Abstract: We explored the interrelationships between risk-taking and self-harm in typically devel... more Abstract: We explored the interrelationships between risk-taking and self-harm in typically developing adolescents by examining various contributing factors, such as personality traits, difficulties in emotion regulation, attachment styles, and maladaptive psychological functioning. A sample of 234 Italian adolescents completed the Risk-Taking and Self-Harm Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA), the Risk-Taking Questionnaire (RT-18), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Strategies (DERS), the State Adult Attachment Measure (SAAM), and the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Network analysis was used to visualize and describe the interdependencies among the variables. Risk-taking behaviors were strongly linked to rule-breaking, aggression, and risk propensity, while self-harm behaviors were connected to limited access to emotion regulation strategies and thought problems. Centrality indices indicated that variables such as anxiety/depression, limited access to emotion regulation strategies, and rule-breaking had a high influence within the network. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the nomological network of risk-taking and self-harm behaviors among adolescents. It highlighted the relative importance of factors such as emotion regulation difficulties and maladaptive psychological functioning in influencing these behaviors. The findings could inform psychological interventions and prevention strategies targeting adolescents at risk for engaging in risk-taking or self-harm behaviors.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Several studies have shown that the age of onset of psychopathology is decreasing, and that at le... more Several studies have shown that the age of onset of psychopathology is decreasing, and that at least some clinical manifestations (e.g., eating disorders) that once typically belonged to adolescence may present themselves much earlier.
In some situations, due to the risk of contagion, the recent COVID-19 pandemic forced parent–chil... more In some situations, due to the risk of contagion, the recent COVID-19 pandemic forced parent–child separation to occur in attempts to slow down the spread of the virus. In many countries, governments’ policies recommended (or imposed)physical distance between people, even in the same family if one family member was positive to the virus italianlmxand the other members were not.
Pre-adolescence is generally considered a period of change during which sexual energy remains lat... more Pre-adolescence is generally considered a period of change during which sexual energy remains latent before gradually beginning to express itself in adolescence and later in life [1]. However, in recent years, the average age for youths' first sexual intercourse has dramatically decreased. Globally, over 20% of fourteen year olds have already initiated sexual relationships and engaged in multiple partners within a short time span, and the age of sexual initiation tends to be even lower in most countries [2]. Social media has been suggested to play a role in this trend, as it allows teenagers to access various kinds of information, including implicit sexual content. This exposure can lead to misconceptions and access to pornographic material, encouraging early sexual behavior. Furthermore, social media provides opportunities for unrestricted interactions, which can lead to a cascade of consequences, starting with explicit conversations, video calls, and eventually, in-person sexual encounters [3]. Research has posited that the earlier sexual intercourse begins, the more potential risks it entails, and early sexual initiation serves as a negative indicator of sexual health [4]. Moreover, a premature sexual debut may endanger the emotion regulation processes and the emotional/behavioral functioning youths gain through the interactions with their caregivers during childhood [5-7]. While there are widely recognized risks associated with early and promiscuous sexual relationships during early adolescence [8], we believe that it is essential to have a psycho-dynamically oriented discussion in this area to reflect on aspects directly connected with the structuring and functioning of young minds. Although the current scientific literature mostly addresses adolescents' brain maturation [9], the development of sexuality in young individuals and its impact on their mental functioning is often overlooked and disregarded, being considered an outdated and dusty inheritance. We believe, instead, that the voices of authoritative scholars should still be heard. For instance, Greenacre [10] emphasized that a child's encounter with themes related to sexuality, whether in their environment or fantasies, shapes their mind's development and their ability to relate to others. However, when these experiences are particularly disturbing, especially if they occur too early, very primitive defense mechanisms like denial and repression can be triggered. This can lead to significant alterations in reality testing and perception, resulting in the construction of a "defensive wall", which the author likened to a dam holding back the excessive stimuli from the environment. This defensive response is similar to what individuals with autism put in place to keep a distance from an environment they perceive as intrusively intense [11]. According to Greenacre, pre-adolescents cannot fully process perceptions and sensations related to adult sexuality and the associated fantasies. Only much later, after successive developmental stages have been reached, can these early experiences be given meaning, lying somewhere between the mental and physical realms. This process
Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments enacted strict measures to stop the ... more Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments enacted strict measures to stop the spread of the virus. Among these was the recommendation that children with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 be isolated in a room at home. Methods: Through a longitudinal study with three waves and using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, the Child Behavior Checklist 1,5-5, and the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, we intended to verify whether young children and their mothers showed psychopathological symptoms and distress as a result of quarantine separation. Results: Our results showed that mothers’ symptoms significantly increased from Time 1 to Time 2 and remained stable at Time 3, except for the anxious and depressive symptoms, which increased also at Time 3. Similarly, children’s problems significantly increased from Time 1 to Time 2 and remained stable and high at Time 3. Discussion: This descriptive study may help policy makers to consider the negative outcomes of quarantine sepa...
