The relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and dysfunctional technology use among adolescents

Objectives Since two decades scientific research is studying excessive and dysfunctional new technologies use and its influences on people’s lives, in terms of personal, relational, scholastic and work functioning impairment. The objectives of the present study are to investigate gender differences in problematic new technologies use as well as to examine the relationship between problematic new technologies use, emotional regulation and its specific dimensions. Methods 280 italian adolescents (51.1% males) aged 11 to 18 years (mean age = 13.31; SD = 2.33) were recruited from two italian secondary public schools and involved in this study. Data were collected using the Internet Addiction Test, the Video Game Dependency Scale, the Brief Multicultural Version of the Test of Mobile-Phone Dependence and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Results Results indicate significant association between emotion dysregulation and problematic internet (r = .504; p < .001), videogame (r = .372; p < .001), mobile-phone (r = .424; p < .001) use. These results support hypothesis that adolescents with greater emotion dysregulation are more likely to experience problematic new technologies use. Additionally, stepwise multiple regression analysis pointed out that the lack of effective emotion regulation strategies is a common risk factors between the problematic new technologies use, but regression analysis highlighted specific risk factors for some of the investigated dependent behaviors. Conclusions Findings of this study highlight a link between problematic new technologies use, emotion dysregulation and its specific dimensions. The results are discussed considering scientific advances and the role of emotional dysregulation in determining problematic new technologies use in adolescence. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm our data

The role of difficulty in identifying and describing feelings in non-suicidal self-injury behaviour (NSSI): Associations with perceived attachment quality, stressful life events, and suicidal ideation

Objective: Core alexithymic features, such as the difficulty in identifying and describing feelings, are associated with poor attachment styles and emotional trauma, which influence the capacity to regulate affect. Additionally, emotional regulation has been found to be the most commonly identified function associated with non-suicidal self-injury behavior (NSSI)in adolescents as they attempt to modulate strong emotions. However, few studies have examined the link between difficulty in identifying and describing feelings (core components of alexithymia), NSSI behaviors, quality of attachment, life stressors and suicidal ideation in healthy early adolescents. Consequently, this study aims to investigate these constructs and the relationship among them in a large non-clinical sample of adolescents. Methods: Seven hundred and nine middle school students (50.4% males), aged 10-15 years (M = 12.6; SD = 1.06) were involved in this study. In order to investigate the variables considered in the study, the following measures were administered: the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory exploring non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors; the Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children examining difficulty in identifying and describing feelings; the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment assessing the quality of parental and peer attachment; the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised outlining stressful/traumatic events and the Children's Depression Inventory evaluating suicidal ideation. Results: We found significantly positive relationships among difficulty in identifying and describing feelings, NSSI behaviors, stressful events, and suicidal ideation. Data indicated a significant negative association of difficulty in identifying and describing feelings with quality of attachment to parents and peers. Further findings highlighted that difficulty in identifying and describing feelings significantly mediated the effect of quality of attachment (parent and peer) on NSSI and suicidal ideation. Conclusion: The ability to identify and describing feelings is important to managing emotional expression and understanding the feelings of others, both crucial in attaining successful interpersonal relationships. Our data revealed that, while controlling for stressful life events, low levels of attachment may increase adolescents’ difficulty in identifying and describing their own feelings, which in turn may increase the risk of both NSSI and suicidal ideation

Implicazioni della timidezza e dei sintomi somatici nel bullismo

La letteratura sulla vittimizzazione tra pari evidenzia come il fenomeno delle prepotenze sia in crescente aumento nei bambini e negli adolescenti. Diversi studi hanno esplorato le caratteristiche distintive di coloro che agiscono e subiscono azioni aggressive. L’obiettivo del presente studio è stato quello di verificare se i sintomi somatici mediano la relazione tra la timidezza e i comportamenti aggressivi. In questo studio sono stati coinvolti centottanta bambini (età media = 9,11; DS = 0,86) frequentanti la scuola primaria e secondaria di I grado nel centro d'Italia. Tutti i partecipanti sono stati invitati a completare i seguenti strumenti di misura: Olweus Bullying Questionnaire; Children’s Shyness Questionnaire (CSQ); Children’s Somatization Inventory (CSI-24). I risultati confermano la presenza di una relazione significativa tra timidezza e vittimizzazione in presenza di sintomatologia somatica. Dal modello di mediazione si evince che l’effetto diretto della timidezza sulla frequenza delle prepotenze subite non è significativo, tuttavia, l’effetto indiretto tramite la sintomatologia somatica, fa sì che la timidezza diventi un fattore di rischio importante nel predire la vittimizzazion

