Racialized Migrant Transgender Women Engaged in Sex Work: Double Binds and Identifications with the Community.

Racialized migrant transgender women engaged in sex work represent an understudied population. They face unique challenges resulting from their multiple marginalized identities, such as racialized transmisogyny. Since marginalized communities play a vital role in mitigating systemic stigma, it is essential to expand the literature on the community of this population. The present study used the frameworks of gender minority stress and intersectionality, along with a decolonial and transfeminist approach. Twenty participants aged between 28 and 66 years old (M = 43.15; SD = 10.49) took part in a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis identified two main areas with ten corresponding themes. "The double bind of community" described the complex dynamics experienced by transgender refugees within their community, including (1) sex work between emancipation and exploitation, (2) non-prescribed treatments for gender affirmation, (3) negative experiences with the community, (4) positive impact of trans organizations, and (5) practical and economic support and exploitation. "The identification with the community" highlighted how participants positively or negatively identified with the community, containing: (6) awareness of one's privileges and oppressions, (7) internalized cisgenderism and assimilation, (8) gender euphoria; (9) sexual objectification, and (10) trans-generativity. The study evidenced the complex dynamics within marginalized communities. Trauma, stigma, and survival struggles can lead to violence and exploitation within the community. However, the community also has the potential to promote positive feelings and generativity. These findings have practical implications for social workers, healthcare practitioners, and researchers, emphasizing the need for appropriate and culturally competent care, including resources for coping with stress, fostering resilience, and facilitating post-traumatic growth.

Exploring Attitudes Toward "Sugar Relationships" Across 87 Countries: A Global Perspective on Exchanges of Resources for Sex and Companionship.

The current study investigates attitudes toward one form of sex for resources: the so-called sugar relationships, which often involve exchanges of resources for sex and/or companionship. The present study examined associations among attitudes toward sugar relationships and relevant variables (e.g., sex, sociosexuality, gender inequality, parasitic exposure) in 69,924 participants across 87 countries. Two self-report measures of Acceptance of Sugar Relationships (ASR) developed for younger companion providers (ASR-YWMS) and older resource providers (ASR-OMWS) were translated into 37 languages. We tested cross-sex and cross-linguistic construct equivalence, cross-cultural invariance in sex differences, and the importance of the hypothetical predictors of ASR. Both measures showed adequate psychometric properties in all languages (except the Persian version of ASR-YWMS). Results partially supported our hypotheses and were consistent with previous theoretical considerations and empirical evidence on human mating. For example, at the individual level, sociosexual orientation, traditional gender roles, and pathogen prevalence were significant predictors of both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS. At the country level, gender inequality and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. However, being a woman negatively predicted the ASR-OMWS, but positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. At country-level, ingroup favoritism and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-OMWS. Furthermore, significant cross-subregional differences were found in the openness to sugar relationships (both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS scores) across subregions. Finally, significant differences were found between ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS when compared in each subregion. The ASR-YWMS was significantly higher than the ASR-OMWS in all subregions, except for Northern Africa and Western Asia.

Daily associations between global self-esteem and self-concept clarity and their relationships with subjective well-being in a sample of adult workers.

OBJECTIVES: The present pre-registered study examined the reciprocal day-to-day associations between global self-esteem and self-concept clarity and their incremental validity with respect to daily life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. METHODS: We used intensive longitudinal data from 153 adult workers (45.1% women), over a period of 31 days. Data were analyzed using dynamic structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Results attested higher global self-esteem and self-concept clarity mean levels for older vs. younger participants, and lower global self-esteem and self-concept clarity variability for older vs. younger participants. Furthermore, global self-esteem and self-concept clarity were correlated at a cross-sectional daily level, yet only self-concept clarity states positively predicted subsequent global self-esteem states, while global self-esteem states did not predict subsequent self-concept clarity states. Daily global self-esteem and daily self-concept clarity further predicted subsequent daily higher life satisfaction and positive affect, respectively. CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings shed light on the short-term relationships linking global self-esteem and self-concept clarity, pointing to their discriminant validity in predicting individuals' subjective well-being.

Is Adolescents' Cyber Dating Violence Perpetration Related to Problematic Pornography Use? The Moderating Role of Hostile Sexism.