Adolescents tend to experience multiple motor-vehicle crashes (MVCs). Recent literature has thoro... more Adolescents tend to experience multiple motor-vehicle crashes (MVCs). Recent literature has thoroughly explored the psychological consequences following an MVC, but prior psychological functioning, the ability to regulate one’s emotions and tendencies to impulsivity and aggressive behaviors have been far less explored. This study aims to explore the emotional–behavioral functioning, measured with the Youth Self-Report (YSR); emotional dysregulation, measured with the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS); impulsivity traits, measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11); and the capacity to be mindful, measured with the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), in adolescents that have experienced one or more MVCs in a year. N = 295 adolescents who visited an emergency department for MVCs were divided in two groups based on the number of MVCs they had sustained over the course of a year. The adolescents in Group 1 sustained more than three MVCs, and adolescents ...
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Jan 18, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
IntroductionBefore the COVID-19 pandemic, proximity between mothers and their newborn infants was... more IntroductionBefore the COVID-19 pandemic, proximity between mothers and their newborn infants was at the core of sanitary guidelines. With the aim of stopping the virus transmission from mothers to infants and possible physical dangers due to the infection, some hospitals discouraged or even prohibited skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding.MethodThis study recruited 180 dyads in private and public hospitals in Italy with the aim of verifying whether mother-infant separation after delivery is associated with higher maternal psychopathological distress (assessed through the SCL-90-R) and poorer quality of dyadic interactions during breastfeeding (evaluated through the SVIA).ResultsOur results showed that mothers separated from their infants displayed more anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and a lower quality of feeding interactions on all the subscales of the SVIA (mother's affective state; interactive conflict; food refusal behavior; dyad's affective state).ConclusionIn light of these results, our study suggests that separating mothers from their newborns is associated with increased psychopathological symptoms in mothers and poorer feeding interactions. These issues have been posited as key predictors of maladaptive outcomes in infants' later lives; therefore, health services must fully consider the short- and long-term consequences of separating mothers and infants in their policies in the event of future pandemics.
Background Youth violence has become a worrying public health issue worldwide. In Europe and the ... more Background Youth violence has become a worrying public health issue worldwide. In Europe and the USA, research has shown a prevalence of this phenomenon ranging from 30 to 70% in boys. Aims This descriptive study aimed to evaluate psychological profiles of male adolescents involved in fights with their peers. Method Identity consolidation was evaluated with the Self-Concept and Identity Measure; defence strategies were assessed by the Response Evaluation Measure for Youth; emotion regulation was assessed with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and mentalisation capacity was evaluated by the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire. Results Through a series of multivariate analyses of variance, our results showed that adolescents reporting four or more fights in the past year, when compared with peers reporting none or fewer than four fights, displayed lower identity consolidation, greater use of immature defence strategies, poorer emotion regulation processes and poorer mental...
Background
Youth violence has become a worrying public health issue
worldwide. In Europe and the ... more Background Youth violence has become a worrying public health issue worldwide. In Europe and the USA, research has shown a prevalence of this phenomenon ranging from 30 to 70% in boys. Aims This descriptive study aimed to evaluate psychological profiles of male adolescents involved in fights with their peers. Method Identity consolidation was evaluated with the Self-Concept and Identity Measure; defence strategies were assessed by the Response Evaluation Measure for Youth; emotion regulation was assessed with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and mentalisation capacity was evaluated by the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire. Results Through a series of multivariate analyses of variance, our results showed that adolescents reporting four or more fights in the past year, when compared with peers reporting none or fewer than four fights, displayed lower identity consolidation, greater use of immature defence strategies, poorer emotion regulation pro- cesses and poorer mentalisation capacity. Conclusions The results of this study could be useful for the promotion of prevention and intervention programmes to stem fights among adolescents.
During online interactions, adolescents are often exposed to deviant opportunities. In this conte... more During online interactions, adolescents are often exposed to deviant opportunities. In this context, the capacity to regulate one’s behavior is essential to prevent cyberbullying. Among adolescents, this online aggressive behavior is a growing phenomenon, and its deleterious effects on teenagers’ mental health are well known. The present work argues the importance of self-regulatory capabilities under deviant peer pressure in preventing cyberbullying. In particular, focusing on two relevant risk factors, i.e., impulsivity and moral disengagement, we examine (1) the mediation role of moral disengagement in the process leading to cyberbullying from impulsivity; (2) the buffering effect of the perceived self-regulatory capability to resist deviant peer pressure in mitigating the effect of these impulsive and social–cognitive dimensions on cyberbullying. Moderated mediation analysis was performed on a sample of 856 adolescents; the results confirm that the perceived self-regulatory capability to resist peer pressure effectively mitigates the indirect effect of impulsivity through moral disengagement on cyberbullying. The practical implications of designing interventions to make adolescents more aware and self-regulated in their online social lives to counter cyberbullying are discussed.
