Il ruolo del genere nel lavoro con gli uomini autori di violenza: Affetti e rappresentazioni dei professionisti della salute

Il lavoro di contrasto alla violenza maschile contro le donne ha recentemente spostato il proprio focus dalla donna vittima di violenza all’uomo maltrattante. Questo cambio di paradigma ha portato all’implementazione di programmi di trattamento rivolti agli autori di violenza e all’impegno di professionisti uomini nel contrasto alla violenza. Il presente studio ha l’obiettivo di esplorare gli affetti e le rappresentazioni di 7 professionisti della salute (3 uomini e 4 donne) che si occupano di trattare uomini autori di violenza, con un focus specifico sul genere di appartenenza. L’analisi semiotica quali-quantitativa applicata alle interviste semi-strutturate analizzate tramite il software T-LAB ha consentito di individuare la presenza di 5 cluster: 1) Riconoscimento delle emozioni; 2) Posizionamento di genere; 3) Competenze lavorative; 4) Percezione del rapporto tra i generi; e 5) Rapporto con il lavoro. I risultati sembrano confermare che il genere di appartenenza degli operatori giochi un ruolo fondamentale nell’esperienza lavorativa con gli uomini maltrattanti

Lo stigma anti-transgender da una prospettiva ecologico-sociale: Effetti sulla salute psico-fisica e strategie di intervento

The present study offers an overview on stigma against transgender people, analyzing its effects on physical and psychological well-being. We adopted a socio-ecological perspective, according to which antitransgender stigma may manifest at different levels: along the environment-individual spectrum, stigma may occur at the institutional, interpersonal and individual level. All these typologies make transgender people a very vulnerable group, at risk for several health problems. Authors will finally overview some specific psycho-social interventions aimed at reducing stress, by matching each level of stigma with internationally well-established good practices

Sexism, homophobia and transphobia in a sample of Italian pre-service teachers: the role of socio-demographic features

Although recent research has highlighted that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youths represent a resilient population, they still suffer from social stigma and oppression, being potentially at additional risk of developing negative mental health outcomes. One of the main environments where violence and harassment against this population are present is the school. Within school contexts, the impact that teachers can have on the educational experiences of LGBT youths seems to be a crucial point. This paper explored sexist, homophobic and transphobic attitudes among 438 pre-service teachers in relation to specific socio-demographic features. Results indicated that being male, heterosexual, conservative and currently religious were positively associated with sexist, homophobic, and transphobic attitudes and feelings, and having a LGBT friend was negatively associated with homophobic and transphobic attitudes and feelings. These results suggest the need to introduce specific training on the deconstruction of gender and sexual stereotypes and prejudices, to provide teachers with efficient tools to address diversity in the classrooms and to implement inclusive school policies. Suggestions for the implementation of good practices are provided

Sampling considerations when analyzing micrometric-sized particles in a liquid jet using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

International audiencePollution of water is a matter of concern all over the earth. Particles are known to play an important role in the transportation of pollutants in this medium. In addition, the emergence of new materials such as NOAA (Nano-Objects, their Aggregates and their Agglomerates) emphasizes the need to develop adapted instruments for their detection. Surveillance of pollutants in particulate form in waste waters in industries involved in nanopartide manufacturing and processing is a telling example of possible applications of such instrumental development. The LIBS (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) technique coupled with the liquid jet as sampling mode for suspensions was deemed as a potential candidate for on-line and real time monitoring. With the final aim in view to obtain the best detection limits, the interaction of nanosecond laser pulses with the liquid jet was examined. The evolution of the volume sampled by laser pulses was estimated as a function of the laser energy applying conditional analysis when analyzing a suspension of micrometric-sized particles of borosilicate glass. An estimation of the sampled depth was made. Along with the estimation of the sampled volume, the evolution of the SNR (signal to noise ratio) as a function of the laser energy was investigated as well. Eventually, the laser energy and the corresponding fluence optimizing both the sampling volume and the SNR were determined. The obtained results highlight intrinsic limitations of the liquid jet sampling mode when using 532 nm nanosecond laser pulses with suspensions

