This paper examines the validity of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students-short version (ASSIST; Tait et al. in Improving student learning: Improving students as learners, 1998), to be used with Portuguese undergraduate students. The ASSIST was administrated to 566 students, in order to analyse a Portuguese version of this inventory. Exploratory factor analysis (principal axis factor analysis followed by direct oblimin rotation) reproduced the three main factors that correspond to the original dimensions of the inventory (deep, surface apathetic and strategic approaches to learning). The results are consistent with the background theory on approaches to learning. Additionally, the reliability analysis revealed acceptable internal consistency indexes for the main scales and subscales. This inventory might represent a valuable research tool for the assessment of approaches to learning among Portuguese higher education students.

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The terms on which the integration of new generations of immigrants into Portuguese and Spanish societies happens will have a decisive influence in the future of both countries. Therefore, promoting their health, well-being, and psychosocial adaptation is a matter of strategic interest. This paper analyses psychosocial factors associated with well--being and psychological adjustment on a sample of 108 adolescents (55 males and 53 females), children of immigrants from Huelva (Spain) and Algarve (Portugal), aged between 10 and 17 years. Adolescents were assessed for demographic characteristics and perceived well-being. We used the "KIDSCREEN-5", a self-report questionnaire that yields detailed profile information for children aged 8 to 18 years for the following ten dimensions: Physical well-being, Psychological well-being, Moods and emotions, Self--perception, Autonomy, Parental relationships and home life, Financial resources, Social support and peers, School environment, and Social acceptance (Bullying). Overall, significant differences were found between the Spanish and Portuguese samples on physical well-being, psychological well-being, mood, financial resources and social acceptance (bullying). Boys perceived themselves as having a better physical well-being than girls. Mothers' educational level was associated with psychological well-being and mood. Also, results suggested that residence location and other socio-demographical variables were not associated with the adolescents' well-being and psychological adjustment.

No presente trabalho apresentamos uma reflexão em torno da empregabilidade dos diplomados do Ensino Superior. Considerando a pertinência e actualidade do tema, é nossa intenção uma melhor compreensão em relação às questões decorrentes de um mundo cada vez mais globalizado e outras, inerentes à problemática da convergência europeia quanto à formação e qualificação de nível superior. Fizemos o exame de alguns aspectos que remetem para as questões da globalização, sendo apresentados alguns indicadores comparativos nos países da União Europeia. Neste âmbito são destacados factores relativos aos diversos sistemas de ensino, às qualificações académicas e às competências profissionais. São também tecidas algumas considerações sobre os factores de empregabilidade dos diplomados em Portugal, tendo como pano de fundo Bolonha e Praga, bem como as novas exigências do mercado de trabalho no quadro de um novo paradigma de aprendizagem e de formação. Para uma melhor compreensão do fenómeno, os dados de alguns estudos realizados no nosso País serão alvo de uma meta-análise.