Latent classes of emotional and behavioural problems in epidemiological and referred samples and their relations to DSM-IV diagnoses

Researchers\u2019 interest have recently moved toward the identification of recurrent psychopathological profiles characterized by concurrent elevations on different behavioural and emotional traits. This new strategy turned to be useful in terms of diagnosis and outcome prediction. We used a person-centred statistical approach to examine whether different groups could be identified in a referred sample and in a general-population sample of children and adolescents, and we investigated their relation to DSM-IV diagnoses. A latent class analysis (LCA) was performed on the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) syndrome scales of the referred sample (N = 1225), of the general-population sample (N = 3418), and of the total sample. Models estimating 1-class through 5-class solutions were compared and agreement in the classification of subjects was evaluated. Chi square analyses, a logistic regression, and a multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the relations between classes and diagnoses. In the two samples and in the total sample, the best-fitting models were 4-class solutions. The identified classes were Internalizing Problems (15.68%), Severe Dysregulated (7.82%), Attention/Hyperactivity (10.19%), and Low Problems (66.32%). Subsequent analyses indicated a significant relationship between diagnoses and classes as well as a main association between the severe dysregulated class and comorbidity. Our data suggested the presence of four different psychopathological profiles related to different outcomes in terms of psychopathological diagnoses. In particular, our results underline the presence of a profile characterized by severe emotional and behavioural dysregulation that is mostly associated with the presence of multiple diagnosis

Virtual and behavioral habilitation techniques in children with autism

In this thesis two studies about children with autism are presented. The first is a longitudinal study to evaluate the best age to start a low-intensive TEACCH program. The second, using an urban Virtual Environment, try to understand navigation and exploration skills in children with autis

Autismo e Video Modeling: un progetto sperimentale con metodologia sul soggetto singolo per l’insegnamento di abilità di autonomia

Il Video Modeling (VM) è un metodo ampiamente utilizzato per favorire lo sviluppo di abilità di vita quotidiana e sociale in bambini con Disturbo dello Spettro Autistico (DSA). Tali abilità fanno riferimento ad aspetti basilari della quotidianità quali vestirsi, lavarsi i denti, curare l’igiene personale, difficoltà in queste attività sono tra i fattori che provocano maggiore stress nei caregiver. Lo sviluppo delle abilità di vita quotidiana nei bambini con DSA contribuisce pertanto al raggiungimento della loro autonomia e integrazione. Il VM promuove l’acquisizione di comportamenti desiderati attraverso l’imitazione di un modello che esegue correttamente il comportamento desiderato e che viene mostrato attraverso un video. Nel presente studio, è stato condotto un intervento di VM con un bambino di 7 anni che presentava DSA e disabilità intellettiva moderata (QI stimato =43), allo scopo di sviluppare l’abilità di autonomia “lavarsi le mani”. È stato somministrato al bambino un training di VM della durata di due settimane sull’abilità “lavarsi le mani”. Il bambino ha mostrato un rapido incremento del comportamento allenato con il VM nella fase iniziale, tuttavia tali acquisizioni non sono state mantenute durante tutto lo studio. Il VM ha permesso in parte al bambino di ottenere miglioramenti nel lavarsi le mani, consolidando alcuni comportamenti importanti per l’esecuzione del lavaggio delle mani. Per questo il VM può essere considerato uno strumento efficacie nel favorire lo sviluppo di abilità legate alla vita quotidiana in bambini con DSA

Reliability and normative data of the Perceptual Aberration Scale in an Italian juvenile general population sample

Psychometric tools, such as the Perceptual Aberration Scale (PAS), have been developed to identifypeople at risk to develop psychosis. This paper aims at providing an Italian version of the PerceptualAberration Scale and its normative data for the general juvenile Italian population. The Italian version ofthe PAS was produced using three independent translators. It was administered to 1089 non-clinicalparticipants, stratified into three age-groups, i.e., 8\u201313, 14\u201317 and 18\u201324. The Italian version of the PASdisplayed good internal consistency in each age-group evaluated (i.e. Alpha Coefficients: 0.90 for the 8\u201313 age-group, 0.84 for the 14\u201317 age-group, and 0.87 for the 18\u201324 age-group) and the assumption ofunidimensionality was corraborate. Furthermore, normative data for the three groups were collected (i.e.cut-offs: 25 for the 8\u201313 age-group, 21 for the 14\u201317 age-group and 20 for the 18\u201324 age-group) and anage-related difference, as the 18-24 group scored lower than the younger groups, was found. The Italianversion of the PAS proved to be a reliable psychometric tool to investigate perceptual aberration duringchildhood, adolescence and young adulthood