Identity complexity and integration in lesbian, gay, bisexual and heterosexual adolescents and emerging adults: Implications for clinical practice

The present study aimed at assessing whether differences exist in identity complexity and integration between 31 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) and 33 heterosexual youths (mean age 21.47, SD = 3.27), both Italian and US. Participants completed a newly created questionnaire, the Identity Labels and Life Contexts Questionnaire (ILLCQ), which assesses the interplay between identity dimensions and life contexts. The ILLCQ assesses identity integration on three levels: (a) integration among the different domains of identity in their intersection with the various life contexts (assessed through salience and centrality); (b) integration between an individual’s self-definition and the definition of self made by others (perceived self-recognition); and (c) the integration between how the person perceives her/himself to be and the way she/he shows her/himself to others. Results suggest that identity salience varies significantly across life contexts for both LGB and heterosexual youths. The only significant difference between the LGB and heterosexual groups was higher salience and centrality of the sexual orientation domain for LGB youths. Sexuality represents a core identity domain for LGB participants, and perhaps less so for heterosexual participants. LGB youths reported lower general identity recognition from other people. Implications for clinical practice are discussed

“Soccer is a matter of real men?” Sexist and homophobic attitudes in three Italian soccer teams differentiated by sexual orientation and gender identity

During the 1980s and early 1990s, homophobia and sexism were pervasive in sport contexts due to their sex-segregation, male-domination, and heteronormative culture. In the last two decades, a change in attitudes toward gender and sexuality, in particular within typically masculine sports, has been observed. Notwithstanding that, no research assessing if this change also occurred in Italy was conducted. Using semi-structured focus groups and adopting the framework of Inclusive Masculinity Theory, the current study explored sexist and homophobic attitudes in three Italian soccer teams differentiated by gender and sexual orientation. Team 1 comprised openly gay male athletes, Team 2 comprised both lesbian and heterosexual women, and Team 3 comprised heterosexual men. Narratives were analysed through constant comparison analysis. Specific macro-categories were identified in each team, as follows: Team 1: need for affiliation, in/visibility, perceived homophobia, and perceived institutionalised homophobia; Team 2: need for affiliation, masculine dominance, equal opportunities, and crossing gender boundaries; and Team 3: presumption of heterosexuality, female inferiority, and tendency toward a homosocial law. The results suggest that soccer, in Italy, still represents a context organised around men’s dominance over women and the stigmatisation of gay men. Notwithstanding, they suggest also that we are witnessing an interlocutory phase where some heterosexual soccer players are starting to challenge homophobia but, at the same time, women and openly gay players still perceive a homohysteric culture. The discussion is contextualised in the social context where discourses arose

The Influence of Minority Stress, Gender, and Legalization of Civil Unions on Parenting Desire and Intention in Lesbian Women and Gay Men: Implications for Social Policy and Clinical Practice

Although the rate of lesbian and gay (LG) parents is increasing, lesbian and gay adults are less likely than heterosexual adults to be parents, as desire and intention to become a parent tend to be lower. This study aims at assessing 290 childless LG individuals (120 lesbian women and 170 gay men) to explore the influence of minority stress, gender differences, and legalization of civil unions in Italy on parenting desire and intention. The results indicated that the minority stressors associated with parenting dimensions included prejudice events, outness, and internalized homophobia for lesbian women, but only felt stigma among gay men. Support from family or significant others buffered the effects of minority stressors on parenting dimensions. Thus, the minority stress processes partly explain the intention and desire to become parents in LG childless individuals. Furthermore, lesbian women showed higher levels of parenting desire and intention than gay men and the levels of these parenting dimensions increased after the law on civil unions was enacted. The findings have important implications for both social policies and clinical practice

Group psychodynamic counselling with final-year undergraduates in clinical psychology: A clinical methodology to reinforce academic identity and psychological well-being

