Factores protectores y de riesgo del sueño de los niños pequeños y del estrés de los padres

The current study examined the network of relationships among toddlers’ quality of sleep and emotion regulation, parental bedtime practices and involvement, parental self-perceived social support and stress, integrating a novel combination of psychosocial dimensions into a predictive model of quality of sleep and parental stress in a sample of 80 families with 2–3-year-old children. The results indicated that infants’ emotion regulation, as well as proximal context variables, considering both maternal and paternal psychosocial functioning predicted variance in parental levels of stress. Furthermore, the findings showed that the number of child’s night awakenings reported by mothersand thetimerequested bytoddlersto fallasleep, were significantly related to parental distress levels as referred by both parents.En el presente estudio se examinó la red de relaciones entre la calidad del sueño y la regulación de las emociones de los niños pequeños, las prácticas y la participación de los padres a la hora de acostarse, el apoyo social y el estrés de los padres, integrando una novedosa combinación de dimensiones psicosociales en un modelo predictivo de la calidad del sueño y el estrés de los padres en una muestra de 80 familias con niños de 2 a 3 años de edad. Los resultados indicaron que la regulación de las emociones de los lactantes, así como las variables de contexto próximo, teniendo en cuenta el funcionamiento psicosocial tanto materno como paterno, predecían la varianza de los niveles de estrés de los padres. Además, los resultados mostraron que el número de vigilancias nocturnas del niño comunicadas por las madres y el tiempo solicitado por los niños pequeños para dormirse, estaban significativamente relacionados con los niveles de estrés de los padres según lo referido por ambos padres

Digital Resilience and Psychological Wellbeing of Italian Higher Education Students: An Exploratory Study

Covid-19 pandemic has increased the use of technology in the educational field. While previous literature has demonstrated the benefits of using technology in educational environments, the risks related to problematic digital behaviors have been less investigated. Digital resilience represents a protective factor for students’ learning outcomes and emotional wellbeing. The main aim of this study was to explore Italian university students’ digital resilience levels and their psychological wellbeing in terms of stress and psychological resilience. 94 students (F=57.4%) aged 19-57 (M=31.11, SD=9.04) completed an ad-hoc questionnaire on digital resilience which included the Perceived Stress Scale, the KOP-26, and the Brief Resilience Scale. Descriptive statistics, item analysis, and bivariate correlations were performed. Results showed that Italian students reported higher levels of stress (M=21.53, SD=6.92) than the Italian normative sample. In addition to this, they perceived good levels of both psychological and digital resilience: they reported being aware of potential strategies for preparing for and responding to cyber threats and how to face negative online experiences. These results could usefully inform interventions aimed at helping them to recognize and manage risks and threats when online

Dispositional traits and their impact on teachers’ health: a cress-cultural comparison between India and Italy

Background: Teachers’ health has emerged as a crucial topic of the quality of the school system. In fact, high rates of attrition and burnout among teachers have emerged to cause their turn-over, sick leave and early retirement, as well as poor quality of the educational activities. The role of negative emotions and feelings experienced at work, in fact, has undoubtedly proven to have a strong impact on the general health of teachers. On the other hand, studies on well-being have proven to offer important opportunities to set up effective policies dealing with public health. More specifically, the role of dispositional, positive affect, such as happiness and self-esteem, has proven to be linked to individuals’ health. Quite surprisingly, this link have not been addressed yet adequately among teachers. Moreover, observing the mediating role played by the teachers’ working environment between dispositional traits and their health may help to develop effective measure for improving teachers’ well-being and the educational attainments of their students. In this respect it is interesting also to operate cross-country comparisons, in order to shed a light on the possible different, effects due to the different educational system and cultural environment. Aims of the study: To develop an exploratory study, aimed at investigating the mediating role played by job satisfaction between teachers’ happiness and self-esteem on the one hand and their physical and mental health on the other. To compare India and Italy, in order to highlight the possible differences between the two countries. Methods: A questionnaire was administered, containing questions about participants’ background information and the following scales: the Job Satisfaction Survey, the Rosenberg Self- Esteem Scale, the Physical and Mental Health Scales (SF12), and the Ivens Scale in the Adapted Version for Teachers: School Children’s Happiness Inventory (SCHI). Participants were 300 primary and middle school teachers from the India and about 250 teachers from Italy. Results: Job satisfaction fully mediates between both happiness and self-esteem, and health teachers in both groups of teachers. Happiness and Self-esteem are linked positively to teachers’ health. Conclusion: Work is a relevant domain to promote teachers’ health, through job satisfaction