Visual body perception in anorexia nervosa

Objective: Disturbance of body perception is a central aspect of anorexia nervosa (AN) and several neuroimaging studies have documented structural and functional alterations of occipito-temporal cortices involved in visual body processing. However, it is unclear whether these perceptual deficits involve more basic aspects of others' body perception. Method: A consecutive sample of 15 adolescent patients with AN were compared with a group of 15 age-and gender-matched controls in delayed matching to sample tasks requiring the visual discrimination of the form or of the action of others' body. Results: Patients showed better visual discrimination performance than controls in detail-based processing of body forms but not of body actions, which positively correlated with their increased tendency to convert a signal of punishment into a signal of reinforcement (higher persistence scores). Discussion: The paradoxical advantage of patients with AN in detail-based body processing may be associated to their tendency to routinely explore body parts as a consequence of their obsessive worries about body appearance. (C) 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Normative data and effects of age and gender on temperament and character dimensions across the lifespan in an Italian population: A cross-sectional validation study

Background The short version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-125) has been employed for the study of personality traits in both clinical and normal populations. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies explored the psychometric properties of this instrument in healthy individuals across the lifespan. We here provide the Italian normative data and present the personality features according to age and gender in a sample of healthy individuals. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in a total of 1430 Italian healthy individuals ranging from 13 to 67 years (59.3% females). We evaluated the factorial model of the TCI-125, explored the internal consistency of the scales and carried out univariate analyses of variance for the investigation of age and gender differences in temperament and character dimensions. Results Confirmatory factor analysis only partially confirmed the factor structure, with some Reward Dependence, Self-Directedness, and Cooperativeness items showing poor fit. Overall we found acceptable internal consistencies for all the dimensions of the TCI-125 across all age groups, except for Reward Dependence, Persistence, and Novelty Seeking, which showed unsatisfactory internal consistency in younger age groups. Furthermore, we found significant age differences in most temperament and all character dimensions. Finally, in specific age groups we also observed significantly lower scores in males compared to females in Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence and all character dimensions except for Self-Directedness, on which males scored higher than females. Conclusions Although this study only partially confirmed the factor structure of the TCI-125 and suggested limited homogeneity for some temperament scales, overall our results supported the reliability of the TCI-125, which can therefore be considered a useful tool for exploring personality traits in both clinical and normal samples. Moreover, this study suggested the need of using this instrument with caution in adolescents

Normative data of the Magical Ideation Scale from childhood to adulthood in an Italian cohort

The assessment of schizotypy allows to identify people at risk to develop psychosis. For this purpose, psychometric tools have been developed, such as the Magical Ideation Scale (MIS). This scale investigates attenuated forms of thought transmission experiences, thought withdrawal and aberrant beliefs, related to positive schizotypy. This study aims at providing an Italian version of the MIS and its normative data in the general population from childhood to adulthood, being the first study evaluating subjects under 17 year-old. The Italian MIS version was translated by three independent operators and administered to 1378 non-clinical participants, stratified into four age groups (i.e., 8\u201313, 14\u201317, 18\u201324 and 25\u201334). The unidimensionality of the scale was supported, and its internal consistency was satisfactory (i.e., ordinal Cronbach's \u3b1s ranging from 0.86 to 0.90 in different age groups), as well as test\u2013retest reliability (i.e., 1-month ICC of 0.82 in a retested sub-sample). Normative data for the age groups were provided. Specific gender and age-related differences in MIS score were found, i.e. females scored higher than males in the 25\u201334 age group, which in general, as a group, scored lower than all the other age groups. This study provided evidence of reliability for the Italian version of the MIS in childhood and adolescence, for the first time, as well as in adulthood, showing specific gender and age effects in the early adult cohort

Where does this image take you? A visual tale from a workshop on geographical imaginations

This work is authored by a group of Ph.D. students and academics who attended a workshop on visual methodologies in the framework of the Scuola di alta formazione in geografia organised by AGeI (Association of Italian Geographers), 2022 edition. By visually reporting the workshop activities we aim at reflecting on the creative power of images in expanding geographical imaginations and its potential in the teaching of geography. The paper is shaped as a visual essay in which images and text do not refer directly to each other but rather aim at creating an imaginative reading flow