Anxiety and Depression among Adult Amputees: The Role of Attachment Insecurity, Coping Strategies, and Social Support

A number of studies have investigated the role of coping and social support as protective factors for psychosocial adjustment after amputation. In contrast, few have focused on the role of attachment styles. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between attachment insecurity, social support, coping strategies and negative emotions, such as anxiety and depression, in adult amputees. Sixty-two amputated adults (71% males, 29% females), recruited from the Prosthetic Centre of the Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority, completed the Attachment Style Questionnaire, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Beck Depression Inventory II and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Y. Based on Pearson’s correlations results, we conducted a media- tion analysis to examine whether the association between attach- ment insecurity (i.e., attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) and negative emotion (i.e. depression, state anxiety and trait anxiety) variables was mediated by emotion-oriented coping. Analyses revealed the role of insecure attachment styles in influencing the use of an emotion-oriented coping strategy in particular. The latter mediated the relationship between attach- ment insecurity, depression and anxiety in adult amputees

Attachment Styles and Sucide-Related Behaviors in Adolescence: The Mediating Role of Self-criticism and Dependency

Insecure attachment and the personality dimensions of self-criticism and dependency have been proposed as risk factors for suicide in adolescents. The present study examines whether self-criticism and dependency mediate the relationship between insecure attachment styles and suicidality. A sample of 340 high-school students (73.2% females), ranging in age from 13 to 20 years (M = 16.47, SD = 1.52), completed the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire for Adolescents, the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire for Adolescents, the Attachment Style Questionnaire, and the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised. The results partially support the expected mediation effects. Self-criticism, but not dependency, mediates the link between insecure attachment (anxiety and avoidance) and suicide-related behaviors. Implications for suicide risk assessment and management are discussed

Which cogeneration system does it use in conflicting separation situations?

La separazione coniugale \ue8 un evento intrapsichico e relazionale complesso che modifica, in modo variabile ma sostanziale, l\u2019assetto di vita di tutti i membri del sistema familiare, determinando uno sforzo notevole per riadattarsi alla nuova situazione. A seguito delle modificazioni intercorse con la rottura della coppia coniugale, genitori e figli debbono affrontare specifici compiti di sviluppo che, se risolti adeguatamente, favoriscono outcomes psicologici positivi. La letteratura ha evidenziato che per gli ex partner il miglior adattamento si associa a diversi fattori che riguardano la dimensione individuale (elaborazione della perdita, riconoscimento del proprio contributo al fallimento coniugale), la dimensione genitoriale (mantenimento del ruolo di genitori, rispetto reciproco, rapporto di collaborazione e cooperazione nell\u2019esercizio della genitorialit\ue0) e quella sociale (ridefinizione dei rapporti con le rispettive famiglie d\u2019origine e con gli amici in comune, nuove amicizie e nuovi legami affettivi). Invece, l\u2019esigenza evolutiva pi\uf9 significativa per i figli associata a traiettorie di sviluppo favorevoli, risiede senza dubbio nel mantenere una sana relazione con i genitori in modo che questi, insieme, possano continuare a fornire sostegno, calore, cure ed educazione

Assessment of Psychological Dimensions in Telemedicine Care for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review of Qualitative and Quantitative Studies

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a complex and wide spread problem and is considered one of the most frequent chronic metabolic conditions during pregnancy. According to a recent consensus conference held in Italy, new technologies can play a role in the so-called process of fertilization of the individual's ecosystem engagement, representing support for systemic collaboration among the main actors. The current systematic review aimed at providing an update of the literature about telemedicine for GDM, considering the role of psychological dimensions such as empowerment/self-efficacy, engagement and satisfaction. Methods: The review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. The data sources were PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, and Scopus databases. Results: Thirteen articles were identified as eligible and relevant for the final qualitative synthesis, but none was specific for the topic of engagement. The quality or research bias of the studies presents methodological limits. Most studies had clinical outcomes as a primary object. Concerning empowerment and self-efficacy, there were only preliminary findings reporting any improvements derived from using telemedicine approaches. Conversely, there were more consistent and positive results concerning the satisfaction of patients and clinicians. Conclusions: These results are not sufficient to state a conclusive evaluation of positive effects of telemedicine use for GDM care. A more in-depth investigation of engagement and empowerment dimensions is necessary, as some benefits for the management of chronic conditions were already detected. Further investigations will also be necessary concerning the acceptability and feasibility of telemedicine systems by clinicians

Psychometric properties and clinical applicability of the deq-a in the assessment of adolescent personality

In line with the “two-polarities models” of personality development, Blatt (2008) proposed a “twoconfigurations” model, suggesting that self-definition and relatedness are two fundamental psychological dimensions useful in evaluating the vulnerability factors for psychopathology in adolescence. Based on the adult version of the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire, Blatt and colleagues (1992) developed the DEQ for Adolescents (DEQ-A)