PERSONALITÀ E STILE DECISIONALE NELLA DISABILITÀ INTELLETTIVA.UNO STUDIO COMPARATIVO SU ADOLESCENTI E GENITORI

La disabilit\ue0 intellettiva, tradizionalmente valutata solo in termini di ritardo mentale, \ue8 attualmente riconosciuta come condizione complessa in cui i fattori ambientali (contestuali e personali) concorrono in misura fondamentale a determinare la qualit\ue0 di vita e il benessere psicologico. Tale cambiamento di prospettiva, ben rappresentato dall\u2019introduzione del sistema I.C.F. (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health), identifica la salute non come condizione statica, ma come processo determinato da diversi fattori che si influenzano reciprocamente. La condizione di benessere e adattamento alle richieste ambientali \ue8 legata al funzionamento biologico, ma anche alla storia individuale, a dimensioni emotive e motivazionali che influenzano l\u2019autostima, l\u2019auto-efficacia, la resilienza e lo stile di coping. Tali fattori per\uf2 non trovano una collocazione autonoma nel sistema di classificazione I.C.F. Ancora meno sono prese in considerazione le esperienze soggettive positive e le risorse psicologiche della persona, in generale peraltro poco studiate nell\u2019ambito della disabilit\ue0 intellettiva. Alla luce di questi presupposti, questo lavoro si propone di valutare le caratteristiche di personalit\ue0, il vissuto esperienziale e le risorse utilizzate nella gestione di compiti specifici da adolescenti con disabilit\ue0 intellettive. I partecipanti alla ricerca sono 52 adolescenti con disabilit\ue0 intellettiva ed i rispettivi genitori (un solo genitore per ciascun adolescente). I genitori hanno compilato il questionario sul \u201cBisogno di Chiusura Cognitiva\u201d (Need For Closure Scale) e il questionario sui Cinque Fattori di personalit\ue0 (Big Five Inventory). Gli adolescenti hanno svolto prove concrete appartenenti ad uno specifico strumento di valutazione denominato \u201cPassporto delle Competenze\u201d, finalizzate all\u2019osservazione delle modalit\ue0 di affrontare situazioni di stress e difficolt\ue0, situazioni di errore e suggerimenti ed aiuti offerti dall\u2019adulto; al termine di ciascuna prova gli studenti hanno compilato un questionario (adattato dal Flow Questionnaire; Delle Fave, Massimini & Bassi, 2011) finalizzato all\u2019autovalutazione delle caratteristiche cognitive, emotive e motivazionali dell\u2019esperienza vissuta durante lo svolgimento della prova. Parallelamente, il valutatore che aveva somministrato la prova, ha compilato un questionario (item tratti dal EZPQ \u2013 Edward Ziegler Yale Personality Questionnaire; Ziegler, Bennet-Gates, 1999) inerente l\u2019impegno ed il coinvolgimento mostrati dall\u2019allievo nel corso del compito ed ha fornito un giudizio sulla performance dello studente nel corso della prova. I dati cos\uec raccolti hanno permesso di (a) verificare nel campione in esame la presenza delle tre stabili configurazioni di personalit\ue0 descritte in letteratura; (b) analizzare i risultati ottenuti dai partecipanti in tre compiti strutturati di tipo pratico, valutandone l\u2019esperienza associata a livello cognitivo, emotivo e motivazionale, nonch\ue9 la percezione di riuscita e di impegno; (c) identificare correlazioni tra le tipologie di personalit\ue0 e di stile decisionale e l\u2019esperienza di competenza che gli studenti disabili sperimentano, grazie all\u2019uso efficace dell\u2019aiuto fornito dallo sperimentatore nell\u2019esecuzione dei compiti. I risultati relativi al BFQ appaiono in linea con i valori di riferimento delle ricerche condotte sugli adolescenti; tuttavia i punteggi standardizzati delle cinque dimensioni di personalit\ue0 danno origine ad una diversa configurazione di cluster, rispetto agli altri studi disponibili, . Tale dato risulta in coerenza con le caratteristiche di funzionamento della persona con ritardo mentale e ha trovato un riscontro in studi che identificano i rapporti tra fattori di personalit\ue0, stili cognitivi e stili di identit\ue0. E\u2019 inoltre emersa la minor rilevanza del quoziente intellettivo rispetto ai fattori di personalit\ue0 e allo stile decisionale nella soluzione dei compiti pratici proposti, in cui \ue8 emerso come elemento cruciale la maggiore o minore capacit\ue0 di utilizzare l\u2019aiuto esterno per affrontare con successo i compiti. Lo studio evidenzia come sia possibile riconoscere caratteristiche e disposizioni psicologiche individuali che, attraverso il principio della \u201ccompatibilit\ue0 soggetto-compito\u201d, permettano esperienze di competenza