Using network analysis, we investigated the relationships between maladaptive psychological funct... more Using network analysis, we investigated the relationships between maladaptive psychological functioning, difficulties in emotion regulation, and risk-taking in deliberative and affective behavioral decisions. Participants (103 adolescents aged between 13 and 19 years, 62% boys) took the Cold (deliberative) and Hot (affective) versions of the Columbia Card Task and completed the Youth Self-Report (YSR) and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). In contrast to the view that risk propensity increases from preadolescence to middle adolescence and decreases at later ages, our study revealed no age-specific trend. YSR syndrome scales were significantly correlated with risk propensity, but only in the Cold version. The YSR Thought Problems scale was the most central node in the network, linking internalizing and externalizing problems with risk propensity in the Cold CCT. Lack of emotional Clarity was the only DERS consistently linked with risk-taking both in correlation and ...
Psychopathological symptoms such as depression/anxiety vs. attention or aggression problems, in c... more Psychopathological symptoms such as depression/anxiety vs. attention or aggression problems, in children, have been associated to altered expression of the DAT1/SLC6A3 gene. Inheriting specific 9- or 10-repeat VNTR alleles could modify the pattern of methylation in the CpGs islands at the 5’-UTR of the DAT1 gene. Through accurate recruitment at primary schools, we ended up with four subgroups of children: 9/9 and 10/10 homozygous; 9/10 heterozygous born from 9/10 mothers and 10/10 fathers (called heM); 9/10 heterozygous born from 10/10 mothers and 9/10 fathers (called heF). (Epi)genetical changes were found to be in relation to internalizing and externalizing symptoms: compared to other genotypes, our 9/9 children exhibited mainly internalizing symptoms while 10/10 genotype was previously associated with ADHD severity. We found that 10/10 children bear a 5’-UTR motif showing a CpGs 1-2-3-5 unity with anticorrelated CpG 6, while 9/9 children showed also a demethylated CpG 1 linked to demethylated CpG 6. We found two different patterns between heMs and heFs: a feature of heM children is in CpGs 1-3 methylated pattern with CpGs 2, 5 and 6 demethylated together, supporting a unitary destiny. Within the heF children, the status for CpGs 3+6 pattern of (de)methylation was not well defined: also the non-inherited parent alleles may somewhat have influenced the motif destiny of heF children. Present work was aimed to identify novel epigenetic biomarkers to be exploited as fairly indicators of children's psychopathological vulnerability.
Although mobile technologies are a fundamental part of daily life, several studies have shown inc... more Although mobile technologies are a fundamental part of daily life, several studies have shown increased use of electronic devices, TV, and gaming during childhood in conjunction with the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus affected almost every country, causing uncertainty about the future, social isolation, and distress. This narrative review has searched the scientific literature in the field focusing on children. A non-systematic literature review was conducted in May 2022. Various databases were employed to conduct the document research for this paper, such as “Google Scholar”, “PubMed”, “Web of Science”. Keywords for the search included “screen time”, “media”, “digital use”, “social media”, “COVID-19”, “pandemic”, “lockdown”, “children”, “effect of media on children during COVID”. It was found that both children and adolescents seem to have used technologies to confront struggles provoked by COVID-19, such as the onset or exacerbation of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, moreover, other studies have suggested that increased media use can have positive effects on children depending on usage and monitoring by the parents.