Intimate partner violence is an important public health problem. Cyber dating violence (CDV) is a form of intimate partner violence perpetrated within a dating relationship via new communication technologies. This study investigated the moderating roles of hostile and benevolent sexism in the relationship between problematic pornography use and CDV perpetration. The Cyber Pornography Use Inventory, the Cyber Dating Violence Inventory, and the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory were completed by 421 Italian adolescents (M = 16.53; females = 63.7%). Results indicated that problematic pornography use was positively related to CDV perpetration. In addition, the relationship between problematic pornography use and CDV perpetration was found to be moderated by hostile sexism. In participants with low levels of hostile sexism, the relationship between problematic pornography use and CDV perpetration was not significant. Conversely, in those with high levels of hostile sexism, this relationship was stronger and significant. Benevolent sexism was not found to be a moderator in the relationship between problematic pornography use and CDV perpetration. Thus, hostile sexism could be a risk factor for the relationship between adolescents' problematic pornography use and their engagement in CDV. Conversely, low levels of hostile sexism could be a protective factor.

Mothers' and Children's Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown: The Mediating Role of Parenting Stress.

The present study, carried out during the first peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, aimed at investigating the mental health of mothers and children during the nationwide lockdown. More specifically, the study investigated children's depression and mothers' individual distress and parenting stress, in comparison with normative samples. The mediating effect of mothers' parenting stress on the relationship between mothers' individual distress and children's depression was also explored. Finally, the study analyzed whether children's biological sex and age moderated the structural paths of the proposed model. A sample of 206 Italian mothers and their children completed an online survey. Mothers were administered self-report questionnaires investigating individual distress and parenting stress; children completed a standardized measure of depression. Mothers' individual distress and parenting stress and children's depression were higher than those recorded for the normative samples. Mothers' parenting stress was found to mediate the association between mothers' individual distress and children's depression. With respect to children, neither biological sex nor age emerged as significant moderators of this association, highlighting that the proposed model was robust and invariant. During the current and future pandemics, public health services should support parents-and particularly mothers-in reducing individual distress and parenting stress, as these are associated with children's depression.

Disclosure and child exploration of surrogacy origins in gay father families: Fathers' Adult Attachment Interview coherence of mind matters.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed at investigating whether gay fathers' coherence of mind within the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) moderated the influence of parental disclosure on children's exploration of their surrogacy origins during middle childhood and early adolescence. BACKGROUND: Once children of gay fathers are disclosed to about their surrogacy conception, they may start exploring the meanings and implications of their conception. Very little is known about the factors that may enhance such exploration in gay father families. METHOD: A home-visit study was conducted with 60 White, cisgender, gay fathers and their 30 children born through gestational surrogacy, all residing in Italy and with medium to high socioeconomic status. At time 1, when children were aged 6-12 years (M = 8.31, SD = 1.68), fathers were rated for AAI coherence of mind and interviewed about their disclosure of the surrogacy origins to their child. At time 2, approximately 18 months later (M = 9.87, SD = 1.69), children were interviewed about their exploration of their surrogacy origins. RESULTS: In the context of more information disclosed about the child conception, only children whose fathers showed greater AAI coherence of mind explored their surrogacy origins in more depth. CONCLUSION: Gay fathers' ability to show an internally consistent, but not emotionally overwrought, state of mind regarding their own attachment experiences impacted the extent to which their children felt safe and legitimated in sharing their curiosity about their conception.

Feeling safe and content: Relationship to internalized sexual stigma, self-awareness, and identity uncertainty in Italian lesbian and bisexual women.

Research has linked feelings of safety and contentment to lower adverse mental health outcomes (e.g., stress, anxiety, depression) in the general population. The current study aimed at exploring the relationship between safe/content positive affect and minority stress (e.g., internalized sexual stigma) in lesbian and bisexual women, considering the effect of potential mediators such as identity self-awareness and identity uncertainty. An online survey was administered to 400 Italian women (220 lesbian and 180 bisexual women), aged 18-40 years (M = 25.98, SD = 6.07). The results showed that lesbian women reported lower internalized sexual stigma and identity uncertainty and higher safe/content positive affect and identity self-awareness, relative to bisexual women. Higher internalized sexual stigma predicted lower safe/content positive affect, regardless of sexual orientation. Furthermore, identity self-awareness and identity uncertainty significantly mediated the relationship between internalized sexual stigma and safe/content feelings, thus confirming the protective role of sexual identity variables on lesbian and bisexual women's positive affectivity. Finally, univariate analyses suggested that lesbian women were more resilient than bisexual women in the face of minority stressors. The results contribute to the understanding of the differences between lesbian and bisexual women in their perception of salient identity categories. In addition, the findings highlight the relevance of protective factors (e.g., identity certainty, lesbian and bisexual positive identity) in ameliorating the adverse effects of minority stress and promoting positive affect and social adjustment in lesbian and bisexual women. Research and clinical implications and directions are discussed.