ed autoefficacia, cos\uec come indicato dai costrutti della Psicologia Positiva e come, mediante gli strumenti utilizzati, sia possibile esaminare tali aspetti anche nel caso di persone con una disabilit\ue0 intellettiva, \u201cdando voce alla loro esperienza\u201d.Intellectual disability, traditionally evaluated only in terms of mental retardation, has now been recognized as a complex condition whose (contextual and personal) environmental factors crucially contribute to determine quality of life and psychological well-being. Such change of perspective, well-represented by the introduction of the I.C.F. system (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health), identifies health not as a static condition, but as a process determined by several factors that affect each other mutually. The condition of well-being and adaptation to environmental demands is related to biological functioning, but also to the individual\u2019s personal history, motivational and emotional dimensions that affect self-esteem, self-efficacy, resilience and coping style. These factors, however, may not be found in the I.C.F. classification system as independent factors. Still less are an individual\u2019s positive subjective experiences and psychological resources taken into consideration, which, however, are in general scarcely studied in the context of intellectual disabilities. In light of these assumptions, this paper aims to assess personality traits, perceived experiences and resources used in the management of specific tasks by adolescents with intellectual disabilities. The research participants were 52 adolescents with intellectual disabilities and their parents (one parent for each adolescent). The parents completed the \u201cNeed for Closure\u201d questionnaire and a questionnaire on five personality factors (Big Five Inventory). The adolescents performed concrete tests belonging to a specific assessment tool called \u201cSkills Passport\u201d, aimed at the observation of how stressful situations and difficulties, error situations and advice and help offered by adults are dealt with. At the end of each test, the students completed a questionnaire (adapted from the Flow Questionnaire; Delle Fave, Massimini & Bass, 2011) aimed at self-assessment of cognitive, emotional and motivational characteristics of the experience they had during the test. At the same time, the examiner who had administered the test completed a questionnaire (items taken from EZPQ - Edward Ziegler Yale Personality Questionnaire, Ziegler, Bennet-Gates, 1999) concerning the commitment and involvement shown by the pupil during the task, and provided an assessment of the student\u2019s performance during the test. The data thus collected allowed us to (a) verify the presence in the sample of the three stable configurations of personality as described in the literature; (b) analyze the results obtained by participants in three structured tasks of a practical kind, assessing the associated experience at the cognitive, emotional and motivational level, as well as the perception of success and commitment; (c) identify correlations between personality types and decision-making style and the experience of competence that students with disabilities have, thanks to the effective use of the aid provided by the experimenter when performing the tasks. The results of the BFQ appear in line with the benchmark values of researches conducted on adolescents. However, the standardized scores of the five dimensions of personality give rise to a different cluster configuration compared to other available studies. This finding is consistent with the operating traits of individuals with mental retardation and has been reflected in studies that identify the relationships between personality factors, cognitive styles and identity styles. Moreover, there emerged a less significant importance of the IQ compared to personality factors and decision-making style in the solution of the practical tasks proposed, where the greater or lesser ability to use outside help to deal successfully with the tasks emerged as a crucial element. The study shows that it is possible to recognize individual traits and psychological personality that, through the principle of \u201csubject-task compatibility\u201d, enable experiences of competence and self-efficacy, as indicated by the constructs of Positive Psychology and that, through the instruments used, it is possible to examine such aspects even in the case of people with intellectual disabilities, \u201cgiving voice to their experience\u201d

