Meaning in life is one of the most heavily researched constructs of positive psychology in the psychological literature. Despite its popularity, the positive psychology literature has been devoid of research that has explored the measurement of the construct with individuals who identify as African American. The present study was conducted to reexamine the cultural equivalence of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), a popular existing measure, with a predominantly African American sample. A sample of 155 African American and 179 White American college students were recruited from a southern metropolitan university and rural Midwestern university. Participants responded to the MLQ and a demographic questionnaire. The factor structure and the nature of the items were examined using a principal axis exploratory factor analysis with an oblique rotation (delta = 0). The results of the study were partially consistent with the existing literature on the MLQ, providing evidence to support the two factor structure of the measure. However, the nature of the items loading on each scale was called into question because the subsamples of participants responded significantly differently on the items of the Presence subscale. Furthermore, the reliability and communality value on one item (i.e., “My life has no clear purpose”), which was significantly lower, provided additional rationale for differences in MIL for these groups. The results suggested that there might be a noteworthy difference in: (a) how African American participants and White American participants interpreted the items and (b) how their subjective experience may influence responding to the items. In sum, the research has important implications for understanding the nature of African American meaning in life and its connection to the present day African American experience in the United States context.

This study examined the utility of a brief, strength-based approach to mental health screening. A strength-based based approach to mental health screening focuses on the social and emotional competencies taught and supported by the school context. As such, a strength-based approach to mental health screening is aligned with a three-tiered response to intervention model aimed at maximizing the effectiveness of universal supports and early detection of students who may benefit from additional intervention.

Esta pesquisa objetiva analisar as experiências de flow (Teoria do Flow, de Csikszentmihalyi) alcançadas pelos Auditores Públicos Externos (APEs) do Tribunal de Contas do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (TCE-RS), a partir da sua percepção. Tem como objetivos específicos: identificar e descrever as condições, as características e as experiências de flow alcançadas pelos Auditores Públicos Externos do TCE-RS, com base em sua percepção; verificar os fatores determinantes para a ocorrência das experiências de flow por parte dos APEs; identificar os níveis de satisfação de vida e de autoestima dos APEs; sugerir questões para futuras pesquisas; fornecer feedback para que o TCE-RS possa melhorar suas políticas de gestão de pessoas. Como principal base teórica utiliza a Teoria do Flow, de Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1989, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2004), que foca na experiência máxima. Contextualiza a teoria dentro da Psicologia Positiva. Aborda aspectos teóricos de motivação em Maslow (1970, 1976, 1986, 2001) e Csikszentmihalyi (2004), satisfação de vida (Hewitt, 2009, Diener e Diener, 1995) e autoestima (Rosenberg, 1973, Diener et al, 2005). Contextualiza o trabalho no setor público com base em autores clássicos e contemporâneos como Weber (2000, 2010), Kalberg (2005), Crozier (1981), Motta (1984), Bresser Pereira (1996, 2009), Bergue (2010, 2011, 2014), Paludo (2013), Paes de Paula (2005). A pesquisa é exploratória-descritiva (Gil, 2008), com abordagem quanti-qualitativa. Aplicou-se questionário online com questões de identificação (adaptado de Gouveia, 2011; Oliveira, 2013), Escala de Satisfação de Vida, Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg (Hutz et al., 2014) e Escala de Flow (adaptado de Gouveia, 2011; Oliveira, 2013) para uma amostra não probabilística de 122 APEs do TCE-RS. Realizou-se entrevistas com dez APEs selecionados a partir do critério de acessibilidade. Os dados coletados a partir do questionário foram analisados por meio de análise fatorial confirmatória, análise de variância, correlação de Pearson e regressão linear. O conteúdo das entrevistas foi analisado pela análise de conteúdo (Bardin, 2010) por meio de doze categorias: metas claras; feedback imediato; equilíbrio entre capacidades e desafios; concentração profunda; controle sobre si