Ubiquitous technology, big data, more efficient electronic health records, and predictive analyti... more Ubiquitous technology, big data, more efficient electronic health records, and predictive analytics are now at the core of smart healthcare systems supported by artificial intelligence. In the present narrative review, we focus on sensing technologies for the healthcare of Anorexia Nervosa (AN). We employed a framework inspired by the Interpersonal Neurobiology Theory (IPNB), which posits that human experience is characterized by a flow of energy and information both within us (within our whole body), and between us (in the connections we have with others and with nature). In line with this framework, we focused on sensors designed to evaluate bodily processes (body sensors: implantable sensors, epidermal sensors, wearable and portable sensors), human social interaction (sociometric sensors), and the physical environment (indoor and outdoor ambient sensors). There is a myriad of man-made sensors as well as nature-based sensors such as plants that can be used to design and deploy int...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023
Adolescents and young adults engage in sexting behaviors. Research has mainly emphasized the rela... more Adolescents and young adults engage in sexting behaviors. Research has mainly emphasized the relationship between motivations and sexting behaviors, with little attention paid to sexting expectations and the potential role of coping strategies. This study aims to explore the measure of emotional-behavioral functioning with the Youth/Adult Self Report (based on the subject's age), the use of defensive strategies measured with the Response Evaluation Measure (REM-71), social media addiction with the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and all dimensions of sexting: motivations, behavior and expectations measured with the Sexting Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ), Sexting Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ) and Sexpectancies Questionnaire (SQ), respectively. N = 209 adolescents and young adults were recruited from high schools and universities in Rome to complete the self-report questionnaires. Results show that males tend to have higher expectations of sexting than females. We also found that expectations play a role in determining sexting behaviors and motivations. Our hypotheses on social media addiction and sexting were confirmed, while the relationship between the defensive strategies and sexting was not significant as expected. Further studies on this topic are desirable in the future.
Abstract: We explored the interrelationships between risk-taking and self-harm in typically devel... more Abstract: We explored the interrelationships between risk-taking and self-harm in typically developing adolescents by examining various contributing factors, such as personality traits, difficulties in emotion regulation, attachment styles, and maladaptive psychological functioning. A sample of 234 Italian adolescents completed the Risk-Taking and Self-Harm Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA), the Risk-Taking Questionnaire (RT-18), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Strategies (DERS), the State Adult Attachment Measure (SAAM), and the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Network analysis was used to visualize and describe the interdependencies among the variables. Risk-taking behaviors were strongly linked to rule-breaking, aggression, and risk propensity, while self-harm behaviors were connected to limited access to emotion regulation strategies and thought problems. Centrality indices indicated that variables such as anxiety/depression, limited access to emotion regulation strategies, and rule-breaking had a high influence within the network. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the nomological network of risk-taking and self-harm behaviors among adolescents. It highlighted the relative importance of factors such as emotion regulation difficulties and maladaptive psychological functioning in influencing these behaviors. The findings could inform psychological interventions and prevention strategies targeting adolescents at risk for engaging in risk-taking or self-harm behaviors.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Several studies have shown that the age of onset of psychopathology is decreasing, and that at le... more Several studies have shown that the age of onset of psychopathology is decreasing, and that at least some clinical manifestations (e.g., eating disorders) that once typically belonged to adolescence may present themselves much earlier.
In some situations, due to the risk of contagion, the recent COVID-19 pandemic forced parent–chil... more In some situations, due to the risk of contagion, the recent COVID-19 pandemic forced parent–child separation to occur in attempts to slow down the spread of the virus. In many countries, governments’ policies recommended (or imposed)physical distance between people, even in the same family if one family member was positive to the virus italianlmxand the other members were not.
Pre-adolescence is generally considered a period of change during which sexual energy remains lat... more Pre-adolescence is generally considered a period of change during which sexual energy remains latent before gradually beginning to express itself in adolescence and later in life [1]. However, in recent years, the average age for youths' first sexual intercourse has dramatically decreased. Globally, over 20% of fourteen year olds have already initiated sexual relationships and engaged in multiple partners within a short time span, and the age of sexual initiation tends to be even lower in most countries [2]. Social media has been suggested to play a role in this trend, as it allows teenagers to access various kinds of information, including implicit sexual content. This exposure can lead to misconceptions and access to pornographic material, encouraging early sexual behavior. Furthermore, social media provides opportunities for unrestricted interactions, which can lead to a cascade of consequences, starting with explicit conversations, video calls, and eventually, in-person sexual encounters [3]. Research has posited that the earlier sexual intercourse begins, the more potential risks it entails, and early sexual initiation serves as a negative indicator of sexual health [4]. Moreover, a premature sexual debut may endanger the emotion regulation processes and the emotional/behavioral functioning youths gain through the interactions with their caregivers during childhood [5-7]. While there are widely recognized risks associated with early and promiscuous sexual relationships during