Resilience as a moderator between Objective and Subjective Burden among parents of children with ADHD

The caring related challenges reported by parents of children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were widely investigated. Little information is instead available on the resources mobilized by these parents in facing caring burden. In the attempt to fill this gap, the present study aimed at exploring the moderating role of resilience in the relationship between the amount of time parents of children with ADHD devote to caring tasks (objective burden) and their emotional and social burden (subjective burden). A multidimensional model of resilience was adopted, comprising six components: Self-Perception, Planned Future, Structured Style, Social Competence, Family Cohesion, and Social Resources. Participants were 44 parents (81.8% females, aged 31-53) of children with ADHD (86.4% males, aged 6-14). They completed the Caregiver Burden Inventory, the Resilience Scale for Adults, and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. Hierarchical regressions were performed to test the moderating role of resilience as a global construct, and of each resilience dimension separately, on the relation between objective and subjective burden; participants\u2019 gender and mental health scores were employed as control variables. Total resilience, Family Cohesion and Self-Perception emerged as protective factors, weakening the relationship between subjective and objective burden. Findings suggest that the potential of individual and family resources in promoting parents\u2019 adjustment to caring burden could be more effectively exploited in clinical interventions addressed to parents of children with ADHD. Overall, the identification of caregivers\u2019 strengths and resources could help practitioners to better support children with ADHD and their families

The Adult Carer Quality of Life Questionnaire (AC-QoL) : comparison with measures of burden and well-being, and Italian validation

Purpose: Family caregivers are essential assets in the rehabilitation process, and their psychophysical health should represent a concern for healthcare services. This study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the Adult Carer Quality of Life Questionnaire (AC-QoL), Italian version, and its convergent-discriminant validity with measures of caring burden, resilience, health and well-being. Materials and Method: Participants were 591 parents (89.2% females; aged 25-69) of children treated as outpatients in 14 centers of \u201cIstituto Medea - La Nostra Famiglia\u201d, an Italian rehabilitation institution. They completed: AC-QoL, a 40-item scale assessing care-related challenges, resources and benefits; Caregiver Burden Inventory; Resilience Scale for Adults; Satisfaction With Life Scale; Health Survey SF-36. The psychometric properties of the Adult Carer Quality of Life Questionnaire were investigated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and reliability evaluation; correlation coefficients assessed convergent and discriminant validity with burden and well-being measures. Results: The original eight-factor structure of the Adult Carer Quality of Life Questionnaire showed good adequacy and internal consistency; convergent and discriminant validity with measures of burden, resilience, satisfaction, physical and mental health were satisfactory. Conclusions: The Italian version of the Adult Carer Quality of Life Questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument to assess caregivers\u2019 perceived challenges and resources. As a parsimonious and easily administrable tool, it can be used to evaluate caregivers\u2019 quality of life and related interventions

Identification of a DNA methylation signature in blood cells from persons with Down Syndrome

Down Syndrome (DS) is characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical signs, which include segmental premature aging of central nervous and immune systems. Although it is well established that the causative defect of DS is the trisomy of chromosome 21, the molecular bases of its phenotype are still largely unknown. We used the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip to investigate DNA methylation patterns in whole blood from 29 DS persons, using their relatives (mothers and unaffected siblings) as controls. This family-based model allowed us to monitor possible confounding effects on DNA methylation patterns deriving from genetic and environmental factors. Although differentially methylated regions (DMRs) displayed a genome-wide distribution, they were enriched on chromosome 21. DMRs mapped in genes involved in developmental functions, including embryonic development (HOXA family) and haematological (RUNX1 and EBF4) and neuronal (NCAM1) development. Moreover, genes involved in the regulation of chromatin structure (PRMD8, KDM2B, TET1) showed altered methylation. The data also showed that several pathways are affected in DS, including PI3K-Akt signaling. In conclusion, we identified an epigenetic signature of DS that sustains a link between developmental defects and disease phenotype, including segmental premature aging

Inter-hemispherical asymmetry in default-mode functional connectivity and BAIAP2 gene are associated with anger expression in ADHD adults