mesmo e sobre a tarefa; noção de tempo alterada; fusão ação-consciência; personalidade autotélica; trabalho considerado significativo pela sociedade; satisfação de vida; autoestima. Dentre os participantes da etapa quantitativa, 86,9% afirmaram vivenciar experiências de flow durante o trabalho, 23% estão entre os mais satisfeitos, 60% apresentaram satisfação de vida acima da média; 30,3% estão entre os com autoestima mais elevada, 42,7% apresentaram autoestima acima da média. Foram verificadas diferenças de percepções que podem ser analisadas pela instituição para que sejam elaboradas políticas de gestão de pessoas para suprimir as lacunas apresentadas principalmente quanto à satisfação de vida e condições para a experiência de flow. Há correlação positiva entre satisfação de vida, autoestima e experiência de flow. A experiência de flow é mais influenciada pela autoestima do que pela satisfação de vida. Dos dez APEs entrevistados, oito sentem ou já sentiram flow no trabalho. Todas as condições para a experiência de flow foram citadas, com ênfase para o equilíbrio entre capacidades e desafios. A maioria afirmou gostar da atividade e de desafios. Todos sentem flow fora do trabalho, principalmente ao viajar e ler. Há alta rotatividade dos APEs entrevistados entre as áreas de atividade. A área de atividade influencia na percepção de flow. / This research aims to analyze the flow of experiences (Flow Theory, by Csikszentmihalyi) gained by the Auditors Public External (APEs) of the Court of Rio Grande South State (TCERS), from your perception. Its specific objectives: identify and describe the conditions, characteristics and flow of experiences gained by the Public External Auditors of TCE-RS, based on their perception; verify the determining factors for the occurrence of flow experiences by the APEs; identify life satisfaction levels and self-esteem of the APEs; suggest questions for future research; provide feedback to the TCE-RS can improve their people management policies. As the main theoretical basis using the Flow Theory, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1989, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2004), which focuses on maximum experience. Contextualizes the theory within Positive Psychology. Covers theoretical aspects of motivation Maslow (1970, 1976, 1986, 2001) and Csikszentmihalyi (2004), life satisfaction (Hewitt, 2009 Diener and Diener, 1995) and self-esteem (Rosenberg, 1973 Diener et al., 2005). Contextualizes the work in public administration based on classic and contemporary authors such as Weber (2000, 2010), Kalberg (2005), Crozier (1981), Motta (1984), Bresser Pereira (1996, 2009), Bergue (2010, 2011, 2014), Paludo (2013), Dasso Júnior (2014), Paes de Paula (2005). Research is exploratory and descriptive (Gil, 2008), with quantitative and qualitative approach. Applied online questionnaires with identification questions (adapted from Gouveia, 2011; Oliveira, 2013), Life Satisfaction Scale, Self-Esteem Scale Rosenberg (Hutz et al., 2014) and Flow Scale (adapted from Gouveia 2011; Oliveira, 2013) for a nonprobabilistic sample of 122 APEs of TCE-RS. We conducted interviews with ten APEs selected from the accessibility criteria. The data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation and linear regression. The content of the interviews was analyzed by content analysis (Bardin, 2010) through twelve categories: clear goals; immediate feedback; balance between capacity and challenges; deep concentration; control over himself and the task; modified notion of time; fusing action-awareness; autotelic personality; work considered significant by the company; life satisfaction; self-esteem. Among the participants of the quantitative stage, 86.9% reported experiencing flow experiences at work, 23% are among the most satisfied, 60% were above average life satisfaction; 30.3% are among those with higher self-esteem, 42.7% had above average self-esteem. Differences in perceptions were found that can be analyzed by the institution for people management policies are designed to take away the gaps presented mainly as the satisfaction of life and conditions for the flow of experience. There are positive correlation between life satisfaction, self-esteem and flow experience. The flow experience is more influenced by the self-esteem than the life satisfaction. Of the ten APEs interviewed eight feel or have felt flow at work. All the conditions for the flow experience were cited, with emphasis on the balance between skills and challenges. Most said like activity and challenges. Everyone feels flow out of work, especially when traveling and reading. There is high turnover of APEs respondents between the areas of activity. The activity area influences the perception of flow.