COVID-19 and home confinement: A study on fathers, father-child relationships and child adjustment.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to explore fathers' adjustment and father-child relationships during the first peak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak (April 2020). More particularly, the study analysed paternal perceptions of changes concerning familial economic conditions and children's psychological difficulties (viz., emotional problems and hyperactivity) during the lockdown produced by the current pandemic. Furthermore, we investigated the following correlates of fathers' parenting stress: socio-demographic condition, paternal individual stress, anxiety, depression and changes in the father-child relationship during the outbreak. METHODS: A total of 102 fathers (mean age = 41.60 years; SD = 11.54) with minor children were recruited through an online survey and reported data about their socio-economic condition, anxiety, and depressive levels, parenting stress, offspring's adjustment, and changes in their relationship with their children. RESULTS: As for the economic conditions, participants were equally distributed between those who did not perceive changes and those who perceived a worsening. With regard to changes in the child's psychological difficulties, results showed that levels of children's emotional problems and inattention/hyperactivity had significantly increased during the lockdown period. A multiple linear regression analysis highlighted that the principal predictor of paternal parenting stress was living in the regions most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by high levels of paternal anxiety symptomatology and high levels of worsening of the relationship with the child during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our study suggests to consider the effects of COVID-19 on fathers as well, as they have been rather overlooked by previous research that has mainly focused on mothers, and to plan specific interventions able to also take them into account.

Problematic alcohol use in young adults during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy.

This study investigated the individual and contextual correlates of problematic alcohol use among young adults during COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Participants were 1533 young adults aged 18 to 26 (Mage = 23.12, SDage = 2.11; 73.2% women), who completed an online survey during national lockdown. Inclusion criteria for this study were the age-range (18-26 y. o.), and living in Italy during COVID-19 lockdown. Participants with low or very low socioeconomic levels (vs. higher levels) were more at risk for problematic alcohol use, as well as participants who lived alone or with roommates/friends during lockdown. Conversely, participants who spent the lockdown with their family or partner were less at risk for problematic alcohol use. Finally, participants who had their job suspended due to pandemic (vs. other job conditions) were more at risk for problematic alcohol use during lockdown. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.

Food and alcohol disturbance among young adults during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy: risk and protective factors.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 lockdown measures have had a significant impact on risk behaviors as alcohol use and disordered eating. However, little is known about a serious health-risk-behavior named "food and alcohol disturbance" (FAD), characterized by engaging in dysfunctional eating on days of planned alcohol consumption. The aim of the present study was to investigate potential factors that may have put young adults at risk or protected against FAD during the COVID-19 lockdown. METHODS: A sample of 447 young adults (280 females, 167 males; range 18-26) completed an online survey during the country's nationwide lockdown composed of self-reported measures assessing FAD behaviors, alcohol consumption, compensatory behaviors, eating and weight concerns, social support, emotion regulation strategies, and living arrangement. RESULTS: Our findings showed that FAD was significantly and positively correlated to alcohol consumption, use of laxatives, self-induced vomiting, eating and weight concerns, and expressive suppression, and negatively correlated to social support and living with family. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that alcohol consumption, eating concern, and expression suppression positively predicted FAD, while social support and living with family were negative predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that during the COVID-19 lockdown, preoccupation with eating and the use of expressive suppression may have increased vulnerability to FAD; conversely, perceived social support and living with family may have been a source of protection against this dysfunctional behavior. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive study.

Improving the reading skills of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities: Preliminary study from Botswana.

In Botswana, Special Needs Education has been implemented for 25 years with some success but there is still a need for evidence-based methods like Frequency Building, behavioural fluency, and Precision Teaching to be used to measure and improve school performance and learning. We explored the impact of these behavioural technologies on reading performances of four children with learning disorders (ADHD, speech impairment and acquired brain disorder) in a special school in Gaborone. At the assessment, two children were unable to read letter sounds and two could not read sight words. Reading performances were measured with frequency and displayed on a standard celeration chart. During the intervention, the length of the tasks was reduced and then augmented. Findings revealed that after 3 months of intervention children significantly increased their score stimulating self-confidence and enthusiasm during activities. This work demonstrates that behavioural technologies can be applied in Africa without using expensive or time-consuming resources.

Children experiencing sadness: Coping strategies and attachment relationships.