Sleep Quality, Emotion Regulation and Parenting Stress in Children with Congenital Heart Disease

The aim of this study is to evaluate parental perceptions of parent-infant bedtime interactions and quality of sleep, after hospital discharge, in a group of children diagnosed at birth with congenital heart disease (CHD), as compared with the perceptions of parents in a control group of children who were healthy at birth. More specifically, we evaluated the associations between parental stress, parental perceptions of infant emotion regulation, and infants’ bedtime and sleep routines in each of the two groups. Fifty Italian intact two-parent families (23 boys) of toddlers ageing from 11 to 36 months (M= 23.42, SD=7.10) were recruited. 20 families of CHD children group were recruited from the Department of Cardiology at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome, Italy; 30 families of the healthy children group were recruited from two childcare units. Parents completed Emotion Regulation Checklist (Shields Cicchetti, 1997), Parent-Child Sleep Interaction Scale (PSIS; Alfano et al., 2013), Parent-Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF; Abidin, 1990) and ad-hoc semi-structured interview on child’s sleep quality. The independent-samples t-test evidenced that parents of healthy children reported significantly higher scores on children's emotion regulation compared with the CHD group Specifically CHD children and healthy children's emotion regulation reported both by mothers (respectively CHD children’s mothers: M= 26.11, SD= 2.9; healthy children’s mothers: M= 28.85, SD= 2.71; t(37) = 3.10, p= .004) and fathers (respectively CHD children’s fathers: M=25.76, SD= 2.79; healthy children’s fathers: M= 27.37, SD= 2.02; t(31)= 2.71, p= .010). Main correlational findings showed in the CHD children’s group that parenting stress total scores were positive related to difficult parent-infant bedtime interactions both for mothers (r=.58, p .01) and fathers (r= .70, p .01). Results show significant differences in emotion regulation between the two groups. The results of this research will show to the clinicians the aspects of parent-infant bedtime interactions to be addressed in parents of children with CHD

Language Delay in Patients with CLN2 Disease: Could It Support Earlier Diagnosis?

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2 disease) is a rare pediatric disorder associated with rapid neurodegeneration, and premature death in adolescence. An effective enzyme replacement therapy (cerliponase alfa) has been approved that can reduce this predictable neurological decline. The nonspecific early symptoms of CLN2 disease frequently delay diagnosis and appropriate management. Seizures are generally recognized as the first presenting symptom of CLN2 disease, but emerging data show that language delay may precede this. An improved understanding of language deficits in the earliest stage of CLN2 disease may support the early identification of patients. In this article, CLN2 disease experts examine how language development is affected by CLN2 disease in their clinical practices. The authors' experiences highlighted the timings of first words and first use of sentences, and language stagnation as key features of language deficits in CLN2 disease, and how deficits in language may be an earlier sign of the disease than seizures. Potential challenges in identifying early language deficits include assessing patients with other complex needs, and recognizing that a child's language abilities are not within normal parameters given the variability of language development in young children. CLN2 disease should be considered in children presenting with language delay and/or seizures to facilitate earlier diagnosis and access to treatment that can significantly reduce morbidity

Coinvolgimento lavorativo degli educatori del nido e degli insegnanti della scuola dell’infanzia: studio quali-quantitativo