The potential impact of internet and mobile use on headache and other somatic symptoms in adolescence. a population-based cross-sectional study

Objective.—The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether migraine or tension-type headaches are associated with abuse of the internet and/or mobile phones and to explore whether headache and the abuse of the two technologies are associated with sleep disturbances and other self-reported somatic symptoms. Background.—In the last several years, estimates indicate the increasing pervasiveness of the internet and other technologies in the lives of young people, highlighting the impact on well-being. Design.—A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2013 and June 2014. Method.—The initial sample was composed of 1004 Italian students (aged 10–16 years) recruited within public middle schools not randomly selected in central Italy. The final convenience sample consisted of 841 students (Males551.1%; Females548.9%) who were included in the analysis. Data were collected using self-reported measures. Results.—Headache was reported by 28.0% of the total sample. A significant relationship was determined with gender (v2(1)57.78, P < .01), with female students being overrepresented in the headache group. Approximately 39.6% of subjects were non-abusers of both technologies, internet and mobile. Mobile only abusers were approximately 26.0% of the study population; internet only abusers were approximately 14.9%; and abusers of both media were 19.5%. No significant relationship was found between students with and without headache with respect to the abuse of internet and mobile phone categories (headache was, respectively, the 26% in no abusers, the 30% in internet abusers, the 29% in mobile abusers, and the 29% in internet and mobile abusers, P5.86). Additionally, also by excluding the no headache group, the relationship between the two groups of headache (migraine and tension type headache) and the abuse of media (tension type headache was the 31% in no abusers, the 43% in internet abusers, the 49% in mobile abusers, and the 29% in internet and mobile abusers) is not statistically significant (P5.06). No significant relationship emerged between headache and the internet and mobile phone addiction groups (headache was the 28% in no addiction group, the 35% in mobile addiction group, the 25% of internet addiction group, and the 28% in mobile and internet addiction group, P5.57) as well as no significant relationship was found when only the different headache types were considered (tension type headache was the 39% in no addiction group, the 40% in mobile addiction group, the 32% in internet addiction group, and the 31% in mobile and internet addiction group,P5.71). Daily internet users reported higher median scores for somatic symptoms than the occasional internet users in the no-headache group (Kruskal-Wallis v2 (1)55.44, P5.02) and in the migraine group (Kruskal-Wallis v2 (1)56.54, P5.01

Alexithymia and psychopathological symptoms in adolescent outpatients and mothers suffering from migraines. A case control study

Background: Headache is a common disorder affecting a growing number of children and adolescents. In recent years, there has been an increase in scientific interest in exploring the relationship between migraine and emotional regulation, and in particular, the impact of emotional dysregulation on mental and physical health. The present study aims to explore the relationship between migraine and alexithymia among adolescents and their mothers as well as the impact of this association on mental health. An additional aim is to verify whether alexithymia may be a predictor of psychopathological symptoms in adolescents and mothers with migraines. Methods: A total of 212 subjects were involved in this study. The sample was divided into (a) Experimental Group (EG) consisting of 106 subjects (53 adolescents and 53 mothers) with a diagnosis of migraine according to International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3) and (b) Control Group (CG) including 106 subjects (53 adolescents and 53 mothers) without a diagnosis of migraine. All participants completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale to assess alexithymia and the Symptom Checklist-90-R to assess psychopathological symptoms. Results: Higher rates of alexithymia were found in the adolescents and mothers of the EG in comparison to the adolescents and mothers of the CG. Furthermore, adolescents and mothers experiencing both migraine and alexithymia, demonstrated a higher risk of psychopathology. Conclusions: Findings from this study provide evidence that the co-occurrence of migraine and alexithymia increases the risk of psychopathology for both adolescents and their mother

Adaptation and psychometric analysis of the test of mobile phone dependence-brief version in italian adolescents

Since the diffusion of recent models of mobile phones, anyone with an internet connection can communicate continuously and search for information. This raises some questions about the possible consequences of problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) in a complex life phase such as adolescence. Therefore, we performed a psychometric analysis of the brief version of the Test of Mobile Phone Dependence (TMD) in Italy. The sample comprised 575 Italian adolescents aged 11 to 18 years. Data were collected using the TMD-brief, the Personality Inventory for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Sleep Disturbance Short Form. Regarding test dimensionality, the best-fit measurement model included four factors: “Abstinence”; “Abuse and interference with other activities”; “Tolerance”; and “Lack of control” (Satorra–Bentler χ2 (48) = 185.96, p &lt; 0.01; robust root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.079 (90% confidence interval (CI): 0.067; 0.091); robust TLI = 0.904; robust comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.930). The Italian version of the TMD-brief was found to have good reliability and psychometric properties, and a four-factorial structure. PMPU predicted significant sleep disturbances and this relationship was moderated by clinical personality traits. Findings from this study support the use of the Italian version of the TMD-brief as a screening tool to investigate PMPU in Italian adolescents