This study aimed to explore the events which are sources of sadness for children, and their coping strategies for overcoming their sadness according to their attachment security. We expected that distinct clusters would emerge, with securely attached children more likely showing constructive and successful coping strategies than insecurely attached children. Middle-class children (N = 191) aged 7-11 years old from four private elementary schools were asked to talk about a sad event they experienced using open-ended questions from the Sadness Interview. The answers were coded into different categories of sad events and associated coping strategies. Finally, children were assessed on their security attachment using the Security Scale. Cluster analyses identified a four-cluster solution. Children in the Clusters 1 and 2 were characterized by a perceived successful constructive coping strategy while describing minor events (in the first Cluster), and very painful events (in the second). Furthermore, in the third Cluster children overcame sad events using a perceived successful disengagement coping strategy, whereas children in the fourth Cluster are characterized by perceived unresolved sadness. ANCOVA testing showed that children in the first cluster had significantly higher attachment security compared to Clusters 3 and 4, which did not significantly differ from each other. The study of sadness in children may be particularly informative for clinicians and educators for understanding and supporting children's strategies of sadness management while considering the influence of their attachment relationships on their ability to cope with sadness.

Father-child bonding and mental health in gay fathers using cross-border surrogacy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the psychological implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for father-child bonding and mental health among Italian gay fathers pursuing surrogacy in the USA or Canada? DESIGN: Between 20 March and 29 July 2020, this cross-sectional case-control study collected data on father-child bonding quality, depression, anxiety and somatization in 30 Italian gay fathers (n=15 families) who were having or successfully had a child through cross-border surrogacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. These fathers were compared with a sociodemographically similar group of 50 Italian gay fathers (n=25 families) who had children through cross-border surrogacy prior to the pandemic. RESULTS: Although father-child bonding quality and the mental health symptoms of fathers scored below the clinical cut-off points in both groups, fathers who had or were having a child during the COVID-19 pandemic reported poorer father-child bonding (estimate 3.04, SE 1.47, P=0.044) and more depressive (estimate -1.47, SE 0.49, P=0.005), anxious (estimate -1.96, SE 0.55, P<0.001) and somatic symptoms (estimate -2.48, SE 0.52, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings call for the development of international guidelines for cross-border surrogacy and underline the need for tailored and ongoing psychological and legal support for intended gay fathers to ease their strain and anxiety related to having a child through cross-border surrogacy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Binge eating and binge drinking behaviors: the role of family functioning.

Binge eating and binge drinking are two of the most common health-risk behaviors among young people showing to frequently co-occur in nonclinical samples of adolescent boys and girls. The present study examined the role of different dimensions of family functioning in binge behaviors among adolescents. One thousand and twenty young to late adolescents (507 girls and 517 boys) with ages ranging from 16 to 22 years participated in the study and completed a survey of self-report measures. Our findings showed that adolescents who binge eat and drink and adolescents who only binge eat perceived a lower quality of family functioning with lower levels of cohesion, flexibility, communication, satisfaction and higher degree of disengagement compared to adolescents who do not binge and adolescents who only binge drink. Only adolescents who engage in both binge behaviors reported higher levels of chaotic style compared to other binge groups. Furthermore, living in families poorly flexible, highly disengaged and with communication problems among members resulted as risk factors for binge eating behavior. Results suggest the importance for prevention programs to be based on an integrated approach focused on improving family environment such as the ability in changing family structure to deal effectively with developmental problems and defining clear home rules adolescents may stand on.

School Achievement and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: The Role of Self-efficacy and Peer Relationships at School.

Depressive symptoms are common during adolescence. Failure at school often relates to low self-efficacy that, in turn, is associated with depressive symptoms. Several studies have supported the role of friends in counteracting depression in adolescence. The present study tested a mediation model in which the indirect effect between school achievement and depressive symptoms, mediated by perceived self-efficacy, was moderated by peer relationships at school. Self-report questionnaires were administered to 1004 adolescents aged 14 to 18 years (M = 15.5; SD = 1.2). The moderated mediation model showed that the mediation of self-efficacy in the relation between school achievement and depressive symptoms was moderated by peer relationships. Higher self-efficacy was associated to lower depressive symptoms, in particular in adolescents with more school friends. Conversely, the magnitude of this association is weaker for those with fewer school friends. Programs aimed at reducing psychological malaise should focus on fostering positive relationships among classmates.

Exploring the association between psychological distress and drunkorexia behaviors in non-clinical adolescents: the moderating role of emotional dysregulation.

