Caregiver education in Parkinson’s disease: formative evaluation of a standardized program in seven European countries

The formative evaluation of a standardized psychosocial education program for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their caregivers. The results of the participation of the caregivers are presented next to the data of the patients. Caregivers (n = 137) and patients with PD (n = 151) participated in the 8-week program in separate groups. Measurements were performed on psychosocial problems (BELA-P/A-k), health state (EQ-5D VAS), quality of life (PDQ-39) and depression (SDS) 1 week before and 1 week after the program. Participants rated their mood on a visual analogue scale before and after each session, and they filled in an evaluation questionnaire after the last session. Scores on the BELA-P/A-k improved significantly on the 'bothered by scale' as well as the 'need for help scale'. No improvements were found on EQ-5D VAS, PDQ-39 and SDS. Mood ratings improved significantly after each session. Most participants evaluated the program as positive. Feedback led to improvements in the program, which are incorporated in a final manual. The program was feasible to run in the different countries. This exploratory study led to improvements in the program and recommendations for further research. A study on the effectiveness of the program is the next step.Pathophysiology of paroxysmal and chronic degenerative progressive disorder of the central and periferal nervous syste

Nonverbal communication and cultural differences: issues for face-to-face communication over the internet

The various forms of interpersonal communication that take place on the internet are considered and several questions concerning the efficacy of interpersonal communication over the internet are raised (i.e. whether this form of communication can be compared to actual face to face communication, \u2026). The means of communication over the internet not ever allow access to \u201ckinesic\u201d behaviours through the visual channel or to vocal-intonational modulations of speech through the auditory channel; they cannot therefore count on a wide range of non-verbal signals that are of extreme importance for certain communicative processes. Graphic and linguistic strategies permit internet users to compensate for this lack of communicative signals and make communication via internet more immediate, natural, spontaneous and expressive. The videoconference too would be an effective means for guaranteeing the sense of presence to interlocutors; it can be used in many different areas: at work (long-distance collaboration and meetings between people in different locations), long-distance education (teleteaching, e-learning); health (telemedicine, telehealth, psychotherapy), in legal contexts. This contribution, finally, analyses the videocommunication interactions between individuals belonging to different cultures and evaluates the differences in non verbal communication in this perspective

Culture and sex effect in recognizing emotions by facial and gestural cues

Culture and sex effect in recognizing emotions by facial and gestural cue

The Italian case: a stereotype confirmed?

The Italian case: a stereotype confirmed

Emotional fragility predicts perceived well-being in psuychiatric patients

Studio correlazionale condotto su 70 pazienti ricoverati in una struttura psichiatrica per valutare l'associazione tra fragilit\ue0 emotiva (tratto di personalit\ue0), auto-stima, benessere psicologico e stato dell'umore in relazione alle diverse patologie psichiche (disturbi dell'umore, schizofrenia e disturbi da uso di sostanze)