradás
María del Mar Ferradás
AGAlba García-Bértoa
Alba García-Bértoa
José NúñezJosé Núñez
José Núñez
Susana RodríguezSusana Rodríguez
Susana Rodríguez
IAISABEL PIÑEIRO AGUÍN
ISABEL PIÑEIRO AGUÍN
In keeping with the growth in the development of healthy environments in organizational contexts, in recent years, there has also been increasing interest in the identification of personal psychological resources that contribute to improved worker mental health. From this proactive approach, this study examines the mediating role of flourishing in the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and burnout in teachers, a professional group that is particularly prone to suffering from this syndrome. A total of 1379 teachers from pre-school, primary, secondary, and vocational education systems participated in the study. The mediating effect of flourishing was determined via mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro. The results showed that flourishing partially mediates the negative effect of PsyCap on the three symptoms of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of professional accomplishment). These findings indicate that both PsyCap and flourishing may be effective personal resources in reducing teacher burnout. Therefore, in order to prevent burnout, it is advisable to design interventions that combine PsyCap and flourishing.

18 September 2019 in Sustainability
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MFMaría del Mar Ferradás
María del Mar Ferradás
Carlos FreireCarlos Freire
Carlos Freire
AGAlba García-Bértoa
Alba García-Bértoa
José NúñezJosé Núñez
José Núñez
Susana RodríguezSusana Rodríguez
Susana Rodríguez
This study adopts a person-centered approach to identify the possible existence of different teacher profiles of psychological capital, according to the way in which its four components combine (efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience). The study aimed to examine whether the identified profiles differed in their levels of burnout. In total, 1379 non-university teachers participated in the study. A latent profile analysis was performed using MPlus 7.11 software. Seven teaching profiles of psychological capital were identified, differing both quantitatively and qualitatively. The differences between the profiles in burnout were estimated using SPSS 26 software. Teachers with a profile of low psychological capital (i.e., low confidence of successfully completing challenging tasks—efficacy; lack of energy for establishing personal goals and working towards achieving them —hope; little tendency to make positive causal attributions and develop expectations of success—optimism; and low capacity to recover or emerge stronger from adverse situations—resilience) exhibited significantly higher levels of burnout. The lowest levels of burnout were found in the profile of high psychological capital (i.e., higher in efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience). These results suggest that teachers who can muster the four components of psychological capital are more protected against burnout.

Esteban Moreno-MonteroEsteban Moreno-Montero
Esteban Moreno-Montero
MFMaría del Mar Ferradás
María del Mar Ferradás
Carlos FreireCarlos Freire
Carlos Freire
In recent years, research has noted the increasing prevalence of mental health problems among university students. The current mental health needs of the university population, along with the multitude of stressors they face, have increased the importance of examining their psychological well-being and determining the personal resources that effectively promote it. In this context, the present research aims to analyze the roles of psychological capital (PsyCap) and coping strategies as personal resources that are significantly related to the psychological well-being (PWB) of university students. Specifically, the mediating roles of various coping strategies (both adaptive and maladaptive) in the relationship between PsyCap and PWB are explored. The study involves 391 university students from Spain. The results show partial mediation effects of adaptive coping strategies (cognitive restructuring and social support) on the relationship between PsyCap and PWB. Likewise, PsyCap is shown to be a direct positive predictor of adaptive coping strategies and PWB, as well as a direct negative predictor of maladaptive coping strategies (self-criticism). Therefore, it is concluded that PsyCap and some adaptive coping strategies serve as valuable personal resources that predict PWB in university students. PsyCap is also associated with a lower tendency to engage in maladaptive coping strategies, such as self-criticism. Similarly, the use of cognitive restructuring and/or social support is related to high levels of PWB among university students.

1 February 2019 in Frontiers in Psychology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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IPIsabel Piñeiro
Isabel Piñeiro
IEIris Estévez
Iris Estévez
Carlos FreireCarlos Freire
Carlos Freire
Ana María De Caso FuertesAna María De Caso Fuertes
Ana María De Caso Fuertes
ASAlba Souto
Alba Souto
MGMercedes González-Sanmamed
Mercedes González-Sanmamed
The benefits of homework on student learning and academic achievement, to a large extent, depend on the degree of student engagement. Motivational engagement (my intention or why I do the homework), cognitive engagement (how I get involved in homework), and behavioral engagement (how much homework I do, how much time I devote to it, how I manage that time) are key aspects that condition the quality of the process of doing homework, learning, and academic achievement. Prior academic achievement is one of the variables that seems to be positively related to student engagement (both due its motivational component and to the training to do homework). The main purpose of this work was to study in detail this relationship in students of the last stage of Primary Education (N = 516). The results showed that (i) as achievement levels rise, the use of a shallow focus to doing homework decreases (and the use of a deep approach increases); (ii) there is also a progressive increase in the amount of homework done and in the management of the time dedicated to homework. On another hand, as in previous research, (iii) no relationship was observed between the levels of prior achievement and the amount of time spent doing homework.