Comprender el malestar a través de las relaciones. La teoría sistémica: entre epistemología, dinámicas familiares y clínica

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo el delinear la evolución de las referencias epistemológicas que subyacen al cambio de los modelos de tipo sistémico-relacional. Tal evolución representa el hilo conductor gracias al cual leer las variaciones de perspectiva que ha experimentado la clínica familiar al observar, significar y tratar el malestar en el ámbito de la teoría y de la escena terapéutica. Son dos los saltos epistemológicos que se revelan como fundamentales. El primero es el paso de un modelo homeostático a un modelo evolutivo, paso que ha conducido a los terapeutas a considerar, además de las tensiones hacia el mantenimiento del equilibrio que caracterizan a los sistemas familiares (sobre todo cuando éstos atraviesan un estado de malestar), también los procesos de desarrollo que se hallan en la base del funcionamiento y de las transformaciones de tales sistemas. El segundo es el paso de la cibernética de primer orden a la de segundo orden, paso que ha permitido concebir la relación terapéutica como un proceso de circularidad constructiva entre el observador y el sistema observado y que ha estimulado una apertura hacia nuevas modalidades de tratamiento terapéutico familiar

The Role of Family Support and Dyadic Adjustment on the Psychological Well-being of Transgender Individuals: An Exploratory Study

Introduction This study aimed to measure dyadic adjustment, social support, and psychological well-being. Methods A research protocol composed of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support was administered to a sample of 109 Italian transgender individuals. Results Higher levels of global psychological distress, symptom severity, and interpersonal relationship distress were associated with lower levels of family support and dyadic adjustment. In addition, transgender women and younger transgender individuals reported higher levels of interpersonal relationship distress. Conclusions The results indicate that the support and acceptance of one’s partner and family of origin play a crucial role in promoting well-being. It represents an important protective factor with respect to negative psychological health outcomes. Policy Implications The findings emphasize the need to develop specific clinical and social practices for transgender individuals and their families. Building family and partner-centered policies and programs is particularly important to enable transgender individuals to avoid paying the emotional and psychological costs associated with rejection and non-acceptance

HLA-DRB1-DQB1 Haplotypes Confer Susceptibility and Resistance to Multiple Sclerosis in Sardinia

Introduction: Genetic predisposition to multiple sclerosis (MS) in Sardinia (Italy) has been associated with five DRB1*-DQB1* haplotypes of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA). Given the complexity of these associations, an in-depth re-analysis was performed with the specific aims of confirming the haplotype associations; establishing the independence of the associated haplotypes; and assessing patients ’ genotypic risk of developing MS. Methods and Results: A transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) of the DRB1*-DQB1 * haplotypes in 943 trio families

Does partners’ differentiation of self predict dyadic adjustment?

The present study expands on Bowen’s systemic multigenerational theory to analyse the role of individual trajectories of differentiation of self in perceived dyadic adjustment in a sample of 468 Italian participants. The research also explored which aspects of differentiation of self most strongly predicted dyadic adjustment in the total sample and in male and female subsamples. The various components of differentiation of self (emotional reactivity, emotional cut-off, emotional fusion and I-position) and dyadic adjustment levels were investigated using the revised differentiation of self-inventory and the dyadic adjustment scale (DAS). The analysis revealed that the emotional cut-off dimension was the strongest negative predictor of dyadic adjustment. The research focused on the importance of differentiation of self processes to achieving an understanding of couple dynamics in research and clinical practice

Adult Attachment and Differentiation of Self-Constructs: A Possible Dialogue?

Attachment theory and Bowen’s family system theory are theories focused on the central role of the family bonding in the development of the self and in the promotion of affective and relational regulation. The main objective of our study was to reflect on the dialogue between adult attachment and differentiation of self constructs and to explore if and in which measure romantic attachment styles depend on attachment bonding with parents or from differentiation of self processes. Involving a convenience sample of 350 participants, we administered a research protocol composed of the Differentiation of Self Inventory (Skowron, Schmitt in J Marital Fam Ther 29(2):209–222, 2003), the Experience in Close Relationships–Revised Scale (Fraley et al. in J Personal Soc Psychol 78(2):350–365, 2000) and the Parental Bonding Instrument (Parker et al. in Br J Med Psychol 52(1):1–10, 1979). Data revealed that the most important variables in predicting anxiety are emotional reactivity and low level of paternal care and that the most important variable in predicting avoidance is emotional cutoff. This study supports a possible integration of attachment theory and family systems theory

L’influenza della personalità dei candidati nella scelta di voto

L’introduzione della riforma elettorale in senso maggioritario e l’entrata di Silvio Berlusconi nello scenario politico italiano hanno da una parte notevolmente contribuito ad affermare in Italia un modello personalistico “media-based” di campagna elettorale, e dall’altra generato un evidente effetto di polarizzazione candidate-centered, dell’elettorato attorno alla figura politica e personale dello stesso Berlusconi. Sono state gettate, in tal modo, le basi per un processo elettorale puntualmente incentrato sulla sua figura o sul confronto tra questa e quella del candidato avversario. Nel modello “candidate-centered” i leader politici svolgono il ruolo di “ancore” cognitive e decisionali (Barisone, 2000; Calise 2000), soprattutto per quella parte dell’elettorato meno coinvolta dallo scenario politico nazionale e rimasta priva (dopo la dissoluzione dei blocchi politici tradizionali) dei tradizionali riferimenti di voto. Nel nostro contesto locale, la Sardegna, le dinamiche appena descritte si sono potute osservare più da vicino in occasione delle competizione elettorale del 2004 tra Renato Soru e Mauro Pili per la carica di governatore della Regione (Carta et al., 2007). Nell’ambito di una riflessione generale sui cambiamento degli scenari politici e culturali intercorsi nell’ultimo decennio e sintetizzabili in termini di fragilità decisionale, fluidità del consenso, importanza dei processi di persuasione politica in assenza di riferimenti ideologici forti, conseguente personalizzazione della politica, è stato portato avanti un progetto di ricerca rivolto alla comprensione dei principali elementi che sono entrati a far parte del processo di edificazione e costruzione mentale dell’immagine dei due leader politici

Quality of Family Relationships as Protective Factors of Eating Disorders: An Investigation Amongst Italian Teenagers

The study here presented aims to investigate the links between quality of family relationships and some prodromes in eating disorders. A sample of 1083 subjects took part in the study by filling PBI, FACES and EDI questionnaires. In order to clarify the role played by family relationships in the onset of EDs, two subgroups (high risk - low risk) were individuated by using the EDI cut-offs as discriminator factors and tested separately from the main sample. The results revealed some significant relations between the analysed dimensions. It was shown that by increasing the values from the parents’ caring style scale and the real family’s cohesiveness scale the probability for subjects to fall into the high risk group decreases. Also, by increasing the family adaptability’s values, an increase of the probability for subjects to fall into the high risk group occurs. These results support the implementation of preventive and therapeutic plans to promote health and quality of life of adolescence