A new tool to assess the occurrence of personality traits: the Phenomenological Personality Factor questionnaire

Personality traits are patterns of thoughts, feelings and actions that are usually assessed by means of psychometric questionnaires. In the present study we described the Phenomenological Personality Factor (PPF), a short questionnaire assessing the personality traits, taking into account the different interpretative models of personality

SIDA-Sport, Identità ed Adolescenza: Verso la costruzione di un nuovo protocollo di valutazione.

La psicologia dello sport ha abbracciato lo studio dell'identità atletica negli anni Novanta. L’obiettivo della nostra ricerca, dopo un’attenta revisione [Filippini et al,2023]1, è quello di creare un nuovo protocollo, che possa integrare una parte quantitativa ad una parte qualitativa, dando vita, così, ad una nuova batteria di test che vada ad individuare l’efficacia dello sport nella costruzione dell’identità nella fase adolescenzial

The Impact of Screening, Medical Treatment and Invasive Interventions on Patients' Medical Decision-Making Styles: A Cross-Sectional Study with Inferences to the United States Population

Background: Although positive bene ts are associated with shared decision making, no previous studies have evaluated the impact of condition on how shared decision making is implemented. Objective: To compare decision-making preferences across three conditions associated with screening, medical treatment, and invasive interventions: Screening tests for colorectal cancer, initiation of prescription medication for hypertension, and surgical treatment for hip or knee osteoarthritis. Methods: We made use of the publicly available National Survey of Medical Decisions (the DECISIONS study) data and our sample comprised of all subjects who completed the following three speci c modules of the decisions study: Colorectal cancerscreening tests, high blood-pressure medication, and knee or hip replacement surgery. Our primary outcomes of interest were (1) Who made the nal decision? (2) Extent of patients’ involvement in the decision, and (3) How con dent they were about their decision. Results: When comparing baseline characteristics across the three conditions, the group undergoing screening was youngest with a mean age of 58.7 years compared to the medication group (61.27 years), while the group undergoing surgery was oldest (63.14 years). Females constituted over half of all three groups (greater than 50%). In the invasive interventions, decisions were made mainly by the patients, unlike the other groups where shared decision making was predominant. Most patients in all three groups preferred high levels of participation in decision making. Patients undergoing surgery were signi cantly more likely to have greater con dence in their decisions, followed by patients with medication for hypertension. Conclusion: Shared decision making is less predominant among invasive interventions. Further research should describe the reasons for the limited use of shared decisions among conditions with invasive interventions, along with its consequences for healthcare quality

The relationship between personality and neurocognition among the american elderly: An epidemiologic study

Background: Although different personality traits have often been associated with different levels of mental activity and cognitive functioning, no previous studies have evaluated the association in a sample that mirrors a nationally-representative sample of elderly individuals. Objective: To evaluate the association between personality traits and neurocognitive functioning among individuals 51 years and older using the Cognition and Aging in the USA (CogUSA) database. Methods: We analyzed the association between personality traits and neurocognitive scores derived from Waves I and II of the study. Neurocognitive functions were modeled as an outcome variable using the Big Five Personality Traits as predictors. Results: All personality traits were associated with higher education except Conscientiousness. Older age was associated with higher levels of the Agreeableness and Openness traits. Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Openness were positively associated with increased neurocognitive function and self-rated present memory. Extraversion and Openness also had a positive association with long-term retrieval. Agreeableness was negatively associated with several neurocognitive functions, while Neuroticism was negatively associated with memory and cognitive effort. Conclusion: Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Openness personality traits are associated with good cognitive health. Individuals scoring high in Neuroticism and Agreeableness might benefit from tailored cognitive interventions to prevent age-related cognitive decline

Keep moving without hurting: The interaction between physical activity and pain in determining cognitive function at the population level

BACKGROUND:A number of studies have evaluated the association between cognitive function, pain, and physical activity. To our knowledge, however, no previous studies have evaluated these factors at the population level. AIMS:To evaluate the association between cognitive function in the elderly with pain, physical activity, and the interaction between these variables. Estimates are generated for the United States population. METHODS:We made use of the NHANES database (1999-2002), making adjustments so that our results represent the United States population. Cognitive function was evaluated through the Digit Symbol Substitution Test. Our main predictors were (1) pain, defined as soreness of either the shoulder, neck, lower back and joint, or a severe headache (2) physical activity, measured as the performance while performing tasks at home, physical activity intensity, walking, bicycle riding, and muscle strengthening. RESULTS:Most individual pain sites were not significantly associated with cognitive function, while all physical activity factors were associated with an increase in cognitive function. When evaluating the sample subset of those with cognitive scores lower than the median, a combination of more pain and less physical activity was consistently associated with lower cognitive scores when compared to those performing more physical activity with or without pain. When evaluating individuals with cognitive scores above the median, a similar association pattern was perceived. CONCLUSIONS:Among the population of individuals above the age of 60, higher cognitive levels are associated with more physical activity and less with pain, although both factors might impact cognition. Public policy resources should be commensurate with these findings when targeting cognitive function among the aging population

The effects of the endocrine disruptors and of the halogens on the female reproductive system and on epigenetics: A brief review

Introduction: An endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) is defined as "an exogenous chemical or a mixture of chemicals that interfere with any aspect of the hormonal action". Endocrine systems are a physiological interface with the environment and genetic-environmental interactions are disrupted by EDCs. Today, there are almost 1000 chemicals reported to have endocrine effects: the prevalence of EDC in our environment and in our bodies represents a major global health challenge. This review gathers the studies that have investigated the correlations between exposure to EDC and pathologies of the female reproductive system and fetal development. Methods: A PubMed research was conducted using the keywords, their variants, and their combinations (BPA, DES, MXC, pesticides, phthalates, plasticizers, PCBs, dioxins, ovaries, oocytes, ovaries, fallopian tubes, follicles, vagina, uterus, fibroids, fertility, infertility, puberty, polycystic ovary syndrome, premature ovarian failure, birth, preterm birth, birth outcome, steroid, hormone, female, girl and menopause). Results: The endocrine system plays a central role in all vertebrates and regulates critical biological functions such as metabolism, development, reproduction, and behavior. Epidemiological studies link EDCs with reproductive effects, neuro-behavioral and neurodevelopment alterations, metabolic syndrome, bone disorders, immune disorders, and cancers in humans. Human investigations confirm the results of the studies carried out on animal showing associations with many additional effects on health, including asthma, learning and behavior problems, premature puberty, infertility, breast and prostate cancer, Parkinson's disease, obesity and other diseases. Conclusions: It is important to undertake research with follow-up methodologies and/or longitudinal studies to detect the extent of exposure of pregnant women to EDCs and halogenated substances and the effects of such exposure on brain development. A future research hypothesis may consider the effect that these substances have on neuro-development and, more specifically, how EDCs are involved in pathogenic disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In addition, a scientific study could be performed on the correlations between this type of substance and the inconveniences found in the field of executive frontal functions

Unadjusted association between cognitive function and individual pain site.

<p>Unadjusted association between cognitive function and individual pain site.</p

Characteristics of study population stratified by Upper Quartile Digit Symbol Substitution Test Score.

<p>Characteristics of study population stratified by Upper Quartile Digit Symbol Substitution Test Score.</p

Unadjusted association between cognition and physical activity.

<p>Unadjusted association between cognition and physical activity.</p