Exploring the link among state of mind concerning childhood attachment, attachment in close relationships, parental bonding, and psychopathological symptoms in substance users

In the present study, we have explored the link among styles of attachment and psychopathology in drug users. We know that insecure attachment predisposes the individuals the development of drug-addiction and psychopathological symptoms. However, we do not know which attachment is more frequent in drug users and which is related to particular psychopathological symptoms. The aim of the present work is to explore the relationship between childhood attachment state of mind, attachment in close relationships, parental bonding and psychopathology in sample of Italian substance users

Attachment relationships and internalization and externalization problems in a group of adolescents with pathological gambling disorder

Objective: The evidence accumulated in the relevant literature suggests that the presence and evolution of gambling could be correlated with the internalizing and externalizing problems and with the attachment style. This paper aims at exploring this perspective further. In particular, it analyses how such risk factors interact within the specific context of adolescent gambling disorder. Method: The sample comprises 91 adolescents, 61 male and 30 female, in the 17-22 age range (M = 17.77; SD = 0.98). A structural equation model was used to examine the relationship between the Youth Self-Report latent factors and pathological gambling, and the mode of attachment was assumed to act as a moderator. Results: Our results suggest that in the group characterized by a fearful attachment style there was a positive relationship between somatization and propensity to risk (p = 0.008), whereas in the dismissing attachment group there was a positive relationship between a greater tendency to delinquent behaviour and gambling risk (p = 0.042). Conclusions: The various insecure attachment stylespatterns may contribute in different ways to the development of oppositional-provocative behaviour and problems of conduct in adolescents

A Psychometric Study of the Perinatal Assessment of Maternal Affectivity (PAMA) for the Screening of Perinatal Affective Disorders in Mothers

Recently, empirical evidence from perinatal studies has led researchers to pay more attention to fathers. The need to evaluate male suffering led at first to using the same screening tools developed for mothers. However, these instruments present validity concerns with fathers, and today the need to assume a gender-based perspective is clear. The Perinatal Assessment of Paternal Affectivity (PAPA) is a self-reported questionnaire for the screening of a variety of psychological and behavioral dimensions related to affectivity as experienced by fathers during the perinatal period. In the present study, the psychometric properties of the maternal version of the scale (Perinatal Assessment of Maternal Affectivity; PAMA) were examined. The study, based on 225 mothers and their partners (n = 215), used a cross-sectional design with a single assessment at the third trimester of pregnancy. Results indicated a one-factor structure for a seven-item version of the PAMA, which showed adequate internal consistency reliability and was associated in the expected direction with other clinically relevant variables (depression, psychological distress, perceived stress and dyadic adjustment). The findings suggest the usefulness of developing gender sensitive screening tools for the detection of perinatal affective disorders

Maternal depression and attachment: the evaluation of mother–child interactions during feeding practice

Internal working models (IWMs) of attachment can moderate the effect of maternal depression on mother-child interactions and child development. Clinical depression pre-dating birthgiving has been found to predict incoherent and less sensitive caregiving. Dysfunctional patterns observed, included interactive modes linked to feeding behaviors which may interfere with hunger-satiation, biological rhythms, and the establishment of children's autonomy and individuation. Feeding interactions between depressed mothers and their children seem to be characterized by repetitive interactive failures: children refuse food through oppositional behavior or negativity. The aim of this study was to investigate parenting skills in the context of feeding in mothers with major depression from the point of view of attachment theory. This perspective emphasizes parents' emotion, relational and affective history and personal resources. The sample consisted of 60 mother-child dyads. Mothers were divided into two groups: 30 with Major Depression and 30 without disorders. Children's age ranged between 12 and 36 months The measures employed were the Adult Attachment Interview and the Scale for the Evaluation of Alimentary Interactions between Mothers and Children. Insecure attachment prevailed in mothers with major depression, with differences on the Subjective Experience and State of Mind Scales. Groups also differed in maternal sensitivity, degrees of interactive conflicts and negative affective states, all of which can hinder the development of adequate interactive patterns during feeding. The results suggest that IWMs can constitute an indicator for the evaluation of the relational quality of the dyad and that evaluations of dyadic interactions should be considered when programming interventions

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Fight (Cyber)Bullying for Human Well-being: The BullyBuster Project

Bullying and cyberbullying are phenomena which, due to their growing diffusion, have become a real social emergency. In this context, artificial intelligence can be a powerful weapon to identify episodes of violence and fight bullying both in the virtual and in the real world. Through machine learning, it is possible to detect the language patterns used by bullies and their victims and develop rules to detect cyberbullying content automatically. The BullyBuster project merges the know-how of four interdisciplinary research groups to develop a framework useful for maintaining psycho-physical well-being in educational contexts

Influenze della depressione materna sulla qualità del legame madre-figlio. Indagini nel contesto dell’alimentazione

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