A presente tese teve por objetivo avaliar diferentes aspectos do construto sentido de vida (SV) e suas relações com variáveis biossociodemográficas e outros construtos psicológicos positivos (otimismo, esperança, satisfação com a vida, felicidade subjetiva, autoestima e autoeficácia) em uma ampla amostra nacional. Para atingir os objetivos propostos, foram desenvolvidos um artigo teórico e seis artigos empíricos. O primeiro artigo apresentou o construto SV, e discutiu as potencialidades e limitações dos principais instrumentos existentes na literatura para avaliação do construto sentido de vida. Posteriormente, foram elaborados três estudos empíricos de adaptação e validação de instrumentos psicológicos para o contexto brasileiro. Os três instrumentos validados foram: 1) Questionário de Sentido de Vida (QSV); 2) Questionário de Fontes de Sentido e de Sentido de Vida (QFSSV); e 3) Escala de Felicidade Subjetiva (EFS). O quinto artigo da tese avaliou como diferentes categorias de sentido interagem com variáveis biossociodemográficas, fontes de sentido e com características psicológicas positivas. O sexto artigo investigou como o construto “busca por sentido” se relaciona com as diferentes categorias de sentido. Além disso, buscou-se compreender se a busca por sentido poderia moderar a relação entre as diferentes categorias de sentido com os índices de bem-estar subjetivo, mensurado pelos construtos satisfação com a vida e felicidade subjetiva. Por fim, o último artigo empírico investigou como diferentes características biossociodemográficas e psicológicas influenciam a intenção das pessoas em participar de futuras etapas desta pesquisa. A amostra total empregada foi de 3,034 sujeitos (63,9% mulheres), com idades variando entre 18 e 91 anos (M = 33,9, DP = 15,01), oriundos de 22 diferentes estados do Brasil. Do total da amostra, 91,4% responderam aos instrumentos em uma plataforma virtual, enquanto 8,6% o fizeram no método papel e caneta. Os três instrumentos adaptados para o contexto brasileiro apresentaram adequadas propriedades psicométricas, sugerindo sua possibilidade de uso em estudos futuros. Os resultados também demonstraram a existência de diferentes categorias de sentido de vida (realização existencial, indiferença existencial, crise existencial, conflito existencial), e que sujeitos inseridos nestas categorias apresentam importantes diferenças no que se refere a suas características biossociodemográficas e psicológicas. Foi descoberto, também, que a busca por sentido é maior entre os que apresentam conflito existencial, embora esteja positivamente relacionada com os níveis de crise existencial. Os resultados desta tese apontam para a necessidade da continuidade dos estudos acerca da temática. Esta tese pretende contribuir para a área da Psicologia Positiva ao fornecer três novos instrumentos psicométricos para uso no contextobrasileiro, e ao apresentar resultados anteriormente não discutidos na literatura da área do sentido de vida. / This dissertation aimed to evaluate different aspects of the construct “meaning in life” (MIL) and its relations with sociodemographic and other positive psychological constructs (optimism, hope, life satisfaction, subjective happiness, self-esteem and self-efficacy) in a large Brazilian sample. To attain the proposed goals, one theoretical and six empirical articles were developed. The first theoretical article presented the MIL construct and discussed the benefits and limitations of the main existing scales designed to evaluate the MIL construct. Further, three validation articles of psychological measures were developed. The three questionnaires were: 1) Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ); 2) Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life Questionnaire (SoMe); and 3) Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS). The fifth article of the dissertation aimed to show how different categories of meaning interacted with sociodemographic variables, sources of meaning and positive psychological characteristics. The sixth article sought to evaluate to what extent the construct “search for meaning” relates to the different categories of meaning. Furthermore, we aimed to assess if search for meaning moderates the relation among the different categories of meaning with subjective well-being. Finally, the last empirical paper evaluated how different sociodemographic and psychological variables influence the intention in participating in the future waves of the present study. Participants were 3.034 subjects (63.9% women) with ages varying from 18 e 91 years old (M = 33.9; DP = 15.01), originated from 22 different Brazilian states. From the total, 91.4% answered the questionnaires in a web-based platform, whereas 8.6% answered in the paper-and-pencil method. The three adapted instruments presented adequate psychometric properties, and suggests its possible use in future studies. The results also showed the existence of different categories of meaning (meaningfulness, existential indifference, existential crisis, existential conflict), and that people inserted in these categories present important differences in their bio-psychossocial and psychological variables. It was also shown that search for meaning is higher among those in the existential conflict group, although search for meaning is positively related to crisis of meaning. The results of this study point to the need for further studies on the subject. This dissertation seeks to contribute to the Positive Psychology field by offering three different psychometric scales to use in the Brazilian context, and to present empirical results not previously achieved, contributing to the knowledge on the MIL literature.