PURPOSE: Although drunkorexia seems to represent a new form of eating disorder, it shares several features with traditional eating disorders. However, very little is known about the association between drunkorexia and a widely studied correlate of eating disorders, such as psychological distress and about mechanisms underlying this association. The present study aimed to investigate the relation between symptoms of anxiety and depression and drunkorexia, and to explore the role of emotional dysregulation as moderator of this relationship. METHODS: The sample was composed of 402 adolescents (222 females, 180 males; range 15-21) who completed self-reported measures: Drunkorexia Motives and Behaviors Scale, which assesses different behaviors and motivations associated with drunkorexia, Emotional dysregulation scale from the Eating Disorder Inventory-3, reflecting difficulties regulating emotions, and Anxiety and Depression scales from the Symptom CheckList-90 Revised, assessing general signs of anxious and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Anxious symptomatology resulted a significant statistical predictor of drunkorexia behaviors (ß = .28, p = .001). Furthermore, emotional dysregulation moderated the relation between anxiety and drunkorexia; specifically, a positive relation was found both at medium levels (ß = .22, p = .007) and at higher levels of emotional dysregulation (ß = .38, p = .000), whereas at lower levels of emotional dysregulation, this association became nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that adolescents who experience both elevated anxiety and emotional dysregulation may be more likely to turn to drunkorexia to reduce their unregulated negative affect in the absence of more adaptive emotion regulation strategies. Implications for intervention and prevention programs are discussed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive study.

The buffering role of paternal parenting stress in the relationship between maternal parenting stress and children's problematic behaviour.

The present study aimed at exploring the relationship between parenting stress and children's problematic behaviour in the families of 99 children aged 8-11 years. Parenting stress was assessed by parents, using the Parenting Stress Index, and children's problematic behaviour was assessed by teachers, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. A moderation regression analysis showed a conditioning effect of paternal parenting stress in the relationship between maternal parenting stress and children's problematic behaviour. In the presence of high levels of paternal parenting stress, the relationship between maternal parenting stress and children's problematic behaviour was significant and strong (p = .01). When paternal parenting stress levels were low, the relationship between maternal parenting stress and children's problematic behaviour was not significant (p = .49). The results underlined that paternal parenting stress may buffer the relationship between maternal parenting stress and children's problematic behaviour. Clinical implications are discussed.

Patterns of love and sexting in teen dating relationships: The moderating role of conflicts.

According to the triangular love theory, this study investigated the roles of three components of love (i.e., passion, intimacy, commitment) and the moderating role of conflicts in predicting different forms of sexting (i.e., experimental, nonconsensual, under pressure) in teen dating relationships. Participants were 409 adolescents (Mage = 17.20, SDage = 1.61; 62.6% girls) who completed an online questionnaire. Three moderated regressions were performed. Conflicts positively predicted all forms of sexting. Passion positively predicted experimental sexting. Intimacy negatively predicted experimental and nonconsensual sexting, and positively predicted sexting under pressure. Three interaction effects emerged, pointing out the moderating role of conflicts. Passion positively predicted nonconsensual sexting in the presence of high conflicts, while this relationship became negative when conflicts were low. Commitment negatively predicted nonconsensual sexting and sexting under pressure in the presence of high conflicts, but these relationships were not significant when conflicts were low. Research and applicative implications are discussed.

Clinician Reactions When Working with Adolescent Patients: The Therapist Response Questionnaire for Adolescents.

This study examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Therapist Response Questionnaire for Adolescents (TRQ-A), an 86-item clinician-report instrument measuring a wide range of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors expressed by therapists toward their adolescent patients. A sample of psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral clinicians (N = 192) filled in the TRQ-A and the latest version of the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure for Adolescents (SWAP-II-A) in order to assess the personality styles/disorders of a randomly selected adolescent patient in their care. Factor analysis identified six conceptually coherent and internally consistent countertransference patterns: warm/attuned, angry/criticized, disorganized/frightened, overinvolved/worried, disengaged/hopeless, and sexualized. These patterns were significantly related to patients' personality styles/disorders in a clinically meaningful and systematically predictable manner. The results support the TRQ-A's validity and internal reliability in evaluating the complex portrait of multifaceted reactions that clinicians typically experience toward adolescent patients, and its potential to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide clinicians in planning effective therapeutic interventions. The TRQ-A promises to significantly contribute to this less explored research area and encourage systematic studies of youth treatment, promoting best practice for successful therapeutic outcomes.

Child attachment security in gay father surrogacy families: Parents as safe havens and secure bases during middle childhood.

Child attachment security and utilization of parents as safe havens and secure bases were compared in 33 surrogacy children with gay fathers and 37 donor-conceived children with lesbian mothers during middle childhood. Assessments included data coded from parent-child interactions, interviews, and questionnaires administered to children and both parents. Findings indicated that children of gay fathers perceived high attachment security and their scores did not differ from those of children with lesbian mothers or from normative scores of children with heterosexual parents. Children's greater attachment security was associated with higher levels of parental warmth, responsiveness, and willingness to serve as an attachment figure; lower levels of parental negative control and rejection; and the child's younger age. Finally, children used the primary attachment figure more as a safe haven and the secondary attachment more as a secure base, though they reported high levels of both types of support from both parents.