"We-Diseases" and Dyadic Decision-Making Processes: A Critical Perspective.

This is a critical perspective paper discussing the theoretical bases and methodological issues regarding dyadic decision-making processes in the oncological domain. Decision-making processes are of a central interest when one partner in a couple has cancer, and patients and partners make decisions together under an interactive and dynamic process. Given that, the attention in research is progressively shifting from patient and partner considered as individuals to a more holistic view of patient-partner considered as a dyad. The consideration of the dyadic nature of the decision-making represents a challenge from a theoretical and methodological point of view. The Interdependence Theory and the Dyadic Model of decision-making provide the theoretical bases to consider, respectively, the interdependence of the dyadic decision-making and the mechanisms affecting the couple-based decision-making. Dyadic processes require also an appropriate data analysis strategy that is discussed in the study as well. Conclusions of the present critical review suggest to develop a new line of research on dyadic decision-making in the oncological domain, testing the Dyadic Model presented in the study and considering the interdependence of the data with appropriate levels of analysis

Bell lysaker emotion recognition test: a contribution for the italian validation

INTRODUCTION: Emotion recognition deficits in psychopathology have been extensively studied with a variety of measures. The Bell Lysaker Emotion Recognition Test (BLERT; Bell et al., 1997) is an effective method to assess emotion recognition by presenting affect stimuli which may have greater verisimilitude with real life events. Indeed, BLERT combines facial expressions with affective information transmitted in prosody or body posture. This method has allowed the study of emotion recognition deficit in psychotic patients, as well as its relationships with other aspects of psychopathology (Vohs et al., 2014). OBJECTIVES: We aimed at testing the validity and reliability of an Italian version of the BLERT. AIMS: First, a group-comparison was carried out between clinical and nonclinical participants. Then, correlations among BLERT scores and other indices of psychological functioning were explored. METHODS: We recruited 12 inpatients with psychotic disorders (mean age= 54.75; 58.3% female) and 45 nonclinical participants (mean age= 24.04; 75.6% female). We administered the BLERT (Bell et al., 1997), along with the following measures: Empathy Quotient (Lawrence et al., 2004), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (Davis, 1980), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (Gratz & Roemer, 2004), and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-47 (Pilkonis et al., 1996). RESULTS: Clinical participants resulted impaired in all indices of the BLERT. Further, the construct validity of the BLERT was confirmed by associations with measures of empathy, emotion dysregulation, and interpersonal problems. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the Italian version of the BLERT seemed promising for the study of emotion recognition in both clinical and nonclinical samples

Internalizing and externalizing symptoms in children during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic mixed studies review

Introduction: Given the vulnerability of children during the COVID-19 pandemic, paying close attention to their wellbeing at the time is warranted. The present protocol-based systematic mixed-studies review examines papers published during 2020–2022, focusing on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's internalizing/externalizing symptoms and the determinants thereof. Method: PROSPERO: CRD42022385284. Five databases were searched and the PRISMA diagram was applied. The inclusion criteria were: papers published in English in peer-reviewed journals; papers published between January 2020 and October 2022 involving children aged 5–13 years; qualitative, quantitative, and mixed studies. The standardized Mixed Method Appraisal Tool protocol was used to appraise the quality of the studies. Results: Thirty-four studies involving 40,976 participants in total were analyzed. Their principal characteristics were tabulated. The results showed that children's internalizing/externalizing symptoms increased during the pandemic, largely as a result of disengagement from play activities and excessive use of the internet. Girls showed more internalizing symptoms and boys more externalizing symptoms. Distress was the strongest parental factor mediating children's internalizing/externalizing symptoms. The quality of the studies was appraised as low (n = 12), medium (n = 12), and high (n = 10). Conclusion: Gender-based interventions should be designed for children and parents. The studies reviewed were cross-sectional, so long-term patterns and outcomes could not be predicted. Future researchers might consider a longitudinal approach to determine the long-term effects of the pandemic on children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms

Esperienze di vita e intersezionalità in persone trans con un background migratorio: un approccio qualitativo