Educational institutions should ensure that students develop a professional identity, as well as safeguarding their well-being and activating awareness and change processes. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of group psychodynamic counselling as a means of reinforcing academic identity–considered the forerunner of professional identity–and psychological well-being in a group of final-year undergraduates studying clinical psychology. Thirty-three final-year-students of clinical psychology who participated in six group psychodynamic counselling sessions were compared with sixteen final-year students of clinical psychology who had never participated in an intervention of this kind. The results suggested that group psychodynamic counselling made students feel more capable of managing their lives and more open to new experiences as well as encouraging them to perceive their relationships as more positive and satisfying, to believe that their life is meaningful, and to achieve greater self-acceptance. The in-depth exploration also prompted students to consider their commitment to their choice of career. Group psychodynamic counselling also reinforced students’ educational choice, as the likelihood of students becoming less committed to this choice was reduced after the intervention. Thus, the study confirmed the efficacy of group psychodynamic counselling as a means of reinforcing both academic identity and promoting well-being and demonstrated that it is a tool clinical psychologists and university teachers could use to activate self-reflection and change within educational settings

Desempenho de estudantes universitários na geração aleatória de números para avaliar as funções executivas

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of adult young subjects in a Random Number Generation (RNG) task by controlling the response speed (RS). METHOD: Sixty-nine university students of both sexes took part in the experiment (25.05 ± 6.71 year-old). Participants were alloted into 3 groups which differed in RS rates to generate numbers: 1, 2 and 4 seconds to generate each number. A digital metronomer was used to control RS. Participants were asked to generate 100 numbers. The responses were mensured through Evans's RNG Index. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences among the groups [F (3, 68) = 7.120; p < .05]. Differences were localized between 1 and 2 seconds (p = 0.004) and between 1 and 4 seconds (p = 0.006). No differences were observed between 2 and 4 seconds (p = 0.985). CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that the response speed in production of random numbers influences the performance of the Random Numbers Generation task.OBJETIVO: Avaliar o desempenho de sujeitos adultos na Geração Aleatória de Números (RNG), em função da velocidade da resposta (VR). MÉTODO: Participaram do experimento 69 universitários, de ambos os sexos. A média de idade dos participantes foi 25,05±6,71 anos. Os participantes foram divididos aleatoriamente em 3 grupos que diferiram quanto à VR para gerar cada número; 1, 2 e 4 segundos. As respostas foram avaliadas através do índice RNG de Evans. RESULTADOS: A análise dos resultados evidenciou diferença estatisticamente significante entre os 3 grupos [F (3, 68) = 7,120; p < 0,05], com diferenças entre as VR de 1 e 2 segundos (p = 0,004) e de 1 e 4 segundos (p = 0,006). Não foram observadas diferenças entre as VR de 2 e 4 segundos (p = 0,985). CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados mostraram que a velocidade da resposta na produção dos números aleatórios influencia o desempenho da tarefa de Geração Aleatória de Números.Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul Departamento de PsicologiaUniversidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul Departamento de Clínica MédicaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de PsicobiologiaUNIFESP, Depto. de PsicobiologiaSciEL

La salute degli anziani LGBT dalla prospettiva del minority stress. Rassegna della letteratura e raccomandazioni di ricerca

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults have not received proper attention by the scientific literature and gerontology research, especially in Italy. This lack represents only an aspect of a more general condition of social invisibility that weighs on this population. The present contribution aims to provide researchers and clinicians with a review of scientific works which, especially in the USA, have casted light on experiences of stigmatization, discrimination, and victimization experienced and perceived by this population. The theoretical framework is represented by the minority stress perspective which provides an overview of risk and protective factors related to physical and mental health of minority groups. In the current review, authors considered studies conducted through quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods, starting from 2000. Following the above described perspective, results are presented in two sections: the first one is focused on the different forms of stigma which weigh on LGBT older adults and the second one on the mental and physical health outcomes and on protective factors. The application of the minority stress perspective on LGBT older adults provides researchers and social and health care system providers with a psychosocial and clinical framework through which reading the phenomenon. Finally, main research recommendations are discussed