early adolescence [8], we believe that it is essential to have a psycho-dynamically oriented discussion in this area to reflect on aspects directly connected with the structuring and functioning of young minds. Although the current scientific literature mostly addresses adolescents' brain maturation [9], the development of sexuality in young individuals and its impact on their mental functioning is often overlooked and disregarded, being considered an outdated and dusty inheritance. We believe, instead, that the voices of authoritative scholars should still be heard. For instance, Greenacre [10] emphasized that a child's encounter with themes related to sexuality, whether in their environment or fantasies, shapes their mind's development and their ability to relate to others. However, when these experiences are particularly disturbing, especially if they occur too early, very primitive defense mechanisms like denial and repression can be triggered. This can lead to significant alterations in reality testing and perception, resulting in the construction of a "defensive wall", which the author likened to a dam holding back the excessive stimuli from the environment. This defensive response is similar to what individuals with autism put in place to keep a distance from an environment they perceive as intrusively intense [11]. According to Greenacre, pre-adolescents cannot fully process perceptions and sensations related to adult sexuality and the associated fantasies. Only much later, after successive developmental stages have been reached, can these early experiences be given meaning, lying somewhere between the mental and physical realms. This process
Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments enacted strict measures to stop the ... more Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments enacted strict measures to stop the spread of the virus. Among these was the recommendation that children with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 be isolated in a room at home. Methods: Through a longitudinal study with three waves and using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, the Child Behavior Checklist 1,5-5, and the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, we intended to verify whether young children and their mothers showed psychopathological symptoms and distress as a result of quarantine separation. Results: Our results showed that mothers’ symptoms significantly increased from Time 1 to Time 2 and remained stable at Time 3, except for the anxious and depressive symptoms, which increased also at Time 3. Similarly, children’s problems significantly increased from Time 1 to Time 2 and remained stable and high at Time 3. Discussion: This descriptive study may help policy makers to consider the negative outcomes of quarantine sepa...
Adolescents tend to experience multiple motor-vehicle crashes (MVCs). Recent literature has thoro... more Adolescents tend to experience multiple motor-vehicle crashes (MVCs). Recent literature has thoroughly explored the psychological consequences following an MVC, but prior psychological functioning, the ability to regulate one’s emotions and tendencies to impulsivity and aggressive behaviors have been far less explored. This study aims to explore the emotional–behavioral functioning, measured with the Youth Self-Report (YSR); emotional dysregulation, measured with the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS); impulsivity traits, measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11); and the capacity to be mindful, measured with the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), in adolescents that have experienced one or more MVCs in a year. N = 295 adolescents who visited an emergency department for MVCs were divided in two groups based on the number of MVCs they had sustained over the course of a year. The adolescents in Group 1 sustained more than three MVCs, and adolescents ...
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Jan 18, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
IntroductionBefore the COVID-19 pandemic, proximity between mothers and their newborn infants was... more IntroductionBefore the COVID-19 pandemic, proximity between mothers and their newborn infants was at the core of sanitary guidelines. With the aim of stopping the virus transmission from mothers to infants and possible physical dangers due to the infection, some hospitals discouraged or even prohibited skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding.MethodThis study recruited 180 dyads in private and public hospitals in Italy with the aim of verifying whether mother-infant separation after delivery is associated with higher maternal psychopathological distress (assessed through the SCL-90-R) and poorer quality of dyadic interactions during breastfeeding (evaluated through the SVIA).ResultsOur results showed that mothers separated from their infants displayed more anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and a lower quality of feeding interactions on all the subscales of the SVIA (mother's affective state; interactive conflict; food refusal behavior; dyad's affective state).ConclusionIn light of these results, our study suggests that separating mothers from their newborns is associated with increased psychopathological symptoms in mothers and poorer feeding interactions. These issues have been posited as key predictors of maladaptive outcomes in infants' later lives; therefore, health services must fully consider the short- and long-term consequences of separating mothers and infants in their policies in the event of future pandemics.
Background Youth violence has become a worrying public health issue worldwide. In Europe and the ... more Background Youth violence has become a worrying public health issue worldwide. In Europe and the USA, research has shown a prevalence of this phenomenon ranging from 30 to 70% in boys. Aims This descriptive study aimed to evaluate psychological profiles of male adolescents involved in fights with their peers. Method Identity consolidation was evaluated with the Self-Concept and Identity Measure; defence strategies were assessed by the Response Evaluation Measure for Youth; emotion regulation was assessed with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and mentalisation capacity was evaluated by the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire. Results Through a series of multivariate analyses of variance, our results showed that adolescents reporting four or more fights in the past year, when compared with peers reporting none or fewer than four fights, displayed lower identity consolidation, greater use of immature defence strategies, poorer emotion regulation processes and poorer mental...
