Self-consistent characterization of light statistics

We demonstrate the possibility of a self-consistent characterization of the photon-number statistics of a light field by using photoemissive detectors with internal gain simply endowed with linear input/output responses. The method can be applied to both microscopic and mesoscopic photon-number regimes. The detectors must operate in the linear range without need of photon-counting capabilities.Comment: To be published in "Journal of Modern Optics

3D phase-matching conditions for the generation of entangled triplets by chi(2) interlinked interactions

An analytical calculation of the interaction geometry of two interlinked second-order nonlinear processes fulfilling phase-matching conditions is presented. The method is developed for type-I uniaxial crystals and gives the positions on a screen beyond the crystal of the entangled triplets generated by the interactions. The analytical results are compared to experiments realized in the macroscopic regime. Preliminary tests to identify the triplets are also performed based on intensity correlations.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 movie (extension of fig. 2

Photon-number correlations by photon-number resolving detectors

We demonstrate that by using a pair of photodetectors endowed with internal gain we are able to quantify the correlation coefficient between the two components of a pulsed bipartite state in the mesoscopic intensity regime (less than 100 mean photons)

Photon-number statistics with Silicon photomultipliers

We present a description of the operation of a multi-pixel detector in the presence of non-negligible dark-count and cross-talk effects. We apply the model to devise self-consistent calibration strategies to be performed on the very light under investigation

The effectiveness of a school-based, universal mental health programme in six European countries

As children and young people today face ever increasing social, emotional and mental health challenges, schools, as one of the primary systems in children’s lives, are called to broaden their agenda and help to address these challenges. This paper discusses the evaluation of a school-based, universal mental health promotion programme developed recently for the European context. The programme provides a universal curriculum from early years to high school, aiming to promote social and emotional learning and resilience and prevent social, emotional, and behavioural problems in children and adolescents. A total of 7,789 students (and their teachers and parents) from kindergarten to high school across 6 countries in Europe were recruited from 434 classrooms in 124 schools, making use of cluster sampling. A quasi- experimental longitudinal design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme on students’ outcomes by comparing the groups’ outcomes within times (pre-test vs. post-test) and between groups (experimental vs. control group). A total of 779 classroom teachers completed pre-and-post scales measuring students’ social and emotional learning, mental health and academic achievement. Results indicate that the experimental group had significantly larger increase in social and emotional competence and prosocial behaviour, and a decrease in mental health issues (externalising and internalising problems). No significant impact was found for academic outcomes. The findings are discussed in view of the limitations of the study and areas for further research.peer-reviewe

A multi-component curriculum to promote teachers’ mental health : findings from the PROMEHS program

In the last two years, a growing number of studies have focused on the promotion of students’ mental health to address the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, less studies have been conducted on sustaining teachers’ mental health which has been affected by the sudden changes in online teaching and the difficulties in keeping and building relationship with students. Even before the pandemic, teaching has long been recognised as one of the most challenging occupations characterized by high levels of stress. Although the research highlighted the key role of mental health promotion among teachers, there is still a lack of programs enhancing teachers’ wellbeing. This study examined the impact of the PROMEHS program, a school-based curriculum, on teachers’ mental health. A total of 687 teachers participated in the study. Applying a pre- and post-training study design with experimental and waiting list groups, teachers were evaluated in social and emotional learning, resilience, and self-efficacy. The results showed that there was a significant improvement in all competences of the teachers in the experimental group compared to those in the waiting list group. The paper discusses the implications of the findings with recommendations for further studies in the area.peer-reviewe

Communication – Presence Roundtrip: Travelling along Theoretical, Methodological and Applicative Connections

The convergence between telecommunication, virtual reality and artificial intelligence technologies resulted in a dramatical increase and modification of the opportunities to experience the physical and social world. Their diffusion and integration into multi-user and multi-agent virtual worlds highlighted the relevance of addressing from a common psychological perspective the domain of communication and the domain of presence. New theoretical and practical questions are emerging, in the double intent to explain phenomena at the interplay between mind and technology and to design effective technological applications. This chapter has the goal to start an exploration of the links and reciprocal contributions between communication and presence, analyzed at theoretical, methodological and applicative level

Adolescents’ Mental Health at School: The Mediating Role of Life Satisfaction

In this study, we further developed prior research on risk and protective factors in adolescents’ mental health. More specifically, we used structural equation modelling to assess whether relationships at school with teachers and peers, and life satisfaction predicted mental health in a large sample of adolescents, while also testing for age and gender invariance. The sample comprised 3,895 adolescents (Mage = 16.7, SD = 1.5, 41.3% girls), who completed self-report instruments assessing their perceived life satisfaction, student-teacher relationship, school connectedness and mental health. Overall, the results suggested that life satisfaction acted as a mediator between adolescents’ positive school relations and their mental health. Outcomes were invariant across genders, while quality of school relations and mental health declined with age. Limitations of the study and futures lines in mental health research among adolescents are briefly discussed

Improving SEL and prosocial behaviors in middle secondary school: The effectiveness of the PROMEHS curriculum on Italian students

Preadolescence is a critical period for the onset of mental health issues. Thus, secondary schools have a responsibility to promote students’ mental health and prevent social, emotional, and behavioral problems. This contribution presents the results of PROMEHS, a European school-based, universal mental health program. Participants were 433 Italian students (11-13 years; 217 females), split into experimental and control groups. Teachers completed two questionnaires, at the beginning and end of 2020/21 school year: the Social Skills Improvement System, Social Emotional Learning Edition (SSIS-SELb), measuring their students’ social-emotional learning competences; and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), assessing students’ mental health (i.e., prosocial behaviors, internalizing and externalizing problems). Between the pre- and post-test phases, teachers in the experimental group were trained on school mental health themes and carried out PROMEHS activities in their classrooms. Multivariate analysis showed that students in the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in social-emotional learning competences (i.e., self-awareness and relationship skills; p=.04) and prosocial behaviors (p=<.001). Implications of these findings will be discussed