Os estudos desenvolvidos nesta dissertação estão inseridos no campo da Psicologia Positiva, definida como o estudo científico de características positivas. O objetivo geral desta dissertação, composta por um artigo teórico e um empírico, foi adaptar um instrumento de avaliação do otimismo em crianças no formato papel-e-lápis para o formato informatizado. O primeiro artigo se trata de uma revisão de literatura, que teve como objetivo identificar de forma sistemática os instrumentos de avaliação do otimismo na infância. Como resultados, identificou-se 11 instrumentos, incluindo escalas, questionários e entrevista. Dentre esses, quatro escalas possuem estudos de validação para o Brasil e apenas um instrumento encontrado foi construído a partir de uma amostra de crianças brasileiras. Essa lacuna indica que essa área ainda tem muito a se desenvolver no país. O segundo estudo teve como objetivo adaptar o instrumento Tarefas Preditoras de Otimismo em Crianças para uma versão de uso em tablet, nomeada TAPOC-i (Tarefas Preditoras de Otimismo em Crianças informatizada), e buscar evidências de validade desta versão. Participaram 238 crianças, 105 de Teresina - Piauí e 133 de Porto Alegre – Rio Grande do Sul (RS) (57,9% meninas), de quatro a 10 anos de idade. A dimensionalidade do instrumento foi mantida na versão informatizada. A TAPOC-i apresentou propriedades psicométricas adequadas, o que fornece indicadores de validade do instrumento. O uso de um aplicativo nesta pesquisa possibilitou uma diminuição no tempo de aplicação do instrumento, além de ter se mostrado uma ferramenta lúdica e atrativa na avaliação de crianças. / The studies developed in this dissertation are inserted in the field of Positive Psychology, defined as the scientific study of positive characteristics. The aim of this dissertation, composed by a theoretical paper and one empirical, it was to adapt an optimism assessment instrument in children in paper-and-pencil format into computerized one. The first study was about a literature review that has aimed to identify in a systematic form the optimism assessment instruments in childhood. As results, 11 instruments were identified, including scales, questionnaires and interviews. Among these, four scales have validation studies for Brazil and only one instrument was found based on a sample of Brazilian children. This gap indicates that this area still has much to develop in the country. The second one aimed to adapt the instrument Optimism Predictor Task in Children (TAPOC) into a version to be used in tablet, the TAPOC-I (Computerized Optimism Predictor Task in Children), and to seek validity evidence of this version. 238 children participated, 105 from Teresina – Piauí and 133 from Porto Alegre – Rio Grande do Sul (RS) (57,9% girls), from four to ten years old. The dimensionality of the instrument and its psychometric characteristics was maintained in the computerized version. TAPOC-i presented TAPOC-i presented adequate psychometric properties, which provide indicators of instrument validity. The use of an application in this research allowed a reduction in the time of the instrument management, besides being a playful and attractive tool in the evaluation of children.