Research shows as work-engagement, enthusiasm and vigor predict work performance and have positive effects on teacher-student relationships and on students' academic outcomes (Bakker, Schaufeli, Leiter and Taris, 2008; Bakker, Van Emmerik and Euwema, 2006; Duckworth, Quinn and Seligman, 2009). According to our quali-quantitative study, two main aims were set: 1) the evaluation of the predictive role of some dispositional variables (subjective wellbeing, compassion and dispositional positive affect) and of some socio-contextual variables (self/co-regulated proactive strategies, constructive climate) on teachers' work-engagement in educational and scholastic services 0/6 years; 2) the qualitatively exploration of dimensions of promoting well-being in educational services. A group of 189 educators and kindergarten teachers was asked to fill the following questionnaires: the UWES-17 (Schaufeli, 2003), the Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale (Sprecher and Fehr, 2005), the Proactive Strategy Scale (Salmela-Aro, 2009), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson et al, 1988), the Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyuborminsky and Lepper, 1999) and the Teacher self-efficacy and ad hoc interview on components of promoting well-being in educational services. Our main quantitative outcomes showed that compassion and proactive strategies predict higher levels of work-engagement over subjective well-being and dispositional positive affect.La letteratura mostra come il coinvolgimento lavorativo, l’entusiasmo e il vigore dei docenti siano predittivi delle prestazioni lavorative ed abbiano un effetto benefico sulle relazioni positive insegnante-studente e sugli esiti accademici degli studenti (Bakker, Schaufeli, Leiter e Taris, 2008; Bakker, Van Emmerik e Euwema, 2006; Duckworth, Quinn e Seligman, 2009). L’obiettivo del presente studio di carattere quali-quantitativo è stato duplice: 1) valutare il ruolo predittivo,  sul coinvolgimento lavorativo degli operatori dei servizi educativi e scolastici 0/6 anni, di variabili disposizionali (benessere soggettivo, compassione, affettività disposizionale positiva)  e di natura socio-contestuale (strategie proattive auto ed etero regolative, clima costruttivo); 2) esplorare sul piano qualitativo le dimensioni di promozione del benessere nei servizi. Ad un gruppo di 189 educatori e insegnanti della scuola dell’infanzia sono stati somministrati l’UWES-17 (Schaufeli e Bakker, 2004), la Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale (Hwang, Plante, e Lackey, 2008), la Proactive Strategy Scale (Salmela-Aro, 2009), la Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson, Clark, e Tellegen,  1988), la Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyuborminsky e Lepper, 1999) la Teacher self-efficacy ed un intervista qualitativa costruita ad hoc sugli aspetti di promozione del benessere. I principali esiti quantitativi evidenziano come a parità di benessere soggettivo e di affettività disposizionale positiva, la compassione e le strategie proattive sono predittori di un maggior coinvolgimento lavorativo

A web-delivered group intervention supporting parental sensitivity and self-efficacy: an Italian pilot study

Background: Stable parent-infant relationships and adequate ordinary care significantly support children’s development since the very early stages of life. Principal models of intervention sustain parental skills and foster quality of parent-infant interactions since the early infancy. Standardized programs, with a well-defined focus, of short duration, based on specific methods and techniques, represent an effective tool in supporting parental effort. The present pilot study provides a description and an initial evaluation of the brief online “Con i Genitori” (CiG) Intervention, aimed to enhance parental sensitivity, self-efficacy and reduce stress in parents of typically-developed children aging 0-6 years. Methods: The intervention involved parents of typically-developed children aging 0-6 years. Four interactive group sessions, based on well-known empirically-based programs’ assumptions were delivered. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires at baseline (T0) and after CiG (T1). The assessment included the Tool to measure Parenting Self-Efficacy (TOPSE; Kendall Bloomfield, 2005), Parenting Stress Index-SF for parental distress (PSI; Abidin, 1996), Emotional Regulation Checklist for children’s emotional regulation (ERC; Shields Cicchetti et al., 1997) and Social Provision Scale for social support (SPS; Cutrona and Russell, 1987). A weekly “ad-hoc” questionnaire evaluated parental sensitivity.  Moreover, a semi-structured interview measured participants’ satisfaction and acceptability with the intervention one month after its end. Results: Twelve parents completed all the sessions of the CiG (10 mothers, 2 fathers with mean age = 42.7; SD= 6.3). Children mean age was 3.9 (SD=1.9), 58.3% male. Our results showed statistically significant decrease in parental distress and increased social support after attending CiG. No statistically significant variations were detected considering parental self-efficacy. Conclusions: Our findings confirm the potential value of online-delivered interventions targeting parenthood in infancy, supporting parent-infant relationship and positive parenting from early infancy in a public health community approach. Online delivered programs constitute an important resource for addressing unmet parent mental health needs, which may be particularly widespread following the COVID-19 pandemic, representing a valuable alternative to traditional face-to-face interventions targeting parental wellbeing in infancy