La prospettiva intersezionale consente di analizzare come le identità sociali – come genere, etnia, background migratorio, religione, classe sociale – si combinano, in modo non semplicemente additivo, andando a delineare diversi assi di oppressione e privilegio che influenzano le condizioni di vita e la salute psicofisica delle persone. L’intersezionalità risulta particolarmente utile nello studio delle persone appartenenti a minoranza di genere ed etnica, come nel caso delle persone trans con un background migratorio. Diverse ricerche hanno infatti evidenziato come le persone trans migranti sperimentino livelli di stress aggiuntivi causati dall’appartenenza ad almeno due gruppi minoritari – etnico e di genere – che possono comportare esiti peggiori di salute rispetto alla popolazione generale e ai gruppi minoritari che non vivono l’intersezione di più oppressioni (come le persone LGBTQ+ bianche o le persone migranti cisgender ed eterosessuali). Il presente studio intende indagare le esperienze di vita e intersezionalità in persone trans migranti in Italia, attraverso lo sviluppo di un’intervista semi-strutturata creata ad hoc. Metodo: L'intervista consente di indagare le identità minoritarie multiple di appartenenza, la costruzione e il cambiamento delle identità nel corso della migrazione e l’interazione tra etnia, religione e identità di genere. Uno studio esplorativo per testare il protocollo dell'intervista è stato condotto con 5 persone trans migranti (Mage=32.8; DSage=8.47) con diversi background migratori e religiosi. Le interviste sono state analizzate mediante Analisi Tematica (AT). Risultati: Tramite l’AT sono emersi tre temi principali: (1) minority stress migratorio; (2) elementi di rischio e protezione legati alla religione; (3) processo di individuazione e sintesi delle diverse identità. Discussione: Lə partecipanti riportano esperienze di vita stressanti e traumatiche e una difficoltà a conciliare identità di genere, appartenenza etnica e religiosa, sperimentando il rischio di non essere riconosciutə e inseritə a pieno nelle diverse comunità di appartenenza: a causa dell’appartenenza etnica e religiosa nella comunità LGBTQ+ e a causa dell’identità di genere nella comunità etnica e religiosa di origine. Tuttavia, gli elementi di sfida e stress legati al percorso migratorio e all’intersezione delle diverse identità minoritarie sono anche alla base di un’elevata consapevolezza del proprio processo di individuazione e dello sviluppo di specifici aspetti di resilienza. Da un punto di vista applicativo, l'intervista sollecita lə partecipanti a riflettere sulle traiettorie di sviluppo della loro vita, le motivazioni migratorie e l'intersezione delle diverse identità minoritarie. È inoltre funzionale alla raccolta memoria finalizzata alla preparazione della richiesta di protezione internazionale da inoltrare alla commissione territoriale competente, di cui le persone trans migranti richiedenti asilo necessitano

Effects of self-mastery on adolescent and parental mental health through the mediation of coping ability applying dyadic analysis

Evidence demonstrated that self-mastery and coping ability predict mental health in adults and children. However, there is a lack of research analyzing the relationships between those constructs in parents and children. Self-report data from 89 dyads (adolescents’ mean of age = 14.47, SD = 0.50; parents’ mean of age = 47.24, SD = 4.54) who participated in waves 17, 18, and 19 (following T1, T2, and T3) of a nineteen-wave longitudinal study were analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model’s extended Mediation. Results showed significant actor effects of parents’ and adolescents’ self-mastery (T1) on mental health (T3) and the mediator effect of their coping abilities in managing stress (T2). Both a higher parental education level and being a mother positively influenced adolescents’ coping ability. The mutually beneficial relationships between parents’ and adolescents’ self-mastery, coping ability, and mental health were not demonstrated. Self-mastery is a significant predictor of adolescents’ and parents’ mental health, and coping ability serves as a good mediator between them. Qualitative research may clarify reasons why partner effects in the model were found to be non-significant. Further research should re-test this model with a larger sample size during childhood, when parents provide significant behavioral models for their children—as well as in adolescence, considering the peer group—to develop guidelines for behavioral interventions

Disregolazione e coping nei percorsi di procreazione medicalmente assistita: Un'indagine esplorativa

In recent years, the study of the psychological characteristics in infertile people undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is increasing. In particular, international literature is focusing some areas of interest, for example: the regulation of emotions, coping strategies and interventions of psychological support. Main objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between emotional dysregulation and coping strategies in infertile women in ART, for first time. Analyses showed the emotions dysregulation is associated with dysfunctional coping strategies, as avoidance