abstract: Positive psychology focuses on the promotion of well-being (Seligman, & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) have been developed to help facilitate the development of skills needed to flourish and current research suggests that PPIs can help individuals improve their happiness, reduce stress, and become more resilient (Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener, 2005). National surveys highlight that students in higher education are in dire need of interventions aimed at helping them cope with the negative impact of stress (Douce & Keeling, 2014; Marks & Wade, 2015). Research among the graduate student population is scant even though they report high levels of stress and work even more hours than undergraduate students (Wyatt & Oswalt, 2013). PPIs implemented in the graduate student population focus heavily on psychologically-based programs, like psychology and social work, whose students may already be receiving assistance in self-care (Botta, Cadet, & Maramaldi, 2015; Burkhart, 2014; Nelson, Dell'Oliver, Koch, & Buckler, 2001). Thus, this current study is a randomized controlled trial testing an online PPI, adapted from Achor's work in the business industry (2012, 2014), compared with an online informative stress group and a wait list control group among graduate students from various disciplines at a large, public university in the Southwest. Participants were administered pre-, post-, and three-month follow-up tests to determine the impact of the interventions on their levels of perceived stress, happiness, and resilience. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used with covariates of age, gender, race, program of study, and graduate level of study (masters versus doctoral). The main findings of the study included: the students in the PPI group reported significantly higher resilience at the end of the three weeks than did the students in the informative stress or wait list control groups, even though measures of happiness or perceived stress were not impacted; and students from psychologically based programs received the most benefit from treatment, especially from the PPI intervention. All findings, implications, and suggestions for future directions are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Counseling Psychology 2017

Resilience is a dynamic process that reflect individual ability to successfully recover and positively adapt to severe circumstances. In this essay, attachment, social support, self- regulation and affective processing, taken from the "shortlist of resilience" provided by Masten, are further analyzed and connected to findings within neuroscience. The result suggest that brain areas originated from the prefrontal cortex, such as orbitofrontal and dorsolateral cortex, are two major neural correlates to attachment and stress- and self- regulation. The amygdala is also an area of interest, because of its’ connection to emotions and affective memories. Research on affective style suggest that the functions associated with the prefrontal cortex are dampening the effect of the amygdala, which later supports resilience and recovery. The area of resilience is suffering from a lacking general definition, measurement and operationalization, which is argued to be the major challenge of this research area. Prominent researchers prospect that resilience research will continue to flourish within the area of neuroscience, and that further discoveries will be made concerning how this cognitive ability is related to structural and functional differences in the brain.

Os estudos desenvolvidos nesta dissertação estão inseridos no campo da Psicologia Positiva, definida como o estudo científico de características positivas. O objetivo geral desta dissertação, composta por um artigo teórico e um empírico, foi adaptar um instrumento de avaliação do otimismo em crianças no formato papel-e-lápis para o formato informatizado. O primeiro artigo se trata de uma revisão de literatura, que teve como objetivo identificar de forma sistemática os instrumentos de avaliação do otimismo na infância. Como resultados, identificou-se 11 instrumentos, incluindo escalas, questionários e entrevista. Dentre esses, quatro escalas possuem estudos de validação para o Brasil e apenas um instrumento encontrado foi construído a partir de uma amostra de crianças brasileiras. Essa lacuna indica que essa área ainda tem muito a se desenvolver no país. O segundo estudo teve como objetivo adaptar o instrumento Tarefas Preditoras de Otimismo em Crianças para uma versão de uso em tablet, nomeada TAPOC-i (Tarefas Preditoras de Otimismo em Crianças informatizada), e buscar evidências de validade desta versão. Participaram 238 crianças, 105 de Teresina - Piauí e 133 de Porto Alegre – Rio Grande do Sul (RS) (57,9% meninas), de quatro a 10 anos de idade. A dimensionalidade do instrumento foi mantida na versão informatizada. A TAPOC-i apresentou propriedades psicométricas adequadas, o que fornece indicadores de validade do instrumento. O uso de um aplicativo nesta pesquisa possibilitou uma diminuição no tempo de aplicação do instrumento, além de ter se mostrado uma ferramenta lúdica e atrativa na avaliação de crianças. / The studies developed in this dissertation are inserted in the field of Positive Psychology, defined as the scientific study of positive characteristics. The aim of this dissertation, composed by a theoretical paper and one empirical, it was to adapt an optimism assessment instrument in children in paper-and-pencil format into computerized one. The first study was about a literature review that has aimed to identify in a systematic form the optimism assessment instruments in childhood. As results, 11 instruments were identified, including scales, questionnaires and interviews. Among these, four scales have validation studies for Brazil and only one instrument was found based on a sample of Brazilian children. This gap indicates that this area still has much to develop in the country. The second one aimed to adapt the instrument Optimism Predictor Task in Children (TAPOC) into a version to be used in tablet, the TAPOC-I (Computerized Optimism Predictor Task in Children), and to seek validity evidence of this version. 238 children participated, 105 from Teresina – Piauí and 133 from Porto Alegre – Rio Grande do Sul (RS) (57,9% girls), from four to ten years old. The dimensionality of the instrument and its psychometric characteristics was maintained in the computerized version. TAPOC-i presented TAPOC-i presented adequate psychometric properties, which provide indicators of instrument validity. The use of an application in this research allowed a reduction in the time of the instrument management, besides being a playful and attractive tool in the evaluation of children.