Background
Youth violence has become a worrying public health issue
worldwide. In Europe and the ... more Background Youth violence has become a worrying public health issue worldwide. In Europe and the USA, research has shown a prevalence of this phenomenon ranging from 30 to 70% in boys. Aims This descriptive study aimed to evaluate psychological profiles of male adolescents involved in fights with their peers. Method Identity consolidation was evaluated with the Self-Concept and Identity Measure; defence strategies were assessed by the Response Evaluation Measure for Youth; emotion regulation was assessed with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and mentalisation capacity was evaluated by the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire. Results Through a series of multivariate analyses of variance, our results showed that adolescents reporting four or more fights in the past year, when compared with peers reporting none or fewer than four fights, displayed lower identity consolidation, greater use of immature defence strategies, poorer emotion regulation pro- cesses and poorer mentalisation capacity. Conclusions The results of this study could be useful for the promotion of prevention and intervention programmes to stem fights among adolescents.
During online interactions, adolescents are often exposed to deviant opportunities. In this conte... more During online interactions, adolescents are often exposed to deviant opportunities. In this context, the capacity to regulate one’s behavior is essential to prevent cyberbullying. Among adolescents, this online aggressive behavior is a growing phenomenon, and its deleterious effects on teenagers’ mental health are well known. The present work argues the importance of self-regulatory capabilities under deviant peer pressure in preventing cyberbullying. In particular, focusing on two relevant risk factors, i.e., impulsivity and moral disengagement, we examine (1) the mediation role of moral disengagement in the process leading to cyberbullying from impulsivity; (2) the buffering effect of the perceived self-regulatory capability to resist deviant peer pressure in mitigating the effect of these impulsive and social–cognitive dimensions on cyberbullying. Moderated mediation analysis was performed on a sample of 856 adolescents; the results confirm that the perceived self-regulatory capability to resist peer pressure effectively mitigates the indirect effect of impulsivity through moral disengagement on cyberbullying. The practical implications of designing interventions to make adolescents more aware and self-regulated in their online social lives to counter cyberbullying are discussed.
Using network analysis, we investigated the relationships between maladaptive psychological funct... more Using network analysis, we investigated the relationships between maladaptive psychological functioning, difficulties in emotion regulation, and risk-taking in deliberative and affective behavioral decisions. Participants (103 adolescents aged between 13 and 19 years, 62% boys) took the Cold (deliberative) and Hot (affective) versions of the Columbia Card Task and completed the Youth Self-Report (YSR) and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). In contrast to the view that risk propensity increases from preadolescence to middle adolescence and decreases at later ages, our study revealed no age-specific trend. YSR syndrome scales were significantly correlated with risk propensity, but only in the Cold version. The YSR Thought Problems scale was the most central node in the network, linking internalizing and externalizing problems with risk propensity in the Cold CCT. Lack of emotional Clarity was the only DERS consistently linked with risk-taking both in correlation and ...
Psychopathological symptoms such as depression/anxiety vs. attention or aggression problems, in c... more Psychopathological symptoms such as depression/anxiety vs. attention or aggression problems, in children, have been associated to altered expression of the DAT1/SLC6A3 gene. Inheriting specific 9- or 10-repeat VNTR alleles could modify the pattern of methylation in the CpGs islands at the 5’-UTR of the DAT1 gene. Through accurate recruitment at primary schools, we ended up with four subgroups of children: 9/9 and 10/10 homozygous; 9/10 heterozygous born from 9/10 mothers and 10/10 fathers (called heM); 9/10 heterozygous born from 10/10 mothers and 9/10 fathers (called heF). (Epi)genetical changes were found to be in relation to internalizing and externalizing symptoms: compared to other genotypes, our 9/9 children exhibited mainly internalizing symptoms while 10/10 genotype was previously associated with ADHD severity. We found that 10/10 children bear a 5’-UTR motif showing a CpGs 1-2-3-5 unity with anticorrelated CpG 6, while 9/9 children showed also a demethylated CpG 1 linked to demethylated CpG 6. We found two different patterns between heMs and heFs: a feature of heM children is in CpGs 1-3 methylated pattern with CpGs 2, 5 and 6 demethylated together, supporting a unitary destiny. Within the heF children, the status for CpGs 3+6 pattern of (de)methylation was not well defined: also the non-inherited parent alleles may somewhat have influenced the motif destiny of heF children. Present work was aimed to identify novel epigenetic biomarkers to be exploited as fairly indicators of children's psychopathological vulnerability.
Although mobile technologies are a fundamental part of daily life, several studies have shown inc... more Although mobile technologies are a fundamental part of daily life, several studies have shown increased use of electronic devices, TV, and gaming during childhood in conjunction with the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus affected almost every country, causing uncertainty about the future, social isolation, and distress. This narrative review has searched the scientific literature in the field focusing on children. A non-systematic literature review was conducted in May 2022. Various databases were employed to conduct the document research for this paper, such as “Google Scholar”, “PubMed”, “Web of Science”. Keywords for the search included “screen time”, “media”, “digital use”, “social media”, “COVID-19”, “pandemic”, “lockdown”, “children”, “effect of media on children during COVID”. It was found that both children and adolescents seem to have used technologies to confront struggles provoked by COVID-19, such as the onset or exacerbation of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, moreover, other studies have suggested that increased media use can have positive effects on children depending on usage and monitoring by the parents.