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is accompanied by resting-state alterations, including abnormal activity, connectivity and asymmetry of the default-mode network (DMN). Concurrently, recent studies suggested a link between ADHD and the presence of polymorphisms within the gene BAIAP2 (i.e., brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 1-associated protein 2), known to be differentially expressed in brain hemispheres. The clinical and neuroimaging correlates of this polymorphism are still unknown. We investigated the association between BAIAP2 polymorphisms and DMN functional connectivity (FC) asymmetry as well as behavioral measures in ADHD adults. Resting-state fMRI was acquired from 30 ADHD and 15 healthy adults. For each subject, rs7210438 and rs8079626 within the gene BAIAP2 were genotyped. ADHD severity, impulsiveness and anger were assessed for the ADHD group. Using multivariate analysis of variance, we found that genetic features do have an impact on DMN FC asymmetry. In particular, polymorphism rs8079626 affects medial frontal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule connectivity asymmetry, lower for AA than AG/GG carriers. Further, when combining FC asymmetry and the presence of the rs8079626 variant, we successfully predicted increased externalization of anger in ADHD. In conclusion, a complex interplay between genetic vulnerability and inter-hemispherical DMN FC asymmetry plays a role in emotion regulation in adult ADHD

Solubility of pure and mixed liquids for food and pharmaceutical applications in crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films

The separation performances of polymeric membranes suitable for separation of fluid species in the food and pharmaceutical industry, such as in the Organic Solvent Nanofiltration (OSN) processes, strongly depend on the solubility of the fluids in the polymer membrane. [1-3] The solubility and diffusivity of several pure and mixed liquids of interest for the food and pharmaceutical industry was studied at 35\ub0C into dense films of crosslinked PDMS membrane, that is widely used in membrane separation processes for its good permeation performance and for its resistance to solvents.[4] The effect of the presence of a low molecular weight solvent that swells the matrix on the solubility is analyzed and discussed. The measurement of pure liquid solubility in PDMS was performed gravimetrically, according to the blot and weight method: samples were immersed in vials filled with liquid, placed in a thermostatic bath and weighted at regular intervals with an analytical balance. In this way the mass uptake as a function of time was obtained. In the case of mixed liquids solubility, we considered solutions formed by a volatile component and a second one with negligible vapor pressure. Firstly the measurement of the total mass uptake of the liquid mixture was performed, according to the previously described procedure. Then, the volatile component was allowed to evaporate, until constant weight was obtained. Mass balance calculations provided the separate mass uptake of the volatile and of the non volatile component. In such way we obtained the solubility and diffusivity of a series of pure liquids at 35\ub0C in PDMS: n-alkanes from n-C4 to n-C18, Cyclo-C6, H2O, acetone, linear alcohols from Ethanol to 1-Hexanol, Iso-Butanol and Tert-Butanol, and liquids of interest for the food and pharmaceutical sectors (Ethyl Acetate, PEG 400, Squalene, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Olive oil, Groundnut Oil, Sunflower Oil Oleic acid). The data for homologous classes of penetrants show regular trends which can be explained via entropic and energetic effects. In multicomponent sorption experiments (carried out with mixtures formed by acetone/olive oil, acetone/oleic acid, pentane/olive oil; pentane/oleic acid; pentane/eicosane; tert-butanol/PEG-400; etc.) it was found that the solubility of the less soluble component is deeply enhanced by the presence of the other, more soluble component, that usually is the low molecular weight solvent. For example, the swelling induced by n-pentane promotes the dissolution of eicosane in PDMS, which shows a maximum at an intermediate mass fraction of n-C5 in the mixture. This behavior has been retrieved in many other mixtures and can be properly exploited to tune and design membrane separation processes

Solubility and diffusivity of liquids for food and pharmaceutical applications in crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films: I. Experimental data on pure organic components and vegetable oil

The solubility and diffusivity of several liquid species in crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films were determined with a gravimetric method at 35°C. The series of liquids considered includes alkanes (from n-C5 to n-C18; cyclo-C6), water, acetone, alcohols (ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, iso-butanol, tert-butanol, 1-pentanol, 1-hexanol), terpenes (squalene, limonene, linalool, geraniol) and edible oils with different oleic acid contents. The effect of size, structure and solubility parameter of the different molecules on the sorption and transport properties in PDMS was discussed. The diffusivity values of the different penetrants inspected span over one decade while the molar solubility spans over four decades, indicating that the membrane selective behavior is a strong function of liquid solubility. In particular, the solubility of hydrocarbons (alkanes, hydrocarbon terpenes) that have favorable energetic interactions with the polymer is entropy-driven, i.e. decreases with molecule size. The solubility of substances bearing one alcoholic group is also strongly affected by the energetic interactions with the polymer, especially if their alkyl chain length is small. The trends are due to the dual entropic/enthalpic nature of solubility, which obeys a nice exponential decreasing trend when reported versus the product MW0.75 (δ-δPDMS)2 which accounts for both entropic and energetic nonideality of the polymer-penetrant mixture. The diffusivity decreases roughly monotonically with the molecular size of the penetrant within a series of homologous penetrants, unless the penetrants have very high solubility differences and induce different swelling in the polymer matrix. Solubility data are well represented by the Flory-Rehner model, that also allows to explain differences between experimental sources based on the crosslinking degre