Somatic symptoms and parental attachment in middle childhood: the mediating role of anxiety, depressive symptomatology, and peer attachment

Somatic symptoms represent a multi-determined phenomenon that need to be addressed in both clinical and non-clinical settings in light of their impact on child emotional and psychosocial functioning. According to a developmental perspective, children with insecure attachment are more likely to experience somatic symptoms and to perceive greater symptom severity. The present study was designed to increase our understanding of the relationship between parental attachment and somatic symptoms by testing the mediational role of anxiety, peer attachment and depressive symptoms in a non-clinical sample of 332 Italian children (49.4% males) aged 8 to 11 years (Mage= 9.26; SD= 0.89) A serial multiple mediation model was used to verify the study’s hypothesis. Somatic symptoms correlated with attachment, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Anxiety, peer attachment and depression mediated the association between parental attachment and somatic symptoms. This association remained significant after controlling for mediators (b= - 0.185, p &lt; .05), suggesting that low levels of child-parent attachment security relationships can predispose children to experience more somatic symptoms. Results are discussed considering clinical implications

Maladaptive personality traits, anxiety and somatic symptoms in adolescence

Pochi studi hanno esplorato il legame tra tratti di personalità e sintomi somatici in adolescenza. Al contrario, l'associazione tra ansia e sintomi somatici è stata ben stabilita. L'obiettivo di questo studio è stato quello di indagare le relazioni tra i domini di tratto patologico della personalità, l'ansia e i sintomi somatici. Un campione di 303 adolescenti italiani (159 maschi) di età compresa tra i 14 ei 17 anni ha preso parte a questo studio. I partecipanti hanno completato le seguenti misure di autovalutazione: il Personality Inventory for DSM-5 Brief Form, lo Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders e il Children’s Somatization Inventory-24. Sono emerse correlazioni positive e significative tra i domini di tratto della personalità (eccetto la Disinibizione), l'ansia e i sintomi somatici. L'analisi di regressione multipla gerarchica ha mostrato che solo lo Psicotismo, tra i domini della personalità, spiega varianza unica nei sintomi somatici, una volta tenuto conto del ruolo dell'ansia e del genere. Il presente studio evidenzia il ruolo dello psicoticismo e dell'ansia nel predire i sintomi somatici in adolescenti non clinici. I risultati hanno potenziali implicazioni per la prevenzione e il trattamento degli adolescenti che riferiscono diversi sintomi somatici. Sono necessari studi longitudinali per esplorare le relazioni tra queste variabili in adolescenza.Few studies have explored the link between personality traits and somatic symptoms in adolescence. In contrast, the association between anxiety and somatic symptoms is well-established. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between maladaptive personality trait domains, anxiety and somatic symptoms. A sample of 303 Italian adolescents (159 males) aged 14 to 17 years were recruited for this study. Participants completed the following self-report measures: the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 Brief Form, the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders, and the Children’s Somatization Inventory-24. Significant positive correlations emerged between personality trait domains (except for disinhibition), anxiety and somatic symptoms. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that only psychoticism, among the personality domains, explained unique variance in somatic symptoms, once the role of anxiety and gender was taken into account. This study provides evidence regarding the role of psychoticism, as well as anxiety, in predicting somatic symptoms among healthy adolescents. These findings have important implications for the prevention and clinical management of adolescents who report diverse somatic symptoms. Longitudinal studies are needed to better explore the relationships between these variables in adolescence

La versione italiana del CDI 2

Nel capitolo sono state evidenziate le proprietà psicometriche e i dati normativi della versione italiana del Children's Depression Inventory (CDI-2). Al fine di testare le proprietà psicometriche e di ottenere dai normativi, la versione italiana del CDI2 (estesa e breve) è stata somministrata ad un campione normativo di 891 soggetti di età compresa tra i 7 e i 17 anni e ai loro genitori. Il CDI-2 Self-Report (forma estesa e breve) è stato somministrato anche ad un campione clinico di 150 pazienti (range età: 7-17 anni