Ubiquitous technology, big data, more efficient electronic health records, and predictive analyti... more Ubiquitous technology, big data, more efficient electronic health records, and predictive analytics are now at the core of smart healthcare systems supported by artificial intelligence. In the present narrative review, we focus on sensing technologies for the healthcare of Anorexia Nervosa (AN). We employed a framework inspired by the Interpersonal Neurobiology Theory (IPNB), which posits that human experience is characterized by a flow of energy and information both within us (within our whole body), and between us (in the connections we have with others and with nature). In line with this framework, we focused on sensors designed to evaluate bodily processes (body sensors: implantable sensors, epidermal sensors, wearable and portable sensors), human social interaction (sociometric sensors), and the physical environment (indoor and outdoor ambient sensors). There is a myriad of man-made sensors as well as nature-based sensors such as plants that can be used to design and deploy int...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023
Adolescents and young adults engage in sexting behaviors. Research has mainly emphasized the rela... more Adolescents and young adults engage in sexting behaviors. Research has mainly emphasized the relationship between motivations and sexting behaviors, with little attention paid to sexting expectations and the potential role of coping strategies. This study aims to explore the measure of emotional-behavioral functioning with the Youth/Adult Self Report (based on the subject's age), the use of defensive strategies measured with the Response Evaluation Measure (REM-71), social media addiction with the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and all dimensions of sexting: motivations, behavior and expectations measured with the Sexting Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ), Sexting Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ) and Sexpectancies Questionnaire (SQ), respectively. N = 209 adolescents and young adults were recruited from high schools and universities in Rome to complete the self-report questionnaires. Results show that males tend to have higher expectations of sexting than females. We also found that expectations play a role in determining sexting behaviors and motivations. Our hypotheses on social media addiction and sexting were confirmed, while the relationship between the defensive strategies and sexting was not significant as expected. Further studies on this topic are desirable in the future.
This report is intended as a preliminary work aimed at raising public debate on the topic of psyc... more This report is intended as a preliminary work aimed at raising public debate on the topic of psychological consequences of Covid-19 lockdown in children. Results are exploratory and conclusions are speculative and must be confirmed through further rigorous studies.
Several studies demonstrated that maternal psychopathological risk is related to child’s maladjus... more Several studies demonstrated that maternal psychopathological risk is related to child’s maladjustment, but until recently research has relatively neglected fathers. Disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) and Eating disorders (ED) have a large prevalence during childhood but a few studies have focused on their association with paternal psychopathological risk. One-hundred and thirty-nine children and their fathers were recruited from pediatric hospitals and outpatient clinics and paired with a healthy control group (CG). Fathers were administered the SCL-90/R and the CBCL 6-18 to assess: 1) psychopathological risk of fathers of children with DBD, ED and CG; 2) significant differences between ED and DBD fathers’ psychopathological profiles; and 3) associations between specific fathers’ psychopathological symptoms and children’s emotional-behavioral problems. Fathers of children with ED showed a higher psychopathological risk than fathers of DBD offspring. Children with DBD showed higher externalizing symptoms. Paternal hostility was associated with internalizing problems in children with DBD. Paternal hostility showed a non-significant but clinically interesting association with internalizing problems in DBD children; interpersonal sensitivity was associated with internalizing problems in ED children. This study can constitute a contribution to a better understanding of the clinical characteristics of fathers of children with DBD and ED.
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of 234 Italian adolescents completed the Risk-Taking and Self-Harm Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA), the Risk-Taking Questionnaire (RT-18), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Strategies (DERS), the State Adult Attachment Measure (SAAM), and the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Network
analysis was used to visualize and describe the interdependencies among the variables. Risk-taking behaviors were strongly linked to rule-breaking, aggression, and risk propensity, while self-harm behaviors were connected to limited access to emotion regulation strategies and thought problems.
Centrality indices indicated that variables such as anxiety/depression, limited access to emotion regulation strategies, and rule-breaking had a high influence within the network. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the nomological network of risk-taking and self-harm behaviors among adolescents. It highlighted the relative importance of factors such as emotion regulation difficulties and maladaptive psychological functioning in influencing these behaviors. The findings
could inform psychological interventions and prevention strategies targeting adolescents at risk for engaging in risk-taking or self-harm behaviors.