Solubility and diffusivity of liquids for food and pharmaceutical applications in crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films: II. Experimental data on mixtures

The multicomponent solubility of mixed liquid species in crosslinked poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) films was determined with a gravimetric method at 35. °C. The series of binary liquid mixtures considered is formed by one non volatile and one volatile component: the latter can be acetone, n-pentane or tert-butanol. Acetone and n-pentane were mixed, separately, with vegetable oil and oleic acid; acetone has been also mixed with squalene and n-pentane with n-eicosane, while tert-butanol was mixed with poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) 400. In most cases, the more volatile component is also the more soluble in PDMS, and its presence in the mixture enhances the solubility in the polymer of the less volatile one with respect to pure component value, of a factor as high as 25. In particular, a maximum in the solubility of the less volatile component is observed for intermediate fractions of the more volatile one in the liquid mixture. The present findings were applied to the simulation of a membrane-based deacidification process of vegetable oil containing variable amounts of acid, in the presence of a volatile solvent (acetone, n-pentane) and the optimal composition range was identified to maximize solubility and solubility-based separation factor

Modeling Ternary Liquid-Liquid Equilibria of Polylactides-Water-1,4-Dioxane with PC-SAFT Eos for TIPS Scaffold Fabrication

Poly(L-Lactic Acid) or PLLA and Poly(D-Lactic Acid) or PDLA and their copolymers are biocompatible and biodegradable polymers that could be used for fabrication of porous scaffolds suitable for tissue engineering applications. Among the many fabrication procedure listed in literature, phase separation methods seems to be adequate for producing porous structures with pore size distribution compatible with tissue growth. It is believed that the pore size distribution and pore topology can be tailored by adjusting the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of the process. Thermally Induced Phase Separation processing of polylactides can be exploited by controlled cooling of solution of polylactides in 1,4-dioxane, that is a good solvent of the polymer, containing a given amount of water, that acts as a non-solvent. Upon cooling the system will demix and two phases will appear, namely a polymer lean solution and a polymer rich solution, that is going to give rise to the solid phase of interest. Although in the case of optically pure PLLA it is know that crystallization plays a major role in the formation of the solid phase, knowledge of the liquid-liquid equilibria of the ternary solution is fundamental in any modelling or optimization effort of the whole TIPS fabrication process. Liquid-liquid equilibria of ternary systems comprising a macromolecular component is a challenging task for every kind of thermodynamic model. Moreover the presence of water and its peculiar role of non solvent, that upon cooling promotes phase separation, calls for the use of a model that can endow the underlying physics of hydrogen bonding. Actually, as shown by Mannella, modelling the phase behaviour of the binary mixture made by 1,4-dioxane and water is a task that can\u2019t be accomplished by several commonly used activity coefficient models. Moreover it seems that even the modelling capabilities of Equation of State based on statistical mechanics theory, like the Sanchez Lacombe EOS, are deeply challenged by this mixture. The Perturbated Chain \u2013 Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT) Equation of State is a model based on a well defined picture of the intermolecular interactions that has been shown to be able to predict pure substances properties and phase equilibria of water, polar substances, macromolecular species and components of biological interests. In the present work we discuss the modelling the pure component properties of 1,4-Dioxane as well as those of the polylactides, the binary Vapor-Liquid Equilibria of 1,4-Dioxane \u2013Water and the ternary systems PDLA-1,4-Dioxane-Water and PLLA-1,4-Dioxane-Water with PC-SAFT EOS. Comparisons with several sets of experimental data from the literature show that PC-SAFT EOS performs very well respect to this very challenging systems, correctly depicting the underlying physics