The clinical effectiveness of an integrated multidisciplinary evidence-based program to prevent intraoperative pressure injuries in high-risk children undergoing long-duration surgical procedures: a quality improvement study

The prevention of hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) in children undergoing long-duration surgical procedures is of critical importance due to the potential for catastrophic sequelae of these generally preventable injuries for the child and their family. Long-duration surgical procedures in children have the potential to result in high rates of HAPI due to physiological factors and the difficulty or impossibility of repositioning these patients intraoperatively. We developed and implemented a multi-modal, multi-disciplinary translational HAPI prevention quality improvement program at a large European Paediatric University Teaching Hospital. The intervention comprised the establishment of wound prevention teams, modified HAPI risk assessment tools, specific education, and the use of prophylactic dressings and fluidized positioners during long-duration surgical procedures. As part of the evaluation of the effectiveness of the program in reducing intraoperative HAPI, we conducted a prospective cohort study of 200 children undergoing long-duration surgical procedures and compared their outcomes with a matched historical cohort of 200 children who had undergone similar surgery the previous year. The findings demonstrated a reduction in HAPI in the intervention cohort of 80% (p < 0.01) compared to the comparator group when controlling for age, pathology, comorbidity, and surgical duration. We believe that the findings demonstrate that it is possible to significantly decrease HAPI incidence in these highly vulnerable children by using an evidence-based, multi-modal, multidisciplinary HAPI prevention strategy

Intervention Programs to Promote the Quality of Caregiver–Child Interactions in Childcare: A Systematic Literature Review

Sensitive caregiver–child interactions appear fundamental throughout childhood, supporting infants’ wellbeing and development not only in a familial context but in professional caregiving as well. The main aim of this review was to examine the existing literature about Early Childhood Education Context (ECEC) intervention studies dedicated to caregiver–child interaction, fostering children’s socioemotional developmental pathways. Studies published between January 2007 and July 2021 were identified in four electronic databases following PRIMSA guidelines. The initial search yielded a total of 342 records. Among them, 48 studies were fully reviewed. Finally, 18 of them met all inclusion criteria and formed the basis for this review. Main factors characterizing implemented programs were recorded (e.g., intervention and sample characteristics, dimensions of the teacher–child interaction targeted by the intervention, outcome variables, main results) in order to frame key elements of ECE intervention programs. Our review points to a range of fundamental issues that should consider to enhance ECEC interventions’ efficacy, supporting children’s socioemotional development and caregiver–child interaction. Reflections and considerations for future research are provided

Parental Involvement in Children’s Sleep Care and Nocturnal Awakenings in Infants and Toddlers

Background: Sleep regulation and consolidation represent critical developmental processes that occur in the first years of life. Recent studies have highlighted the contribution of caregivers to sleep development. However, the majority of them have primarily focused on maternal behaviors, overlooking fathers. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the associations between paternal and maternal involvement in children’s sleep care and the number of night awakenings reported by both parents in infants and toddlers. Methods: One-hundred-and-one families of infants aged 8 to 12 months and 54 families of toddlers aged 18 to 36 months filled out the following self-report questionnaires: The Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire and an ad hoc questionnaire to assess parental involvement in sleep care for children. A moderate actor–partner interdependence (APIM) with path analysis was performed to test the predictive role of parental involvement on the children’s sleep (no. of nocturnal awakenings) and the moderation role of age on these relationships. Results: Paternal involvement in children’s sleep care was associated with the number of night awakenings reported by both parents. Moreover, a significant interaction effect emerged between the children’s age and paternal involvement in children’s sleep care for predicting nocturnal awakenings. Conclusions: The main outcomes of this study point to the protective role of paternal involvement in children’s sleep during the first years of life