In many countries, governments’ policies recommended (or imposed)physical distance between people, even in the same family if one family member was positive to the virus italianlmxand the other members were not.
Youth violence has become a worrying public health issue
worldwide. In Europe and the USA, research has shown a
prevalence of this phenomenon ranging from 30 to 70% in boys.
Aims
This descriptive study aimed to evaluate psychological profiles of
male adolescents involved in fights with their peers.
Method
Identity consolidation was evaluated with the Self-Concept and
Identity Measure; defence strategies were assessed by the
Response Evaluation Measure for Youth; emotion regulation was
assessed with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and
mentalisation capacity was evaluated by the Reflective
Functioning Questionnaire.
Results
Through a series of multivariate analyses of variance, our results
showed that adolescents reporting four or more fights in the past
year, when compared with peers reporting none or fewer than
four fights, displayed lower identity consolidation, greater use of
immature defence strategies, poorer emotion regulation pro-
cesses and poorer mentalisation capacity.
Conclusions
The results of this study could be useful for the promotion of
prevention and intervention programmes to stem fights among
adolescents.
teenagers’ mental health are well known. The present work argues the importance of self-regulatory capabilities under deviant peer pressure in preventing cyberbullying. In particular, focusing on two relevant risk factors, i.e., impulsivity and moral disengagement, we examine (1) the mediation role
of moral disengagement in the process leading to cyberbullying from impulsivity; (2) the buffering effect of the perceived self-regulatory capability to resist deviant peer pressure in mitigating the effect of these impulsive and social–cognitive dimensions on cyberbullying. Moderated mediation analysis
was performed on a sample of 856 adolescents; the results confirm that the perceived self-regulatory capability to resist peer pressure effectively mitigates the indirect effect of impulsivity through moral disengagement on cyberbullying. The practical implications of designing interventions to make adolescents more aware and self-regulated in their online social lives to counter cyberbullying are discussed.
of 234 Italian adolescents completed the Risk-Taking and Self-Harm Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA), the Risk-Taking Questionnaire (RT-18), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Strategies (DERS), the State Adult Attachment Measure (SAAM), and the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Network
analysis was used to visualize and describe the interdependencies among the variables. Risk-taking behaviors were strongly linked to rule-breaking, aggression, and risk propensity, while self-harm behaviors were connected to limited access to emotion regulation strategies and thought problems.
Centrality indices indicated that variables such as anxiety/depression, limited access to emotion regulation strategies, and rule-breaking had a high influence within the network. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the nomological network of risk-taking and self-harm behaviors among adolescents. It highlighted the relative importance of factors such as emotion regulation difficulties and maladaptive psychological functioning in influencing these behaviors. The findings
could inform psychological interventions and prevention strategies targeting adolescents at risk for engaging in risk-taking or self-harm behaviors.
In many countries, governments’ policies recommended (or imposed)physical distance between people, even in the same family if one family member was positive to the virus italianlmxand the other members were not.
Youth violence has become a worrying public health issue
worldwide. In Europe and the USA, research has shown a
prevalence of this phenomenon ranging from 30 to 70% in boys.
Aims
This descriptive study aimed to evaluate psychological profiles of
male adolescents involved in fights with their peers.
Method
Identity consolidation was evaluated with the Self-Concept and
Identity Measure; defence strategies were assessed by the
Response Evaluation Measure for Youth; emotion regulation was
assessed with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and
mentalisation capacity was evaluated by the Reflective
Functioning Questionnaire.
Results
Through a series of multivariate analyses of variance, our results
showed that adolescents reporting four or more fights in the past
year, when compared with peers reporting none or fewer than
four fights, displayed lower identity consolidation, greater use of
immature defence strategies, poorer emotion regulation pro-
cesses and poorer mentalisation capacity.
Conclusions
The results of this study could be useful for the promotion of
prevention and intervention programmes to stem fights among
adolescents.
teenagers’ mental health are well known. The present work argues the importance of self-regulatory capabilities under deviant peer pressure in preventing cyberbullying. In particular, focusing on two relevant risk factors, i.e., impulsivity and moral disengagement, we examine (1) the mediation role
of moral disengagement in the process leading to cyberbullying from impulsivity; (2) the buffering effect of the perceived self-regulatory capability to resist deviant peer pressure in mitigating the effect of these impulsive and social–cognitive dimensions on cyberbullying. Moderated mediation analysis
was performed on a sample of 856 adolescents; the results confirm that the perceived self-regulatory capability to resist peer pressure effectively mitigates the indirect effect of impulsivity through moral disengagement on cyberbullying. The practical implications of designing interventions to make adolescents more aware and self-regulated in their online social lives to counter cyberbullying are discussed.