Esta pesquisa objetiva analisar as experiências de flow (Teoria do Flow, de Csikszentmihalyi) alcançadas pelos Auditores Públicos Externos (APEs) do Tribunal de Contas do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (TCE-RS), a partir da sua percepção. Tem como objetivos específicos: identificar e descrever as condições, as características e as experiências de flow alcançadas pelos Auditores Públicos Externos do TCE-RS, com base em sua percepção; verificar os fatores determinantes para a ocorrência das experiências de flow por parte dos APEs; identificar os níveis de satisfação de vida e de autoestima dos APEs; sugerir questões para futuras pesquisas; fornecer feedback para que o TCE-RS possa melhorar suas políticas de gestão de pessoas. Como principal base teórica utiliza a Teoria do Flow, de Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1989, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2004), que foca na experiência máxima. Contextualiza a teoria dentro da Psicologia Positiva. Aborda aspectos teóricos de motivação em Maslow (1970, 1976, 1986, 2001) e Csikszentmihalyi (2004), satisfação de vida (Hewitt, 2009, Diener e Diener, 1995) e autoestima (Rosenberg, 1973, Diener et al, 2005). Contextualiza o trabalho no setor público com base em autores clássicos e contemporâneos como Weber (2000, 2010), Kalberg (2005), Crozier (1981), Motta (1984), Bresser Pereira (1996, 2009), Bergue (2010, 2011, 2014), Paludo (2013), Paes de Paula (2005). A pesquisa é exploratória-descritiva (Gil, 2008), com abordagem quanti-qualitativa. Aplicou-se questionário online com questões de identificação (adaptado de Gouveia, 2011; Oliveira, 2013), Escala de Satisfação de Vida, Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg (Hutz et al., 2014) e Escala de Flow (adaptado de Gouveia, 2011; Oliveira, 2013) para uma amostra não probabilística de 122 APEs do TCE-RS. Realizou-se entrevistas com dez APEs selecionados a partir do critério de acessibilidade. Os dados coletados a partir do questionário foram analisados por meio de análise fatorial confirmatória, análise de variância, correlação de Pearson e regressão linear. O conteúdo das entrevistas foi analisado pela análise de conteúdo (Bardin, 2010) por meio de doze categorias: metas claras; feedback imediato; equilíbrio entre capacidades e desafios; concentração profunda; controle sobre si mesmo e sobre a tarefa; noção de tempo alterada; fusão ação-consciência; personalidade autotélica; trabalho considerado significativo pela sociedade; satisfação de vida; autoestima. Dentre os participantes da etapa quantitativa, 86,9% afirmaram vivenciar experiências de flow durante o trabalho, 23% estão entre os mais satisfeitos, 60% apresentaram satisfação de vida acima da média; 30,3% estão entre os com autoestima mais elevada, 42,7% apresentaram autoestima acima da média. Foram verificadas diferenças de percepções que podem ser analisadas pela instituição para que sejam elaboradas políticas de gestão de pessoas para suprimir as lacunas apresentadas principalmente quanto à satisfação de vida e condições para a experiência de flow. Há correlação positiva entre satisfação de vida, autoestima e experiência de flow. A experiência de flow é mais influenciada pela autoestima do que pela satisfação de vida. Dos dez APEs entrevistados, oito sentem ou já sentiram flow no trabalho. Todas as condições para a experiência de flow foram citadas, com ênfase para o equilíbrio entre capacidades e desafios. A maioria afirmou gostar da atividade e de desafios. Todos sentem flow fora do trabalho, principalmente ao viajar e ler. Há alta rotatividade dos APEs entrevistados entre as áreas de atividade. A área de atividade influencia na percepção de flow. / This research aims to analyze the flow of experiences (Flow Theory, by Csikszentmihalyi) gained by the Auditors Public External (APEs) of the Court of Rio Grande South State (TCERS), from your perception. Its specific objectives: identify and describe the conditions, characteristics and flow of experiences gained by the Public External Auditors of TCE-RS, based on their perception; verify the determining factors for the occurrence of flow experiences by the APEs; identify life satisfaction levels and self-esteem of the APEs; suggest questions for future research; provide feedback to the TCE-RS can improve their people management policies. As the main theoretical basis using the Flow Theory, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1989, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2004), which focuses on maximum experience. Contextualizes the theory within Positive Psychology. Covers theoretical aspects of motivation Maslow (1970, 1976, 1986, 2001) and Csikszentmihalyi (2004), life satisfaction (Hewitt, 2009 Diener and Diener, 1995) and self-esteem (Rosenberg, 1973 Diener et al., 2005). Contextualizes the work in public administration based on classic and contemporary authors such as Weber (2000, 2010), Kalberg (2005), Crozier (1981), Motta (1984), Bresser Pereira (1996, 2009), Bergue (2010, 2011, 2014), Paludo (2013), Dasso Júnior (2014), Paes de Paula (2005). Research is exploratory and descriptive (Gil, 2008), with quantitative and qualitative approach. Applied online questionnaires with identification questions (adapted from Gouveia, 2011; Oliveira, 2013), Life Satisfaction Scale, Self-Esteem Scale Rosenberg (Hutz et al., 2014) and Flow Scale (adapted from Gouveia 2011; Oliveira, 2013) for a nonprobabilistic sample of 122 APEs of TCE-RS. We conducted interviews with ten APEs selected from the accessibility criteria. The data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation and linear regression. The content of the interviews was analyzed by content analysis (Bardin, 2010) through twelve categories: clear goals; immediate feedback; balance between capacity and challenges; deep concentration; control over himself and the task; modified notion of time; fusing action-awareness; autotelic personality; work considered significant by the company; life satisfaction; self-esteem. Among the participants of the quantitative stage, 86.9% reported experiencing flow experiences at work, 23% are among the most satisfied, 60% were above average life satisfaction; 30.3% are among those with higher self-esteem, 42.7% had above average self-esteem. Differences in perceptions were found that can be analyzed by the institution for people management policies are designed to take away the gaps presented mainly as the satisfaction of life and conditions for the flow of experience. There are positive correlation between life satisfaction, self-esteem and flow experience. The flow experience is more influenced by the self-esteem than the life satisfaction. Of the ten APEs interviewed eight feel or have felt flow at work. All the conditions for the flow experience were cited, with emphasis on the balance between skills and challenges. Most said like activity and challenges. Everyone feels flow out of work, especially when traveling and reading. There is high turnover of APEs respondents between the areas of activity. The activity area influences the perception of flow.

abstract: This study was designed to investigate whether workplace positivity of full-time workers was related to health ratings. Positivity was conceptualized by a high rating of perceived work-performance, and work-engagement as defined by the Utrecht Work-Engagement Scale, including vigor, dedication, and absorption (Schaufeli, & Bakker, 2004). Health was measured utilizing the RAND SF-36 health survey including the eight subscales: overall, general health, physical and social functioning, emotional well-being, role limitations due to physical health or emotional problems, energy or fatigue, and bodily pain. All measures were collected simultaneously. It was predicted that perceived work-performance and all measures of work-engagement are positively associated with the aforementioned health ratings. Multiple regression analyses revealed that higher (positive) perception of work-performance and vigor were positively related to health ratings. Absorption was negatively related to health ratings. Dedication was only negatively related to physical functioning. These findings suggest that not all measures of positivity in the workplace are related to better health. Implications and future directions are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Psychology 2014